Much of it was, however, down to considerable hard ongoing work on the site by the volunteer teams, to transform the meadow from a ‘wellies only’ condition on the Saturday morning to a location that brought in over 25,000 happy visitors throughout the weekend.

The sweeping curve of the Great Ouse above St Ives’ historic bridge was an attractive setting for the spectacle of 357 visiting craft lining sections of both upstream banks. Immediately adjacent to the land site were the pontoons housing the floating exhibition boats - some of 272 trade exhibitors on land and water.

Many narrowboats travelled a great distance to St Ives – demonstrating the IWA’s campaign in support of the Fenland Link scheme – but, unlike other years, they did not dominate the visiting boats. The event was very well supported by cruiser owners based on the local rivers, particularly the members of the Great Ouse Boating Association. The association’s well-known Sid Fisher was chairman of the festival organising committee and some 383 camping and caravan units, located next to the site, brought more visitors to the event and St Ives.

The official opener was Baroness Barbara Young, chairman of the Environment Agency, who arrived with local dignitaries board a steam-powered boat, surrounded by a smart and silent-running flotilla from the Steam Boat Association of Great Britain: quite a colourful procession.

In her opening speech Baroness Young spoke of the future developments in the area via the Fenland Links project and the problems created by the recent floods. She praised the work of EA staff both during the floods and for their assistance to visiting boats to ensure that they got through to the Great Ouse in the high water conditions.

Many traders – particular boatbuilders – reported good sales and a high level of enquiries. As the event was, in effect, a local event for them, Shetland Boats of Bury St Edmunds – exhibiting three of their range of cruisers – were at the festival for the first time. They sold three boats and had many positive enquiries and managing director, James Wryman, described it as a ‘fantastic show’.

He particularly praised the relaxed attitude and customer service they received from the organising volunteers – especially in the initially difficult conditions - and told us that it was ‘something that they wouldn’t get from National Boat Shows’. He also said that he wished that there was a similar local river show every year.

The New Boat Company is one of the regular exhibitors of steel boats at inland shows and managing director Chris Hill told us they sold four fully-fitted boats and had had many further responses since. ‘St Ives was a good show and the organisers did a great job in the face of adversity,’ he explained.

Sabre Narrowboats received the IWA’s Lionel Monk Award for the best Commercial Boat for its Knautia. This is the third time this company has won this trophy, taking it in 2000, 2002 and 2007.

After two years on EA rivers, next year the IWA’s festival moves back to British Waterways’ canals. The 2008 venue will be in the Midlands, at Autherley Junction, Wolverhampton; at the confluence of the Shropshire Union and Staffs & Worcester canals.