Live music concerts across Kent to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend
05:00, 12 May 2022
If there was ever a time to party like kings and queens, it’s the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
Here's 11 of the best street parties, live concerts and tribute bands across the county to keep you going over the four-day weekend…
FAT FREDDIE AND THE QUEENS, Tunbridge Wells
Celebrate one Queen with another this bank holiday as tribute band Fat Freddie and the Queens perform a night of British rock anthems. The band will be performing a number of Freddie Mercury and the gang’s biggest hits, from Another One Bites the Dust to We Will Rock You, for a right royal night out.
Fat Freddie and The Queens will be at The Forum, Tunbridge Wells, on Thursday, June 2 from 7.30pm. Tickets start from £16.50. Book tickets here
MODS AND SIXTIES FESTIVAL, Margate
Celebrate the swinging sixties with a host of live music events all over the coastal town. Take a visit to the Old Town and Olby's Soul Cafe, where you can catch performances from the Rifles, the Beatniks, Sha La Las, Small Faces tribute act the Small Fakers and more, as well as DJs until late every night - all performing the best British music from the mod era. While you explore the town, you can also see the scooter run, visit the vintage funfair at Dreamland and take a stroll along the sandy beach.
The Mods and Sixties Festival takes place across the Old Town and Olby's Soul Cafe in Margate from Thursday, June 2 to Saturday, June 4 from 12pm onwards. Weekend tickets cost £45. Book tickets here.
PLATINUM PARTY AT THE PALACE, Rochester
Avoid the London crowds and join the palace party from Rochester Castle instead. Grab your picnic blanket and take a seat in the castle gardens, where there will be a big screen streaming the biggest events from the capital city, including the orchestra live from Buckingham Palace. You can also watch the Platinum Party at the Palace, hosted by Kirsty Young and Roman Kemp with performances from a number of world-famous artists, such as the UK’s own George Ezra, on the big screen.
The Platinum Party at the Palace will be shown at Rochester Castle Gardens from Thursday, June 2 to Sunday, June 5 from 10am to 5pm. Entry is free, no booking required
THE QUEEN’S JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS, Sandwich
Join the four-day street party packed with plenty of live music at the Fleur De Lis. Find yourself a good spot, either on the street furniture provided or on your own camping chairs and picnic blankets, grab a bite to eat and something to drink, and warm up your vocal chords for a good old-fashioned sing-song. Appearing on the line up are Gracie and the Booms, Rockabilly Rejects, Heroes, 61 Deep, Bad Penny Band and many more from the local area and beyond.
The Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations take place at the Fleur De Lis, Sandwich, from Thursday, June 2 to Sunday, June 5 from 12pm to 6pm. Entry is free, no booking required
THE SWAN PLATINUM PARTY, near West Malling
Kick off the weekend of celebrations with a non-stop party. With a host of DJs blasting party anthems throughout the day, including founder of nightlife brand Glitterbox Simon Dunmore, international DJ Nic Fanciulli and Fat Tony, who recently performed at Brooklyn Beckham’s wedding reception, you’ll need to bring your dancing shoes with you. When you need a break from the dancefloor, there will be BBQ and unlimited bar for you to enjoy - all included in your ticket price.
The Swan Platinum Party takes place at Wings of the Morning Field, Wrotham, on Thursday, June 2 from 1pm to 9pm. Tickets cost £155 per person. Book tickets by emailing anne@theswanwm.co.uk.
HEVER FESTIVAL PROMS, near Sevenoaks
The first night of the Hever Festival Proms, which is part of the open-air theatre’s programme of summer shows, will open with a flourish during the jubilee weekend. The Guildhall Strings ensemble will be performing music from a number of British composers including Henry VIII and, of course, the National Anthem. The orchestra, which formed in 1981, now only perform together on special occasions so make sure you don’t miss out on this rare concert of English string music.
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebration at the Hever Festival Proms takes place at Hever Castle, near Sevenoaks, on Saturday, June 4 from 8pm. Tickets start from £24. Book tickets here or call 07379 488 477
JUBILEE CONCERT, Deal
Look back on how the world has changed during the Queen’s reign with this free family-friendly celebration. The live concert, performed on the green, will feature many of the Queen’s favourite music from past decades, including songs by George Formby and Vera Lynn, as well as the Scottish bagpipes. You can also explore a special exhibition, which shows how food, fashion and transport have changed over the past 70 years, and visit the town’s Best of Kent food, beer and wine festival.
The Jubilee Concert takes place on Walmer Green, Deal, on Saturday, June 4 from 12pm to 8pm. Entry is free, no booking required
JUBILEE DINNER DANCE, Tenterden
Be transported back to a different time with this traditional dinner dance. Celebrate the bank holiday weekend with live music from Beth Wilson, the Ruby Sisterz Swing Quintet and Leila and the Cafe Society Jazz Band, all of whom will be performing throughout the evening. Tuck into your three-course dinner before taking your partner’s hand and stepping out onto the dance floor to swing, jive and Lindy Hop the night away.
The Jubilee Dinner Dance takes place at St Michael’s Village Hall, Tenterden, on Saturday, June 4. Tickets are available from St Michaels Post Office and Ibbidi Bobbidi Boo
THE BIG PICNIC LUNCH, Margate
This is no ordinary picnic; this is a royal picnic. The Big Picnic Lunch will have plenty of space for you to sit back with your food, which you can bring along or purchase from any of the independent food stands on the lawn, and enjoy a jam-packed programme of entertainment. There will be live music from local bands and artists, high-energy DJ sets and talented buskers, as well as dancers and poets. There will also be a selection of funfair rides and family activities to keep the kids busy all day.
The Big Picnic Lunch will take place at the Oval Bandstand and Lawns, Margate, on Sunday, June 5 from 12pm to 5pm. This event is free, but tickets need to be booked in advance online here
PICNIC IN THE PARK, East Malling
Finish off your weekend celebrations with a bang at this fun-filled family picnic. The park will be decked out in jubilee decorations and taken over by a huge stage where a number of bands will perform throughout the day. Local bands, including Cherry Red, the Usual Suspects and the Medway Substitutes, will be hitting the stage, and there will also be funfair rides, a tombola and raffle, food and drink stands, craft stalls and family games and activities.
Picnic in the Park takes place at East Malling Playing Fields on Sunday, June 5 from 11am to 8.30pm. Entry is free, no booking required
DICKENS FESTIVAL, Rochester
This Medway town is buzzing with events all weekend, and the Dickens Festival promises to celebrate the jubilee weekend with a Dickensian twist. The annual festival will this year celebrate both the Oliver Twist author and Her Majesty with a weekend of live music and entertainment. Bands and artists will be performing up and down the high street and in the town’s many pubs and bars all weekend, along with live poetry readings, comedy skits and traditional dancing will be popping every corner.
Dickens Festival takes place in Rochester town centre from Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5. Entry is free, no booking required