What's on this bank holiday weekend in Kent to do from family festivals to live music, Pride and country shows
06:00, 25 August 2021
updated: 16:27, 25 August 2021
From live music and stage events to daring displays, Pride parades and plant hunting - it's all happening across the county this bank holiday weekend.
Here's what's happening across Kent...
Kent Country Show, Birchington
A BMX stunt team, heavy horses, puppetry, donkey rides and the Dog and Duck show will be among the entertainment at the show, which comes to Quex Park at Birchington, on Sunday, August 29 and Bank Holiday Monday, August 30, from 10am to 5pm both days. Book at thekentcountryshow.co.uk.
Dover Pride
There will be two stages and a march through the town for the third Dover Pride, to be held on Saturday, August 28 to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and allies. The main stage at the Roman Lawn will be hosted by Dover drag queen Miss Lilli Berlin (Drag SOS) and there will be performers from Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK Series 3. To register to take part in the march through town from 11am to noon, go to eventbrite.co.uk. All events are free but donations are appreciated. Find out more here and at doverpride.com
Military Odyssey, Detling
More than 4,000 re-enactors will gather for living history shows and battlefield displays at the Kent Showground in Detling near Maidstone from Saturday, August 28 to Bank Holiday Monday, August 30. Besides the action there will be more than 250 stalls and 200 vehicles, two separate arenas, food courts and a beer tent and beer hall. Book tickets online here.
Plant Hunters Weekend
Lullingstone Castle at Eynsford hosts its popular Plant Hunters Weekend, celebrating the lives of intrepid plant hunters, from Saturday, August 28 to Bank Holiday Monday, August 30. Tom Hart Dyke will lead proceedings, which run from 11am to 5pm daily. Entry £10 for adults, under 16s free. Book at lullingstonecastle.co.uk
The Specials at Dreamland
The band who brought us Ghost Town and too Much Too Young in the 80s are back with 10 new songs on a new album, and will be performing them and others on Dreamland's Scenic Stage in Margate on Saturday, August 28. Sixteen-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. The event also includes special guests The Rifles and Kid Kapichi. Book at dreamland.co.uk The evening is organised by Fifty Six Group, the creators of the sell out Demon Dayz with Gorillaz at Dreamland in 2017.
Adventure Cinema
The socially spacious tour comes to Whatman Park in Maidstone on Thursday, August 26 and Friday, August 27. The 18-acre park by the River Medway will show the Greatest Showman singalong (PG) on Thursday, August 26 and the Grease singalong on Friday, August 27. Tickets from £14.50 plus a booking fee are available from adventurecinema.co.uk
BOing! Family Arts Festival
Spaced out across the University of Kent’s Cantebury campus, the bOing! family arts festival is back over the bank holiday weekend on Saturday, August 28 and Sunday, August 29. Highlights include Jasmin Vardimon Company’s ALICE (VR), a new Gulbenkian co-commission, that is a magical virtual reality experience based on Alice In Wonderland. There will also be juggling from Gandini Juggling, Rainbow Ballet featuring stilt walkers and rollerblades, as well as puppetry, a playground tent for under fives and screenings of family films including new releases. bOing! is free to enter but indoor performances are £6. Book at boingfestival.com
Electric Medway
Following a successful debut in 2020, Electric Medway is back with an ambitious 10-day arts programme in a variety of locations, with free-to-see artworks and activities including virtual reality, streamed performances, animation, projection, and sound, until Bank Holiday Monday, August 30. Produced by the Chatham-based arts organisation, SparkedEcho, events will be at sites including Fort Amherst. details at visitmedway.org
Tommy's Family Fun Day
The fun day on Bank Holiday Monday, August 30, at the Riverside Inn in Ashford from 1pm will be raising funds for all the charities who have supported Tommy Wallbridge and his family, after he was born 16 weeks prematurely, and spent 170 days in hospital. There will be DJs and live music, a tombola, duck race and penalty shoot-out, plus a raffle. You can find out more about Tommy's story here.
Japan Festival, Chiddingstone Castle
There will be a one-day pop-up at the Japan Festival at Chiddingstone Castle near Edenbridge on Sunday, August 29. NiMi Projects brings a carefully curated selection of Japanese homewares and gifts to the White Rose room. Entry is £10 for adults and £5 for children. Find out more here.
Kings Hill Music Festival
The music festival returns to the Spitfire pub on Sunday, August 29, from 1pm to 9pm. The line up includes Zac Schulze & The Cabin Crew, Beer Pressure, Budgie & The Smugglers, The Real Deal, Avanzi and Dirty Secrets. Details at kingshilllivemusic.com
The Stag Town Take Over
The Stag Theatre is taking over Sevenoaks town centre with music and events to help bring people back into town, right through to Sunday, September 5. Over this bank holiday weekend there will be free panto fun with Silly Billy on the Vine Bandstand on Sunday, August 29. The Vintage Bus is also stopping off for one day on Sunday, with up and coming singer songwriters performing live. More details here.
This Is My Theatre, Faversham
Theatre company This Is My Theatre will be bringing a production of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre to Mount Ephraim Gardens at Hernhill, Faversham for Bank Holiday Monday, August 30 at 5pm. The love story is interspersed with folk music. Tickets can be booked at thisismytheatre.com/janeeyreatmountephraim or by calling 07732 253311.
Ramsgate Festival of Sound
What began as part of the Ramsgate Festival in 2018 has evolved into a lone event and celebrates the history, landscapes, architecture and people of Ramsgate. This year's festival, which runs from Friday, August 27 until Sunday, September 5, features a Mercury Nominee, YouTube sensation, West End stars and more to the Thanet shorelines. Find out more at ramsgatefestival.org
Last Night of the Hever Proms (Bitesize)
After tickets sold out for the Proms, this extra night was added on Sunday, August 29. The Brandenburg Sinfonia will perform, without an interval from 5.30pm for 70 minutes. Arrive from 5pm with or without a picnic.
Book tickets at heverfestival.co.uk
Social Club Open Day
There'll be fun for all the family this August bank holiday weekend at the Sellindge Sports & Social Club on Sunday, August 29, from 11am to 4pm. The club at 69 Swan Lane, Sellindge, will have activities including an inflatable obstacle course, goal shooting competition and inflatable tennis plus a bowls taster session, and a free BBQ throughout the day. Club membership costs just £5, and members can take advantage of a host of activities available through the year.
Lingfield Antiques Market
There will be more than 140 indoor and outdoor stalls at the antiques, collectables and vintage market on Sunday, August 29. The day includes music from swing singer Steve Conway. Parking is free and entry is £3.50, with under 16s free. Find out more at lovefairs.com
Rye International Jazz & Blues Festival
Running from Thursday, August 26 to Bank Holiday Monday, August 30, the festival will have socially distanced events throughout the weekend at venues in and around the town. The line-up includes Paul Carrack, Gabrielle, Rumer, Mica Paris, The Kingdom Choir and an all afternoon and evening Jazz Funk Day on Saturday, August 28 with Incognito, Courtney Pine, MF Robots and Snow Boy & The Latin Section. Jazz singer Liane Carroll performs with Ian Shaw on Bank Holiday Monday. To find out more and book tickets go to ryejazz.com.
