Music mogul Pete Waterman’s sails into Braunston for narrowboat rally and festival

Lucie Green
By Lucie Green

Senior reporter

Published 1st Jun 2023, 15:10 GMT
Updated 1st Jun 2023, 15:32 GMT
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“With the threat to government funding, the waterways need to have something to celebrate – something to look forward to – and hopefully this event will bea showcase for our wonderful waterways heritage”

Iconic eighties music mogul Pete Waterman is sailing into Braunston later this month.

Pete will launch the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival 2023, which takes place from June 24-25.

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Tim Coghlan, of Braunston Marina, where the rally is held, said: “We are again holding our own very special annual canal event – the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally - now back firmly in its regular slot over the last weekend in June.

Casualty star Zitta Sattar opening the very first Rally in 2003 aboard the then re-restored President. Zitta is the the great-great granddaughter of the first captain of President, following its launch in 1909. (Tim Coghlan)Casualty star Zitta Sattar opening the very first Rally in 2003 aboard the then re-restored President. Zitta is the the great-great granddaughter of the first captain of President, following its launch in 1909. (Tim Coghlan)
Casualty star Zitta Sattar opening the very first Rally in 2003 aboard the then re-restored President. Zitta is the the great-great granddaughter of the first captain of President, following its launch in 1909. (Tim Coghlan)

“This year will be our 19th Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally. We are now putting all the final preparations in place. With the threat to government funding, the waterways need to have something to celebrate – something to look forward to – and hopefully this event will be

a showcase for our wonderful waterways heritage.”

As well as the many narrowboats, there will be music, beer tent, trade stalls and Alarum Theatre. Each day is 10am – 5pm with further entertainment on the Saturday night.

Tim added: “We have already received an encouraging number of early bookings, and they just keep coming. This could well be a vintage year.

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Pete Waterman at President’s mooring at the Black Country Museum in February 2020, seen presenting the Friends of President with a cheque from Braunston Marina for £20,000 to help fund President’s re-restoration. (Black Country Museum)Pete Waterman at President’s mooring at the Black Country Museum in February 2020, seen presenting the Friends of President with a cheque from Braunston Marina for £20,000 to help fund President’s re-restoration. (Black Country Museum)
Pete Waterman at President’s mooring at the Black Country Museum in February 2020, seen presenting the Friends of President with a cheque from Braunston Marina for £20,000 to help fund President’s re-restoration. (Black Country Museum)

"These leviathans of our canal-carrying past are the making of the rally, which, as for some years now, will probably be the largest gathering of them anywhere on the waterways.”

The Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally is sponsored by Braunston Marina and Towpath Talk, with support from the Canal & River Trust. Entrance is £20 per car. Visit https://braunstonmarina.co.uk/

Related topics:River Trust
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