IWA National Festival

The Inland Waterways Association National Festival & Boat Show is one of the key annual events on the UK Inland Waterways. Generally referred to as the 'National' it serves several functions:

*As a publicity vehicle for the IWA and Inland Waterways in general
*To raise funds for the IWA
*As a social gathering for boaters from around the country
*As a campaigning event

The four functions of the event are to some extent conflicting and in recent years the campaigning aspect has been somewhat separated by the creation of an annual 'Campaign Cruise'.

Arguably it is as a gathering of like minded people that the National has been most influential. The festival brings together people from all over the country who do not meet in numbers except on the festival site. The original decisions to form both the Waterway Recovery Group and the National Association of Boat Owners both arose out of informal discussions held at the National.

IWA National Festivals, 1950-2008

*1950 First 'National', Market Harborough, known as National Rally of Boats (under that name until 1970).
*1951 no festival due to financial constraints
*1952 Brecon, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
*1953 Macclesfield, Macclesfield Canal
*1954
*1955 Skipton, Leeds and Liverpool Canal
*1956 Lincoln, Fossdyke Navigation
*1957 Coventry, Coventry Canal
*1958
*1959 Chester, Shropshire Union Canal Main Line
*1960 Stoke-on-Trent, Trent and Mersey Canal
*1961 Aylesbury, Grand Union Canal
*1962 Stourbridge, Stourbridge Canal
*1963 Little Venice, Grand Union Canal, Paddington branch
*1964 Stratford-upon-Avon, Upper Avon
*1965 Blackburn, Leeds and Liverpool Canal
*1966 Marple, Peak Forest Canal
*1967 Leicester, Grand Union Canal, Leicester Section
*1968 Liverpool, Leeds and Liverpool Canal
*1969 Birmingham, Birmingham Canal Navigations
*1970 Guildford, River Wey
*1971 Northampton, River Nene
*1972 Lymm, Bridgewater Canal
*1973 Ely, Great Ouse, Old West River
*1974 Nottingham, River Trent
*1975 York, River Ouse
*1976 Peterborough, River Nene
*1977 Reading, River Thames
*1978 Titford Canal, BCN
*1979 Northwich, River Weaver
*1980 Lea Valley, River Lee
*1981 Leeds, Aire and Calder Navigation
*1982 Titford Canal, BCN
*1983 Wigan, Leeds and Liverpool Canal
*1984 Hawkesbury, Coventry Canal
*1985 Milton Keynes, Grand Union Canal
*1986 Brentford, Grand Union Canal, Main Line
*1987 Hawkesbury, Coventry Canal
*1988 Castlefield, Manchester, Bridgewater Canal
*1989 Waltham Abbey, River Lee
*1990 Gloucester, Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
*1991 Windmill End, Dudley Canal Line No. 2
*1992 Wakefield, Aire and Calder Navigation, Wakefield section
*1993 Peterborough, River Nene
*1994 Waltham Abbey, River Lee
*1995 Chester, Shropshire Union Canal Main Line
*1996 Windmill End, Dudley Canal Line No. 2
*1997 Henley, River Thames
*1998 Salford Quays, Manchester Ship Canal
*1999 Worcester, River Severn
*2000 Waltham Abbey, River Lee
*2001 Milton Keynes, Grand Union Canal, Main Line
*2002 Huddersfield, Huddersfield Broad Canal
*2003 Pangbourne, Beal Park, River Thames
*2004 Burton-on-Trent, Trent and Mersey Canal
*2005 August 27-29, Preston Brook, Cheshire
*2006 August 26-28 Beal Park, River Thames
*2007 August 25-27, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire
*2008 August 23-25, Autherley Junction, Shropshire Union Canal, Wolverhampton
*2009 Red Hill near Ratcliffe on Soar, River Soar Navigation

ee also

*List of waterway societies in the United Kingdom