Located in the beautiful Oxfordshire town of Henley-on-Thames, the Traditional Boat Festival returns over the August Bank Holiday weekend, after a year’s absence, with an even bigger and better range of attractions aimed at creating an exciting and fun filled weekend for families and traditional boat owners alike.

Following on from the highly acclaimed 2019 event, ‘Trad 21’ includes a
gathering of over 150 traditional boats making this the largest event of its type in the World, with all the quintessential English eccentricity that makes it so utterly unique!

Star of the show is the 1893 steam passenger launch ALASKA. She is the oldest such craft still operating on the Thames and will be running a full schedule of trips up and down the Henley reach throughout the weekend.

On her first appearance at the Trad since her miraculous rescue from a watery grave on the Grand Union Canal, the Jolly Brit is the last remaining support tender of the Royal Yacht Britannia, and the actual craft that conveyed the newly married Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip during their honeymoon in Africa.

A flotilla of 18 Dunkirk ‘Little Ships’ will be on parade, commemorating the daring 1941 evacuation of British and French troops, trapped under heavy bombardment on the beaches of Northern France.

We also have vintage flying displays from the Bremont Great War Team and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, classic cars and bikes, wartime military and amphibious vehicles, traditional fairground attractions and a great selection of top quality food and drink outlets to cater for all tastes!

Every evening come to our pop-up Pub – The Crooked Billet – run by Paul Clerehugh, and enjoy excellent food and drink, and dance the night away with our house bands.

Rounding off Saturday evening is the Illuminated Parade, a shimmering display of boats and veteran bicycles, all “lit up”, in the twilight of a summer’s evening.