Ramsgate Festival organisers are on the final push to raise the last leg of funding with less than a fortnight until the event kicks off.
The festival programme, designed by Ramsgate Music Hall co-owner Julian Bigg, is out and a donation from Thorley Taverns and sponsorship of the Fire Finale by Wetherspoon’s Royal Victoria Pavilion is now confirmed.
But funds are still needed to be able to deliver the full programme and organisers are appealing for people to visit the kickstarter page before it ends on July 22 at 11pm.
A spokesman for the festival said: “We are grateful for the extraordinary support we have received from so many sources such as Arts Council England, Ramsgate Town Council and many other generous organisations and individuals, without whom it would not have been possible.
‘Inspirational’
“The Isle of Thanet News readers can help us by donating to support the festival aims of giving the town the large scale annual celebration it deserves – full of fun and surprises and inspirational events, encouraging all of us here to dream, to dream big and to make all our dreams come true.
“Without more support, we will have to make some cuts to our plans for 2017 and we passionately don’t want to be in that position.
“We are asking everyone to please give generously if you are able to and remember that every single penny or pound raised will help support our Festival aims of putting Ramsgate firmly on the cultural map and working hard to ensure everyone in the town benefits from all the opportunities that will bring in.”
What is planned
The nine-day event aims to include the 300ft Ramsgate Slide down Royal Parade, a pirate day on July 26 and the return of Littoral Lights after the massive success of its show at Dumpton Gap last year.
The Dream Marine maritime theme will also include a programme of heritage events, literary sessions at Vinyl Head café, seashore safaris with Thanet Coast Project and nautical computer gaming at Ramsgate’s Micro Museum in Church Hill.
Town artist Theresa Smith will create an installation at the clock tower to mark Ramsgate Mean Time (RMT) which is 5 mins 41 secs ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This means
Ramsgate has its own meridian line, and RMT which is the only local time in the country that was officially recognised by Greenwich.
Plans are also being made for boat races – in the town.
Boats and yachts will be created at Jimmy’s boat yard workshops at Arts in Ramsgate by local, national and international artists and residents culminating in a battle between the Ramsgate Rubbish Monster and the Tyran of Cardboardia.
There will also be markets, opera on the beach, the Ramsgate Seadog mini-festival, beach cricket, exhibitions, displays and talks.