This fabulous Annual Family Fun Event previously known as The Ryde Aquatic Festival has been renamed “Ryde Rivers Festival”. Organised by the Rotary Club of Gladesville to celebrate the historical significance of the waterways to the City of Ryde, the festival is a free annual fun-day for the whole family and its purpose is to raise funds for Ryde Hospital, tertiary bursaries for worthy young people to assist with tertiary education and other Rotary projects. The City of Ryde is mostly surrounded by the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers and in the 1850′s crowds in excess of 100,000 spectators travelled by foot, horse & cart or by boat to the place now known as Kissing Point Park in Putney to witness the Australian and World Rowing Regattas, which were then Australia’s premier sporting events. The area was later named Kissing Point because when berthing, the old vessels used to slide their bows onto the shallow beach until the bottom of the boat was ‘kissing the sand.’ Kissing Point Park is also the site of the first brewery built in Australia. The Ryde Rivers Festival gets under way at 8.15am with the 1km Kids Dash as part of the Fun Run. The spectacular Dragon Boat Challenge starts on the water at 9.00am and runs continuously throughout the day, while the Billy Cart Derby commences at noon and the Children’s Fun Games get under way at 1:00pm. We also have family entertainment, kids rides and lots of food stalls and other displays. This year we will also have Jimmy Shaw and his jazz band playing so you can enjoy a bite to eat while listening to some great jazz music. Please enjoy our website and whether you are a participant or if you just want to stroll around the beautiful grounds while taking in some fresh air and enjoying the events, we look forward to seeing you at the Ryde Rivers Festival.

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