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Dave Hodgson’s monthly column: The community spirit that makes the River Festival such a success
The Mayor of Bedford writes every month for the Times & Citizen and BedfordToday
Following the fantastic jubilee weekend and the Olympic Torch Relay, the River Festival is now upon us, providing a great weekend of entertainment for all ages.
I can recall the River Festival in its early years when it was first held to mark the opening of a navigable route between Bedford and the sea, so I’ve seen it grow to become one of the biggest free family festivals in Britain.
Yet it has retained its spirit as a genuine community event. This is thanks to the hard work, community spirit and sense of fun of the volunteers, sports clubs, community groups and many more.
When we first set the date of this year’s festival, some eyebrows were raised due to its proximity to the Olympics. But it has stayed firmly on course thanks to early preparation - including sourcing sufficient portaloos!
Of course we all hope for better weather this weekend. However, it really was remarkable how the rain didn’t dampen spirits for the Olympic Torch Relay, with heaving pavements right along the route and a rapturous reception for the torchbearers.
If the torch relay whetted your appetite, there will be more chances to share the Olympic experience at the official Olympic ‘Live Site’ at Bedford International Athletics Stadium from August 3-9. This free festival of sport will include a big screen showing all of the action, plus opportunities to try the excellent facilities at the stadium.
Another tremendous event taking place this summer is Bedfringe, which is currently in full swing. We are extremely fortunate that the hard work of the Bedfringe team enables the festival to attract a wide range of high quality performing arts to Bedford. So let’s hope that this and the other events in Bedford Borough this summer continue to be enjoyed by local residents and visitors alike in great numbers. And while we’re at it, let’s hope for some decent weather at last!
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Weather for Bedford
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North east
