Culture

Thames Festival: Go to the River

by Jordan Yerman | September 14, 2008 at 11:33 am

377 views | 20 Recommendations | 4 comments

The Thames estuary provided the waterway that made London a key trading city. Throughout subsequent generations, environmental changes and urban advancement have shaped the river into what it is today: a serpentine artery through Britain's vibrant capital.

As summer ends, Londoners from all walks of life visit the river to celebrate its Thames-ness: this is the Thames Festival, a great excuse to eat, drink and be merry before the chill winds of winter bring their cast of grey.

Running on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 2200 BST, between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge, the theme of the festival is Feast on the Bridge.

Two rows of banqueting tables will run the entire length of Southwark Bridge with visitors invited to share a meal with family, friends or strangers.

There will also be dancing and entertainment on the bridge.

Essentially, we want to provide a celebration for London and its river, a city centre party if you like, one that is free and open to all. We want to close roads and bridges and transform them with culture. We want to educate and transform people’s ideas about the river, too. Most of all, we want people not just to be spectators, but to be active participants in this spectacular London event.

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Rhonda J Mangus

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 17:11 on September 14th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

cliffpatte

at 00:24 on September 15th, 2008

This photo was shot by the millennium wheel on the second day of the Thames Festival 2008. It was certainly busy at this spot as the crowd were watching the free runners doing their stuff. I think most of them missed the fantastic sunset captured here.

cliffpatte has contributed a photo to this story.