Maidstone River Park was one of a lasting legacy of projects, funded in part by the National Lottery, to celebrate the new Millennium.
It is a 12km linear park along the River Medway from Teston Country Park to Aylesford, via Maidstone town centre, Allington Lock and Kent Life. It turned the banks of this important natural resource into a country park with free access for everyone.
The Millennium project introduced three nationally acclaimed pedestrian bridges, more than 1,500 new trees and, in Maidstone, a rose trail and an amphitheatre.
Ten minutes away from the town centre, the 18-acre Whatman Park combines a natural landscape of woodland, wildflower meadow and islands nature reserve with rest and play areas, and the Riverstage open-air performance area.
The River Park project started in 1998 and was completed in 2001, after some of the worst floods in living memory. It would not have been realised without the substantial support of the Millennium Commission, Maidstone Borough Council, Kent County Council, the Environment Agency, the Maidstone Trust and numerous companies, trusts, schools, clubs and individuals throughout Kent.
Maidstone River Park was the largest Millennium project in the south-east, outside of London. The 25th anniversary in 2026 provides an opportunity to rediscover the river park and celebrate the project’s legacy, bringing together the community that helped to create it all those years ago.
A host of events and activities are being planned throughout the year to mark the anniversary. Check back regularly to see what's coming up in and around the River in 2026.
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