Update: All Aboard been postponed due to predicted high winds although some non-river activities going ahead. More here.

The sixth All Aboard festival on Saturday (June 15) is set to feature around 50 bands - some performing on makeshift stages only accessible by water, a community picnic, stalls, theatre, storytelling, art and surprises.

Pontunes from the Ukofonics waft across the river to Riverside Park in 2023

 

The very much home-grown and sometimes surreal festival brings people together for all kinds of shenanigans on and around our stretch of the River Itchen.

In addition to several pop-up stages on private pontoons, there will be a stage and community picnic reachable by land at Janaway Green, a stage at Pettinger Gardens (both off Priory Road (south) in St Denys), a stage upstairs at St Denys Boat Club (1.30-3.30pm), and a stage at Woodies at the Junction.

Art exhibition
Also at the boat club (accessible only via stairs), is the annual art exhibition that runs hand-in-hand with the festival, this year on the theme of All the Rage. It’s open from 11am-4pm on June 15/16, and 22/23.

Janaway Gardens at All Aboard in 2023

Janaway Gardens
The festival will be launched at Janaway with ‘an announcement of drums’ from the samba band Bat2k around 1.30 pm. This will be followed by folky tunes from The Skylarks, and a performance by the Heart and Voice community gospel choir at approximately 3pm. Later, Adrian White will take the stage, followed by Michael O’Leary’s storytelling. The Light Up youth theatre group will perform on an environmental theme, and the ever popular Southampton Ukulele Jam will continue to “spread ukulele goodness on Southampton’s toast”.

There will also be a shanty set from The Shanty Women and the Southampton Salty Sea Dogs. The Guillotine Union Boys are also billed, and finally The Hedgehogs will close the event, playing guitars and singing songs from across the decades.

As well as music, there will also be stalls at Janaway, including from Southampton Clothes Swap. Southern Water were even invited at a resident meeting in January, although it’s currently unknown if they’re taking the offer up.

All Aboard 2023

Woodies at the Junction
There will also be music at Woodies at the Junction on Priory Road, as well as an after party with performances including from Mary Jane and Puddleglum.

Other refreshments
If you’re lucky during the day you may even come across a pontoon serving pizza – yes it’s a Pizza Pontune – and other unpublicised food and beverage opportunities may emerge, possibly accessible only from the river.

Raising the Skirt
An add-on (fully clothed) peaceful protest described as “a powerful display of sacred activism”, ‘Raising the Skirt’ will see local women protest against “pollution of the Itchen with raw sewage” on the same day in Riverside Park near Cobden Bridge from 12 noon, following an 11am workshop to prepare.

All Aboard 2023, shot from Cobden Bridge

Safety
Particularly given the recent testing that has revealed high E.coli in the river around Cobden Bridge, organisers advise caution to those on, or even in, the river. They say quality wouldn’t ‘stop play’ but they do suggest possibly modifying behaviours, for example not swallowing if you do enter the water, and showering when you exit. They also advise using buoyancy aids when on the river.

When/where
All Aboard takes place from 2–7pm around our stretch of the river, and later at Woodies at the Junction.

More info
You can stay in touch with the event on Facebook or at allaboardfest.co.uk where a full line-up is expected to be published ahead of the day.

Our picture gallery from last year's festival is here.