March Summer Festival
March Summer Festival is a free event and in 2016 it will be held on 10th June. You can expect music and activities appealing to all ages and tastes and an open air stage set up in West End Park for the weekend.
March is nestled in the Fens on the Middle Level Waterways close to the River Ouse and River Nene. If you enjoy live music, (pop, dance, jazz, brass and folk) alongside a funfair and a variety of food vendors then why not kick off your narrowboat holiday with a festival?
Last year wet weather refused to dampen the spirits of the people of March as they celebrated their sixteenth Festival Weekend. Hundreds of people gathered at West End Park to enjoy the music, parade of walkers, classic vehicles and floats and a variety of stalls and amusements. (There is a gallery of photographs of the event, courtesy of Anthony Hylton, at The March Summer Festival website.)
The weekend opened with ‘Rock in the Park’ on Friday evening. On Saturday the rain didn’t stop thousands of people lining the streets to watch the carnival parade, which involved over 500 people, plus a horse and cart! The main festival then began with local presentations and a fancy dress competition followed by an energetic dance routine performed by over 100 dancers.
The crowds also enjoyed a David Bowie tribute performer, ‘Picnic in the Park’ and a fun dog show. Later on, a day out in a Fox narrowboat for 10 people was one of 17 great prizes that were won in the Grand Draw. Our marina is surrounded by some very picturesque rivers. After the festival you could hire one of our narrow boats for a relaxed boat trip and cruise the Fenland waterways taking in the scenery and wildlife. There’s lots of room at the front and rear of the boat so that everyone can be outside. Inside the day boat has a galley, dinette, toilet and seating area. You could cruise through March eastwards towards the lovely village of Upwell, or alternatively take a trip west passing Floods Ferry Marina Park, arriving at Ashline Lock and the town of Whittlesey. For a longer journey, try taking out one of our holiday narrowboats for a three, four or seven day trip.
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