Rickmansworth Canal Festival 2023 Artist Line up

The Rickmansworth Canal Festival is a celebration of canals, the community, and the environment. It takes place on the third weekend of May every year, and attracts over 20,000 people.

The festival features a wide range of activities and attractions, including:

• A display of canal boats from across the country
• Music and performing arts
• Displays and presentations on canal history and culture
• Traders selling canal-related goods and services
• Food and drink stalls

The festival is a great opportunity to learn about canals, meet other canal enthusiasts, and enjoy a day of fun and entertainment.

Here are some additional details about the festival:

• The festival is free to attend.
• It is held on the towpath between Stockers Lock and Batchworth, and Music at Batchworth Lock and on the Aquadrome.
• The festival is open from 10:30am to 10:30pm on Saturday and from 10:30am to 5:30pm on Sunday.

Festival director David Montague said: “We had a real challenge in terms of financing but managed to get to a break-even budget about a week ago.”

As well as sponsors, and local councils, a Justgiving page took donations from the general public. In the Cost of living crisis, this took longer than normal. The Event organiser added ” normally breaks even by January, but managed to get to a break-even budget about a week ago.”

Entry is free but donations are welcomed. Main festival car park £4 via Stockers Farm Road.   Limited Free parking in Rickmansworth town centre.

Saturday May 20

Aquadrome Main Stage

• 11.15am – Berry Lane Dance Classes – Dance Classes for adults and children
• 11.30am – CK Theatre School – Theatre school for children and young people
• 12pm – Festival Opening Ceremony
• 12.15pm – Blag Youth Theatre – Drama and singing classes for kids from 7-17
• 12.50pm – Love to Dance – over 50s dance group
• 1.40pm – Metatrons – Deliciously fuzzy Indie rock from Hitchin
• 2.35pm – Glass Minds – 6 piece Alt-Rock
• 3.40pm – Kick Pistol – St Alban’s based alternative rock band
• 4.45pm – Tumblewood – Country & Americana | Classics & Originals

Evening at the Aquadrome – Hosted by DJ Jarley

• 6pm – Coley – Performing upbeat covers
• 7.10pm – Pump Handle Blues Band – Blues, jazz and rock
• 8.20pm – Shame and Scandal SKA – Reggae and ska covers band
• 9.30pm – The Four Horsemen – Rock/pop covers
• Close 10.30pm

Aquadrome Beer Tent Stage

• 1.20pm – Chris Lawley & Friends – Traditional Folk
• 2.10pm & 3.15pm – Rollin’ K.J. Foley – One man Rockabilly blue machine
• 4.20pm & 17.35pm – Axel La Courte – Instrumental wild, gypsy blues
• 6.50pm – The Antipoet and Friends – Comedic beat poetry
• 8pm – More from The Antipoet
• 9.10pm – And the last bit from The Antipoet (Parental Advisory)
• Close 9.30pm

Batchworth Lock Stage – Mellow music in a lovely setting

• 11.00am – Watford Phoenix Choir – A community choir for everyone
• 11.50am – Minnie Birch – Acoustic folk pop duo
• 12.40pm – ZiPP – ZiPP goes solo: highlights from three albums
• 1.20pm – Abbie Gathard – singer/songwriter
• 2.10pm – Fluid Love – Karate Disco
• 3pm – Pluckwits – St Albans based ukelele band
• 4pm – Callum Granger – Local Americana singer/songwriter
• 5pm – The Batchworth Buoys – General manager & volunteers from Rickmansworth Waterways Trust singing golden oldies
• Close 5.50pm

Environment Field – Open Mic stage 11am to 5pm

Batchworth Sea Scout Arena – access across the bridge from the Tow Path

• 1pm – Valentine – Indie/pop rock
• 1.45pm – Ollie Bond – Soft Rock
• 2.30pm – Magari – Indie Rock
• 3.15pm – Last Orders – Indie Rock
• 4.30pm – Glassminds – Alternative Rock
• 6pm – Flutatious – Psy-folk
• Close 7.30pm

Sunday May 21 

Aquadrome Main Stage

• 11.20am – Collective Dance – Local performing arts school
• 11.45am – Beyond Performing Arts
• 12.15pm – KSD Street Dance – Kids street dance group based in Northwood
• 12.50pm – Kings Langley Community Choir Acappella Choir
• 1.25pm – Barraca Flamenca – Local flamenco dance students
• 2.15pm – Lou’s Sextet – mainstream jazz, swing, latin & blues
• 3.10pm – Indie Choir- Indie bangers
• 4.10pm – Swanvesta Social Club – nine-piece Anglo-Cuban band
• Close 5.30pm

Batchworth Lock Stage – Mellow music

• 11am – Gospel Manna Choir – Gospel singing group
• 11.50am – Talia – English/American Pop, Spanish and Brazilian
• 12.40pm – Lemon Tuesday – Local choir
• 1.20pm – K2 Music Events – Bollywood music
• 2.10pm – Tom Craven -Acoustic
• 2.45pm – Lauren Rich – Singer songwriter
• 3.30pm – The Papersnakes – Singer songwriter duo – originals + some covers
• 4.20pm – Missing The Ferry – Folk Irish band
• Close 5.30pm

Environment Field – open mic stage 11am to 5pm

Batchworth Sea Scout Arena – access across the bridge from the tow path

• 12pm – Funkmaster Fred – Classic House
• 1pm – Ben Cox – Disco
• 2pm – Scott D’Souza – Ibiza Classics
• 4pm – DJ Chakra – House, Techno and Electronica
• Close 6pm

Download a festival map | 2023 Festival Programme | Festival website | Our 2022 coverage