One of Britains largest premier inland waterways events is to be staged on the Fens Waterways Link route this year. The IWA National Festival will be decsending on St Ives over the August bank holiday weekend (Saturday 25th - Monday 27th August). The event is expected to attract in the region of 30,000 visitors and up to 600 visiting boats over the festival period. The show is open to all and is a great family day out with plenty to do and see. Whether you use your local waterway to walk your dog or spend your leisure time, or you own a boat, like to canoe or enjoy fishing, this event has something to cater for everybody. With daily organised programmes of activities for children the festival will even keep your little ones amused and if they are under 16 they will get in for free! Make a note of the dates in your diary now and book your tickets in advance! The event is staffed by volunteers and proceeds raised from ticket sales really go a long way to restoring and raising awareness of waterways issues around the country. Tickest cost £8.50 for adults and £6 for concessions with children under 16 and carers gaining entry for free. For further booking details and more information about this event please look at the IWA Festival web-site pages from the links on fenswaterways.com or check out www.waterways.org.uk The nature of the IWA National Festival is an ideal platform to promote projects and wider waterway issues and enables different Regions to showcase their unique waterway attractions each year. As ever Environment Agency staff will be present at the event to answer questions and assist boaters who are navigating too and from the festival. Environment Agency staff will also be keen to use the event to promote and raise awareness of the Fens Waterways Link Project. This is especially useful as recently much of the focus has been on the upper most tip of the route in Boston with the forging of a new navigable link between the River Witham and the South Forty Foot Drain via the tidal Boston Haven. The location of this event on the lower circular loop of the Fens Waterways Link will renew interest and and further enhance awareness of the benefits of the Project as a whole.