Reading Festival Bridge

Reading Festival Bridge is a footbridge that crosses the River Thames and connects the main event grounds with camping and parking areas on the opposite bank. The structure features permanent foundations that allow it to be taken down and reassembled each year.

Built in 2008, the bridge made use of materials and components from a concert stage that had served another major event. It replaced an earlier method for crossing the river during the festival.

The bridge serves as a main crossing point where festival-goers move between different parts of the grounds and experience the river landscape firsthand. It has become a recognizable feature in the layout of the event and shapes how visitors navigate the site.

The bridge provides ample space for pedestrian traffic flowing between different sections of the festival grounds and remains open throughout the event. The river underneath maintains clearance for boat traffic and other water activities.

The bridge requires only a few hours of closure each year for dismantling and reassembly, allowing river traffic to continue with minimal disruption. This temporary-use design allows it to be removed from the river completely when not in use.

Inception: 2008

GPS coordinates: 51.46715,-1.01201

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:21