The History of the Batchworth Boat Rally
The Boat Rally has a rich history, starting as a purely canal based event in 1993 as part of the British Waterways “Canals 200” celebration. Over the years, it evolved into a vibrant community event that celebrated the waterways, local culture, and environmental heritage and became known as the Rickmansworth Festival. The festival had been a significant part of the town’s annual calendar, attracting around 20,000 people each year. It has played a crucial role in supporting the Batchworth Community Council and had been a source of community engagement and fundraising. Due to environmental conditions within the adjacent Aquadrome, where most of the festival took place, it was no longer feasible and ended in 2023. That was not the end of the story however due to a determined group of boaters, not wanting the boat rally element to end. In 2024, led by Christine Thompson, organised themselves into a committee to form the Batchworth Boat Rally taking the annual event back to its roots of a canal centric event.
What to Expect
