37 things to see and do in Thanet August 7-11

Little Seaside Town

Seashore Safari – Stone Bay

August 8, 11am

Explore Thanet’s chalk rocky shore for its fascinating rockpool wildlife.

Join one of the series of safaris touring different Thanet Coast bays to explore the chalk reef and rockpools to see what shore life can find. These events are run with the help of Thanet Coast volunteers.

All events last for up to 2 hours and are suitable for ALL the family, but particularly 4-11s.

Children must be always be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Suggested donation of £2 per person.

PLEASE USE ONLINE BOOKINGS – as numbers will be limited this year.

Click here for updates on information about booking

Suggested donation of £2 per person

Punch & Judy

Punch & Judy man Professor Brent de Witts performs his show at the Pavilion in Broadstairs.

Performances are three times a day. For performance times please check social media or call the Pavilion on 01843 600999.

Seashore Safari – Louisa Bay

August 9, 11.30am

Explore Thanet’s chalk rocky shore for its fascinating rockpool wildlife.

Join one of the series of safaris touring different Thanet Coast bays to explore the chalk reef and rockpools to see what shore life can find. These events are run with the help of Thanet Coast volunteers.

All events last for up to 2 hours and are suitable for ALL the family, but particularly 4-11s.

Children must be always be accompanied by a responsible adult.

PLEASE USE ONLINE BOOKINGS – as numbers will be limited this year.

Click here for updates on information about booking

Suggested donation of £2 per person

Family fun swims and inflatable obstacle course

Sessions being run at Upton Swimming Pool Broadstairs.

For times and prices go to https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/mainclass

The Pirates & The Plastic Peril

August 9, 5pm, Free outdoor theatre show at Pierremont Hall in Broadstairs

Pierremont Hall’s Summer Theatre in the Park is back by popular demand!

Returning to us on Wednesday 9th & 23rd August are Pirates Pepsi & Shandy, and Coral the mermaid as they face a new villain – The Plastic Peril, who is threatening to ruin our lovely seaside with her evil plastic pollution!

Seats are available on a first come first serve basis, and we encourage you to bring a picnic & blanket! There will be a bar on site selling refreshments at each show, and we encourage fancy dress too! Come and join us for our FREE Summer Theatre in the park.

If the weather is bad, the event will be moved inside and we can only allow a limited number of people.

Margate Masters

August 9

Free Beach Sports sessions for 11-19 year olds, followed by Free Men’s Beach Football (18+)

Every Wednesday throughout the school holidays

4pm – 5.30pm: Free beach sports on Margate Main Sands for 11 – 19 year olds

Turn up and play in the new Soccerena!

6pm – 7.30pm: Free Men’s Beach Football  (18+)

Ramsgate Week

August 6-11, hosted by Royal Temple Yacht Club.

Visitors are welcome to come and absorb the views from the Royal Temple Yacht Club and take a break from all the action or wander around the harbour admiring the vessels.

Look out for evening music performances

Ramsgate Week is often referred to as a friendly alternative to Cowes week which is one of the longest running regular regattas in the world that takes place on the Solent near the Isle of Wight.

Seashore Safari – Dumpton Gap

August 10, 12.30pm

Explore Thanet’s chalk rocky shore for its fascinating rockpool wildlife. Join one of the series of safaris touring different Thanet Coast bays to explore the chalk reef and rockpools to see what shore life can find. These events are run with the help of Thanet Coast volunteers.

All events last for up to 2 hours and are suitable for ALL the family, but particularly 4-11s.

Children must be always be accompanied by a responsible adult.

PLEASE USE ONLINE BOOKINGS – as numbers will be limited this year.

Click here for updates on information about booking

Suggested donation of £2 per person

‘Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ – Cliftonville Outdoor Cinema

August 11, Oval Bandstand and Lawns Cliftonville,

Grab the popcorn, a drink and deckchair to enjoy an outdoor cinema

7:30pm Doors open (drinks and snacks available) with film starting at 8.30pm and finishing at 10:10pm

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is an Australian road comedy film written and directed by Stephan Elliott. The plot follows two drag queens, played by Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce, and a transgender woman, played by Terence Stamp, as they journey across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in a tour bus that they have named “Priscilla”, along the way encountering various groups and individuals. FILM RATED 15

Deckchair seating is included in all tickets

The GRASS Bar will be onsite serving a full selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

Tickets £9.99 Book now

Colouring in Margate Postcards

August 11, Turner Contemporary

Join artist Megan Metcalf to celebrate the launch of her new edition colouring book, Colouring Margate.

Meet the illustrator and colour in your own Margate postcard to send to a friend or keep for yourself. Copies of Colouring Margate are available to purchase from the shop, where Megan will be based for the day. For this special event, Megan has created a new illustration of the Sunley Gallery window installation O Esplendor by Beatriz Milhazes.

Megan Metcalf is an artist based in Margate. Known for her vibrant coastal sketches, reportage style live illustration, bold collages and paintings, Megan’s art is characterful and full of life. She loves to depict and celebrate everyday scenes and things that may usually be overlooked. Her work can be seen in shops and restaurants all over Margate, while her prints and cards celebrate Margate’s quirkiness.

1:00-4:00pm. Free, drop in.

Broadstairs Folk Week

The annual celebration of all things folk and beyond, begins on 11 August, when Broadstairs welcomes hundreds of musicians and dancers to the town for a week of music and fun.

Broadstairs Folk Week concert headliner Will Page has also composed a special song for the festival which is being released this month.

For the energetic, there’s a full programme of dances and ceilidhs, including a Sixties Icons Fancy Dress ceilidh with Banter on Sunday 13 August. The venue is the Sarah Thorne Theatre throughout the week, and the first dance kicks off with Kent’s own Giddy Yup Ceilidh band – who are familiar faces from the Hobby Horse Club taking place daily at the Bandstand.

Singers aren’t forgotten – with a festival choir created in a week, singalongs at the Neptune and evening singarounds at the Sailing Club, as well as harmony workshops with Lady Maisery, sea shanties on the jetty and a special event at the Gadds brewery, called Drink Old England Dry!

All the generations can sing and dance together with Inspiration Creative at the bandstand or learn circus skills, hula hooping or toddler bops. Take the kids to the Flags, Banners and Stuff workshop and you can join in the Saturday 12th August Parade from Pierremont Park at 5.30pm.  Young musical maestros can form a Band in a Weekend with James Kerry and friends, who will also be playing in a concert as Source – and with the Hill Top Ceilidh band.

There are Poets’ Breakfasts, tai chi at the campsite, knitting, crochet and crafts at Balmoral Gardens, birdwatching walks, sketching around Broadstairs and of course – the pub gigs – over 130 this year and 60 bands.

All the details, including the pub gigs, are in the Souvenir Programme, with a Day-by-Day guide. It’s an important fundraiser for Folk Week and buying it goes towards the free events around the town, available online at £6 plus £1.50 postage and packing. https://broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk/product/2022-souvenir-programme/

There are also several outlets in Broadstairs stocking the Souvenir Programme.

Tickets and info

All tickets are on sale now. There are more details and online booking on the website at www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk.

Credit card booking, ticket sales & information: Call 01843 604080

Email: [email protected]

Follow on Facebook – The Official Broadstairs Folk Week Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BroadstairsFW/

Monkton Nature Reserve

Join Monkton Nature Reserve for activities for all the family including making homes for worms, exploring the pond, creating solar ovens and much more.

Sessions are on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 11am and 1pm throughout August.

Prices per child are £3 members and £5 non members which includes entrance to the reserve. Wild classroom sessions making a campfire lunch cost £12.50 members and £15 non members and take place on  August 10 and August 15 from 11.30am.

There are also free moth trap mornings included with reserve entrance fee on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10.15am in the education garden.

Monkton Nature Reserve is a unique environment for British flora and fauna that thrive on chalk-based habitats. It is a charity managed by The Thanet Countryside Trust.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday 10:30am – 3:30pm.

Find the events page at https://monkton-reserve.org/events/

Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory’s Summer holiday club

Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory’s Summer holiday club will take youngsters on an adventurous, natured inspired morning exploring the complex mixture of habitats, tracking a variety of different animals while learning about the natural heritage of the reserve.

Each day offers a different theme which promises to get kids socializing, while playing and learning outdoors all morning long and creating a deep connection to nature! Expect children to come home tired, dirty and carrying a range of crafts to attract wildlife to your home.

Led by an experienced team of education leaders and conservationists, the bird observatory is based on the private Sandwich Bay estate and is home to Restharrow Scrape, an artificial wetland which acts as a refuge for many birds, as well as woodland, grassland, dunes and beach!

Spaces are limited to 18 children aged between 7 and 12 years old each day, with slots available for FREE thanks to funding from Dover District Council.

All staff are DBS checked, safeguard and first aid trained.

Dates: 7th , 8th and 9th August.

Times: 10am to 1pm

Venue: Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Guilford Rd, Sandwich Bay, Sandwich CT13 9PF

Cost: FREE but limited to no more than three sessions per child.

TO BOOK VISIT: https://sbbot.org.uk/book-events/

Revolution skate park and climbing

Offering 3 huge warehouses, crammed full of all types of ramps for beginners and expert riders alike. Users can Skateboard, Scooter, Inline Skate and BMX, all in the safety of the state-of-the-art, immaculately maintained, indoor environment.

Alongside the Skatepark is a further warehouse, which houses the Climbing Centre, and is packed with a diverse range of colourful walls, suitable for all levels of climber.

Housed in between these facilities is a Skate & Surf & Climbing shop with everything you could ever need, along with a snack bar for refuelling between activities.

All staff are fully trained, friendly, passionate and happy to help every visitor have a great time.

Summer football camp

Children aged 4-13 years old all abilities welcome

Time: 10am-3pm

Dates: Monday – Thursday

31ST JULY – 3RD AUGUST

7TH AUGUST – 10TH AUGUST

14TH AUGUST – 17TH AUGUST

10AM-3PM EACH DAY

Quality age-appropriate football coaching with the emphasis on player development, fun and safety. They are 4 days of non-stop action.

Breakfast club available: 9am – snack and drink provided

Daily focus and prizes to be won

Activities such as: world cup tournaments, matches, panna, saq, and much more

All players in attendance awarded a medal and certificate at the end of the week

Friday is presentation day – trophies and prizes for effort, skill and teamwork awarded

Ramsgate Venue: Newington Community Primary School, CT12 6HX, Ramsgate ( Field Entrance).

Book at: https://rmfootballcoaching.com/store/football-camps-copy

Lost Island

Golf and interactive darts at Flamingo Arcade, Margate seafront

From aiming your darts at the board to make a virtual ‘wall’ tumble down or to bag a collection of gold coins to testing your Robin Hood arrow skills – interactive boards at Lost Island Golf in Margate are putting a whole new slant on the game.

Three digital augmented reality dartboards have been installed upstairs at the Flamingo Arcade in Marine Terrace, alongside the venue’s second jungle-themed crazy golf course and a drinks cafe for players.

In augmented reality darts, players throw physical darts at a physical dartboard, but also experience interactive visuals, game statistics, virtual targets, animations, and scoring indicators superimposed onto the dartboard through projected high resolution graphics.

The new crazy golf challenge is another 18 hole course, with a lucky 19th hole. You can either book online or turn up and play. Golf opening times are 10am daily, with last entry 7:30pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30pm Friday to Sunday.

The boards are available to be booked for 1 hour slots from noon daily, closing 8pm Monday to Thursday, and 9pm Friday to Sunday. Boards can be booked for a flat hourly fee for up to 6 players.

Off peak board fees per hour are £25 all day Monday to Thursday, and up till 5pm Fridays. Peak time £35 per hour Friday from 6pm and weekends.

For bookings, head to www.lostislandgolf.co.uk and follow the link to book darts.

Ramsgate Micro Museum

Discover the earliest ways people counted and calculated and then found a way to indicate the important “0”.

​Learn the stories of the thinkers and inventors whose ideas helped develop computing through the ages.  Find the stories of the heroes of computing including Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace in Victorian times, Tommy Flowers the inventor of Colossus in the Second World War and on through the 20th to the start of the 21st centuries.

​Other topics include the contribution made to British computing by Sir Clive Sinclair and the historic firsts in games, sounds, graphics, robotics, computer languages and much more.

1pm-4pm, Church Hill, Ramsgate

Adult  or Child  £5

​Group/Family of 4   £15

​Price Includes all retro games play

Under 3s Free

Cash only

The Classroom Book Shop Westgate

Free Summer sessions

Margate Caves

1 Northdown Road

The Caves were originally dug as a chalk quarry in the 17th and 18th centuries and are 94.2m long and 12.2m tall at the highest point. Originally opened to the public in 1863, the Margate Caves re-opened for the next generation of explorers on Thursday 22nd August 2019.

After visiting the Caves, browse the gift shop and stop off at the community café, popular locally for selling a range of delicious dishes.

The Cafe is open 10am to 4.30pm on the same days as the Caves.

Summer (March-October) Open seven days per week, 10am-5pm, last entry 4.30pm

Adult £4.50

Child £2

Concession £4

Under 4’s FREE

Family (2 adults/2 children) £10 https://www.margatecaves.co.uk/

Lillyputt Mini Golf, Broadstairs

Minigolf fun for all the family, with 12 championship holes and a lucky 13th hole… a must-do activity if you’re visiting the East Kent Coast.

If mini golf isn’t your cup of tea (have a pot of tea all to yourself instead!).

Wheelchair access into Cafe and Tea Garden area.

Adults: £6 Children under 10: £5

Lillyputt Mini Golf
Victoria Parade

Daily from 10am – 5pm daily (weather permitting) Open later weekends/summer holidays/fine weather

The Spitfire and Hurricane Museum at Manston

Museum site, displaying the two iconic war planes, and also holding a host of objects and artefacts telling the story of life in and around Ramsgate during WWII. Central to the display are the iconic Spitfire Mk XVI and Hawker Hurricane Mk IIc.

As well as the collection, the Museum has a small shop and the café (open 7 days a week from May 18th) serves teas, coffees and quality hot food, with an outside seating area.

Visitors are welcome to sit on the benches in the Allied Crew Memorial Garden to relax and reflect, in an evocative atmosphere.

Visitors are able to book a flight in the Spitfire Simulator. The Spitfire Flight Experience costs £30 for 30 minutes. Book your flight from their website here.

Free entry Donations welcome

Shell Grotto

Grotto Hill, Margate

Discovered in 1835, Margate’s Shell Grotto is an astonishing find; 70ft (21 metres) of winding passages decorated with 4.6 million shells.

The walls are covered in images of gods and goddesses, trees of life and patterns made from the shells of whelks, mussels and oysters.

Some think it is an ancient Pagan grotto, others that it is simply an ornate Regency folly; but with no definitive explanation or history, the Shell Grotto is Kent’s greatest mystery.

Group Visits are to be Pre-Booked – https://www.shellgrotto.co.uk/

Open 10am to 5pm, daily during school holidays.

Adult £4.50

Concessions (Students, Seniors (over 60), Registered Disabled, Armed Forces (serving and veterans) £4

Child (4-16) £2

Under 4’s FREE

Family ticket (2 adults & up to 2 children) £10

Dickens House Museum

Celebrating Charles Dickens’ long connection with Broadstairs (1837-1851). It is housed in the cottage that was Charles Dickens’ inspiration for the home of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield. According to the reminiscences of Charles Dickens son Charley, they regularly had tea there with Miss Mary Pearson Strong, and her belief of her right to stop the passage of donkeys in front of her cottage became the donkey incident for the character of Betsey Trotwood.

2 Victoria Parade

Adult £4

Child £2

Family (2 Adults & 2 Children) £10

Concession (Students. Anyone unable to access upstairs) £3

Crampton Tower Museum

Friday – Sunday plus Bank Holiday Mondays 2pm to 4.30pm (last entry 4pm)

Crampton Tower Museum is a family-friendly museum celebrating the life and work of a Victorian engineer, transport and local history.

Crampton Tower Museum, on The Broadway, is a fascinating small museum, partly housed in a flint tower adjacent to the Broadstairs Railway Station. The tower formed part of Broadstairs’ first public water supply.

Adults £3, Child (4-16yrs) £1.50, Family Ticket £7.50 (2 Adults & 2 Children).

See website for details of events throughout the year.

Ramsgate Tunnels

Ramsgate’s Tunnels tours take you deep underground to unlock the story of a hidden city, which evolved from the largest and only known Civilian Deep Shelter Air Raid Precaution scheme authorised by Central Government.

The military story is told elsewhere, but very little remains of the civilian story of a front line town under some of the heaviest aerial bombing in Britain.

Adult £9

Senior/Disabled £7

Child £6

Family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) £22

A 50p booking fee applies to Adult & Senior tickets to cover online charges

Find tour dates and info here

Dreamland

Park opens each day at 10.30am for 6 weeks of summer

Programme of live music,  rides, including the Scenic Railway and The Big Wheel, plus slap-up street food, free film screenings and more, summer by the sea is sorted!

Check out the opening times here: https://www.dreamland.co.uk/opening-times/

This Museum Is (Not) Obsolete

Ramsgate interactive museum in Church Hill celebrating experimental and obsolete electronic technology, scientific, telecommunication and musical technology

Various interactive displays and educational material on the history of experimental, scientific and DIY electronics.

History of obsolete lab equipment, telephony, toys, sound, vision and much more

Good for all ages

Visits by pre-booking system 

Tickets £5 Under 13’s FREE

RAF Manston History Museum

Aircraft, displays, photos, models and cafe

10am to 4pm Mon-Fri
Last entry 3:15pm

10am to 4pm Sat-Sun
Last Entry 3:15pm

Adult: £5.50
Child: £2.50 Under 5’s Free
Concessions: £4.50
Carers: £2.50
Family (2 adults and up to 4 children): £16

Thanet Treasure Trails

Are you looking for something to do with family and friends or seeking a fun day out with the kids at the coast? Explore Margate and Broadstairs on a self-guided trail. Trails are done in your own time at your own pace.

MARGATE  – The Missing Masterpiece (Murder Mystery Treasure Trail)

Daring detectives you need to reveal the truth of a horrible heist! This self-guided detective mystery trail takes you on a patrol around the heart of Margate. Examine the evidence around the lighthouse, follow up on witness reports at Turner Contemporary and the old town before chasing down the crook along the seafront and the promenade, of the sandy beach.

Start location for trail is Stone Pier, Margate CT9 1JD

This trail is approximately 2.5 miles long (loop), takes 2 hours to complete and is suitable for all ages from 6 – 106

BROADSTAIRS – Spy Mission Trail

Can you solve the clues set on buildings, permanent features and monuments to crack the code and save the day like a true Secret Agent? The trail explores the sea front area, through two parks and the high street. Bustling with sandy beaches and fascinating history, the Trail will show you Broadstairs in a new light, with one or two Dickens’ related clues!

Start location for trail is Albion Street Car Park, Broadstairs CT10 1NE

This Trail is approximately 1.5 miles long, takes 2 hours to complete and is suitable for all ages from 6 – 106

£9.99 each to download

Rascal Bay Adventure Golf

Manston Road, Ramsgate

Designed in Sweden, the adventure encounters pirates, cannons, an octopus, snakes, skulls, a cannibal’s cooking pot, a crashed jeep, rocks, a volcano, dinosaurs, waterfalls, dinosaur eggs, a treasure chest, crocodiles and two rafts that the whole family will love!

Also available for parties, corporate events and private hire.

To book online, click here.

Adults: £8.75 Children: £6.50 Groups: £32 (4 adults) Family: £25 (2 adults + 2 children) Under 3s £3

Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Sat & Sun 9am-5pm

Little Seaside Town

High Street, Ramsgate

A centre for children and families, unlike traditional soft play centres, it promotes imaginative role play in a stimulating play “town” environment.

Each themed set is full of play props, costumes and toys to encourage children to explore and make believe. Everything at Little Seaside Town has been carefully designed to be as realistic as possible, so they can experience and act out real life scenarios.

2 hour session charged at £7 per child. Babies £1.50. All adults will be charged £1.50

Website

Open 7 days per week 9.30am – 5.30pm

Dinky Town Thanet

Pysons Road, Ramsgate

Check Facebook for latest opening times/prices.

Monday – Friday 10am – 3pm (Last entry is 2pm) £3 per child

No booking system – operating on a walk in basis only

Dinky Town is a children’s indoor play centre created to enhance the fun and educational experience imaginative role play brings to a child’s early years.

Dinky Town is suitable for those from walking up to around age 7. Website

Kids Bright House

Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday 10am-3pm; Wednesday & Friday 10am-5:30pm *

Kids Bright House is a family-run, indoor play area for kids from 0 – 11 years.

This is a place for kids to have fun, and mums to relax, have a cup of coffee or tea, and socialise. We also offer fresh, delicious food at our cafe.

There is a baby area for babies under 2, and a host of other indoor fun for children over 2.

No need to book

Toddler group and Tortoise visit every Monday 10am-12pm & Thursday 12:30pm-2:30pm

For more information  See Here.

Free Adult with:

Babes-in-arms £2

Child £6

Extra Adults £1.50 each

Sandwich & Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve

Sandwich Road, Cliffsend

Of international importance for its bird population.

The site includes Pegwell Bay Country Park, a little gem with stunning sea views, a play area and picnic spot with mobile refreshments nearby – perfect for family fun in the fresh air

Coastal Explorer Packs

Family adventure trails – Activities, challenges, games!

Don’t just visit the beach, explore it! Coastal Explorers packs are filled with equipment to help you discover our rich heritage stories and natural coastal designations. Learn essential explorer skills such as how to make a sundial and use a compass, or delve into the bag for the marine identification gear and become a real rocky shore researcher! Also make sure you check out this guide to Rock Pooling from the Thanet Coast Project

Everything you need is in the pack and contains enough resources for at least half a day of awesome adventure.

Fantastic for families and groups, but versatile enough for anyone, hire a bag for just £5 plus proof of ID at-

Margate – Visitor Information Centre, Droit House, Stone Pier CT9 1JD (Wednesday – Sunday 10am -5pm)

Broadstairs – Lillyputt Mini Golf, Victoria Parade, CT10 1QL (Open daily 10am – 5pm weather permitting)

Please contact Thanet Visitor Information Centre on 01843 577577 or email [email protected] for info

Barbie (12A)

Palace Cinema Broadstairs and Carlton Cinema Westgate

After being expelled from Barbieland for being a less than perfect-looking doll, Barbie sets off for the human world to find true happiness.

Broadstairs Details here

Westgate Details here

Alpacas at Quex

Alpaca Experience & Alpaca Trekking on the Quex Park Estate,

Alpacas trained for Trekking, Experience days, Interaction visits for schools, clubs, societies, families and Special Needs groups.

Complete your experience with a visit to the “The Watering Hole Cafe” with garden area and outdoor play facilities available for children.- Full details are available here

Find a list of local attractions at Visit Thanet