Get Set for the Brentford Canal Festival


Free fun-packed event taking place on local waterways


There will be live music all the way through the festival. Picture: Brentford Voice

June 15, 2023

The organisers of this month’s Brentford Canal Festival are hoping that the current good weather holds and that they can top the 3,000 attendance at last year’s event.

After returning in 2022 after an absence of many years and being generally recognised as a huge success, the 2023 festival takes place on Saturday 24 June from noon to 6pm.

The aim is to to build on the success of last year’s event and to further establish the volunteer-run Canal Festival as a major annual attraction on Brentford’s and West London’s calendar.

A fab line up of all day local live music is promised kicking off at midday in Market Place and Brentford Lock Piazza with Chiswick School Steel Pan Band and The Rigmarollers Duo.

Also earlier on in the day, a dazzling dance programme gets underway with a bit of Bhangra, Contemporary and traditional dance. This is followed later with an exciting mix from around the world of Albanian, Armenian and Spanish, not to be missed and there will be a chance to partake.


There will be dance displays from around the world. Picture: Brentford Canal Festival

For those who have left their dancing shoes at home, there will be several displays of local creativity of the less kinetic kind.

Martin Case, Chair of Brentford Voice says, “Brentford is blessed with a collection of awesome artists and makers, so were shining a light on our local talent with art and photo exhibitions, they’re opening up their studios and galleries to stimulate your cultural taste buds. Plus we have interactive canal art for kids down at Brentford Lock Piazza. Get those paintbrushes at the ready!

“Our canals have played a huge part in Brentford’s history so we’re celebrating them with guided walks and an historic photo exhibition, well worth discovering, you never know you may spot some of your ancestors – not in the canal!

“We’re hoping for a scorcher which is why we’re offering water sports on the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent with kayaking, canoeing and Katakana trips, we’ve got the lot so get involved! And at a more leisurely pace jump on one of our 3 narrow boat trips and discover Brentford from a different viewpoint.”

A full programme guide will be available and free on the day.


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