Category Archives: What’s On

What's On

Free Events & Fun For ALL The Family

One of the brilliant things about Thames Tidefest is the atmosphere that is generated around Kew Bridge and Strand On The Green during the event. It’s absolutely joyful !

There are a whole host of stalls set up with free events and things of interest including The Zooligical Society of London, The Environment Agency and The RNLI . Plus there are free events to get involved with too, including Circus Skills workshops, River Dipping and much, much more. We will keep updating this page as we get more attractions confirmed.

So Get the date in your diary now and make sure you are down at Strand On The Green on September 12th or you will miss out on all the fun !

What's On

“Mudlark” Lara will be signing books at Tidefest.

What a few weeks it’s been for “London Mudlark” Lara Maiklem !

Her new book Mudlarking was chosen as Radio 4’s Book of The Week, was featured on Stanley Tucci’s Instagram and has gone straight into the Sunday Times Best Sellers Top 10. She has been a guest on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch and BBC Breakfast and just about every radio station that could book her ! Social media loves her, the press are all writing about her and the Thames Tidefest Mudlark Walks  sold out in a day.

But fear not ! you can still meet the woman herself, and buy yourself a signed copy of the book everyone is raving about at Thames Tidefest on September 8th. Lara will be signing books and chatting between 12.30pm and 1.30pm at Strand On The Green. To make the whole thing even more fabulous, we have managed to secure a discount on the cover price, so the books will be priced at £15.99 instead of the RRP of £18.99 ! So come along to the festival get yourself a bargain and get your chance to meet the most famous Mudlark in the world !

What's On

Film Screening Set To Show The Amazing History of Thames Boatmen

THE WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES – FILM

Tales from the Thames: An oral history of the Thames Lightermen.

As part of Thames Tidefest 2019 there will be a screening of “The Weekend Millionaires”. On September 8th. This fascinating 45 minute Documentary Film tells of the lives of the Thames Lightermen have operated the boats carrying cargo on the Thames with a history going back hundreds of years.

Listen to some of their stories as they reminisce and see amazing archive film of how the Thames looked in times gone by and about the work they did and how it’s changed.

Tickets cost Just £2 for adults and £1 for under 16’s

The film will be screened in The Babcock Room inside the London Museum of Water & Steam, just round the corner from Strand On The Green where the main Festival is located.

Book yours by clicking the button below

What's On

Rare chance to visit an amazing wildlife site

Get the chance to visit a Site of Special Scientific Interest not normally open to the public and take a walk guided by a local wildlife expert.

Kempton Nature Reserve is a 50 acre wetland site, and used to be an operational reservoir. It is now a site of Special Scientific interest for wetland birds such as gadwall and shoveler.

A Gadwall with chicks

Walk the circular paths and uncover the wildlife gems with local wildlife experts. In spring and summer the reserve’s main lake, meadows, ponds and woodlands comes alive with butterflies and dragonflies.

Emperor Dragonfly

You might see swifts, a common sandpiper, little grebe or if you are lucky a kingfisher or a sparrowhawk. Plus pick up some tips from experience birders and spot some wonderful wetland birds from the bird hides at Kempton Nature Reserve in Hampton, not normally open to the general public!

A Beautiful Sandpiper

The walks are FREE and will last 1.5hrs and you will be guided by local experts. Walks will start at 9.30am and 11.30am. To book please email jane.clarke@thameswater.co.uk

What's On

Learn how to get the best from your camera !

Always wished you could take better pictures ? Not sure what half the setting on your camera are for ?  Maybe you just want to get the best out of your smartphone camera ? Jon Perry will be leading a fun and informative Photography walk as part of Thames Tidefest that will help you become a better photographer in a fun and relaxed way. With a maximum 8 people on each walk, Jon will have plenty of time to help you improve and get the most from your camera. All this and it only costs £5.00 per person !

For more information and to book your place just click the button below.

What's On

Talks & Films

1 Comment

The Babcock room in the London Museum of Water and Steam will be hosting a programme of fascinating talks and films as part of Thames Tidefest 2019 on September 8th 2019. Below is the full programme.

11.30am – 12.30pm THE LIVING THAMES. Introduced by the director, Dorothy Leiper.

This award winning film, featuring Sir David Attenborough, The Living Thames is an odyssey along the river as it meanders through London and flows out to the sea, exploring its ever-changing ecology.

During his journey, from Teddington at the upper tidal reach to the sea, the presenter Chris Baines meets many people who tell him more and more about just how much life there is, in and around the Thames.

Just £2 for adults and £1 for under 16’s

 

 

 

 

 

2.00pm – 3.00pm THE WEEKEND MILLIONAIRES

Tales from the Thames: An oral history of the Thames Lightermen.

This fascinating 45 minute Documentary Film tells of the lives of the Thames Lightermen have operated the boats carrying cargo on the Thames with a history going back hundreds of years. Listen to some of their stories as they reminisce and see amazing archive film of how the Thames looked in times gone by and about the work they did and how it’s changed.

Just £2 for adults and £1 for under 16’s

3.30 – 4.30 CHISWICK SWIFTS – An illustrated talk by Catherine Day.

Local resident, Catherine is the RSPB representative for West London and founding member of the Chiswick Swift Project.

Swifts are exceptional birds. They make a 14,000-mile round trip from Central Africa each year to nest in the small spaces under our eaves or in other high nooks and crannies in our buildings.

The Chiswick swift project promotes ways to encourage nesting, especially in ‘swift hotspots’. Find out more about how you can help these beautiful birds

Just £2 for adults and £1 for under 16’s

 

 

What's On

Thames River Cruises for a fiver !

Thames Tidefest is London’s Family River Festival which brings together a whole host of amazing events on September 8th. As part of the festival we offer two amazing River Thames cruises that highlight the beauty and history of the river. More details below !

The beauty of the River Thames and the Knowledge of Peter Finch..what a great trip !

A Guided return boat trip from Kew Pier to Chiswick Pier aboard the Thames Discoverer + visit to the Chiswick RNLI station

Join Peter Finch – chairman of the River Thames Society and an authority on the river, aboard the magnificent Thames Discoverer launch. Peter will point out and illuminate landmarks throughout the trip.

At Chiswick Pier, you will see and hear about the work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, their boat and the equipment they use. The RNLI at Chiswick is a working lifeboat Station. If they have to respond to an emergency on the day, and are not available, Peter Finch will take you on a short walk to explore the delights of old historic Chiswick.

Then back to the boat for the return trip to Kew Bridge.

Tickets just £5*

*plus booking fee

Cruises on “The Windrush” are a real  highlight.

River Thames Islands Cruise on the historic Windrush

Take a boat trip along the Thames. The River Thames Society is organising four boat trips – each an hour long – around the Thames Tideway islands, leaving from Kew Pier on the historic Thames launch the “Windrush”. Guided commentary is included. (Advance booking is essential as these trips sell out quickly)

The Windrush will leave Kew Pier at 11am, 12.15pm, 1.30pm, 2.45pm

12 places per trip

£10 per person*

*Plus booking fee

What's On

Live Music Line Up a Big Part of Tidefest

What could be better than a glorious day by the River Thames, a spot of lunch and some free Live Music at Thames Tidefest!

Come on Down to Tidefest at Strand On The Green Chiswick on September 6th 2020 and enjoy a wealth of musical entertainment for FREE !

MUSIC LINE UP

 

Our musical line up has not yet been announced for 2020, but here is a sample of the acts that graced the stage at Tidefest in 2019 to get you in the mood !

Duffy & Bird

Folk/Americana duo Duffy & Bird are Tricia Duffy on lead vocals and Al Bird on vocals/guitar. The duo’s blend of vocals with Duffy’s warmth and clarity creates a beautiful and emotive harmonic effect that is coupled with Al’s sensitive acoustic guitar. Betraying Al’s roots in rock, their songs combine fluid vocals with cleverly precise guitar arrangements.

Chansongs Trio

Ealing based, vocal-led, cosmopolitan group Chansongs Trio offer a celebratory repertoire of French and American Jazz to soothe your soul.

Olive+Alex

Olive+Alex is a collaborative project between Chiswick based Olivia McShane and St Margret’s Alex Bloomfield. The duo compose and produce their music together in McShane’s home studio, joining us at Thames Tidefest for their first acoustic set they will offer a selection of original songs and covers.

Saffron

Saffron is a local 16 year old singer/songwriter currently studying at the BRIT school. She comes from a very musical family and has been playing gigs all over London since she was 11, she loves performing to live audiences and trying out her new songs. Joining us at Thames Tidefest she will be singing a mixture of her own songs as well as her versions of some of her idols.

 

 

What's On

Special Discounts & Offers

We have managed to twist a few arms and have come up with the following terrific deals for anyone who get’s a Tidefest Programme from our stand at Strand On The Green during the festival.

The London Museum of Water & Steam

are offering this very generous deal..

“Show us your Tidefest flyer on September 8th for 50% off day tickets at London Museum of Water & Steam, where you can ride our locomotive and learn about how the water gets from Thames to tap. Families can help us recreate the Thames as a giant collage, play at the outdoor Splash Zone and follow our indoor trail, while learning all about how London used water from the Thames to grow the country’s capital city.”

You can find out more about the London Museum of Water & Steam HERE

The Musical Museum

The Musical Museum is home to a wonderful collection of self-playing musical instruments. From tiny music boxes to the Mighty Wurlitzer theatre organ in the concert hall, you can learn about the history of music reproduction, and hear an impressive array of self-playing pianos, orchestrions, pipe organs, violin players, gramophones & synthesizers. The museum’s theatre space hosts a variety of concerts, films and dances throughout the year, 

​

Located near Kew Bridge, Brentford,  Their popular café has views over the river.

Come along with a Thames Tidefest Programme and get 50% discount on admittance prices on September 8th.

What's On

Fishing Events

50 peg Thames Tideway Angling Championship 

The Thames Tideway Angling Championship has been a huge success in recent years with weights of 30lb plus winning the match and over 30 anglers competing. 2017 looks like being the biggest and best yet so get yourself booked in !

We will be fishing three zones this year; the gravel foreshore downstream of Kew Bridge on the north bank, and below Chiswick road bridge and Barnes railway bridge on the south, where there are large shoals of roach, dace and bream. Waders are essential and wading up to thigh depth is allowed within the confines of your peg. All species can be weighed in except eels. The use of an easily moveable platform or tripod is advised as you will be following the tide down. The details are below and further information will be circulated nearer the time. Good luck!

Date and Time: Sunday September 10th – Fishing 9.00 am – 2.00 pm (depending on tides)

Draw: 7.00 am Strand on the Green, Kew Bridge, London W4 3RE

Tides at Kew Bridge: High – 6.06 am.  Low – 1.52 pm

THIS MATCH IS NOW SOLD OUT

For a round-up of last years event click the link below

https://thamestidefest.net/2016/10/18/tidefest-angling-championship-produces-fantastic-results/

Family Fishing Event

Do you fancy a day out with the family with lots of different fun activities ?

Would you like to introduce a member of your family or a friend to fishing ?

Maybe you are a beginner or an existing angler looking to brush up on your skills ?

The get along to the Thames Water Family Fishing Day run in collaboration with Get Hooked on Fishing and The Angling Trust. All sessions are Free with fishing tackle provided and instruction from our friendly licensed coaches, plus loads of other activities for anglers and non anglers alike.

Sep 10th – 11.00am – 4pm

Thames Water’s Walthamstow Angling Academy, N17 9NH

For more information cal Sam Edmonds on 07548737624 or email sam.edmonds@ghof.org.uk