The Canal Festival is a family event to be held on the banks of the restored Ashby Canal at the historic Moira Furnace Museum, on the North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire border. It aims to raise awareness of, and money for, the restoration, extension and maintenance of the Ashby Canal.

There will be a planned Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast, music with an assortment of bands and singers over the weekend. Morris dancing will liven things up, there will be crafty fun and entertainment for the children, live steam train rides, a variety of stalls and demonstrations, boats, bar and refreshments, also meet Mother Duck and her ducklings and enter a duck in the annual Duck Race along the Ashby Canal! This will all revolve around the banks of the restored section of the Ashby Canal at Moira Furnace, in the Heart of the National Forest.

This year the event will also be host to the largest annual gathering of trailable boats in the UK and has been held annually since the first gathering in 1989 on the Lancaster Canal, although, owing to the pandemic, there has been a gap of five years since the previous event, held in 2019, also on the Lancaster Canal. The event has previously been held on the Ashby Canal in 2000, 2009 and 2017.

£3 – Children (5yrs-15yrs)

£6 – Adults

FREE – Car Parking & Programme