Check out our quick reference Estuary 2025 guide to see what's on when with easy links to book tickets! Estuary 2025 - Vessels (21-29 June) The large-scale contemporary arts festival celebrating the stories, places and people of the Thames Estuary. All events are free, some require booking with limited places. See also our guides to what’s on in South Essex and North Kent.

Opening weekend - 21 & 22 June

• She is a River world premiere live performance with specially devised music, sound and movement by artist Nwando Ebizie 22 June, 7.30-9pm | Tilbury Cruise Terminal, South Essex | free advance booking required

• ANCHORED LV21 and Scarabeus Aerial Theatre present a world premiere site responsive outdoor performance 21 June, 21.45-| The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Medway | free advance booking required

• Estuary 2025 film programme at Gravesend Town Pier, North Kent 21 June 3-5pm and 22 June 1-5pm

• The People Will Possess the Wind interactive choral performance as boats sail past. By The Labworth 10am and Southend Pier 12.30pm on 21 June and 8pm on 22 June at Hampton Pier, Herne Bay, North Kent. Film screening & discussion on 22 June at 12.15pm, Gravesend Town Pier, North Kent

• HOP ABOARD! Exploring how both the Estuary landscape and vessel metaphor can hold memory, transformation, and possibility. Supported by Southeastern & Railway 200. Exhibitions & workshops Gravesend Town Pier, North Kent 3pm-5pm 21 June & 12-5pm 22 June

• Sea Like A Mirror White Horses, Still Waters & Words on the Wind screenings and events 21 & 22 June, The Clarendon Royal Community Garden, Gravesend, North Kent (free advance booking required)

• Clubbing & commune-ing in Essex book launch, video installation, talk and nightclub reunion at the pub! Basildon, South Essex. 21 June (free, advance booking required)

• Changing Tides live events aboard recently restored Thames Sailing Barge Raybel at Queenborough, North Kent

• Call Me Back! Touring art installation that super-sizes the iconic phone booth from the 1990s Saturday 21 June Gravesend, North Kent. Sunday 22 June Grays High Street, South Essex

• Submarine Consciousness, Or What Have You Exploring ideas of rewilding, cockle habitats and global connections. At Hadleigh Farm Estate, South Essex. Sunday 22 June schedule:

• 11:30-12:30 Sound walk 'Cockles of My Heart 2' by Breakwater, starting from the Cockle Flag Book tickets (limited capacity)

• 14:00-16:00 'Dye-ing Hope' workshop by Laura Burns, private room at Hub Cafe building Book tickets (limited capacity)

• 16:30-17:30 Sound walk 'Cockles of My Heart 2' by Breakwater, starting from the Cockle Flag Book tickets (limited capacity)

• Thought Forms A new, participatory work by Ben Judd taking audiences by boat to Fort Darnet on an island in the middle of the Estuary, from Medway Yacht Club, North Kent. 21 June: 8-10pm, 22 June: 9-11am  Book tickets (limited capacity)

• Guided mudwalks at Benfleet Creek, Leigh Creek and Two Tree Island, South Essex. 22 June (also 25 June) Free advance booking required

• Estuary Adventures Join us for some fun artist led walks on Canvey along the seafront

Closing weekend - 28 & 29 June

• SALT | 27 & 28 June, 8-9pm | Dance at dusk in a tidal pool, by the Arbonauts, Concord Beach, Canvey, South Essex (free, advance booking required)

• Sleeping with the Dead | Arts programme of remembrance by local artists YoHa, A Creative Estuary Co-Commission. Willow Lane, Canvey, South Essex 28 & 29 June 2025

• The Great Canvey Island Chimney Disaster The Library of Lost Sounds restages the sound of the chimney stack once accidentally demolished one day early on 17 September 1997, on its original site (now within Canvey Wick nature reserve, South Essex). 28 & 29 June (free, limited places advance booking required)

• Submarine Consciousness, Or What Have You Exploring ideas of rewilding, cockle habitats and global connections. At Hadleigh Farm Estate, South Essex. Sunday 29 June:

• 11:30-12:30 Sound walk 'Cockles of My Heart 2' by Breakwater, starting from the Cockle Flag Book tickets (limited capacity)

• 14:00-16:00 'strange feelings' workshop by Ayesha Keshani, private room at Hub Cafe building Book tickets (limited capacity

• 16:30-17:30 Sound walk 'Cockles of My Heart 2' by Breakwater, starting from the Cockle Flag Book tickets (limited capacity)

• Dreamspace: Pending Approval Workshops welcome a multitude of voices to inspire, shape and inform the final designs for a new space at Hadleigh Estate, South Essex

• Thought Forms A new, participatory work by Ben Judd taking audiences by boat to Fort Darnet on an island in the middle of the Estuary from Medway Yacht Club, North Kent. 28 June: 2-4pm, 29 June: 3-5pm  Book tickets (limited capacity)

• Call Me Back! Touring art installation that super-sizes the iconic phone booth from the 1990s Saturday 28 June Sheerness Broadway, North Kent. Sunday 29 June Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea, South Essex

• Estuary 2025 hub Meet artist-in-residence Selena Chandler whose interactive, tactile craft practice draws inspiration from Essex’s rich cultural heritage and see Threads for Tomorrow installation and film produced as part of the Beach of Dreams festival. nightswick Shopping Centre, Canvey 21-29 June 10am-5pm
• Estuary Adventures Join us for some fun artist led walks on Canvey around the lake.

On various dates throughout the festival

• Changing Tides Live music events aboard historic sailing barge Raybel in the beautiful setting of Benfleet Yacht Club, South Essex. 25, 26 & 28 June (free, advance booking required)

• Call Me Back! | Touring art installation that super-sizes the iconic phone booth from the 1990s. Monday 23 & Tuesday 24 June Tilbury Town Station, Wednesday 25 June Military Road, Chatham, North Kent, Thursday 26 June & Friday 27 June Canvey Island seafront, South Essex

• Forever Connected newly commissioned mural by internationally acclaimed artist Damilola Odusote Fort Road, Tilbury, South Essex 

• A Circular and Never-ending Ritual of Love to the Estuary | A guided walk and 3D sound experience by Nwando Ebizie to take you on a mythic journey connecting to the Estuary through a form of film soundtrack ‘score’. Canvey & Tilbury in South Essex & Gravesend in North Kent

• Clubbing & commune-ing in Essex Dan Hancox and Tim Burrows in conversation, 24 June 6.30-9.30pm (free, advance booking required) Basildon, South Essex

• Estuary 2025 Hub | Lab of Estuary crafts and Threads for Tomorrow at Knightswick, Canvey, South Essex

• HOP ABOARD! Exhibition exploring how both the Estuary landscape and vessel metaphor can hold memory, transformation, and possibility. Supported by Southeastern & Railway 200. Chatham Historic Dockyard, North Kent

• Estuary 2025 film programme at Wat Tyler Country Park, Basildon, South Essex

• Common Grounds Outdoor photography exhibition exploring women’s experiences of landscape and nature | Riverside Country Park, Rainham, North Kent (21-24 June) & Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea, South Essex (26-29 June)

• Dreamspace: Pending Approval Workshops welcome a multitude of voices to inspire, shape and inform the final designs for a new space at Hadleigh Estate, South Essex