Boat tours, live music and storytelling at the Gravesend Maritime Festival 2025
A town is celebrating its historic links to the River Thames this month with a packed programme of entertainment on land and water.
The Gravesend Maritime Festival takes place across two days in locations all over town, including St Andrew’s Gardens, the Town Pier and the surrounding quayside.
The festival will give visitors a chance to step aboard a variety of vessels, including the Waverley, the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer, and traditional Thames Barges.
There will be sailings and tours available to book, along with a host of family-friendly entertainment on dry land throughout each day.
There will be live music, creative workshops, theatrical performances from the Sheppey Pirates and mermaids, magic shows and immersive storytelling.
The Three Daws, a historic pub located on the riverside, will welcome Blueprint Arts from Northfleet to tell the story of the 1878 Princess Alice paddle steamer tragedy.
There will also be sea shanties, folk and swing music, and contemporary acts with bands such as the Cockney Knights, Hog Eye Men and the Beard Conspiracy performing on the outdoor stage.
Other venues will be joining the festivities, with Iron Pier Brewery hosting an evening of soul and reggae at St Andrew’s Arts Centre and Hatch Market welcoming a Chas and Dave tribute.
The Gravesend Maritime Festival takes place on Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28. It’s free to attend, but some events or tours will need to be booked online in advance.
