Celebrating all the good stuff going on around the New River as it weaves its way through Northeast London, the Hidden River Festival is back this Saturday with a day long programme of music, art, theatre, comedy, food, yoga, crafty workshops, wildlife activities and more, set across three stages in one of London’s newest nature spots.
Now in its 6th year the community-focused festival has drifted downstream slightly from its former home in Finsbury Park to a new location between the Reservoirs at Woodberry Down, and into the tranquil surroundings of the 11-hectare Woodberry Wetlands nature reserve. It’s genuinely hard to believe you’re straddling the boundaries of ultra urban Haringey and Hackney as you navigate the woodland paths and reedbeds.
Neither a river, nor truly hidden since the path is now almost fully accessible to walkers, the New River itself is in fact a 400-year-old canal bringing drinking water from Hertfordshire to London.
The event should to be a great opportunity to discover the wildlife around one of London’s most important waterways, while enjoying the including up-and-coming rappers Keedah & Ganjy, who proved to be a huge hit at last year’s event. There’ll also be canoeing for those who want to get even closer to the water, so be sure to come prepared.
By Abi Silvester
