Plans for Skipton's fifth Waterway Festival are well underway with the theme of this year's event, held over the May Bank Holiday weekend, being chosen as Skipton by the Sea.
Organised by British Waterways and supported by Skipton Town Council, the popular festival takes place over three days in the town's canal basin.
It attracts hundreds of boaters to Yorkshire and last year it was estimated that around 8,000 visitors came to enjoy the stalls and the varied family entertainment which took place on the canal side during the day and the illuminated cruise on the Sunday evening.
British Waterways are working closely with local organisations on the event including Skipton Town Council, Pennine Cruisers, Craven Cruising Club, Silsden Boats, and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society, and are hoping for an even better turnout this year.
Laurence Morgan, British Waterway's General Manager in Yorkshire said: "This is a major tourist event in the North of England's calendar - it is a very special occasion which is enjoyed by the local community, boaters and visitors to Skipton alike.
"We want the Skipton Waterway Festival to become even more recognised than it is now, so we are hoping that this year's quirky seaside theme will intrigue people and capture their imagination.
"Skipton is on the longest canal on our network at 127 miles long and links the two cities of Leeds and Liverpool, both of them next to the sea, so we thought this theme would be appropriate."
The Festival takes place on Saturday 29th, Sunday 30th and Monday, May 1st.
Anyone wanting more information, including boaters wanting to apply for a mooring at the Festival, should contact British Waterways Head Office in Leeds on 0113 200 5749 or email Lesley.grogan@britishwaterways.co.uk
