27 things to see and do in Thanet, November 26-27

Margate light switch on event

Christmas will come to Margate’s Cecil Square thanks to Margate Carnival organiser Jack Packman teaming up  with a number of organisations and county councillor Barry Lewis.

Cecil Square missed out on the festivities last year – although there was plenty of Christmas spirit and events in the Old Town and Cliftonville – and the covid pandemic in 2020 meant the cancellation of all large switch-on events.

This year funding from Kent Community Foundation, KCC Cllr Barry Lewis and Barclays plus donations of services from D R Tech Services, Thanet Virtual High Street, Creative Banana and Be On The Wall working with Margate Carnival means not just the tree but a packed light switch-on event too.

The big event takes place on November 26 and will include a Christmas market, Santa’s grotto, live entertainment and independent traders.

The fun will run from noon to 8pm with the tree lights switched on at 6pm.

Broadstairs lights

Pierremont Park and the High Street

A traditional family fayre with Christmas stalls & music, Santa’s Grotto, food & drink, and the switching-on of the High Street Christmas Lights on November 26 from noon until 6pm.

Broadstairs and St Peter’s Chamber of Commerce present the Christmas Fair with traditional stalls  selling crafts, gifts, food and drink, Santa in Pierremont Park, Christmas music, choirs and carol singing

From 2pm Christmas music, choirs and carol singing

2pm Coastal Choir

2.30pm Inspiration Creatives

3pm St Mildred’s Primary Infant School

3.30pm Wellesley/Haddon Dene School

4pm Page Mason

4.30pm Thanet Male Voice Choir

5pm – Christmas Tree & High Street Lights Switch-On by the Town Mayor

Taking place in nearby Pierremont Hall – Christmas Children’s Party 

Ramsgate lights

Christmas fun in Ramsgate takes place through the town on November 27 from noon until 5pm with the light switch on at 4.30pm.

There will be stalls from the handmade market, the land train, naughty elves, live entertainment, children’s workshops and rides, a snow machine, Grotto at Discovery Planet.

Thanet Sunrise Rotary are also attending with Santa and will be there from midday to 4pm giving out presents in the Grotto.

Boats in Ramsgate harbour will also display lights again this year. Illuminations are put in place in December.

Find out more here

Lunch With Father Christmas

The Watering Hole at Quex, Birchington

26th, 27th November, 2nd-4th, 9th-11th, 16th -22nd December at 12pm

Each child will have time for meet, greet and photo opportunities with Father Christmas in our grotto themed cafe. Christmas colouring activity sheet and a Christmas Cuddly Toy!

Lunch with Father Christmas will last two hours.

Child ticket £18 and Adult ticket £15 Book now

Margate Old Town Christmas Market

November 26-27, 11am to 5pm in Market Place

Come along and browse all of the local handmade goodies Margate Old Town Christmas Market has to offer!

Some 20 traders including handmade, vintage, artists, pottery, dog treats and so much more

Christmas Craft and Gift Fair

St Augustine’s, 125 Canterbury Road, Westgate, November 26-27, 10am to 4pm

Join Midas Leisure for their Christmas Craft and Gift Fair

Free parking available onsite

Supporting the Kent Air Ambulance

Dickens House Museum Festive Weekend

November 26-27

Come and see the home of Mary Pearson-Strong, the basis for Charles Dickens’ beloved David Copperfield character Betsey Trotwood. The house will be dressed for a traditional Dickensian Christmas.

Saturday 26th

The Declaimers will be performing vignettes in the Museum throughout the afternoon, bringing the world of Dickens’ colourful characters to life.

Take part in children’s’ crafts, including paper-chain and decoration-making, to take home and decorate your tree at home.

The gift shop will be open, so you can complete your Christmas shopping. Choose from beautiful children’s books, puzzles, candles, homewares, and more to find the perfect gift.

Sunday 27th
The Museum will be open for tours, and the gift shop will be open.

Opening Times:

1pm – 4.30pm (last entry 4pm)

Cliftonville Cultural Space Winter Festival

In celebration of Cliftonville Cultural Space’s 2nd birthday, Cliftonville Cultural Space is holding a Winter Festival

Sunday 27th November: Winter Art Fair 12pm-5pm – There will be a bar, music, stalls and a chance to have a look around this incredible building. The market will be raising money for Margate Independent Foodbank through a raffle on the day.

The cultural space is at the former Margate synagogue in Albion Road, Cliftonville

Arts and craft fair

November 26, The Magnet, Albion Street, Broadstairs, 11am-4pm.

Local artists’ work and gifts. Percentage of proceeds to be donated to Breast Cancer Now

Christmas Fair at St Andrew’s Church,

November 26, Reading Street, Broadstairs 11am – 3pm

Father Christmas arriving at 11.15am

Local handicrafts, Toys, Decorations, Gifts, Plants, Fresh Produce, Cakes and Preserves

Grand Christmas Draw at 2pm

Hot refreshments available in the Church Hall

Christmas Art and Craft Fair

November 26, Broadstairs Adult Education Centre, 10am-2.30pm

Browse talented local artists and crafters stalls with everything from jewellery, to glass fusing, pottery, prints, pieces of art, clothing, decorations and much much more.

Free hot drinks available.

Shadowing Hank

November 26, Sarah Thorne Theatre, Broadstairs, 7.30pm

In a much requested first visit to Kent, guitarist Justin Daish brings his Hank Marvin extravaganza to the Sarah Thorne Theatre.

Presented with a sparkling production, relaxed humour and polished vocals, Justin’s visual similarity to Hank Marvin is not the only likeness in this show; his famously accurate guitar sound has seen him share the stage with The Shadows’ Bruce Welch, Jet Harris, and his dear late friend Brian ‘Licorice’ Locking. Featuring The Shadows’ greatest hits, including Apache, Wonderful Land, Foot Tapper and Cavatina, plus music that Hank Marvin has recorded and performed over a record-breaking 60-year career, Shadowing Hank captures the magic of the great man’s live shows.

Tickets  £14 in advance / £16 on the door Click here to book tickets

Palace Cinema Broadstairs

HOPPER: AN AMERICAN LOVE STORY 12A

An engrossing visual exploration of the painter Edward Hopper and how he brought to light a previously unseen America – and in the process went on to become arguably America’s most influential artist.

Saturday 26 November to Sunday 27 November

EMILY 15

A passionate, gorgeously rendered, playful portrait exploring the life and relationships that inspired Emily Brontë to write Wuthering Heights.

Saturday 26 November to Wednesday 30 November

Book at: https://thepalacecinema.co.uk/whats-on/

Pre-loved and vintage clothing fair

November 26, Royal British Legion Cub, Cliff Street, Ramsgate, 10am to 4pm

Bring cash. Teas & coffees available as well as a bar. Entry is via donation to the RBL poppy appeal

Deep State

November 26, Ramsgate Music Hall, 9pm

Deep State brings you the very best in classic and modern underground dance music across the genres of Progressive House, Dark tribal, Techno, and Breaks.

From the anthems we all know and love, to the best of current underground music available: taking you on a musical journey, a night you’ll remember for all you underground party people.

DJ’S:

Emma K

Rob Fung

Dee James Brown

Karl Johnson

Sasha Lacroix

18+ event

Tickets  £10.00 + £1.50 Booking fee Book now

Margate Tech Club at The Margate School

November 26. Open 10am-12pm

Margate Tech Club is a free drop-in within a safe and welcoming space where you and your family can explore and play with tech, under the supervision and guidance of helpful experts.

The Tech Club includes a workshop activity, which you can sign up for on the day. Please bring along a laptop if you have one.

Margate Tech Club is free to attend, however, donations are requested  in order to keep future Tech Clubs running.

Hospitality at Dreamland

November 26, 9pm-2am

Worried about Henry presents Hospitality Margate…..

Enjoy sets from the likes of Metrik, Etherwood, Degs, Mozey, and Arietta.  We hope you’re ready!

This is a 18+ event (ID required)

Tickets from £12 plus booking fee. Book now

‘Electricity: How, Watt, Why?’

The fun, interactive sessions with Discovery Planet will take place on Saturday, November 26  and the topic for this month is electricity – how it’s generated, and how it’s used.

The sessions take place at Discovery Planet’s HQ at 47 High Street Ramsgate. As usual it’s completely free of charge, there is no need to book, and people can just drop in at the start of each hourly session, between 10am and 3pm (which is when the last one begins).

The 10am slot will be a special calm session, for those that require a quieter environment. The workshops will be led by a team of scientists from the University of Kent and you’ll have the chance to ask any questions you might have.

All ages are welcome, and there’ll be something to spark everyone’s interest.

For more information about the event, see Discovery Planet’s Facebook Page: ttps://www.facebook.com/DiscoveryPlanetUK

Ramsgate FC v Ashford

Isthmian League – South East Division

Rams at home, playing Ashford United
Kick-off: 3pm, WW Martin Community Stadium

Stealing Sheep at Elsewhere, Margate.

November 26, doors open at 7pm

Presented by Art’s Cool.

This is an 18+ event

General Admission ― £13.75
Pay It Forward Ticket ― £13.75

Book now

Alex­is of Hot Chip with sup­port from local record spin­ner, Itchy Rich

Faith in Strangers, Cliftonville, from 6pm

As the front man of leg­endary UK group, Hot Chip, you might recog­nise Alex­is from hit records ​‘Over & Over’, ​‘Ready For The Floor’ or from any num­ber of their sem­i­nal indie bangers.

Tickets  £12.00 Book now

Winter Wildlife Celebration

November 26, Pegwell Bay, 9:30am – 3:30pm

Celebrate the wonderful wildlife of Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve with experts from Kent Wildlife Trust, Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Thanet Coast Project, and Bird Wise East Kent. Alongside guided walks, scavenger hunts and seasonal craft making, there will be opportunities for all to discover more about the fascinating birdlife and marine mammals that rely on this protected area over winter. This is a great opportunity to support us in sharing the message of how we can all protect these vulnerable species to thrive along this internationally coastline!

Event at the old Hoverport from 9.30-11am for a strandline scavenger hunt and winter bird watch. Everyone is welcome to join in with a litter pick at Pegwell Beach to make this roosting site safe for birds and receive a warming hot chocolate for all your hard work!

Meet by Pegwell Beach just below the former hoverport access road Cliffsend, near Ramsgate, Kent CT12 5HY. You can access the Hoverport via a footpath from the Viking Ship ‘Hugin’ Picnic Site in Cliffsend on the Sandwich Road.

Free Book now

Queer Country with Pink Suits and The Northdown Rodeo

November 26, Olby’s, King Street, Margate, 7pm

Hosted by Margates’ Dame Jame with performances from  Pink Suits, Shelly Grotto, Janet District Council, Pretzel Gator Cage, Ash Kenazi, and The Pegwells!

And of course The Northdown Rodeo ft Sue Spurs, Sugar Ray, Janet District Council, Shelly Grotto, Pretzel Cage, Cherry B, Lucky DeLuz and Ash Kenazi

Tickets are on a sliding scale starting at £10, if you can pay more than you are welcome to! This night is for and by the queer community presented by Pink Suits Book now

Resort Winter Market

November 26, noon until 7pm at Dreamland

Come and buy direct from Resort artists and designers, plus special guests.

Art, jewellery, ceramics, prints & more!

Open Studios
Art Raffle
Mulled wine
Print your own Xmas cards

Free entry

Cliftonville Farmers Market

November 27, Walpole green, 10am to 1pm

The market has between 35 – 40 stalls each month, selling – wild game, homemade ice creams and sorbets, fresh fish & shellfish, Kentish cheeses, olives, oils, Italian bakes, pizzas, doughnuts, vegetarian slices, cakes, macarons, fudge, fresh flowers, plants, hanging baskets, fresh fruit, seasonal veg, locally made sausages & bacon, vegan cakes, vegan salami, vegan bacon, Kentish grown saffron, fruit juices, pet treats, preserves, chutneys, eggs, honey, duck eggs, nut butters, fruit cordials, fermented foods, meat, sausage rolls, Turkish/Cypriot bakes, baklava, Ukraine bakes, New York style cookies, Dutch cheeses, cider, liqueurs, chilli jams, hand made chocolates, hot food, hot drinks, even a mobile sharpening stall if you need garden tools, knives, scissors sharpened.

Carlton Cinema, Westgate

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical PG

Matilda Wormwood is a little girl with big curiosity, a sharp mind and a vivid imagination — and the worst parents in the world. While her parents content themselves with trashy TV and dodgy money-making schemes, she loves to lose herself in the pages of her beloved books.

On meeting an inspirational teacher, Matilda is encouraged and begins conjuring her own fantastical tales. Excited to attend Crunchem Hall, Matilda is surprised to find the school is an oppressive place led by the huge and villainous Miss Trunchbull.

This feature contains a sequence of flashing lights which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.

November 25-December 1. Details here.

Indoor Christmas Market

November 27, Baypoint, Ramsgate Rd, Sandwich, 10am to 3pm

Come and browse some of Kent’s finest small businesses, selling unique Christmas gifts, crafts, decorations, cakes, candles and lots more!

When you’re finished shopping, enjoy some hot chocolate or mulled wine in our licensed bar.

Entry to Christmas market free.