Running throughout September, Culture Cargo (1st – 30th September) transforms the historic sailing barge Raybel into a floating cultural venue as it journeys from the Thames Estuary into central London. Stopping at communities along the river, the voyage offers a dynamic programme of live music, talks and mini performances while celebrating the Thames’ rich maritime heritage and exploring themes of trade, ecology and community. Offering a rare opportunity to experience London’s pre-industrial trading history, Culture Cargo reimagines the river as a moving cultural stage. Juice + Santi Lowe Drifting (4th September) is a live sonic performance by artist Juice Cui (melodica, electronics, voice) and cellist Santiago Lowe, reflecting on the constant shaping of identity through memory, migration, displacement, and human connection. On Saturday 12th September will be Mataoi Austin Dean, a member of the nine-piece folk group, Shovel Dance Collective and sings folksong primarily from the South of England, and has carried out ground breaking work on the African origins of sea shanties.
Returning to the festival is Hands on History's Mudlarking Programme, in which three interactive exhibitions uncover remarkable artefacts recovered from the Thames foreshore. Across the Roman Amphitheatre (5th – 6th September), St Paul's Cathedral (19th – 20th September) and London Museum Docklands (26th – 27th September), visitors will have the rare opportunity to meet experienced mudlarkers, handle archaeological artefacts and discover centuries of London history through thousands of objects preserved beneath the Thames. Complementing the programme is Lost and Found (1st – 30th September) by photographer Henry Reichhold, a striking photographic montage tracing London's changing relationship with the River Thames across generations. Combining images from Reichhold's extensive archive, the exhibition includes photographs taken during the Trafalgar 200 commemorations, as well as generations of mudlarkers exploring the foreshore of the Thames, bringing together historic and contemporary perspectives.
The Great River Race (12th September) returns as almost 300 crews compete across 21.6 miles from Millwall Slip to Richmond in London’s largest river marathon. Also returning for its 17th year is the St Katharine Docks Classic Boat Festival (12th –13th September), bringing together more than 50 beautifully restored historic vessels, including Thames sailing barges, Dunkirk Little Ships and steam tugs, alongside live music, talks and family activities celebrating Britain’s rich maritime heritage.
Families are invited to experience the river in new ways at Tidefest (6th September), a free family festival at Strand-on-the-Green, featuring live music, kayaking, paddleboarding, foreshore walks, children’s activities and London’s largest fishing competition. Also marking a milestone this year is Sing for Water (12th September) which celebrates its 25th anniversary by bringing together more than 300 singers from over 40 choirs in support of WaterAid, in the Bargehouse Courtyard behind the OXO Tower. Later in the month, the Kids’ Choir (19th September) fills the iconic West Steps of St Paul’s Cathedral with more than 300 young voices in a fun-filled showcase of music, community and budding creativity.
New for 2026, Swim London (6th September) invites participants to experience the capital from the water in the inaugural 5km and 10km open-water swims on the River Thames. The event offers a rare opportunity to take on one of the world's most iconic urban rivers while helping establish what is set to become a landmark annual event for the festival.
At the Old Royal Naval College, Chinmaya Mission UK presents Ganga Aarti on the Thames: A Ceremony of Light (13th September), a free riverside celebration of Hindu spiritual heritage, community and environmental stewardship. Inspired by centuries-old traditions performed along the River Ganga, the event brings together families and visitors of all backgrounds for an afternoon of food, music and live entertainment before culminating at dusk in the traditional Hindu ceremony honouring the River Thames as a shared source of life, community and connection.
The Thames once again becomes a stage for theatrical storytelling as Shakespeare’s The Tempest (8th–22nd September) is performed aboard the historic Golden Hinde. This intimate, site-specific production transforms the iconic ship into Prospero’s island, immersing audiences in Shakespeare’s tale of shipwreck and reconciliation within one of London’s most atmospheric historic vessels.
Music and performance continue at the remarkable Crossness Pumping Station with Orchestra for the Earth's The Living Thames (18th September), an immersive string quartet combining works by Dvořák, Handel, Smetana and Strauss with field recordings captured along the River Thames to create an atmospheric musical journey through rivers, real and imagined. At the Brunel Museum, former Rambert dancers Aishwarya Raut and Antonello Sangirardi present Nadī (24th September), a contemporary dance duet inspired by stories from India's Konkan region. Performed within the atmospheric Thames Tunnel Shaft, it explores themes of memory, identity, desire and resistance through breath-taking movement.
Along Bazalgette Embankment, two outdoor exhibitions place young people and photography at the heart of the festival. River of Hope (1st –25th September) showcases artworks and poetry created by students from five Newham secondary schools in response to climate change and the migration of eels along the Thames. Thames Lens: Celebrating London’s River (1st –28th September) presents a large-scale outdoor photography exhibition offering fresh perspective on the river.
The festival concludes with two immersive sound installations in Greenwich, exploring the hidden sounds of the river. Intertidal Sounds (26th September) transforms A Slice of Reality - Richard Wilson’s permanent sculpture- into a living acoustic instrument inspired by tidal movement and environmental sound. Barometric Rhythm Machine (27th September) by Interactive Agents takes over the Greenwich Foot Tunnel with a low-frequency sound installation using infrasound and the tunnel's architecture to reveal the hidden sounds of one of London's most recognisable river crossings.
Spanning historic ships, iconic landmarks, maritime traditions, hidden histories and riverside spaces, Totally Thames festival 2026 celebrates the River Thames as one of London’s greatest stages and biggest outdoor museums. Bringing together artists, communities and audiences across the capital, including Turner Prize-nominated artist Catherine Yass, whose award-winning public installation Turning the Tide (17th – 20th September) premieres as part of this year's festival, the programme explores the river’s history, ecology and future through extraordinary performances, exhibitions and events, inviting visitors to experience the river in new and unexpected ways.
The River Thames is, and always has been, the capital city’s one great unifying feature. Totally Thames - the river’s festival – draws together an extraordinary community of interests from artists, dancers and musicians to mudlarks and rowers and anglers – with events that take place all the way along the river from Richmond to beyond the Thames Barrier. September is our river month! There’s loads to discover and enjoy!Adrian Evans, Director of Thames Festival Trust
Increasing access, particularly for under-represented communities including disabled people, to the culture, heritage, and wellbeing benefits of the tidal Thames is a core priority for us at the Port of London Authority. We’re delighted to be supporting the Totally Thames festival this year - what an exciting range of opportunities for people to experience this iconic blue space!Siân Foster, Director of Corporate Affairs at the Port of London Authority
Festival Supported by:
Turning the Tide Funded & Supported by:
The Thames Festival Trust is an arts organisation which delivers festivals, stand-alone commissions, river- based events, heritage projects and education programmes. We have a twenty-nine-year track record of using learning, culture and creativity to amaze, excite and inform. Our work helps bring communities together, originally around the River Thames, and now in cities across the UK and the world.
The Thames Festival Trust gratefully acknowledges the support of Agilia Infrastructure Partners, Art Explora Académie des beaux-arts European Award, British Council France, City of London's Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund, City of London Corporation Culture Team, City River Partnership, Heathrow Community Trust, Illuminated River Foundation, LB Ealing, Lloyds Register Foundation, National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Lottery through Arts Council England, Platinum Jubilee Pageant Foundation, Port of London Authority, 20 Fenchurch Street (GP) Limited, Thames Water, Tideway, Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, Vinehill Trust, and WaterAid.
Port of London Authority
Thames Festival Trust is sponsored by Port of London Authority.
City of London Corporation
Turning the Tide is brought to you in partnership with the City of London Corporation’s Culture Team. It is supported by the City Corporation's Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund.
Art Explorer
This initiative is generously supported by the Art Explora – Académie des beaux-arts European Award
Arts Council England
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
Support our Work
Without the support of funders, partners and people like yourself, we wouldn’t be able to deliver our diverse programme of projects and events along the Thames and across the world.