Maidstone River Festival attracts crowds to banks of Medway
18:28, 29 July 2023
updated: 08:15, 31 July 2023
A town’s annual river festival is in full swing.
There are scores of boats lined up along the riverbank in Maidstone town centre. There’s a children’s fun fair in the grounds of Lockmeadow and live music entertainment alternating from two stages there.
A craft market is operating in the Market Hall with a chance to buy exotic breads, cheeses, cakes and drinks.
All Saints Church opened its doors to visitors earlier, who were given the rare chance to climb the spiral stone staircase to the roof of the church tower to admire the view.
Meanwhile, the Carriage Museum was open with a chance to view Maidstone’s unique collection of carriages and landaus, donated by Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake.
Maidstone Musem has been playing host to a Steam Punk festival and an old Maidstone Corporation double-decker has been giving people free rides between All Saints and the Gallaghers Football Stadium.
The river raft race has already taken place, but the live music goes on until 8,30pm and then at 9pm there is a parade of illuminated paddle boards up the river.
Finally at 10pm comes the grand finale, a spectacular fireworks display that will send bursts of colour and noise across the town.
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