Join the Thrill of the Great Nauticalia Raft Race!

Could you be a hero of the Thames?

Picture the scene: a 2km stretch of the River Thames, a flotilla of gloriously homemade rafts, and thousands of cheering spectators lining the banks as the heroes of Shepperton take to the water. That is the Great Nauticalia Raft Race — and it is every bit as wonderful as it sounds.

This year’s theme is Heroes 🦸 — so whether your team arrives as caped crusaders, wartime legends, sporting icons, or the unsung heroes of everyday life, the Thames is your stage. Build your raft, dress the part, and paddle for glory.

How does it work?

Teams of local groups, schools, and families design and build their own homemade rafts, then race a spectacular route starting at Nauticalia and finishing near the Fair at Manor Park, where the crowd is always in fine voice. The race is one of the highlights of Fair Day, running from 1pm, and prize giving follows hard on its heels.

It is part race, part spectacle, and entirely worth getting wet for. 💦

Never built a raft before? No problem. 🛠️

Our brilliant title sponsors, Nauticalia — Shepperton’s own chandlery, right on the Thames — are here to help. They can supply materials including barrels, planks, and rope, and offer practical advice to help your team build something that will actually float. Even if your raft-building experience is exactly zero, you are in safe hands.

Why enter?

There are plenty of good reasons to get involved:

• It is one of the most memorable things you will do all year 🎉
• Thousands of Fair visitors watch from the riverbank and cheer on every team
• Prizes for the winners — and the glory of finishing for everyone else
• You will create memories that last considerably longer than your raft 😄

The Great Nauticalia Raft Race takes place on Saturday 13 June 2026, as part of the Shepperton Village Fair at Manor Park.

Heroes — the Thames awaits. 🌊