The usually tranquil St Katherine Docks will be alive with music and colour this September, as more than 70 classic vessels moor up for the Classic Boat Festival, a family-friendly celebration of maritime heritage that’s been a fixture for the Tower Bridge neighbourhood since 2010.
Visitors will get a chance to climb aboard a whole bunch of vintage watercrafts, from a fleet of 24 little ships used for the rescue mission at Dunkirk, WW2 classics and restored 1930s narrowboats, to vessels used by the Marine Police Unit and Royal Navy, and the late Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee barge Gloriana.
There’ll also be a programme of live music, kids activities and a programme of talks hosted by yachting journalist Tom Cunliffe and other maritime experts, while local bars and restaurants will be offering discounts and special menus to mark the occasion.