A scaled-back boating event is set to replace the cancelled Rickmansworth Canal Festival.
The Batchworth Boat Rally will take place on the weekend of May 18 and 19 on the Grand Union Canal, next to the aquadrome, between Batchworth Lock (81) and Stockers Lock (82).
It comes after organisers of the annual canal festival were forced to scrap it in January over complications with asbestos buried at the aquadrome.
Its smaller replacement will still feature a floating market, decorated boats, tug-of-war and historic vessels as seen in previous years, as well as music and morris dancing on the canal side on both days.
The Batchworth Arena will return, organised by the local Sea Scouts, offering a bar, BBQ and free live music for the general public from 12pm to 5pm on Saturday.
There will also be private ticketed events each evening for boaters on Friday and for boaters and Batchworth Sea Scouts family & friends on the Saturday.
Batchworth Arena coordinator Kelly Patterson said: “The Canal Festival had been the biggest single fundraiser for the group over the past few years and the devastating news that it was cancelled immediately put Batchworth Sea Scouts fundraising plans at risk.
“When the Batchworth Boat Rally approached us to see if we would like to help support their event we didn’t hesitate.”
Former festival organisers the Rickmansworth Waterways Trust said it was "sad" the full festival could not go ahead in 2024, but added: "We look forward to seeing many of our fellow boat enthusiasts at Batchworth Boat Rally in a couple of weeks.
"It won’t be the large scale Ricky Festival, it will be fun!"
Residents reacted to the “brilliant” news online as one said: “I’m so glad we didn’t cancel our flights. Really looking forward to this event.”
Another said: “Nice to see there's still something to enjoy on this traditional weekend.”
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Three Rivers District Council implemented a "no-dig" policy last year to avoid disturbing the hazardous material buried at the site, but told the organisers last December that restrictions would extend to any activity that would pierce the ground.
The Trust estimated it would have cost between £5,000 and £8,000 a day to monitor asbestos levels in the air before and after the festival.
A £30,000 grant was later given to the festival organisers in February to make up for lost revenue following the cancellation.
Asbestos cement was deposited at the aquadrome in the 1920s and 30s to secure the ground after gravel was extracted.
The district council has said the site is within safe legal limits for breathing but any activity that could expose the buried asbestos, such as digging or fixing stakes, is prohibited.
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