The Maidstone River Festival is the town’s biggest entertainment event. It celebrates Kent’s county town and its greatest natural asset – the River Medway.

The Maidstone River Festival has come along way from the first event in 1980. It was jointly organised by the Medway River Users Association, Maidstone Borough Council and Maidstone Lions Club. It was opened by the Mayor, Ernie Flood, who was brought to the festival in a Royal Navy Barge from Chatham Dockyard.

Thousands of people attended the festival and such was the success that an annual event was planned. In all the years since, the festival has kept its tradition, and the first festival was not unlike what visitors will see this year. It included a parade of Dunkirk Little Ships, which were used during the Second World War evacuation, displays by Maidstone Sea Cadets, the police underwater search and rescue unit and the Victory Angling Club.

The festival has grown over the years but remains a free, non-profit event for the people of Maidstone and beyond. It is organised by volunteers and funded by sponsorship and donations from local businesses.

Over the years, it has been graced by the presence of celebrities. Former British heavyweight title holder Gary Mason and television weatherman Ron Lobeck are among those to have opened the festival. The highlight of the 1983 event was a mock river battle between pirates. Parachute jumpers from Headcorn also amazed spectators when they leapt from the skies to land in the water.

In 1997, the festival was almost certain to be cancelled because of a lack of support. Sponsors were needed to save the event and urgent appeals were made to businesses. A reduced grant from Maidstone Council meant the festival was relying on businesses more than it had been. Petitions were submitted from residents demanding that the plug not be pulled on the annual occasion. Fortunately, businesses rallied at the last minute and the festivities were able to continue.

Developments along the river in recent years have prompted changes to the festival, however it is as popular now as it ever was. The 2004 event, the silver jubilee festival, was a landmark. For the first time in a quarter of a century the festival was staged on more than one day. Such was its success the organisers, all of whom give their time freely, agreed to continue this trend in the future.