Finally it’s arrived – one of the best weekends of the year for boaters and, as always, there will be plenty to see and do at the Crick Boat Show.

Mind you, it depends what you go to Crick for, whether it’s the boats, the bits or the music – if it’s boats and bits and pieces you’re unlikely to be disappointed, and if it’s the latter you’ll be pleased to hear this year’s headlining act is songwriter Tom Robinson, best-known for 2-4-6-8 Motorway.

As well as playing his classic hits on the Sunday evening, Tom and his band will perform material from his new album Only the Now, inspired by the new music he champions through his BBC 6 Music show.

Saturday night will be headlined by Blondied, a Blondie/ Debbie Harry tribute band and the show will of course include all of Blondie’s hits.

But really Crick is about boats and boating and the confirmed line-up of exhibitors as we went to press can be found over the next few pages. By the time the show open there will be more.

Looking around the boats is always popular, so don’t forget that some will be subject to booking for viewing, so if there’s a particular boat you wish to see it’s worth contacting the builder in advance to ensure you can get a slot.

While the marina with its display of boats for sale will be one of the main areas of interest, the backbone of the Show will be the marquee, filled with waterways products, services, associations and businesses ranging from Marinas to lighting, paints to holidays and solar panels to stoves.

Outside, the Show Village will be home to the land-based boat display plus a large range of other exhibitors. Don’t forget to come and see us on the Canal Boat stand, Q39 close to the marina for a very special Canal Boat subscription offer.

Something new for this year, which needs booking in advance, is boat handling taster sessions, providing steering instruction and first-hand experience aboard a narrowboat. More details can be found on the website crickboatshow.com. And, of course, if it’s knowledge you want there will also be seminars covering a number of boating topics throughout the weekend.

This year Crick will also be marking the birth of canal pioneer, James Brindley (1716–1772), with a range of activities, displays and special talks. You’ll even be able to find out what the self-made pioneer, also known as ‘the Schemer’ was really like, by speaking to Brindley himself when a costumed interpreter will recount some of Brindley’s most famous stories, such as his use of a Cheshire cheese to demonstrate to a Parliamentary committee how the Barton Aqueduct might be built.

Opening times are Saturday and Sunday (28-29 May) 10am – 6pm and Monday (30 May) 10am – 5pm. To get there by road, from M1 Junction 18, take the A428 towards West Haddon, bypassing the centre of Crick Village. After the end of the bypass, the A428 crosses the Grand Union Canal on an old hump-back bridge. The entrance to Crick Boat Show is the on the left just after the bridge.

Adult one-day tickets cost £15, £12 in advance, £13.50 and £10.80 for seniors, and adult three-day tickets are £29, £23.20 in advance, £26 and £20.80 for seniors. Children can go in for free.

For more information go to crickboatshow.com

To see a collection of photos from last years Crick – click here.

Image(s) provided by:

Archant