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Events in Kent in 2021 including Rapture Gaming Festival, Michael Buble, Chase and Status and the Salute to the 40s

06:00, 04 November 2020

updated: 11:45, 03 December 2020

As we get ready to bid a less than fond farewell to 2020, what can we look forward to next year, that we missed out on this year?

We take a look at some of next year's highlights, happening across Kent and also you can see our calendar of events here.

Live music events, including Ramblin' Man Fair should be back next summer Picture: Chris White
Live music events, including Ramblin' Man Fair should be back next summer Picture: Chris White

Rapture Gaming and Creative Festival, Medway

Know someone who loves a spot of Minecraft?

It'll be controllers and Nerf guns at the ready in March when the Rapture Gaming and Creative Festival is staged at the Historic Dockyard Chatham over the weekend of Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9.

Minecraft features
Minecraft features

The largest, most diverse gaming celebration festival promises to be bigger and more diverse than ever with more features and will see the family-friendly fun split across 14 halls, with competitions, Minecraft, E-sports, a Nerf war area, music zones, racing zone and a retro area.

There will be free parking on the day for ticket holders. Book at rapturegamingfestival.com

Chase & Status at Dreamland

This year has been sadly lacking in live music, due to government restrictions, but hopefully as we head into 2021 things will be better.

Drum and bass pair Chase & Status have pencilled in a date for their return to the county, having sold out at Dreamland in Margate before, and will perform alongside special guests on Friday, April 30.

Chase and Status will be back in the county
Chase and Status will be back in the county

Will Kennard (Chase) and Saul Milton (Status) formed their successful partnership 15 years ago and have gone on to release four acclaimed albums and a number of singles. Their song Blind Faith has been streamed more than 50 million times on Spotify.

Their gig is just one of a host of big names who have signed up to play the venue in 2021. Book at dreamland.co.uk

Olly Murs, Sir Tom Jones, Fat Boy Slim and Suggs from Madness

More big names are lining up to return to the stage in the county next summer.

Dreaming of thousands of music fans singing and dancing along in the balmy summer weather, are both pop star Olly Murs and Sir Tom Jones, who both play the Hop Farm Family Park in Beltring, Paddock Wood in July.

Olly Murs will play at the Hop Farm
Olly Murs will play at the Hop Farm

Former X Factor presenter and The Voice judge, Olly will perform on Saturday, July 3, featuring some of his biggest hits, including tracks from his recently certified triple platinum album Never Been Better.

His fellow The Voice coach, music legend Tom Jones will play his date on Sunday, July 4, which has been rescheduled from this year, and had been due to mark his 80th birthday this year. Book at ollymurs.com and at tomjones.com.

Fat Boy Slim and Suggs from Madness launched the new festival, Hi-Tide, from an ice cream van on the seafront at Margate earlier this year to coincide with Dreamland's 100th birthday celebrations, but it has now been rescheduled to Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4, 2021. Book at hi-tidefestival.com

Kent County Show, Detling, near Maidstone

It was an "extremely difficult" decision when the Kent County Agricultural Society decided to cancel one of the county's biggest summer events - the Kent County Show.

The event at the Kent Showground at Detling near Maidstone showcases the best the county has to offer in terms of produce, livestock, food and drink and rural pursuits.

The dates for 2021 will be Friday, July 9, to Sunday, July 11. Book your tickets at kentshowground.co.uk

An Evening With Michael Bublé

He's a Grammy-award winning singer and global superstar and he's set to bring a show with Everything to the county next year.

Superstar Michael Buble
Superstar Michael Buble

Canadian singer Michael Buble will stage an open-air concert at the Spitfire Ground, the home of Kent Cricket, in Canterbury in July 2021, as part of his outdoor summer tour.

An Evening with Michael Bublé will see what could be a crowd of 20,000 treated to his world-class showmanship and hits, such as Everything, Home and Haven't Met You Yet..

To get your tickets click here.

Faversham Hop Festival & Salute to the 40s

Some of the county's biggest events give us a chance to look back at a bygone era.

One of the largest free street festivals in the south east, the Faversham Hop Festival, centres on the county's hop-growing heritage, and celebrates the humble hop and what it has given us - beer. It is expected back on Saturday, September 4, and Sunday, September 5, 2021.

Jo Carder and Christine Stephens of Drum Skullz at the Faversham Hop Festival Picture: Chris Davey
Jo Carder and Christine Stephens of Drum Skullz at the Faversham Hop Festival Picture: Chris Davey

The Blitz spirit is alive and well so it's time to dig out your vintage outfit and perfect your victory rolls now as the Historic Dockyard's nod to nostalgia, the hugely popular Salute to the 40s festival returns to party like its 1945 on Saturday, September 18, and Sunday, September 19, 2021. Book at thedockyard.co.uk

* Find out more of what's on in 2021 across Kent by clicking on our calendar of events.

For more days out ideas across Kent click here.

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