Medway in flames

Saturday 17 June 2017 from 2pm at the water basins at St Mary’s island, the Ship and Trades, the Outlet Centre and Chatham Historic Dockyard.

Celebrating 350 years of friendship and co-operation between our two nations since the conclusion of the Anglo-Dutch wars, Battle of Medway finale will be a sensational finale to our festival of cultural, sporting and educational events. This is a major public event depicting the Dutch Raid on the River Medway and Chatham Dockyard.

What's on

Water activities
River activities
Funfair
Music programme
Battle of Medway finale
Getting to the Battle of Medway finale
Watch the Battle of Medway finale live online
FAQs

Water activities (Basin 2)

2pm - Take the opportunity to take part in water activities including: dinghy rides, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, bell boating and stand up paddle boarding. All of these activities are being offered free of charge from the Arethusa Venture Centre and Medway Watersports Trust (bring a towel if you can).

3.15pm - Splash Dog Water Display. Come and watch the amazing Splashpals Working Newfoundland Dogs at 3.15pm in Basin 2 this Saturday. Watch them rescue distressed people from the water. You can also meet the loveable dogs too… it’s an event you won’t want to miss!

4pm - Take the opportunity to take part in water activities including: dinghy rides, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, bell boating and stand up paddle boarding. All of these activities are being offered free of charge from the Arethusa Venture Centre and Medway Watersports Trust (bring a towel if you can).

5pm - Basin 2 activities close

River activities

5.30pm - Sail Past outbound from Chatham Ness to Upnor

6.30pm - Fly boarding / jet ski demonstration

7.00pm - GPS tug display

7.30pm - Display by Royal Engineers Boat Operations Troop

8.00pm - Fly boarding / jet ski demonstration

8.30pm - Display by Royal Engineers Boat Operations Troop

9.00pm - Fly boarding / jet ski demonstration

9.45pm - Medway in Flames commences

Note: Water activities timings are subject to change due to weather, tides or operational issues.

Funfair

There will also be something for the thrill seekers with a family-friendly funfair open from the 15 to 17 June 2017.

The fair will be open from 5pm to 9pm on Thursday 15 June and Friday 16 June and will be open from 2pm to 11pm on Saturday 17 June.

The funfair rides will cost just £1 per person per ride on the 15 and 16 June 2017 and will return to normal prices on the 17 June from 2 to 11pm.

Music programme

Battle of the Medway – folk stage (near the Ship and Trades)

Mc Bob Kenward

The folk bands all have connections with the river Medway. Some have worked and lived on the Medway and others have written songs concerning the river Medway. The Dutch band Scheepsfolk ('ships folk') have written and recorded an album about the Dutch invasion of the Medway in 1667.

2.00 to 3.00pm The Lowly Strung

3.00 to 3.45pm Skinners Rats

3.45 to 4.30pm Scheepsfolk

4.30 to 5.30pm Skinners Rats

5.30 to 6.15pm Bob Kenward

6.30 to 7.15pm Scheepsfolk

7.30 to 8.30pm Ian Petrie Band

8.45 to 9.30pm Scheepsfolk

10.25 to 11.10pm Ian Petrie Band

Battle Of The Medway – blues/rock stage (by Odeon Cinema)

Mc Griff Rising

This is a cross section of bands featuring swing, skiffle, blues, rock and reggae from groups that play festivals and stages and are good at interacting with crowds.

2.00 to 3.000pm Goosebumps

3.30 to 4.45pm Miles Cookman Band

5.15 to 6.00pm Lonnie Donegan Jnr And His Band

6.30 to 7.45pm The Catfish Blues Band

8.15pm to 9.30pm Beggars Belief

10.25 to 11.10pm Cold Harbour

Battle of the Medway – bandstand area – (Basin 2 area)

Mc Vicky Price

An 'easy listening' type stage more suitable for a bandstand entertainment.

2.00 to 2.45pm Medway Band

2.45 to 3.15pm We Can Sing UK

3.15 to 3.45pm Medway Band

3.45 to 4.15pm Big Sing

4.15 to 5.15pm The Native Oysters Band

Battle of Medway finale

The evening finale will include water screens, digital projection, characters from history, pyrotechnics, special effects and fireworks that will bring the Battle of Medway to life.

Please note: There are no viewing areas from Upnor and the Battle of Medway finale should be seen from the opposite side of the river.

The map below shows the viewing areas for the event.

Getting to the festival

The Battle of Medway is expected to attract thousands of visitors from the UK and from abroad. For this reason we recommend that you make travel arrangements using our public transport services on offer.

Blue Badge holder parking will available at the Dockside Outlet Centre car park. Spaces are limited. Please note that vehicles leaving this car park at 10pm may be delayed for a short time to allow for crowds to move off of the site.

Find out how to get to the festival, the transport services on offer and parking restrictions during the Battle of Medway festival.