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Home > Festival > Canoe trails, pirates and gun fire at Leeds Waterfront Festival

Canoe trails, pirates and gun fire at Leeds Waterfront Festival

By Caroline King - June 25, 2019Posted in : Classes & Workshops, Festival, Food & Drink, Museum

There’ll be canoe trails, water taxis, activities, performances and even gun fire at this year’s Leeds Waterfront Festival.

Leeds Waterfront Festival - Free Yorkshire events
Free family fun at Leeds Waterfront Festival

The 12th annual festival promises a packed programme of free drop-in activities, from 10am to 5pm each day, with four city centre festival waterside hubs at The Tetley Art Gallery, Brewery Wharf, Granary Wharf and Leeds Dock.

The Canal & River Trust’s Desmond Family Canoe Trail team will be partnering with White Rose Canoe Club and Carnegie Outdoors to give hundreds of people the chance to get out and enjoy the water on canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. Young people (aged 12+) and adults are invited to try a guided 45-minute taster session and experience part of the UK’s First Coast-to-Coast Trail. The 162 mile-long Desmond Family Canoe Trail officially launches this August.

The Canal & River Trust’s Let’s Fish team will also be offering free introductory angling taster sessions for all ages.

Leeds Dock Water Taxi will be running boats Twee and Drie throughout the weekend (10am – 6pm) between Leeds Dock and Granary Wharf, offering a chance to enjoy the waterways by boat. Trips cost £1 per person each way (children under five years go free).

Leeds Waterfront Festival - Free Yorkshire events
Try some water-based activities at the festival

The Royal Armouries at Leeds Dock will be offering both indoor and outdoor activities throughout the weekend. The collections on display will be brought to life in action-packed combats and performances featuring Vikings and pirates, plus gun-firings out on the dockside.

Join the party at Brewery Wharf on the Saturday, hosted by Oracle bar and 212 Café & Bar. Enjoy a family-friendly mix of BBQs, street food and outdoor bars. The annual Sing It to Win It karaoke competition will take place at 1.30pm, with prizes for the best vocalists; the sounds of Ibiza kick off from 3pm with The Rebel Sounds; and headliners PBR Streetgang will be on stage from 6.30pm.

The festival is organised by Canal & River Trust, along with The Tetley Art Gallery, Royal Armouries, BMB Menswear, St George’s Crypt, The Oracle & Bar 212 and Leeds City Council, with support from a host of other organisations and volunteers.

When: 29th & 30th June 2019
Where: Leeds waterfront, between Leeds Dock and Granary Wharf, West Yorkshire
£: Free

More info: canalrivertrust.org.uk

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