The Totally Thames Festival returns in September 2024 with events across London celebrating the vibrancy of the river and the importance of safeguarding its environment. There are events for everyone to enjoy, including dance, music, film, mudlark events, walks, talks, foreshore clean-ups, Thames cruises and The Great River Race.
In 2024, Thames Festival Trust launched a Seed Fund initiative to support emerging artists. Six projects have been funded as part of The Totally Thames festival. Rambert dancer Aishwarya Raut presents Nadi (the Marathi word for ‘river’) at the Rambert Studios. Performed by Aishwarya Raut and Antonello Sangirardi, this contemporary dance duet is inspired by a folk tale from the Konkan region of India and combines extreme physicality with theatricality.
Performed in Theatreship, in Canary Wharf, Willy Does presents a climate crisis cabaret-game show, Get Your Ducks In a Row, another Seed Fund project. Featuring live performance, comedy, drag, games and more, it’s the end of times and the audience are having one last hurrah. Theatreship also hosts three river-themed feature film screenings, each paired with live performances.
Here Lay Your Hearts is an audio journey written by Bee Taylor and produced by SCATTER, Finlay Carroll and Bee Taylor. It delves into the fascinating and overlooked history of The Winchester Geese, the name given to the Southwark prostitutes licensed by the Bishop of Winchester. Despite their church license, these women were denied Christian burials and instead, an estimated 15,000 were buried at Crossbones Graveyard. On this haunting audio journey, listeners will cross the River Thames from Monument across London Bridge, stopping at the Golden Hinde and major heritage sites including Southwark Cathedral and Winchester Palace. On Saturday 14th September, the journey will be enlivened with costumed performers.
In the immersive environment of The Master Shipwrights House in Deptford, artist Rob Hao, who has recently performed at Sydney Opera House, will perform a piano recital featuring music inspired by and responding to various themes of water, with a particular focus on works from the 20th and 21st century including Debussy, Schubert and Hao’s own music, accompanied by a string quartet. The evening concludes with a lighting projection scheme in the gardens by artist Will Lindley.
Def Creative, a team of multifaceted artists specialising in movement, will present a dance inspired by the flooding and the Thames Barrier. Embodying the nature and characteristics of the dam, the piece delves into the juxtaposition of sustaining and disrupting our planet. The Thames Barrier keeps London safe from flooding as it disrupts the natural flow of the river.
Pianist Elena Toponogova and Soprano Eleanor Penfold present Serene Sounds, a classical sound bath experience. Featuring pieces connected to the theme of water, this peaceful and relaxing sound bath promotes a deep state of relaxation while connecting with the music and the sounds of water. The music featured includes Chopin’s Raindrop Prelude, Debussy’s The Sunken Cathedral and instruments including Koshi chimes, an ocean drum and a rain stick for the ultimate immersive audio experience.
The Great River Race is London’s annual river marathon, which brings together 300 boats and 1,500 people from around the world to raise money for charities. Traditional style boats race each other over the 21.6 mile course – this year from Millwall to Ham Lands in Richmond – with many of the crews in fancy dress. Participants range from young sea scouts to veterans who have taken part for decades. The event can be viewed for free along the course and is a fun day out for all.
Thames Day, which coincides with World Rivers Day on 22 September, will be held on the riverside in the City of London in front of the Church of St Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge, and attended by Lord Mayor of the City of London Michael Mainelli. The event is supported by the City of London Corporation’s Destination City programme, the organisation’s growth strategy for the Square Mile. The day will feature a programme of free activities for the whole family to enjoy, including live music and entertainment, food stalls, a Thames photography exhibition, river-themed children’s artwork to view and ticketed boat trips on a historic wooden Thames Sailing Barge. The RNLI, Ahoy Centre, and the Port of London Authority are among the organisations taking part.
Michael Mainelli, Lord Mayor of the City of London, comments, The City of London Corporation is proud to be supporting Thames Day. As the London Port Health Authority, covering 95 miles of the tidal Thames, we are a key player in looking after the life and health of the river. Every day, many thousands of us connect with the Thames – either, by crossing over it or travelling on it - and while doing so, we recognise its magnificent history and importance to London. It’s why celebrating its immense value through events like Thames Day is so important.
Chris Hayward, City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, comments, Winding its way from Gloucestershire right through several counties, the City, and out into the Thames Estuary near Southend-on-Sea, the Thames – punctuated by many iconic bridges - has carried, inspired, and fascinated people since Roman times. With so many engaging activities on offer on Thames Day, including free live entertainment, a photographic exhibition, and boat trips on a sailing barge, it will be an ideal day out for anyone who wants to learn more about this historic river.
