09 Feb 2016
Henley on Thames throws a great party; the number and variety of festivals is testament to that. Here are the dates of 2016's main event and festival reasons to visit Henley - whether your interests are sporting, cultural or somewhere in between.
Henley House and Garden Show – 12 – 13 March
Exhibitors from the world of house & gardens provide inspiration, advice and entertainment. There are workshops for adults and children covering craft and artistic skills, talks by expert speakers, exhibitors and the highlight home decor fashion show. A spectacular light show featuring images of the river and Regatta will illuminate the Town Hall and other buildings in the Market Place. www.thehenleyhousegardenshow.com
Henley on Food Festival: 30 April – 01 May
Henley on Food is a new event that unites food lovers with well-known cooks and culinary writers. Feast on interactive cookery sessions, discussions, Q&As, wine tastings, pop-up restaurants and events for children at the Thame-side setting of Shiplake College grounds and historic buildings. www.henleyonfood.com
Henley Arts Trail – 30 April – 02 May
This annual event over the May Bank Holiday weekend, sees local artists and makers throw open the doors of their workshops, studios and galleries at numerous locations around the town and area. Often it's possible to meet the artists while enjoying a great excuse to explore local villages. www.henleyartstrail.com
Chelsea Fringe – 21 May – 12 June
Bringing an undeniably Henley flavour to the Chelsea Fringe gardens & gardening event, expect a colourful programme including a Floral Flotilla, a Flower market and events like an evening of Floral Couture and Cocktails and a Floral Circus. www.visit-henley.com
Henley Women's Regatta – 17 – 19 June
Henley Women's Regatta is the premier rowing regatta for women in the UK with over one thousand competitors annually. Crews travel from all around the world to race over the famous Henley Regatta course. There's no entrance fees for spectators and casual dress code applies. Spectators can follow races from the beautiful umpires' launches by booking tickets either at the start by Temple Island or in the main enclosure to experience the regatta, and Henley, from a whole new perspective. www.hwr.org.uk
Henley Classic Swim – 26 June
The annual 2.1 km race draws up to 700 swimmers to tackle the Henley Royal Regatta course early on a summer's morning. Starting from Temple Island Meadows and finishing just below Henley Bridge, competitors come from all over the UK to celebrate mid-summer, and take the opportunity to swim one of the most beautiful stretches of open water in the world, at the most beautiful time of the day, dawn. www.henleyswim.com
The Royal Regatta – 29 – 03 July
First held in 1839, the Royal Regatta is Henley's most famous, and most prestigious, annual event attracting visitors from all over the world. For 5 days it is one of the highlights of the summer sporting calendar and the English social season. Thousands of people watch hundreds of international standard races between Wednesday and Sunday, including Olympic class crews, famous clubs and renowned schools. Aside from the rowing, Henley Royal Regatta visitors enjoy the unique garden party ambience and facilities within the Enclosures and along the riverbank. www.hrr.co.uk
Henley Festival – 06 – 10 July
Henley Festival is a potent mix of music, art, culture, dining and location set in the town's beautiful riverside. A total of 5,000 tickets are available for each night of the black-tie event, which also offers fine dining, comedy shows, art exhibitions and street theatre performers. Expect celebrity chefs' pop-up restaurants, champagne sipped beside the Thames, an armada of twinkling pleasure boats, dance, street theatre, art and sculpture, with fireworks traditionally following each evening's performance. www.henleyfestival.co.uk
Henley Mile – 10 July
A straight line downstream River Thames swimming event held over the boomed course of the Henley Royal Regatta, the Henley Mile features two distance options for adult swimmers. One is perfect for experienced open water swimmers looking for their next open water challenge. The non-competitive sporting category suits swimming enthusiasts looking to take part in their first open water swim, taking the course in their own time, without the pressure of racing. www.henleyswim.com
Thames Traditional Boat Rally – 16 – 17 July
The Rally is a two day display of around 200 traditionally built boats, of any age, both powered and unpowered. Highlights are the floating Illuminated Parade on Saturday night, sail-pasts of the various boat classes attending, bank-side displays, craft and produce, costumes, and vintage cars and bicycles. www.tradboatfestival.com
Henley Fringe – 18 – 23 July
Taking place two weeks before Edinburgh, Henley Fringe is an opportunity for performers to hone their acts prior to the big one. The town comes alive with a frenetic programme of comedy, drama, music, new writing and film all taking place in town centre venues big and small, ranging from the back rooms of pubs to the main stage of the Kenton Theatre. The festival also features films from around the world, including shorts and animation in celebration of the number of skilled practitioners living in and around Henley. www.henleyfringe.org
Thames Marathon Bridge to Bridge Swim– 07 August
This event is aimed at swimmers who would like to include a serious long distance challenge in their summer open water swimming season. It's not a race, but an opportunity for challenge in a scenic setting. www.henleyswim.com
Rewind Festival – 19 – 21 August
Love the 80s? The annual Rewind festival is a showcase of the decade's most successful bands and artists and takes place at Temple Island Meadows near Henley. As well as the main stage line-up, get your leg warmers out for a roller disco, funfair, kidzone and fireworks as Henley becomes awash with dayglo, smilies and tutu's at this massive party. River taxis are available to provide transport between the festival site and Henley town centre. www.rewindfestival.com
Henley regatta for the disabled – 03 September
The annual Regatta for the Disabled is a fun filled day of boating, rowing or racing on the river. Familiar attractions include: Rivertime - equipped with a ramp and a lift for wheelchairs, electric launches - walk or carry on to stable boats, Dragon Boat Racing and instruction for novices. Other attractions include a climbing wall (takes wheelchairs), Millers Ark animals (sheep, goats and rabbits), live bands and sideshows. www.regattaforthedisabled.org
Henley Show – 10 September
Now in its 125th year and one of the finest one-day Agricultural Show in the country featuring cattle, sheep and poultry, show-jumping and showing classes. Entertainment includes active displays of steam engines, birds of prey, foraging and live music. Crowd favourites include the Dancing Sheep Show, handmade replicas of royal carriages and interactive food and farming marquee activities where children can learn where their food comes from. www.thehenleyshow.com
Henley Highwayman – 17 – 18 September
A new breed of multi-sport event, the Henley Highwayman comprises two different disciplines over two days completed as single events or combined into a unique duathlon. Raced in the sportif format, individuals and teams choose challenging cycling distances of 182, 120 or 62km in the surrounding Chiltern hills, and/or mixed terrain runs of 9, 17 and 25km. Points are gained based on the distance chosen and speed achieved at that distance. www.henleyhighwayman.co.uk
Henley Literary Festival – 26 September – 02 October
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016, Henley is regarded as one of the best literary festivals in the country. High profile attending authors sees Henley rival the reputations of Hay, Edinburgh and Cheltenham but the intimacy of the events in this beautiful riverside town gives it a distinctive personality. For seven days the festival creates a buzz around topics including politics, current affairs, fiction, history, food and sport, which would be impossible to replicate in a larger town or city. www.henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk
Henley Christmas Market – 18 – 21 November
The World Village Market features exotic world, homemade and healthy foods and eco-friendly arts, crafts, clothing and jewellery. It showcases products unique to particular regions that bring together colour and character with sustainable business practices and originality. www.visit-henley.com
Henley Living Advent Calendar – 01 – 24 December
Based on an idea originally from Stockholm, the Henley event started in 2011. Like a children's Advent Calendar, a different window or door opens at 6:15pm promptly each evening for a 15 minute performance with a winter or Christmas focus to the assembled audience. www.livingadventcalendar.co.uk
Contact for more information: Jackie Ellis, 07969 997985
