Family Fun: What To See at Totally Thames

Lead Image: Totally Thames/ Jonathan Goldberg

Family-friendly festival Totally Thames returns this September to celebrate the London river with a programme of talks, events and cultural things to do.

Running from Thursday, September 1 to Friday, September 30 the programme is divided in to artistic, educational and heritage section, and covers as many boroughs as the Thames does. And if you don't know what to see, here's our pick of what's on.

1 Climate Grief Karaoke

As part of Tide Changers, the festival's development programme, Climate Grief Karaoke blends wailing over the existential threat with wailing out of tune. Led by performer and creator Katy Dye, it is an expression of ecological grief in the form of a karaoke night, that you,of course can get involved in. With cheesy pop songs and performance art, Climate Grief Karaoke attempts to re-sensitise audiences to their emotional connection to the earth, while having lots of fun and ear bleeds at the same time. Free.

Date: Friday, September 30

Time: 7.30pm-8.30pm

Address: The Oiler Bar, Royal Victoria Docks, Royal Victoria Beach, E16 1AG

2 Sing for Water

A 500-strong mega choir, made up of more than 40 smaller choirs from around the UK, has come together to raise funds and awareness for WaterAid. The charity works towards bringing clean water for drinking, flushing and washing to all corners of the world. Free event.

Date: September 18

Time: 2pm-3pm

Address: The Scoop, More London Riverside, SE1 2DB

3 Kid's Choir

Heart -warming and dear, this is another mega choir, made up of more than 400 school children from 23 different primary school in London who will perform a one-off concert. Led by conductor Richard Frostick (Youth Music Voices, Platinum Jubilee; and Yeah Festival at Royal Opera House), listen out for renditions of I am the Earth, Greatest Day and Dancing Queen, by ABBA.

Date: September 18

Time: 1pm-2pm

Address: The Scoop, More London Riverside, SE1 2DB

4 Reflections

In honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, more than 150 lit-up boats will cruise along the River Thames from Chelsea to Tower Bridge at dusk. All craft will be dressed in white lights which reflect off the water to delightful effect. The impressive flotilla will include Gloriana, the Queen’s Rowbarge, which was made for Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.

Date: September 24

Time: 7.15pm-9pm

5 River of Hope

An installation of 200 silk flags, River of Hope will be on display at the National Maritime Museum. The flags were created by young people from across the UK and the Commonwealth with designs inspired by their hopes and aspirations for a greener, more sustainable future. You may have seen them before - they were paraded along The Mall as part of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in June.

Dates: September 24 - October 30

Address: National Maritime Museum, Romney Road, Greenwich SE10 9NF

6 Hands on History

As if you don't want to search for treasure along the muddy, boggy banks of the Thames to see if you can unearth an artefact or two. Hands on History is programme of exhibitions, foreshore walks and talks that take you through London's submerged and hidden history. Here's where you can discover the lives of the Thames Watermen and Lightermen, the Tudor palace and marvel at objects lost by people escaping the Great Fire of London.

To look at the Hands on History programme, visit thamesfestivaltrust.org

7 The Great River Race

If you want to watch an iconic London marathon, but are not so interested in running, the great river race sees more than 300 crews race traditional boats along the Thames, from Millwall to Ham. Vying for the title of UK Traditional Boat Champions, entrants range from professional athletes to charity fundraisers. of all boating level, and some come in fancy dress

Date: September 10

Address: greatriverrace.org.uk

8 (Para)site: A discharge of cultural sewage

Another for the Tide Changers programme, performer, photographer and writer Zack Mennell presents a site-specific performance and exhibition that looks at where class, disability and ecology meet.

Date: Friday, September 23

Time: 6.30pm-7.30pm

Address: Deptford Foreshore, Watergate Steps, Watergate Street, Deptford SE8 3JF

Website: thamesfestivaltrust.org

9 Classic Boat Festival

Marvel at vintage boats when the Classic Boat Festival moors up at St Katharine Dock. The free festival will showcase around 40 beautifully preserved vintage boats, including several of the surviving war hero Dunkirk Little Ships, which rescued 336,000 trapped Allied soldiers on the beaches at Dunkirk in 1940, and the Bates Starcraft - the classic British wooden cruiser.

Date: Friday, September, 9 to Sunday September 11

Address: 50 St Katharine's Way, E1W 1LA

Website: skdocks.co.uk

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