LoveLea Festival 2025
Date: 17 May - 8 June
Walthamstow Marshes
Join in the celebration of London River Week with this series of events
Introducing the LoveLea Festival
Our River Lea is at the heart of so many communities, but it faces huge challenges—from pollution, invasive species, and habitat loss to the need for greater access and care. In response, local residents, organisations, and community groups have come together to build a stronger alliance for collective action.
From Saturday 17 May to Sunday 8 June, a series of events will take place across the Lea catchment, each planned and delivered independently by different groups but united by a shared commitment to protecting and celebrating the river.
Leaside Spring Open Day - Saturday 17 May
11:00 - 16:00
Leaside
34 Spring Lane
Hackney
E5 9HQ
Join Leaside’s Annual Spring Open Day!
Kick off the LoveLea Festival with a day of adventure, community, and celebration! Try out paddling, biking, and canal boating with our fun taster sessions, or get hands-on fixing your bike at the Bike Kitchen workshop.
Pip Rowlandson from Paddle UK will be running hands on Floating Pennywort Workshops and INNS talks to raise awareness of the Invasive non native species harming our river Lea.
ecoACTIVE will lead children habitat exploration activities such as invertebrates hunting and pond dipping.
Enjoy delicious food, live music, and inspiring stalls featuring local organisations dedicated to the River Lea. We will have talks, short film screenings, and practical environmental activities for all ages.
Come along, try something new, learn and take action, connect with your community and have a LoveLea time by the water!
Booking
Free to attent.
£2 taster sessions can be book here
Beating the Bounds of the Old River Lea - Sunday 25 May
14:00 - 16:00
Save Lea Marshes
https://www.saveleamarshes.org.uk/
Beating the Bounds of the Old River Lea!
‘Beating the Bounds’ is a traditional event on Rogation Sunday that was resurrected locally by the New Lammas Lands Defence Committee. It traditionally involves a walk to mark significant boundaries, like the boundaries of a parish, a manor, commons or another important public open space.
This often takes place during Rogationtide, in springtime, when prayers for a good harvest are offered. Willow sticks decorated with flowers and ribbons are carried and used to hit important boundary markers.
Save Lea Marshes hosts the event, with a modern twist, every two years. This year, our walk will be river-themed and we will mark the boundaries of the Old River Lea which meanders through Hackney Marshes, exploring its rich history, and possible futures.
There will be three options for the walk (short, intermediate and long). The complete walk is 2.44 miles, ending at Hackney Marshes User Centre.
Booking
No bookimg required. Meet at 14:00 on the towpath outside The Princess of Wales pub - see the route here
Lee Navigation Boat Trip - Monday 26 May
12:00
East London Garden Society
Free boat trip organised by East London Garden Society
Boarding @ The Limehouse Cut, Limehouse, Town Hall, 646 Commercial Road, E14 7HA (nearest stations, West Ferry DLR and Limehouse DLR and C2C).
The trip will include speakers from East London Garden Society, Friends of Roding River, Save Lea Marshes and Hackney Buzz Line. It will pause at Three Mills Island and finish at the Hackney Marshes, with maybe some time for a short walk.
There is a limit of 50 people on board this trip.
Donations accepted via the East London Garden Society website.
This event is also supported by Go Parks London.
Booking
Limited spaces. Book by emailing eastlondongardensociety@gmail.com
London Rivers Week Guided Tour of Walthamstow Wetlands - Thursday 5 June
11:00 -12:30
London Wildlife Trust, Walthamstow Wetlands,
2 Forest Rd,
London,
N17 9NH
Join us to learn about the reservoirs, ponds & streams that make up Walthamstow Wetlands and the different wildlife that inhabit them.
Booking
Book your free space here
Sketch the Wetland - Saturday 7 June
13:00 - 14:30
Chestnut Fields Wetland
Thames 21 and High5 Workshops
Join us for a wonderful day of creativity and nature at Chestnuts Field Wetlands! Whether you're a pro artist or a complete beginner, this relaxed sketching session is the perfect chance to explore the beauty of the ponds and the nearby Dagenhambrook.
What to bring: we will be providing materials but please bring your own if you desire. We will be sketching from picnic blankets on the ground so please bring a little cushion if you want to be more comfortable.
Let’s unwind, create, and connect with the natural world together!
Saturday 31 May
10.30 - 17:00
We the Lea
London National Park City
The walk begins at the picnic benches in Walthamstow with an event from Craft. We will follow the Lea Valley route along the river for six miles, until we reach Cody Dock.
The walk seeks to bring together communities and celebrate the wonder of the Lee Valley and what it means to those who live by it. We hope to showcase the work of local groups dedicated to restoring and protecting the river and enhancing the environment for people and wildlife.
We invite individuals and community groups to join us, bringing symbols of our collective dreams for the valley under the banner 'We The Lea'. The route is flat and divided into sections by access to public transport so you can join for as much as you like!
Booking
Book your FREE space here