The Bedford River Festival will pay tribute to a familiar figure of the town’s waterways after organisers announced the renaming of two key river parades in memory of Martyn Pearson, the volunteer harbour master who died in December.
Long association with Bedford’s waterways
Pearson, who became involved with the very first River Festival in 1978, carried out the harbour master role on a voluntary basis for more than 46 years. He was responsible for organising and managing river activities at the biennial event, which takes place on the River Great Ouse and the Embankment.
"He put a lot of time, energy and passion into the event - he was a great man who is going to be greatly missed,"
The tribute will see the cabin cruiser and narrow boat parades at this year’s festival renamed the Martyn Pearson Grand Parades. The parades are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with a special illuminated parade due to take place at about 21:00 on Saturday.
Scale of the festival and local impact
The River Festival is staged across the Victorian Embankment Promenade, surrounding parkland and the town centre. Bedford Borough Council describes it as an inclusive, community event and estimates attendance at the festival as more than 250,000 visitors over two days; other reporting this year has suggested numbers approaching 300,000.
- About 85 boats are expected on the river during the renamed parades.
- The festival site covers roughly 107 acres — said to be the equivalent of 71 football pitches.
- Staging the event costs around £500,000, primarily met through sponsorship and trade-space income.
Community contribution and visiting crews
Organisers emphasise the festival’s reliance on volunteers and community groups to run river activities and shore-side attractions. Many boat crews travel long distances to take part: this year Joy and David Nottingham motored from Peterborough, via Ely, to moor on the Great Ouse and decorate their boat for the parades. Joy, aged 75, said she was delighted to be involved and expected the weekend to be "amazing".
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Volunteer years served by Martyn Pearson | 46+ |
| Expected boats in parades | ~85 |
| Estimated visitors over two days | 250,000–300,000 |
| Approximate staging cost | £500,000 |
For many residents and visitors the River Festival has become a major fixture in Bedford’s civic life, bringing both economic activity and pressure on local services. Council officers and volunteers work to balance safety, accessibility and environmental protections on and around the Great Ouse — responsibilities traditionally associated with the harbour master role that Pearson fulfilled for decades.
The Martyn Pearson Grand Parades will offer a visible, river-borne reminder of that long service when the festival returns on 18 and 19 July.
