London Rivers Week celebrates 10 years of reconnecting the capital with its waterways
Boat trips, wildlife walks and river clean-ups
London Rivers Week will return from 23-31 May 2026, marking ten years of encouraging Londoners to reconnect with the waterways flowing through the capital.
This year’s theme, “know your local river”, shifts the focus away from the postcard views of the Thames and towards the smaller rivers, tributaries and hidden waterways that quietly cut through neighbourhoods across the city.
Across the week, organisers have planned dozens of free events, including guided walks, river clean-ups, photography workshops, wildlife surveys, film screenings and boat trips, all aimed at helping Londoners better understand the role rivers play in the city around them.
While the Thames remains London’s most recognisable waterway, many of the rivers feeding into it remain overlooked despite playing a crucial role in biodiversity, flood management and public green space.
The festival also hopes to raise awareness around the growing pressures facing London’s rivers, including pollution, urban run-off and climate change.
Among this year’s events are a guided “What the River Wants” walk along the River Lea with artist Emma Smith, a community soundwalk tracing the Thames from Rotherhithe to Deptford, and a free screening of the documentary London’s Last Wilderness. Elsewhere, volunteers can take part in river restoration projects, wetland walks and citizen science sessions monitoring river health.
Some events have already booked out, particularly the more hands-on experiences like river wading sessions and bat walks, which probably says something encouraging about Londoners’ appetite for escaping screens and spending more time outdoors.
The festival runs from Saturday, the 23rd of May until Sunday, the 31st of May, with events taking place across London, including Wapping, Deptford, Battersea, Richmond, Clapton and Greenwich.
Many activities are free, though several require booking; you can see what's happening on the Thames21 website.
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