Welcome

Welcome to the Bedford Events & Market's website.

 

Bedford Borough Council's events & markets department develop, stage and manage a number of events across the year, notably the annual Kite Festival, Victorian Christmas Fair and the bi-annual River Festival as well as a number of smaller events across the Borough.

 

What's coming up!

Bedford River Festival - Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd July

New Application Forms now online!

Kite Festival Trade Pack

Raft Race Entry Form

Mooring Application

Catering Concessions

Unfortunately the catering concession for the River Festival has now been allocated however there are still opportunities to trade during the International Kite Festival & Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in June.

 

Visit the Kite Festival pages for information on these concessions.

2012 Shaping up to be quite a year!

With the 2011 events calander coming to end, it is time to look ahead to 2012 and the year of celebrations that are in store.

 

We start in June with the tenth anniversary of the International Kite Festival and Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, including It's a Knockout! and Music Event  (2nd - 5th June). On Sunday 8th July the Olympic Torch passes through Bedford, two weeks before the River Festival on 21st & 22nd July, and to cap off our summer programme, the International Athletic Stadium hosts Bedfords Live Site, with a big screen showing all the action from the Games (Friday 3rd - 10th August).

 

Keep visiting the site, information will be added throughout the year.  


Kite Festival & Diamond Jubilee Celebrations

Saturday 2nd - Tuesday 5th June 2012.

 

Bedford International Kite Festival

Saturday 2nd - Sunday 3rd June

Now in its tenth year, the Bedford International Kite Festival returns to Russell Park in 2012. With the UK's finest flyers complimenting International talent from all four corners of the world, the programme throughout the weekend features Kite demonstrations, food & drink, entertainment and music, with stalls specialising in Kite equipment, clothes and other accessories. based on the 2011 footfall we anticipate over 35,000 visitors over the weekend. 

 

It's a Knockout!

Monday 4th June

The first instalment of our two-part Diamond Jubilee extravaganza, It's a Knockout pits 10-player teams against one another in numerous challenges involving inflatables, props and costumes! Great for team building or with friends, this fun day with prizes awarded for top teams.

 

Music Event

Tuesday 5th June

Part two of our Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the park will once again transform with a small stage going into the park and local acts performing throughout the day. The best three acts across the day will be given the chance to perform on the main stage at the River Festival!!!

More information for all these events will be added in the New Year, in the meantime if you require any further information please contact the events office (01234) 221955 


River Festival

Remember, although the River Festival is now only a few months away, there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved. You could enter a float in the carnival parade, take a trade pitch on the main site, if you are a local band of musician you could be performing on one of our five music stages! There are also sponsorship opportunities starting from as little as £400.

 

Visit the River Festival pages for more information


Bedford Summer Concert Series 2012

The Mill Meadows Summer Bandstand Concert Series returns in 2012 with nine concerts running every Sunday between 24th June - 26th August*.

 

Performances will run from 3pm- 5pm and a full list of bands will be published on this website in February.

 

*Please note there will be no performance on Sunday 22nd July.


River Festival Sponsorship

Are you interested in supporting the regions LARGEST free family event? Why not have a look at our River Festival 2012 sponsorship opportunities to see how your company or organisation can get involved.


External Events on Council Parks

Bedford Borough Council actively encourages its Parks to be used for events and other community activities to ensure that there is plenty to see and do in Bedford.

If you are interested in staging your own event on any of the Council Parks please go to the External Events on Council Parks page