Summer On The River

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We’ll overlook the less-than-imaginative name, because Summer by the River is in fact the largest free arts and entertainment festival in the capital. It’s all about the #summervibes as they bring the fun to a half-mile stretch of river frontage. So, what can you expect from nearly 100 days of entertainment? What’s on at Summer By The River? Running until 1 September, this year’s festival is bringing riverside retreat vibes to the banks of the Thames over three locations – The Scoop, Hay's Galleria and The Pier. Be inspired by all that the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has to offer. There’s so much more to us than meets the eye and by reading our themed itinerary ideas– including Family Fun and the Great Outdoors – you may decide to plan more than just a day visit! Evie, a former college English professor and successful author of English civil war period novels, lives in a boathouse on the river in Dartmouth. Her husband Tommy has died and left her the Merchant's House across the road where several family members and an old friend congregate each summer for Regatta. This book features quite a cast of people, and if I’d been reading just a couple of chapters each evening, as I usually do, I think I would have become very confused. It’s not as if they’re people from former books by Marcia Willett, and they're introduced individually, with connections that don't become clear until quite a way into the book.

Character development and sense of place are the strengths of this book, though the writing is overly descriptive at times. It is a slow paced story, and it took me three days to read the last three or four chapters because by that point I really didn't care how it ended.

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Read more about our range of short break ideas including weekend breaks, culture breaks, romantic breaks, spa breaks and shopping breaks and start planning your visit. Sometimes amazing things of interest are just under our noses! Join a guided tour and allow one of our passionate and knowledgeable guides to open your eyes to the wonder of our historic town! The Summer by the River schedule also includes Massaoke, Musical Bingo and Barrioke, a special karaoke show with Barry Evans from Eastenders, and open-air fitness classes. With live music from up-and-coming London acts in collaboration with BBC Introducing in London, salsa and swing social dances with Havana Londres and Swing Patrol, and family-friendly events and entertainment across the weekend, there is something for everybody looking to celebrate the summer in the city. Are you ready for a royal day out? Windsor Castle is the gem in the Royal Borough’s crown and you won’t fail to be amazed at how it dominates our skyline! Visit this summer and you can also experience family activities and the Conquer the Tower tours of the Castle’s stunning Round Tower.

Ditch the hustle and bustle of the capital for our Summer by the River, where bliss is just a deep breath away. Starting on 1 June 2023 lose yourself in new experiences, reconnect with old friends and feed your curiosity or your appetite. Evie has married into a very well-to-do family, who own a beautiful old house by the river. When her husband Tommy died, he left the house to Evie instead of to his eldest son, Charlie. Charlie’s wife is horrified by this break with family tradition, but Evie knows that there is a secret reason for her late husband’s decision. Meanwhile, Charlie meets a woman by chance at the annual summer regatta and they immediately fall in love. Each wrestles with their conscience, and there is a serious risk that Evie’s family will fall apart. The events are FREE to attend and they take place at The Scoop, which is an amphitheater meaning you can relax & soak up the rays whilst discovering your new favourite artist!For a destination as beautiful as ours, being outdoors is second to none and a great way to appreciate the Windsor, Eton, Maidenhead and Ascot area. I have to admit that it took me a little while to get into this novel. I have read a few books this year which narrate the story from two or three viewpoints. This novel weaves together a number of different storylines, and it took me a while to get them all straight in my head. The secret that Evie uncovers is explained in a long and involved discussion between two characters. I was actually quite happy when the second character ran through it all again to get it straight in his own head – I felt just the same! Now, León is set to release a highly anticipated self-produced EP this summer – alongside some incredible collaborations and a UK tour to follow her sophomore EP. As Evie and Charlie struggle to keep their secrets safe, they long for the summer to never end.... Can the happiness of one summer last for ever? A local lady, Jemima enters into their lives and makes quite a big impact on them all, especially Ben and Charlie.

When the weather gets 'hot, hot, hot' we have some great places to stay with indoor and outdoor swimming pools! After the eighth bar the key changes to C major, and remains there for the rest of the piece; the time is predominantly 6The first event takes place this Thursday 15th June and sees Sakawah Boys, Circe and Yaz León take to the stage… Evie has been left a house, known as the Merchant’s House, in Dartmouth. She has inherited it from her former lover, later to be husband Tommy. Ange, who is married to Tommy’s son Charlie, is aghast that the house has been left to Evie instead of Charlie. But Tommy has his reasons as both Evie and the reader discover as the story progresses. Charlie loves to visit the old house where his friend Ben, is now living after he split up from his wife. Evie, meanwhile is still living in the Boathouse nearby and happy for Ben to live in the Merchant’s House. Things are always uncomfortable when Ange and Charlie visit together. Ange prefers London. That doesn’t stop her feeling resentful that Evie owns the house she believes should be Charlie’s and worse, that Ben is living in it. One time when Charlie comes down on his own he meets Jemima and and instant love or attraction whatever you want to call it flares up. But there is Ange. What are Jemima and Charlie to do? And when the secret Tommy left behind is uncovered what difference will that make to the people who love this place and the house? There is also a person bent on revenge for the past. When Charlie and Jemima meet, the author actually writes "... [s]he knows nothing will ever be quite the same again." Each character expresses this, as does a third character when he sees them together. Isn't that just a bit over the top? Such a melodramatic expression for a 2015 novel. Evie loved the house. The bright, sunny rooms looking across the river. The terraced gardens with fruit trees growing against the high stone walls. The scent of lavender at the end of a hot day. Windsor Guildhall is home to the Visitor Information Centre where you’ll meet our friendly information assistants, full of knowledge about the local area. The Guildhall is also home to the free Windsor & Royal Borough Museum. Days out on a budget in the Windsor area

Overall I was disappointed by this book. I don't actually recall if I've read this author before, but I certainly won't be looking for any of her other books. Evie loved the house. The bright, sunny rooms looking across the river. The terraced gardens with fruit trees growing against the high stone walls. The scent of lavender at the end of a hot day. It was a family house.Are you looking for somewhere in the Windsor and Maidenhead area to enjoy food and drink in the fresh air? There are plenty of lovely restaurants, pubs, cafés and hotels with outside space so you can dine al fresco! We’d argue that food definitely tastes better in the open air! The towns along the River Thames provide a wide variety of festivals throughout the year. From Food & Drink inspired, music and literary festivals to those based on the season. You may be thinking of planning a day trip to the Windsor area, but with so much to see and do, why not stay a few nights and make short break of it? Discover three fascinating Eton museums and galleries open free of charge on Sunday afternoons: the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Eton Life (also open Saturday afternoons) and the Museum of Antiquities. At The Scoop, Art Deco inspired pop-up bar, The Riverside Terrace, will offer a little slice of South Beach complete with empanadas and piña coladas, while over at The Pier, Taqueria Garcia is bringing the heat with tacos and tequila.