Henley on Thames throws a great party - the number and variety of festivals is testament to that. Here are the major event and festival reasons to visit Henley in 2015 covering sporting, cultural or seasonal interests.

Henley House and Garden Show – 28 February – 01 March 2015
New for 2015, 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, fantastic exhibitors and the highlight home decor fashion show hosted by DIY SOS's Nick Knowles. A spectacular light show featuring images of the river and Regatta, will illuminate the Town Hall and other buildings in the Market Place.

Henley Arts Trail – 02 – 04 May 2015
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 some of local villages.

Henley Highwayman – 07 – 09 June 2015
The Henley Highwayman is a new breed of multi-sport event that's also new to Henley in 2015.It's a 3 day triathlon style event involving a 4km river swim, a 100 mile sportive style cycle and a testing 15 mile mixed terrain run. The swim and bike elements are in a sportive format where competitors choose a start time within a predefined period. Points are gained based on the distance chosen and speed achieved at that distance. The leading point scorers head off first on Sunday's tough run course and the first person over the line wins the Highwayman – which involves elite, junior, and age-group categories.

Henley Women's Regatta – 19 – 21 June 2015
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.

Henley Classic Swim – 28 June 2015
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. 

The Royal Regatta – 01 – 05 July 2015
First held in 1839, Henley Royal Regatta is Henley's most famous, and most prestigious, annual event attracting visitors from all over the world. The 5 day event 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.

Henley Festival – 08 – 12 July 2015
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. At this truly unique and quintessentially English event 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. 2015 highlights include Lionel Richie and a Gershwin Spectacular featuring Laura Mvula and Gregory Porter.

Henley Mile – 12 July 2015
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.

Thames Traditional Boat Rally – 18 – 19 July 2015
The Rally is a two day display of traditionally built boats, of any age, both powered and unpowered. Around 200 beautiful craft, including many of the famous Dunkirk Little Ships, attend each year. 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. 

Henley Fringe – 20 – 26 July 2015
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. 

Rewind Festival – 21 – 23 August 2015
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. 2015 highlights include OMD, the Human League, ABC, Soul to Soul and Go West. River taxis are available to transport people between the festival site and Henley town centre.  

Henley regatta for the disabled – August 2015
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.  

Henley Show – 12 September 2015
Now in its 124th 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 with the likes 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.

Henley Literary Festival – 28 September – 04 October 2015
Now in its eighth year, and regarded as one of the best literary festivals in the country, Henley Literary Festival is a highly anticipated date in the cultural calendar. The high profile of the attending authors rivals 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 becomes the focus of the town, across a range of venues, creating a buzz that would be impossible to replicate in a larger town or city. The festival covers a wide range of topics including politics, current affairs, fiction, history, food and sport.

Henley Living Advent Calendar – 01 – 24 December 2015
Based on an original idea from Stockholm, the Henley event began in 2011 and, like a children's Advent Calendar, a different window or door opens at 6:15pm promptly each evening for a 15 minute performance to the assembled audience. This can include songs, carols, music, poetry, book excerpts, notes from local history or folklore, sketches or dance, all with a Christmas or winter focus.

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