Easter historic boat gathering festival over the Bank Holiday
THE NATIONAL WATERWAYS Museum at Ellesmere Port is holding its Easter Historic Boat Gathering Festival over the Bank Holiday.
This is taking place on Friday 18th to to Monday 21st April and is hosted by the Canal & River Trust with visitors having the opportunity to get up close to old working boats as well as modern narrowboats and enjoy a range of waterway-themed activities and music.
Two top attractions
The two top attractions at the event are a charity auction and the horse-drawn boat Saturn, the last-surviving Shropshire Union Flyboat.
On the Good Friday, Ellesmere Port Mayor, Councillor Paul Donovan, will be at the museum from 12 noon onward to greet the arrival of the traditional Easter boat convoy, cruising from Chester to Ellesmere Port along the Shropshire Union Canal, featuring over 40 historic boats, including Saturn pulled by the nine years old horse, Flower.
Simon O’Brien, television presenter and former Brookside actor, will be the celebrity auctioneer at a special auction of privately donated canal artifacts, organised by the Shropshire Union Fly-boat Restoration Society at 2pm on Easter Sunday to raise money for Saturn and the museum’s rare Clyde puffer boat, Basuto.
Crowdfunder appeal
The trust will also be launching an emergency crowdfunder appeal to help towards the vital conservation of Basuto, (pictured) aiming to raise a minimum of £10,000 towards saving a boat which is on the National Historic Ships Fleet Register.
Over the four-day festival, the National Waterways Museum site, located at the junction of the Manchester Ship Canal and the Shropshire Union Canal, will host a wide range of special attractions, from craft workshops and children’s activities to lock demonstrations and steam engines working in the Power Hall.
On Easter Saturday, entertainment will feature the drumming band Conundrum, Mockbeggar Morris Dancers and the Charwallah band, who will also delight visitors on Sunday and Monday.
Public boat trips aboard the Diana Margaret and accessible boat Over the Rainbow, will be run by volunteers from the Wirral Community Narrowboat Trust throughout the weekend.
On Friday and Saturday, there is a chance to learn more about canal artifacts not normally on display when the collections team opens the doors to the museum storerooms in the Island Warehouse.
And there will be a spotlight on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, with access to a special exhibition and archivist on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11am-3pm.
Fantastic celebration
Chris Done, visitor services manager with the Canal & River Trust, explained:
“The 2025 Easter Historic Boat Gathering promises to be a fantastic celebration of our wonderful canal heritage. This year we’re delighted to welcome the Ellesmere Port Mayor Councillor Donovan and television celebrity Simon O’Brien to our special annual gathering of boat enthusiasts. It’s wonderful that the Mayor has chosen the museum to be one of his chosen charities this year. We’re very grateful for his support.
“For families, there is a special children’s trail, activities and a boat-themed playground. We hope this spectacular waterway festival will be the launch of a fabulous summer season for everyone.”
Over the Easter weekend, the museum will be open from 10am to 5pm and every day during the school holidays.
From May to September, visitors can enjoy a range of special events, from Old Time Sailors concert on Friday 16th May to themed Sundays featuring Living History and Victorian Canal Town. The Canal & River Trust would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in volunteering at the museum.
For more information about visiting and to book discounted tickets, visit the museum website https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/national-waterways-museum.