Trustees:
Robert Gordon Clark (Chair)
John Barker, Henry Fajemirokun,
Sue Hughes, Sir Michael Lockett,
Phil Morris, Justine Simons,
Olga Stanojlovic, Pete Stephens,
Uday Thakkar
Thames Festival Trust
Mallside
Bargehouse
Oxo Tower Wharf
Bargehouse Street
London SE1 9PH
Tel: 020 7928 8998
Fax: 020 7928 2927
www.thamesfestival.org
Celebrating London’s River
Embargo: 0001hrs, Thursday 10 April 2014
Spectacular season of events promotes River Thames as
London’s top place to visit
Totally Thames to bring the river alive from 1 to 30 September 2014
www.totallythames.org (going live at 0800, 10 April 2014)
London, UK (Thursday, 10 April 2014): Thames Festival Trust is delighted to announce an exciting new,
month-long celebration of the Thames aimed at putting the 42-mile London stretch of the river at the heart of
the capital’s cultural and tourism industry.
Taking place for the first time in September 2014, Totally Thames will be an annual, 30-day spectacular
programme of events that will include arts, music and community festivals; colourful regattas; thrilling river
races; foreshore archaeology, exploration, environmental and educational activities; as well as river-linked
events run by charities and voluntary organisations across the 17 London riverside boroughs.
Totally Thames is delivered by the Thames Festival Trust in partnership with London First, London’s
leading business body, London & Partners, the Mayor’s official promotional organisation for London, and
dozens of partners in the riparian boroughs.
Totally Thames events to look forward to this year include:

The Mayor’s Thames Festival (1-30 Sept): Delivering free, rivery fun in central London for almost
two decades, this is London’s only river-focused multi-arts festival and the largest of its kind in the
world, promoting activities that reach up to the source of the Thames and down to its mouth. Having
expanded last year from a weekend event to 10 days, this festival will be held over a longer period
and a wider area: throughout September and along the 42-mile London stretch of the Thames.
EXPECT: To be dazzled, inspired and delighted by extraordinary new art commissions; films and
performances on the riverside; beachcombing and bonfires on the foreshore; walks, talks, and
explorations; slow cruises; fast boats; and dozens of incentives to get you onto London’s greatest
natural asset. The Mayor’s Thames Festival is supported by Arts Council England, the Mayor of
London, London First and many other sponsors and supporters.

Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival (5-9 Sept): The Royal Borough of Greenwich will host the
largest fleet of Tall Ships to visit London in 25 years with a 5-day, free festival across historic
Greenwich, Royal Arsenal Woolwich, Greenwich Peninsula and West India Dock.
EXPECT: Chances to board the Tall Ships moored along the Greenwich waterfront; dazzling
evening fireworks displays; free cultural performances, music and entertainment at the festival
villages; and a crew parade and festival procession.

The Great River Race (27 Sept): Also known as London's River Marathon, this spectacular boat
race up the Thames attracts more than 300 crews from all over the globe.
EXPECT: Fancy dress, charity stunts, and serious sportsmen and women vying for the River Race
crown.
The Thames Festival Trust Registered Office 108 Stamford Street London SE1 9NH. Registered in England No 3577462. Charity No 1074794. VAT No 782 5019 24

Handel’s Fireworks Music and Illuminations (14 Sept): Historic Royal Palaces will host what
promises to be an unforgettable performance of Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks. Taking place
in the romantic, riverside Privy Garden at Hampton Court Palace, it will be performed by a 30-piece
orchestra and followed by a breath-taking Georgian fireworks display.
EXPECT: A magical evening in a spectacular, historic setting.

The Big Thames Tidy (31 Aug and 1 Sept): Leading water charity, Thames21, hosts one of the
biggest mass clean-ups the river has ever seen. EXPECT: Lots of mucky fun!

The Shimmy (21 Sept): London’s coolest street art festival brings creative sparkle to the riverside
borough of Wandsworth. EXPECT: To take a walk along the river through concrete wharfs, along a
street and under a magnificent canopy of trees – and be surprised by wonderful art encounters along
the way.

Dozens of river events in Richmond, Kew, Brentford, Hammersmith, Imperial Wharf,
Wandsworth, Vauxhall, South Bank, More London, St Katharine Docks and the Isle of Dogs,
amongst others.
Totally Thames is led by Adrian Evans LVO, Director, Mayor’s Thames Festival, who was also Pageant
Master for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee river celebrations: “Totally Thames aims to be the biggest season
of river events in the world, shining a light on all that’s great about London’s iconic river – from walking and
eating beside it, to river rallies and races, to its amazing heritage attractions and green spaces and, of course,
its excellent river-inspired art and events.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, says: "Without the River Thames, there would be no London; this flowing
thoroughfare has played a vital role in the history and success of our city. Fêted in art, poetry, music and film,
it has provided a watery stage for major events, from the London 2012 Opening Ceremony to the Diamond
Jubilee Pageant. Totally Thames is another great celebration of the river, which I hope will make people
appreciate its significance even more, whether they use it for commuting, for transporting goods, or for pure
pleasure."
Baroness Jo Valentine, Chief Executive, London First, says: “The Thames has always been at the heart
of the London life. Indeed, without it, the Romans would never have bothered setting up Londinium and
getting us all started! These days, on the river and to each side of it, we see reflected every aspect of
London’s unique mix of commerce, culture and diversity. The fact that the Thames Festival Trust has moved
from presenting a weekend event to 30 days of Totally Thames is a reflection of the vibrancy and excitement
that we see coursing through the city today.”
Gordon Innes, Chief Executive, London and Partners, says: "Totally Thames is a fantastic new addition to
London's cultural calendar and will be a real celebration of everything our world-famous river has to offer. The
event promises to be a wonderful new platform for the exhibitions, attractions, events and activities happening
year-round along the banks of the Thames. From Hampton Court in the west, to Greenwich in the east, this is
an unrivalled opportunity to focus in on our diverse and vibrant riverside."
While the Totally Thames events season takes place throughout September, the conversation will continue
online throughout the year with a social media campaign highlighting issues involving the river.
The full Totally Thames programme will be announced in July 2014.
For more details, please contact:
Una Devine, Manager, PR and Communication, Thames Festival Trust
p. +44 (0) 7904 368 049 e. una@unadevine.com
www.totallythames.org I Twitter: @ThamesFestival #TotallyThames I Facebook: /ThamesFestival
ends
Notes to Editors
About Thames Festival Trust: Since 1997 when the famous wire walk took place across the Thames in central London, the Thames
Festival Trust has organised 16 fun, free festivals along and on the river. What started as an event around the South Bank has stretched
to embrace the length of the river from Westminster to Tower Bridges and St Katharine Docks. Thousands of events have been organised
in that time from street carnivals to sand castles on the foreshore, from fireworks to family feasts on a bridge. Over 10 million people have
enjoyed the Thames Festival since 1997, reaching a peak in 2012 when more than 800,000 people spent the weekend celebrating the
end of the London Games. Today the Thames Festival Trust, led by Artistic Director Adrian Evans, who was the Pageant Master for the
The Thames Festival Trust Registered Office 108 Stamford Street London SE1 9NH. Registered in England No 3577462. Charity No 1074794. VAT No 782 5019 24
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee river celebrations, is expanding the concept from central London to the whole river in London, from Richmond
to Havering, under the banner Totally Thames. TFT is funded by Arts Council England, the Mayor of London, London First and many
other sponsors and supporters.
For more information: www.thamesfestival.org/trust | Twitter: @ThamesFestival | Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThamesFestival
About London First: London First is an independent business membership organisation whose mission is to make London the best city
in the world in which to do business. Its members include the capital’s leading employers in key sectors such as financial and business
services, property, transport, ICT, education, creative industries, hospitality and retail. Established in 1991, its work encompasses a wide
range of issues under the umbrella of maintaining London’s competitiveness in an increasingly challenging environment.
For more information: www.londonfirst.co.uk | Twitter: @London_First
About London & Partners: London & Partners is the Mayor’s official promotional organisation for London. Our company attracts and
delivers value to business, students and visitors. London & Partners is a not-for-profit public private partnership, funded by the Mayor of
London and a network of commercial partners. Our remit is to drive leisure and business visitors as well as bidding to secure major events
in London, to unlock the city for overseas businesses who want to set up or expand in London and to promote the capital’s world class
universities to international students. Our intention is to work in partnership with organisations in London and across the world to deliver
our goal - that London be globally recognised as the best big city on earth.
For more information: www.londonandpartners.com | Twitter: @visitlondon | www.facebook.com/visitlondon
The Thames Festival Trust Registered Office 108 Stamford Street London SE1 9NH. Registered in England No 3577462. Charity No 1074794. VAT No 782 5019 24