Building an Early Head of Steam for River Festival 2012!

Yesterday I hosted a breakfast meeting with thirty seven businesses about River Festival 2012, talking about the potential for the festival to be the biggest and best ever and introducing the firms to the variety of ways in which they can get involved and support the event. Next year's event will be held on the weekend before the Olympics, and we have already set the Council's budget for the event for the coming financial year and the year after, in order to secure its status and enable early preparation for what should be a fantastic occasion. Establishing the budget has also enabled us to secure key infrastructure which will be in high demand for the olympics. For example, there are only so many porta-loos in the country, but don't worry, as we have made sure we won't be caught short!

What makes the River Festival really special and unique is the fact that it is a genuine community event. Local community groups, sports clubs, charities and individual volunteers help to make the festival and provide it with its special character. It also could not go ahead on the scale it does without the support of local business, and yesterday's event was about giving local businesses the best chance to think at this stage about how they would like to be involved. All of the businesses invited yesterday were either local or have a significant presence locally, and it was fantastic to hear their genuine enthusiasm for the River Festival and what it does in terms of raising our Borough's profile and providing a fantastic opportunity for local residents and visitors to enjoy their river and the best Bedford has to offer.

A viseo showcasing some of the highlights of River Festival 2010 has been uploaded on Youtube just this week. If you were there, I recommend watching to see if you can spot yourself in the crowds! If you weren't there, have a look to see what you missed out on and get a taste for next time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSqMIS2yiTc