READING’S floatiest festival was back in style on Saturday, June 10, as WaterFest 2023 returned to its usual home in the centre of town.
In the shadows of both the historic Abbey Ruins and the newly-refurbished Maiwand Lion in Forbury Gardens, hundreds flocked to the waterside in a summer celebration of the rivers and waterways for which Reading has been famous.
The Reading All Steel Percussion Orchestra were swiftly followed by Praise Lubangu’s strong vocal performance, with the Bengali Cultural Association closing the stage with their usual flair and panache.
4Fingaz brought a hint of attitude with his performance, before The Bulmershe Ensemble and Limpopo Groove gave uplifting group performances.
The Hugh Turner Jazz Quartet, Live Looper ,The Stretch, and Sounds of Ukraine made a splash on The Floating Stage, which floats atop the water of the Kennet Canal.
The event also saw an immersive experience take place on the inside of a giant inflatable whale, with attendees venturing under the sea in a sensory attraction.
There were also a number of workshops from artists around Reading and further afield, including cartography, photography, fabric work and sewing, and vinyl-printing artwork, courtesy of arts charity Jelly.
