LONDON’S river makes a hard-to-resist grab for your attention this weekend with the Mayor’s Thames Festival, an event now firmly established in the capital’s calendar after 13 years of watery fun.


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Every year, at least half a million of people have turned up to see the array of events on offer and this year the numbers could hit double that given the fine weather forecast.

Saturday’s Thames Pageant, filled with a fleet of boats old and new, is always one the highlights, but the festival is about what happens alongside and above the river as much as on the Thames itself.

For instance, this year there’s Feast on the Bridge (Saturday), a foody extravaganza on Southwark Bridge, Night Carnival (Sunday), featuring 2,000 performers, and the now traditional spectacular firework display to mark the end of festivities (also Sunday).

The Thames Festival takes place between Westminster and Tower bridges, from 12 noon to 10pm on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September. It’s free.