The Chalk Rivers Festival

The Chalk Rivers Festival is an afternoon and evening of creativity, conversation, music and connection, bringing people together to celebrate the life, beauty and importance of our rivers.

From the rare chalk streams of southern England, found in only a handful of places around the world, to great rivers that shape landscapes and cultures across continents, waterways connect people, places and ecosystems. The festival invites us to listen more deeply to these living systems and explore what they might teach us about care, reciprocity and our shared future.

As we gather in memory of Mark Lintell, we will explore both recent history and deep time: from the changes our rivers have experienced within living memory to the extraordinary reality that the water flowing through them today is the same water that has cycled through our planet for billions of years.

Through art, storytelling, film, music and discussion, we ask:
What does the river mean to you?

And perhaps more importantly:
If the river had a voice, what would it ask of us?

Programme
1pm–5pm
Creative workshops for all ages
Across The Big Barn, The Granary and the Forest Garden, a programme of hands-on workshops, creative activities and experiences exploring rivers, water, ecology and our connection to place. Full programme coming soon.

Ongoing throughout the day
Film Screening Room
A rolling programme of films and visual storytelling inspired by rivers, landscapes and environmental stewardship.

5pm–7pm
Speakers, drinks and music
An evening gathering in The Big Barn featuring inspiring speakers, live music, refreshments and conversation focused on the future of our rivers and the communities that care for them.

Supporting River Conservation
The festival is raising funds for the Darent River Preservation Society (DRiPS), supporting vital work to protect and restore the River Darent and its surrounding habitats.

We are grateful for the support and collaboration of:
The Shoreham Midsummer Festival
Darent River Preservation Society (DRiPS)
South East Rivers Trust
Living Thames
Darent Nature Partnership
The Darent Valley Farm Cluster
Kent Wildlife Trust

We look forward to welcoming you to an afternoon and evening of creativity, reflection and celebration beside the rivers that connect us all.

Please register here