17 things to do in Thanet August 9-11

Margate Pride Photo Frank Leppard(*No parade this year)

Only Fools and Horses exhibition at Dreamland

Jolly Boys Outing 1989

Dreamland will host its biggest ever Only Fools and Horses exhibition for the 30th anniversary of one of its most popular episodes, the Christmas special The Jolly Boys’ Outing.

From August 9-30, Dreamland’s Ballroom will host the special exhibition compiled by the Only Fools Appreciation Society, featuring a collection of original costumes, props, and sets with contributions from series creator, the late John Sullivan. There may even be some special guest appearances over the course of the exhibition.

Filmed on location at Dreamland in August 1989, The Jolly Boys’ Outing saw the whole Only Fools and Horses gang journey from their South London home to the golden Margate Sands. With classic moments including Denzil’s ‘disease’, the exploding coach, and Del Boy being reunited with Raquel, it became one of the best loved episodes from the series.

The exhibition will be open daily from 10am to 5pm, and tickets cost from £7.50.

For more information and details of what’s happening on the park this summer, visit www.dreamland.co.uk

Roller Coast Festival at Dreamland

Rainbow Week – August 5-11

Celebrate all the colours of Pride with rainbow-themed mayhem, including Drag Queen story time, dress up workshops, appearances from Rainbow Care Bear and a trip to see The Wizard of Oz.

A family rave will be held to mark the end of the park’s Rainbow Week.

The Little Fluffy Clouds in Dreamland event, on the Scenic Stage, will take place on August 11 and will include inflatables, glitter cannons, face painting, stickers, bubbles, characters, LED screen wall, Visual Artist Prickimage VJ performance and more.

Local artists Little Fluffy Clouds are DJ Ricky Cox and Visual Artist Shaun of Prickimage.

The Little Fluffy Clouds family rave takes place on August 11 from 2pm and 4pm and is free.

C Fest at Cramptons in Broadstairs

Some of Thanet’s finest acts perform for you in the Cramptons beer garden on Sunday, August 11..

The festival kicks off at 1pm on the main stage in the garden with Hot Wax followed by many more talented acts and closing off with Tasty Sax and a chilled house DJ set.

The pub opens midday serving freshly prepared food

All children welcome until 7pm.

Alice in Westwoodland

Westwood Cross Shopping Centre is hosting ‘Alice at Westwoodland’ giving families the opportunity to step into an imaginative land inspired by the adventures of Alice in Wonderland.

The shopping centre will be offering a schedule of activities and entertainment, from croquet with the Queen of Hearts to hat making with the Mad Hatter.

Children will be able to challenge the Queen of Hearts to a game of croquet, using flamingo putters to get hedgehog balls through card croquet hoops. A hat making workshop with the Mad Hatter will see aspiring young milliners create hats from a variety of materials, and the White Rabbit will be in the centre hosting clock making craft.

Alice will be on hand throughout the summer for storytelling sessions.

Friday, August 9- Storytelling

Monday, August 12 – Croquet

For more information about summer at Westwood Cross Shopping Centre, visit westwoodx.co.uk

Open air cinema at Dreamland

Outdoor cinema at Dreamland

The amusement park is showing family-friendly films and sing-a-longs on its huge HD outdoor screen on selected days over the coming weeks as part of the summer Roller Coast Festival.

Guests can book a free ticket to the events (provided on a first come first served basis), or upgrade to tickets that include food options and/or deckchair reservations.

Snacks, beers, tea and fizz are available in the food court.

Sunday Family Screening from 10.30am  this week is:

11th August – The Wizard of Oz

Full screenings programme: https://www.dreamland.co.uk/events

Elmer the Patchwork Elephant

Based on the classic children’s book series by David McKee, that marks its 30th birthday in 2019, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant Show, is a celebration of individuality and the power of laughter!

Elephants, as everyone knows, are big, have trunks, and are grey. But Elmer is a patchwork of brilliant colours. His fun-loving and cheerful personality keeps everyone in a playful mood, until the day he gets tired of being different and tries to blend in with the herd.

Elmer The Patchwork Elephant Show features a menagerie of 21 loveable puppets, tells the tale of an elephant that stands out – both with his patchwork-coloured skin and his sense of humour – but ultimately realizing that his friends have always valued his unique characteristics.

The show’s subtle message is that it is always best to be yourself.

Elmer the Patchwork Elephant Show is at Margate’s Theatre Royal on August 10-11, various show times.

Tickets are £12, family of four £40, booking fee £1 per ticket.

To book call 01843 292795 or go to margate-live.com

Broadstairs Folk Week

Broadstairs Folk Week on August 9-16 with a packed programme of music and activities.

The annual event, now in its 54th year, has a mixture of ticketed and free events.

Entertainment includes the Hobby Horse Club at the Bandstand with its resident crew of Clarence the Dragon and the Hooden Horses.

There are afternoon and early evening shows of music, song and dance with bandstand acts including The Boxwood Chessmen, the London Sea Shanty Collective, Mathis & Dolphin, the Thumping Tommy’s, and the Greyhound Buskers.

Free events for Folk Week start on the first Saturday. Ticketed events start on Friday, August 9 with an evening concert, early evening dance and late night dance.

For tickets go to https://broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk/about/faq/

Free fun

The Craft & Music Fair in Victoria Gardens: Free entry to a huge variety of ceramics, clothing, musical instruments, paintings, jewellery and gifts. Open from August 10-16.

The Big Parade on Saturday: A family-friendly procession of music, morris and magic, starting from Pierremont Hall at 5.30pm on Saturday, August 10.

Morris dancing: Masses of morris dancers throng the streets and a wide range of music in many of the town’s pubs.

Lunchtime sessions: There are daily lunchtime music sessions at the Craft & Music Fair and the George Inn, and the lunchtime Singalong at the Neptune’s Hall

Lark in the Park

Fun at Lark in the Park

Lark in the Park free family festival is back.

The event, at Government Acre, takes place from August 8-18 with all 11 days packed with free activities and entertainment programmes which cater for all of the family in one arena.

The event is split into different venues during the day – Fun Factory with a garden play area (ages 0-4), HQ (ages 5-10), The Vibe (ages 11-16), the Art Tent, Park Life, The Chapel and The Tea Rooms (for the over 60s).

There are also evening events held for all of the family every night, such as Movie Night, Ladies Night, Family Nights Out, Thanet’s Got Talent and Bingo Night, and Family Fun Days every weekend.  Every single part of the event is absolutely free to those who attend.  In its 17th year, Lark in the Park is now replicated in Sidcup, and even Greece!

The event, organised by Thanet churches, is coordinated by some 250 volunteers.

In 2018, there were 1,400 visits a day from people all over Thanet with 18,000 site visits in total.

To find out more and register go to http://larkthanet.com

Margate Pride

Photo Frank Leppard

Spice Girl Mel C will wow the crowds together with drag troupe Sink the Pink in an electrifying show for Margate Pride.

This year Pride will see a week-long queer arts festival ending with the joyful Pride procession where everyone is welcome to celebrate all of the isle’s LGBTQIA+ life.

Art, music and DJs will feature at venues across Margate with the festivities kicking off on Monday, August 5.

Pride March along the seafront – 10 August: A riot of colourful floats and costumes the parade leaves the Walpole Bay Hotel, Fifth Avenue, Cliftonville at 2pm.

Peter Tatchell to speak at the Sea Front Stage, The Parade, Margate: At 3pm the celebrated LGBTQ+ activist will address the crowd. He is joined by queer artists and allies who include Sink The Pink drag queen Taylor Trash, Asifa Lahore – Britain’s first publicly out Muslim drag queen, multi award-winning poet, playwright, activist and performer Jackie Hagan, local pole dance icon and instructor Heather alker and Just May, the UK’s premier Geri Halliwell impersonator. Music to keep the crowds dancing comes from Margate-based acts BABii and Pink Suits, London collective Benin City and the DJs from Margate queer club night, Meat Raffle.

Party: Margate Arts Club DJs take over The Sun Deck on the Main Sands, followed by a disco at the venue itself (Northdown Road) from 9pm, join the after-party with Cockles & Muscles at the Lido Cliff Bar or head to Margate institution Sundowners, the town’s long-established gay bar on Albert Terrace.

Mel C: The singer, who has been touring with Sink the Pink, will perform at Dreamland, 8pm on Saturday August 10. Tickets  £10 + booking fee, with rides included.

Gay Pool Party: Revellers can recover at the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool which will host the  pool party on Sunday 11 August.

To find out more visit margatepride.org

Vincent in Ramsgate

As part of the ‘Vincent in Ramsgate’ summer events, the Ramsgate Society and Ramsgate Town Team are hosting artist led workshops to expand on the legacy created by van Gogh and inspired by the unveiling of the bust in Spencer Square last month.

Sunday, August 11, 18 and 25 and Wednesday, August, 14 and 20. 

Sundays (11am-2pm) and Wednesdays (10am-1pm) in August 

Any interested artists (child, budding or more serious) can attend. Please contact Bev Perkins (Ramsgate Society) [email protected] or Rebekah Smith (Town Promoter) [email protected]

Thanet Open Studios

Work by Sarah Manly and James Bradford

Thanet Open Studios takes place across the isle. Local artists and artisans open up their studios/homes to the public over three weekends in August

Artforms including painting, glass, mosaic, jewellery and textilesA great buying opportunity and to find out more about the making process.

The event is organised by artists Mike Samson of York Street Gallery and Emily Tull. It features many of the Isle’s finest creatives and gives new artists a chance to exhibit their work.

There are many new artists on the trail this year including James Bradford in Ramsgate with his portrait and landscape paintings. In Margate Sarah Manly produces sculptural glass artworks celebrating the beauty of the medium.

Many regulars have also come back this year including Andy Johnson, Martin Cheek and Sharon Hendy. The trail includes many different mediums from jewellery, mosaics, textiles, ceramics and photography – the event is the perfect opportunity to meet and artists and find out more about their creative processes.

Open weekends are on August 10-11, 17-18 and 24,25,26.

Find out more on the Thanet Open Studios facebook page.

Hornby Visitor Centre

Photo John Horton

An open weekend will be held at Hornby Visitor Centre in Margate on August 10-11.

There will be special prices on ex display items.

The centre is open 10am to 3pm both days.

Wonderful Woolly Watery World

Now until September 8. Thanet Visitor Information Centre, Droit House, Stone Pier, Margate open Wednesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm

Discover life under the sea, if everything was woolly presented by Guardians of the Deep

The immersive display designed by Tara Schirn, will feature creatures knitted and crocheted by people of Kent and beyond. The immersive seascape will teach you about the Marine Conservation Zones we have around Kent, marine pollution, what amazing creatures live there and how you can see them for yourself

There will be information from the Thanet Coast Project on the local marine life, volunteering opportunities and events for the family

Birds of Prey at Monkton Nature Reserve

August 2-30

10am – 12pm and 1-4pm Every Friday during August.

Alex Goodier presents his incredible birds of prey. Meet owls, a kestrel, a raven and a Harris hawk.

Sessions are ‘drop in’. Parents/carers are responsible for their child/children at all times.

Birds of prey are not pets and visitors must strictly abide by any requests from Alex concerning their welfare.

Find a full list of August events at the reserve here

Katie Paterson: First There is a Mountain

Katie Paterson

August 11, Margate main sands and Turner Contemporary, 1pm-5pm

A community day out on the beach  for new participatory artwork by Katie Paterson. First There is a Mountain is currently touring the British Isles’ diverse coastline and on Sunday the work is coming to Margate Sands.

Consisting of a unique public edition of ‘buckets and spades’ in the form of world mountains, the artwork is touring twenty-five high profile coastal art venues around the UK on a weekly/bi-weekly basis, staging a unique sand pail building event on their local sandy beach.

The artwork will form a time-based topographical map to connect the Earth’s oldest rocks with the UK’s geological landscape, celebrating the local, national and international.

Fifty sets of buckets and spades will be available to use on the day. The ‘buckets’ are specially created hollow scale models of five of the world’s most famous mountains: Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Shasta (North America), Mount Fuji (Asia), Stromboli (Europe), and Uluru (Oceania).

First There is a Mountain poetically connects world mountains to the smallest grains of sand. The artwork invites people to slow down and consider the interconnectedness of the world, from shifting coastlines across millennia, to our own eroding coastline.

Twenty-five writers have been invited to write a text, one for each location. Katie Paterson has invited James Attlee, author of ‘Guernica: Painting the End of the World’ and ‘Nocturne: A Journey in Search of Moonlight’ to write the text for Margate Sands, which he will read aloud on the day.

From 3pm-5pm all participants are invited to Turner Contemporary’s Foyle Rooms to celebrate the completion of the artwork with food, drink and live music.

Find free event tickets here

More information about the project can be found here

Please note: one ticket = one person

At the Palace Cinema, Broadstairs

The Lion King (PG)

Simba idolises his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

Friday 9 August, 2.30pm and 5pm
Saturday 10 August, 2.30pm and 5pm
Sunday 11 August, 2.30pm and 5pm
Monday 12 August, 2.30pm and 5pm
Tuesday 13 August, 2.30pm and 5pm
Wednesday 14 August, 11am and 5.15pm
Thursday 15 August, 2.30pm and 5pm

In Fabric (15)

A cursed red dress causes devastating consequences as it passes from person to person in this distinctive, absurdist delight from British filmmaker Peter Strickland (Duke of Burgundy, Berberian Sound Studio)

After single parent Sheila Woolchapel is lured into purchasing a striking red dress during the winter sales at a mysterious Thames Valley department store, she finds her life turned horrifically upside down; a fate that befalls anyone who comes into contact with the haunted garment.

Saturday 10 August, 8pm
Tuesday 13 August, 7.45pm
Thursday 15 August, 7.45pm

For details click here