Thames Festival 2009
A celebration of the Thames
(Photos ©urban75, Saturday 12th September 2009)
Taking place annually in mid-September, the The Mayor's Thames Festival (to give it its full name) serves up a feast of activities on and around the the River Thames, the riverside walkways, roads, bridges, docks and public open spaces from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge.
Billed as a 'free celebration of London and its river,' the festival commissions new work, and offers street arts, performance, carnival, pyrotechnics, illuminations, art installations, exhibitions, river events, massed choirs, circus, music and dance, food and feasting.
The weather was fantastic and we had a pretty good time, although the growing popularity of the event made getting around a very slow business.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-01.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-02.jpg) Helter Skelter.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-03.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-04.jpg) A parrot and a puppet. And why not?
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-05.jpg) Art gallery in the OXO tower.
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![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-06.jpg) Relaxing on the beach - which would later host an unofficial party in the wee small hours.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-07.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-08.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-09.jpg) WTF?
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-10.jpg) Inside the Bank Side Gallery, which had a superb collection of watercolours on display.
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![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-11.jpg) Outside the Tate Modern.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-12.jpg) These were lit up with fire in the evening and apparently looked spectacular (unfortunately, we missed the illuminated Night Procession and fireworks display this year).
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-13.jpg) Looking over Southwark Bridge, transformed into a, "harvest feasting environment with fabulous food and entertainment."
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-14.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-15.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-16.jpg) Crushing the grapes.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-17.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-18.jpg) An old fella spins a few yarns.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-19.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-20.jpg) Big crowds on the Millennium Bridge.
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![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-21.jpg) The attraction of these 'standing still buskers' still eludes me.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-22.jpg) Work on the creation of a cross-river station with a new entrance on Bankside has started at Blackfriars Railway Bridge.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-23.jpg) A huge bee thing. On wheels.
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![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-24.jpg) Beach scene.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-25.jpg)
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![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-26.jpg) Looking for books under Waterloo Bridge.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-27.jpg)
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-28.jpg)
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![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-29.jpg) A mightily unconvincing camel fails to impress passers by.
![The Mayor's Thames Festival, River Thames, central London, 12th September 2009](images/thames-festival-2009-30.jpg) A last look at the helter skelter.
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