There was a chilled vibe around the Itchen on Saturday as hundreds enjoyed celebrating our river, in our own way. It was All Aboard’s fourth appearance – and perhaps its biggest and most engaging festival yet.

“Presented” by St Denys Boat Club and organised by countless individuals often just ‘doing their own thing’ and getting creative, our stretch of river seemed at times relatively packed with small craft – from paddle boards and kayaks to canoes and motorboats.

Salmon Dash

There was even a somewhat incongruous jet ski-type craft at one point – as well as an all-together more sedate giant swan and salmon seen heading upstream.

The latter was towed by Wessex Rivers Trust's CEO Dave Rumble on his 1.5km 'Salmon Dash', highlighting the difficulties facing our salmon, particularly following the recent drought as the fish try to migrate upstream to spawn.

All the while music wafted from waterside stages rigged up on private jetties, pontoons and in riverside gardens.

The considerable number lucky enough to get afloat could paddle, sail or cruise from stage to stage to hear a strong selection of diverse local acts.

But there also seemed to be more for those restricted to dry land this year.

Many gathered in Riverside Park, left, to hear music from Lou and John’s ‘pontune’ stages from the distant St Denys shore, and the Ukulele Jam belting out tunes in the park near the ‘swan jetty’ – having had to abandon the original idea of playing from the jetty due to weight of musician numbers.

A new stage this year at Woodmill Kitchen, right, offered yet another outdoor musical bill, and a fine river view to boot, with the optional accompaniment of coffee, snacks – perhaps even a spot of lunch.

 

Pirate story teller Gary

Over Cobden Bridge, which itself had been festooned with flowers painted previously by children at July’s TriFest, there was much more: more artwork, more music, more storytelling from Gary the pirate in Pettinger Gardens and Michael O’Leary at Janaway, and a smattering of stalls to browse from the likes of Greenpeace and Respect the River.

Meanwhile music drifted over from yet more stages on the Whitworth Crescent side.

This year’s All Aboard felt like a great community event, involving hundreds across a wide age range – whether that simply meant the chance to get out and have a chat with friends or neighbours, listen to a story or music, play some tunes, or perhaps to create giant floating 3D artworks of aquatic creatures to then tow up the river.

As you do.

All Aboard!