Water-powered jet packs, speedboat rides and jumping jet skis will be making waves at this year’s Medway River Festival.

All eyes will be on Chatham Waterfront on Saturday, July 12 with a whole host of shows to see and activities to get involved in.

Taking to the water this year for the first time will be a jet ski display team, as well as fly boarders with jet packs thrusting them above the water.

Also new to the River Festival line up – high speedboat rides offered by Jet Stream Tours and more leisurely river cruises aboard the Edith May Barge running throughout the day. Both come with a charge.

There’s no doubt the river is going to be a hive of activity with a programme of events running from 10.45am to 4pm.

The Medway Towns Rowing Club will take to the water to demonstrate a number of rowing skills. And while they are working hard on the water, why not take on their land-based rowing machine challenge?

Or pop into Chatham library for children’s activities ranging from giant garden games, arts and crafts and choir performances.

The festival, back for its third year, will draw to a close at 4pm with the traditional sail past, when yachts and sailing vessels of every kind join together to celebrate Medway’s Maritime connections.

Medway council's Howard Doe said: “The River Festival is going to be visually spectacular, there is going to be so much happening both on land and on the water. This is another free family festival to enjoy.”

The festival will stretch the length of Chatham Waterfront from the cannons outside Gun Wharf to Sun Pier.

WHAT'S ON WHEN

River tours

10am-4pm 30-minute trip with Jet Stream Tours from Sun Pier; adults £10, children £5.

11am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm Edith May Barge, one hour trip, Sun Pier and Upnor Castle; adults £15, children £12.

11am and 2.30pm Chatham Riverside Walk; from Sun Pier; free.

4pm and 6pm High-speed trip with Jet Stream Tours from Sun Pier; adults £31.50, children £21.50.

River displays

10.45am Jet ski display

11.10am Fly board display; water powered jetpack boards

11.30am Rowing display from Medway Towns Rowing Club

Noon kayaking and sailing by Medway Watersports Trust

12.40pm Jet ski display

1.30pm Fire Tug display specialised watercraft designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires

2pm Yacht races from Medway Yacht Club

2.40pm Fly board display

3pm Jet ski display

4pm Sail past

Chatham library

10am Nautical stories for children

10.30am- 2.30pm Drop-in crafts.

2pm and 2.50pm Kaleidoscope folk music

2.30pm and 3.20pm River Voice Choir