Black Country Boating Festival

About Us

The Black Country Boating Festival is a boat gathering and community festival held during September each year in the Bumble Hole Nature Reserve, Windmill End, Netherton.

The event, which is now in its 26th year, is organised and run totally by volunteers. Last year we had over 18,000 visitors from all around the country and over the years the festival has helped raise over £100,000 for local and national charities. With more than 200 boat, trade and charity stalls to browse, canal side entertainment, boaters’ competitions, a funfair, real ale bar and regular boat trips along the Dudley No 2 canal, there is always something for everyone in the family.

The festival is open to the public from 10am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday, admission to the site is free and there is ample onsite car parking available.

In addition to moorings for visitors attending by boat, caravans and campers are welcome. Click here to download entry forms. Local hotels are also available, please contact the office for more details. There is evening entertainment in the main marquee on the Friday and Saturday evenings and a BBQ on Friday night -advance booking required.

The Bumble Hole

The Bumble Hole and the adjacent Warrens Hall local nature reserves provide the green space needed to run a festival such as ours.

It is hard to believe that the site was once a hive of industrial activity with coal mines, blast furnaces, brick kilns, iron works and boat yards.

Now landscaped, the area is a haven for wildlife and nature lovers alike and yet it still manages to retain memories of the industrial past. The most obvious feature is Cobbs Engine House and its 95ft high chimney. The engine house was built in 1831, in use until 1928 and is now a scheduled ancient monument.