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Plan the perfect Easter weekend with our four-day bank holiday guide

05:00, 22 March 2024

You’ve bought enough Easter eggs for everyone, there’s a roast dinner in the oven and the garden is filled with spring flowers - surely that’s everything?

No matter how much work you put into planning the perfect Easter weekend at home, there’s always a chance that the kids will just want to pack it all in and go out for the day. But don’t worry - we’ve got this one covered with our guide to each day of the bank holiday weekend so you can put your feet up and enjoy some quality time with the family.

Make the most of the Easter bank holiday with fun activities every day. Picture: Mount Ephraim
Make the most of the Easter bank holiday with fun activities every day. Picture: Mount Ephraim

GOOD FRIDAY

Betteshanger Country Park, Deal

After stocking up on chocolate eggs for the kids, you deserve a little treat too. The Easter market at Betteshanger Country Park is packed with 30 stalls selling a huge range of goodies, including homeware, jewellery, artisan produce and baked goods. There will also be face painting for the children and a cocktail bar selling Pimms and fizz for the grown-ups.

Details: 10am to 4pm at Betteshanger Country Park in Deal. Entry is free, no need to book.

Historic Dockyard, Chatham

Join the Storm Force Crew and help Stormy Stan find all of the lifebuoys scattered across the Historic Dockyard Chatham. You will need to figure out clues and take on the safety challenges before meeting Stormy Stan himself for a photo. It’s all part of the attraction’s new RNLI 200 exhibition, looking back at the 200-year history of the lifeboat charity.

Details: 10am to 4pm at the Historic Dockyard Chatham. Adult tickets cost £28.50 and can be booked online here.

The annual duck race returns to the canal near the Woolpack Inn on Good Friday. Picture: Saltwick Media
The annual duck race returns to the canal near the Woolpack Inn on Good Friday. Picture: Saltwick Media

Woolpack Inn, near Ashford

Locals might be familiar with the Woolpack Inn’s annual Easter duck race. It’s become a much-loved tradition in the village and draws crowds to the canal banks where you can cheer on your rubber duck as it floats downstream. You can purchase a duck from the pub to take part and then, afterwards, head back to the boozer for live music, BBQ food and family games.

Details: From 12pm at the Woolpack Inn in Warehorne, near Ashford. No need to book, rubber ducks cost £2.

SATURDAY

Bewl Water, Lamberhurst

Hop on your paddleboard for an action-packed day of aquatic adventures. This year’s Bewl Bash invites keen paddlers to join the race - experienced racers can push their limits with the 12km course, while newbies can take on a 6km race or the family-friendly 2km course. It’s all about feeling confident in the water and inspiring visitors to take up the hobby of paddleboarding. There will also be plenty of spots on the waterfront to watch the races.

Details: 9.30am to 4pm at Bewl Water in Lamberhurst. Register online here.

Tattoo artists will be showing off their work at this year’s convention. Picture: Maidstone Tattoo Extravaganza
Tattoo artists will be showing off their work at this year’s convention. Picture: Maidstone Tattoo Extravaganza

Kent Event Centre, near Maidstone

Feeling the urge to get inked? The Maidstone Tattoo Extravaganza is back, and this year there are 150 artists to choose from, from experts in colour and dotwork to those who create larger-than-life pieces that you won’t find anywhere else. The convention also includes music, food stalls and merchandise stands.

Details: 9am to 7pm at the Kent Event Centre in Detling, near Maidstone. Adult tickets cost £15 and can be booked online here.

Preston Street, Faversham

There’s a new Easter fair in town and it’s the perfect way to celebrate the bank holiday weekend. There will be craft stalls, street food vendors and pop-up bars, as well as seasonal shop displays and an Easter trail throughout the town. Make sure you stick around to catch the Easter bonnet parade and Morris dancing too.

Details: 10am to 3pm at Preston Street in Faversham. Entry is free, no need to book.

EASTER SUNDAY

Mount Ephraim, near Faversham

The 10-acre gardens at Mount Ephraim will be filled with giant hand-painted eggs over the Easter weekend. If you can find them all and solve the clues, you’ll be rewarded with a chocolate treat. During your visit, you can also admire the stunning Edwardian gardens in the height of spring.

Details: 11am to 5pm at Mount Ephraim, near Faversham. Adult tickets cost £9 and can be booked online here.

Join the Easter quiz and trail at the historic Lullingstone Castle
Join the Easter quiz and trail at the historic Lullingstone Castle

Lullingstone Castle, near Swanley

Put your knowledge to the test with the Lullingstone Easter quiz. The quiz and trail will give visitors a chance to explore every inch of the eye-catching World Garden to figure out the clues and, at the end, there will be a chocolate treat and a chance to meet Easter characters.

Details: 11am to 5pm at Lullingstone Castle in Eynsford, near Swanley. Adult tickets cost £12.50 and can be booked online here.

Quex Adventure Farm Park, Birchington-on-Sea

Let’s hope you’re feeling full of beans this weekend as the bunnies at Quex Adventure Farm Park are waiting to bounce with you. The Easter trail is full of lots of fun things to see and do along the way, including colourful decorations, hidden eggs, sweet treats and farmyard animals. You’ll even get your own bunny ears to help you really look the part.

Details: 9.30am to 3.30pm at Quex Adventure Farm Park in Birchington-on-Sea. Adult tickets cost £6.45 and can be booked online here.

EASTER MONDAY

The bluebells will be on display at Hole Park this spring
The bluebells will be on display at Hole Park this spring

Hole Park, near Cranbrook

The colourful 16-acre gardens at Hole Park will open for the season on Easter Monday and boasting a carpet of bluebells. The garden’s annual Bluebell Spectacular is expected to be in full bloom, with the website’s bluebell barometer giving regular updates on how the flowers are coming along. There will also be pink magnolia, cherry blossom, tulips and daffodils.

Details: 11am to 6pm at Hole Park in Rolvenden, near Cranbrook. Adult tickets cost £11 and can be booked online here.

Princess Christian’s Farm, near Tonbridge

This family farm is opening its doors for the spring season on Easter Monday with lots of baby animals for visitors to meet. There will be newborn lambs and kids, along with many other animals that you can say hello to as you follow the Easter trail. Bring your wellies and prepare yourself for a muddy day on the farm!

Details: 11am to 2pm at Princess Christian’s Farm in Hildenborough, near Tonbridge. Adult tickets cost £5 and can be booked online here.

Reuthe’s The Lost Garden, Sevenoaks

Choose from Reuthe’s chick trail - a gentler route made for little legs - or the bunny trail - for big kids - and hunt for eggs through the enchanting gardens. On Easter Monday, the Easter bunny will also be hopping by for a visit and you’ll get the chance to meet him in the Bunnies Grotto and collect a chocolate egg.

Details: 10am to 2pm at Reuthe’s The Lost Garden in Sevenoaks. Adult tickets cost £3 and can be booked online.

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