Nearly 25,000 people visited the 23rd Crick Boat Show, which took place at Crick Marina near Daventry, across the Bank Holiday Weekend, 27-29 May.
The event, which was organised by Waterways World in partnership with the Canal & River Trust and Crick Waterside & Marina, saw over 200 exhibitors gather by the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line for three days of trading and entertainment, with a special Trade & Preview Day held on Friday 26 May.
Peter Johns, Publisher of Waterways World & Show Director, says: “The fabulous bank holiday weekend weather provided a boost for attendance at the 23rd Crick Boat Show, an event now firmly established as the focal point of the year for the canal boat industry. Almost 40 boats were on display from many of the country’s top boat builders and boat brokerages.
“Boat builders reported healthy levels of interest, with many orders secured, and our Preview Day worked well with most boat viewings fully booked and 1,600 trade and public visitors attending.
“Whatever stage of someone’s planning for boat ownership, the Show had something to offer. Almost 1,200 enjoyed free boat trips along the Grand Union Canal, more than 2,500 attended the free seminars and masterclasses on boat ownership.
“As well as showcasing the boating industry the Show is an opportunity for the inland boating world to come together to meet old friends and make new ones. With almost 100 visiting boats moored along the Grand Union Canal towpath next to the Show and a packed campsite with over 300 caravans and tents, all supported by our fantastic team of 50 volunteers, the whole event has a great community spirit feeling.”
The festival feeling was enhanced by a superb display of historic working narrowboats and a music festival within the Show. 15 bands entertained visitors and exhibitors across the weekend at the Crick Music Festival, held in association with Aquavista, including Mercury: The Ultimate Queen Tribute and Dr Feelgood.
Matthew Symonds, National Boating Manager for the Canal & River Trust, adds: “We are delighted to have once again been a partner in the Crick Boat Show, now the UK’s biggest inland waterways festival, and to have welcomed so many of today’s boaters, and hopefully many future boaters, to the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal over the bank holiday weekend.
“Our team welcomed around 2,600 visitors to the Canal & River Trust’s marquee, where staff and volunteers highlighted the diverse range of work the Trust does to care for the waterways and the wildlife that relies upon them.
“Canal & River Trust cares for and brings to life 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England & Wales. Our ongoing mission is to protect and preserve this oldest working heritage network in the world and make it available for people to use and enjoy. Still used and navigated by boats as it was hundreds of years ago, these unique places are locally available for millions of us to use and enjoy for our health and wellbeing.”
Next year’s show dates will be 25-27 May 2024. For more information, go to www.crickboatshow.com
