About this Event
Welcome to the second edition of the Tweed River Festival! Join us in Melrose in the Scottish Borders for two days of river-focused creative activities: from collective net-making to riverside listening walks; costume-making to screen-printing; circus performances to photography workshops; film screenings, food, wild swimming, a parade, and more!
Conceived as a gathering of river-loving communities, the 2026 festival is the culmination of Connecting Threads’ 2026 programming theme : which borrows its title from group dance warm-ups encouraging participants to focus on their relationships to the surrounding space and to each other. We invite you to join us as we trace connections between the river, our minds, our bodies, and our communities across a multitude of scales.
Programme
Saturday, 31 October is a seasonal celebration! On day two, we listen to, taste, and feel the river. At the turn of the seasons, we ask: what if paying attention to ourselves, our communities and our rivers – under, over, round and through - is a gift that we can offer?
9:00-9:30am – Arrival and registration
9:30-10:00am – Meeting the river in ritual
10:00am-12:00pm – Morning sessions. Choose from:
- Water Walk with the Tweed and Conwy Rivers with Dyffryn Dyfodol. A gentle, creative walk along the river exploring different perspectives of the water worlds of the Tweed and the Conwy – hoping to forge friendship and tentative twinning between these sister rivers and those who care about them.
- Flow – Wild Swim. Join wild swim guide Ingrid Campbell for an opportunity to dip in the cold waters of the River Tweed and explore the theme of ‘flow’.
- Listening Pipes with Savinder Bual. Join Connecting Threads artist in residence Savinder Bual on the riverbank as she facilitates collective experiments involving breath, humming, and sound-making with sound-sculptures, in collaboration with the river.
- Drop-in Workshops for Festival Parade. Make something to carry and/or wear for the Tweed River Festival Parade! Join Lara Greene to make costumes and masks inspired by the creatures that inhabit the Tweed, or screen-print imagery of the Tweed with Zoe Atherfold to create a banner for the parade.
12:00-2:00pm – Lunch
Connecting Threads are providing lunch. Please let us know any allergies or dietary requirements when you book.
2:00-4:00pm – Afternoon sessions. Choose from:
- Finding common waters with Dyffryn Dyfodol. Join the Salmon of Knowledge for a ‘curious conversation’ in a community-built, willow-woven coracle from North Wales.
- What the Bog Holds with Rebecca Beinart. Connecting Threads artist in residence Rebecca Beinart shares her research into the peatland landscape around the Tweed’s source through a creative workshop, involving a tasting experience and an invitation to create your own bog-inspired score.
- Strange Loop (pt. 1) with Sita Pieraccini and Jamie Wardrop. A new participatory immersive and meditative experience, beginning with a walk to gather natural materials. Explore using digital microscopes at the artists' Tech Salon, and see your discoveries collaged into a unique performance in the evening.
- ‘Under, over, round and through’ publication launch with editor Tom Jeffreys. Reading and conversation inspired by our new book, featuring texts by Dani Admiss, Em Merrin May Armstrong, Marleen Boschen, Alycia Pirmohamed and Jamila Prowse.
- Circus Walkabout with Rowan Environmental Arts (begins at 3:00pm). A roaming promenade of music, story and stilt-walking, drawn from trees, rivers and the turning seasons.
4:00-5:30pm – Tweed River Festival Parade! The centrepiece of the day! Our inaugural Tweed River Festival Parade joyfully weaves through Melrose from the main festival venue to the banks of the Tweed at the Melrose Chain Bridge. Fancy dress encouraged.
6:00-7:30pm – Strange Loop (pt. 2) with Sita Pieraccini and Jamie Wardrop
- Join Sita Pieraccini and Jamie Wardrop for the finale of Strange Loop: a unique audiovisual jam created by your exploration of the wonders of the natural biome.
Ticketing
Saturday (day two) of the festival, taking place on 31 October, is bookable as a day ticket. This covers your participation for the morning sessions, lunch, afternoon sessions, and evening performance. The programme has been conceived to facilitate ideas, experiences and conversation across the day, so we highly encourage visitors to attend for the full day if possible.
Day tickets for Tweed River Festival are on a pay-what-you-can basis with a free option. If you are able to, paying for your ticket(s) will help support our continued activities.
Also happening on Saturday:
- – Ideal for anyone who would prefer to dip into the festival but not commit to a whole day of attendance. Drop-ins are welcome, but booking is encouraged so we have an idea of numbers.
- – This is included in your day ticket, but you can also book to attend this individually if you are not planning to attend for the whole of Saturday.
- – This is included in your day ticket, but you can also book to attend this individually if you are not planning to attend for the whole of Saturday.
Access
Please see the access info page on our website for details on Melrose Corn Exchange, other festival venues, and individual workshops. The page also contains information about access bursaries to support with travel, childcare, and other costs to attending Tweed River Festival.
Event venue & nearby stays
Corn Exchange, Market Square, Melrose, United Kingdom
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