Free activities for the family will be showcased as a new one-day festival celebrating everything that is special about the Broads National Park hits Beccles this summer.
The ‘Broads Life’ Festival will take place at Beccles Quay on Saturday, June 11, from 10am to 6pm.
It aims to attract people from around Suffolk and Norfolk, encouraging them to enjoy the Broads and discover the many things it has to offer.
Hosted by the Broads Authority as part of the National Lottery Heritage-funded Water, Mills and Marshes Scheme, the festival offers free activities, performances and workshops for families.
There will be various performances from local theatre companies, family activities, storytelling and workshops, with visitors invited to explore the countryside and River Waveney by day boat, ferry or on guided heritage walks.
Local businesses are also offering free taster sessions to try canoeing and sailing and other water activities.
Among the water and walking activities provided will be Hippersons boatyard - Day boat trips and canoeing; Beccles Big Dog Ferry – River trips; Waveney Stardust - River trips with disabled access; Beccles Sailing Club – Racing (morning) and sailing taster trips (afternoon) and New Heritage Solutions - Guided Heritage walks with Nick Patrick.
Performances will include Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina presented by Norwich Puppet Theatre at 10.30am and 12.30pm and The Miracle Egg, by The Flying Shop of Imagination at 2pm.
A ticketed event will also see Booming Voices presented by Eastern Angles on Beccles Quay at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Further workshops and activities will take place throughout the day, run by the Broads Authority, RSPB, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, the International Boat Building College, Broads Hidden Heritage and the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership.
Broads Authority project officer and Festival organiser, Anna Collingbourne, said: “This festival will celebrate the Broads and will be a great day out for people of all ages.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for local people to enjoy their National Park, to cherish it, to learn more about it and to experience the river and marshes for themselves.”
Visitors are encouraged to arrive by public transport, with regular buses and trains running. Limited car parking is available but there are no available moorings for boats not already booked for the day at Beccles Quay.
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