This weekend (27 & 28 June 2015) sees the Leeds Waterfront Festival providing fun activities and entertainment at various locations along the river Aire in Leeds city centre.
New for this year, a team of volunteers from South Leeds will be building a boat out of junk (literally stuff rescued en route to landfill), then rowing it along the canal/river all the way through the city centre.Ed Carlisle, one of the organisers explained:
“It’s a bit like Scrap Heap Challenge on water. In essence, we’re doing it as an imaginative and tangible response to waste and recycling, and how as a society we can adopt different approaches to these issues. And also to have a laugh. And courtesy of all the support and goodwill we’re getting, the whole project is barely costing a penny.”
This year’s event is seen as a pilot, but next year it could become a full on competition with teams building their own boats and racing them.
The boat will be built at Granary Wharf (next to the train station) between 11am-6pm on Saturday 27 June, testing it out on the Granary Wharf lock from 11am on Sunday 28th, then launching it 2pm-2.30pm (also on Sunday) and paddling to Leeds Dock (formerly Clarence Dock) – to arrive at around 4pm there.
Other events are taking place up and down the river including a family fun day on – at Thwaites Watermill in Stourton featuring river trips, a Steam Punk market, arts and crafts and children’s activities. Meanwhile Dragon Boat racing will be keeping the crowds excited at Leeds Dock.
You can download a full programme here: Waterfront 15
