Highlights from the 29th Maidstone River Festival - 26 July 2008.

Hundreds of boats, thousands of visitors and a carnival atmosphere – it had to be the 29th Maidstone River Festival.

In the week leading up the event, the River Medway in Maidstone came alive as boats started arriving from across the south east.

By Saturday morning the boats stretched from the High Level Bridge to Lockmeadow Millennium Bridge , and along the riverbanks everything was in place for a great day – even the weather played its part.

As final preparations were made ahead of the midday opening ceremony, KMfm presenters Benedict Smith and Ant Payne hosted a show from the event, interviewing organisers and visitors and finding out about the activities planned throughout the day.

Stephanie (Maidstone Sea Cadets), Kenny Joy and the Mayor of Maidstone Denise JoyIt was down to the Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Denise Joy, to get the event under way. She travelled along the river from the Malta Inn to the town centre to welcome boatowners and visitors to the festival. The mayor was joined by her counterpart from Tonbridge and Malling, the Kent Carnival Court, a Maidstone Sea Cadet representative and world-renowned artist Graham Clarke.

The mayoral party headed for the Kentish Lady boat for a reception to thank the festival’s main sponsors and supporters. They were greeted by Michael Jackson and Jack Sparrow lookalikes from Victoria ’s Cabaret Bar, who posed for pictures with guests and visitors.

David Knight, 'Michael Jackson', 'Jack Sparrow' and Chris GarlandThe leader of Maidstone Borough Council, Chris Garland, presented River Festival chairman David Knight with a cheque for £10,000 towards the costs of this year’s event. The council has committed to similar sums for 2009 and 2010.

Audiences flocked to the festival’s four stages, with the Michael Jackson tribute act and Mandy Ellen Dancers pulling large crowds. Entertainment-wise there was something for everyone, from rhythm and blues to rock anthems, variety singers to a saxophonist.

At the Hermitage Millennium Amphitheatre, children enjoyed art workshops and later took part in a parade, led by a samba band, to show off their creations.

Mid-afternoon and the river played host to the annual raft race. One of the best audiences in years watched as 15 rafts took part in the challenge – two vying to be the fastest, with the others just hoping to make it to the finish line. The winners were:

Fastest Raft: Thrust 4

Fastest Fun Raft: Bulls Battleship

Best Dressed Raft - joint winners: Guinness Gangsters and The Highway Men

This year’s theme was the Olympics and boatowners were challenged to dress their craft in a cultural or sporting way. Hours of preparation paid off as visitors to the festival admired a variety of boats that had been dressed to impress.

River Festival chairman Mr Knight walked the length of the river to see the boats and had the difficult task of selecting a winner. He opted for:

Best Dressed Boat winner: White Tiger

Best Dressed Boat runner-up: Sleeping Tiger

Elsewhere, visitors enjoyed the festival fairground and the chance to look around All Saints Church, Maidstone Museum and Maidstone Carriage Museum . Many combined their day out at the festival with some retail therapy, with reports of the shopping centres and streets bustling with people.

With the sun set, it was time for the River Festival’s twilight treats. Ten boats took part in the illuminated boat parade. Thousands lined the riverbank and watched from the bridges as they sailed upriver – lights flashing and twinkling away. The final boat was a River Festival first – a floating discotheque – which had people dancing away as it made its way along the river.

Finally, the skies above Kent ’s county town lit up with a dramatic fire display, which was fired from the roof of the Fremlin Walk Shopping Centre.

That signalled the end of the 2008 event and leaves the voluntary committee with 12 months to plan and organise the River Festival’s 30th anniversary on the weekend of Saturday 25th July 2009. Put it your diary now.

The Maidstone River Festival committee would like to thank all our sponsors, supporters and everyone who worked with us to stage this year’s event. We really do appreciate all you do for us and look forward to working with you in the future.