The 157th Boat Race will be taking place on Saturday March 26 and local people are invited to watch the action from two of the best vantage points on the route, Bishop’s Park in Fulham and Furnival Gardens in Hammersmith.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council is hosting two free family friendly Boat Race in the Park events, where fans can catch all the action on giant screens, and enjoy refreshments from beer tents and food stalls.

The Bishop's Park party will also feature live music, children's rides and sporting activities to keep guests entertained until the big event.

Both events take place from 12noon to 6pm, with the race itself starting at 5pm.

Bishop’s Park has the added advantage of being at the start of the race and Furnivall Gardens takes in the middle of the course where the race starts to heat up as the crews make their move under Hammersmith Bridge.

The first Boat Race took place in 1829 after Cambridge challenged Oxford to a race on the Thames. The modern race still runs along the same lines and has now become a major international sporting occasion drawing millions of viewers from around the world.

On race day up to 250,000 spectators crowd the banks of the Thames to witness the action. The race actually runs through four London boroughs but Hammersmith & Fulham is the only borough to host public viewing on both the Thames path and on large screens.

Following their victory last year, Cambridge now lead the overall series by 80 wins to 75, with the sides having drawn in a dead heat once in the 1800s.

The Boat Race in the Park events are organised in partnership by Hammersmith & Fulham Council and The Boat Race Company Ltd.

For further information contact the counci'ls Events Team on 0845 337 0314 or email events@lbhf.gov.uk.

March 16, 2011