Children’s Story Time and Book festival
February 16, 10am to 4pm, Baker Street Bistro (upstairs at Petticoat Lane Emporium, Dumpton Park Drive, Ramsgate
Children’s book festival with story time twice a day at 11am and 2pm.
Little ones can come along and enjoy a sing song, some storytelling and competitions as well. Everyone welcome!
Authors Julie EA Leonard, Kat McDermott, Peter Erlam and Safia Haq and Bibi Y Haq.
St John’s Church, Margate, Pop Up Charity Shop
Saturday 17th February,-10am to 12 noon
Join the monthly fundraiser which helps to keep the Community Centre available for community use. A warm welcome to all – join the event for coffee and cake and find yourself some bargains.
Stalls sell cakes and savouries as well as pre-loved jewellery, clothing, vintage, vinyl, books, toys, bric-a-brac, household items, craft materials and handmade crafts.
This month there is a special focus on gifts for Mothering Sunday (10th March) and a special display of colourful books for children of all ages – in great condition and sold at bargain prices.
Why not encourage the readers in your family to come along and choose some new fiction or find high-quality books to learn from ahead of World Book Day on Thursday 7th March?
Meet old friends and make new friends over a cup of tea in the cafe space.
Mixtape 88/00
February 16-25, Hold Creative, Albert Street Gallery Ramsgate (February 17 open noon to 2pm)
The story of how cassettes and mixtapes forged friendships in the 80s and 90s, featuring photography, mixtapes, the planning process for producing the tapes, cassette paraphernalia and exclusive designs created by Mid Kent College students.
Hugh Atkins and Andrew Dennis met on a French campsite in 1988, where they both worked for Eurocamp. A friendship quickly grew, helped along by a shared love of indie pop music which encompassed Manchester’s industrial Factory Records sound, to Bristol’s homespun Sarah Records label.
Apart from a period in 1989, when both lived in Manchester, Hugh and Andrew often lived quite far apart from each other – places included Toronto, Sydney, the south of France, Worcester, and London – but shared musical tastes and new sounds for a decade or so, by posting compilation cassettes (mixtapes) to each other. Hugh even posted a tape to a poste restante address – the Post Office in Bangalore – which Andrew dutifully collected and which formed the soundtrack to his India trip in the summer of 1997.
These tapes were painstakingly crafted and curated by Hugh, who went to great lengths to plan which songs to put on the tapes, and how the DIY artwork should look. His planning process can be viewed at the exhibition, found within two 1990’s WH Smiths exercise books, and on various post-it notes and random bits of paper.
This exhibition shows the planning process involved in creating the tapes, the artwork, and the tapes themselves. They tell the story of Hugh and Andrew’s friendship over the years between 1988 and 2000, when tapes were still a popular way of listening to, and recording music, and of sharing mixtapes to affirm a shared connection.
Don Letts
February 17, 10pm, Faith in Strangers Cliftonville
Don Letts, the iconic British filmmaker, DJ, and musician, has been a major force in the UK music scene for decades.
Don will take you on a musical journey of reggae, punk, dub, and beyond.
18+
Tickets £22.50 Book now
The unfinished art show
February 16-20, Margate Pie Factory, 5 Broad Street, Margate
More than 30 local artists sharing their work and process finding the beauty in the unfinished.
Bricks At The Museum
Lego enthusiasts are invited to explore a half-term exhibition and figure hunt at RAF Manston History Museum.
Bricks At The Museum takes place from February 10-18, 10am to 3pm daily.
There will be Lego models and a Lego figure hunt around the museum ( £1.50 to take part) with a prize for winners.
Normal museum entry costs apply. Other attractions at RAF Manston History Museum include ejection seats, a 1940’s experience, photos, models, vehicles and more.
Car park is on the taxiway accessed from the B2050 Manston Rd. WhatThreeWords location is
yarn.depending.manages.
Museum admission
Adult: £5.50
Child: £2.50 under 5’s Free
Concessions: £4.50
Carer: £2.50
Family (2 adults and up to 4 children): £16
Find the museum at 821 Manston Road, Ramsgate or on facebook here
Broadstairs Blues Bash
From now through to Sunday 18th February there will be more than 100 bands playing in 20 venues across Broadstairs. Most of the events are free with a few that are ticketed at the Wrotham Arms and the Pavilion.
Highlights of the festival include workshops in the Albion Hotel on the Saturday at noon where you can learn slide guitar, fingerstyle guitar and harmonica then, from 2pm at York Street Methodist Church, Dave Ferra and King Size Slim will be in concert.
While Saturday night in the Pavilion has now sold out there are currently still tickets for Funke & The Two Tone Baby at the Wrotham Arms.
On Sunday, the action starts at 10am with the BBB Gospel Breakfast featuring the soulful Thanet Gospel Choir. This will be followed with the Open Blues Jam at noon, a four-hour jam at the Pavilion where amateur and professional musicians alike can tread the boards on the main stage and show what they’ve got.
There are T-shirts, programmes, badges and mugs available now online or during the festival from the BBB Shop which will be found in The Crown on the High Street.
Website here for the blues (broadstairsbluesbash.com)
School of Rock
School of Rock is on stage at the Granville Theatre in Ramsgate from February 14-17 and features a talented adult cast from production company Regency Productions and a group of talented youngsters from across Kent.
School of Rock is the global hit musical based on the movie starring Jack Black. The story follows Dewy Finn, originally played by Jack Black and now played by In With Flynn frontman Drayson Goldfinch.
Posing as a substitute music teacher at an elite prep school, Dewy exposes his students to the rock gods he idolises, transforming them into a mind‐blowing rock band. Featured favourite numbers include “Stick it to the Man”, “Teachers Pet” and “You’re in the Band.”
Shows at 7.30pm with an additional 2.30pm matinee on the Saturday.
Tickets cost from £20.90. Book here
Craft and boot fair
February 18, buyers from 8.30am, Roostys at the Allen Building, Nelson College, Northwood Road, Broadstairs
Stalls outdoors and indoors. Over 300+ buyers supported the fair on its first event.
There are 23 inside pitches available (booking only) and 40+ outside pitches (turn up and sell).
To book a stall pitch email: [email protected]
Margate Caves
The Caves are open every day until 18 February, 11am to 4pm and celebrating Women in STEM with a trail.
Hidden beneath an ordinary street in Margate and accessed via a twisty 15m tunnel, the Margate Caves is a magical subterranean system, filled with colourful cave paintings and murals dating back to Georgian times. Enthusiastic volunteers are on hand to highlight the fascinating stories and geological quirks of this mysterious site, which over the years has been used as a Gentleman’s den, Victorian tourist attraction and wartime air raid shelter.
Above the ground is a café, gift shop and discovery room showcasing the history of the caves and weaving stories of local giants, ancient kings and shameless smugglers.
For more details see Margate Caves at www.margatecaves.co.uk/whats-on
Margate Museum
Margate Museum is housed in a Grade II listed building over two floors, the oldest part being from the 17th century.
Formerly the Magistrates Court and Police cells, the museum opened in the 1990s with a dedicated volunteer team maintaining and presenting a unique collection of Margate’s history including that of the Borough Police from 1857, sea bathing and bathing machines, the 1815 arrival of Paddle Steamers, Cobbs Brewery and Bank.
The Margate Museum has many unique examples of paintings, prints and engravings. There is the Seaside Room, Maritime Room, World War I and World War II room all displaying an eclectic range of historical items.
There is a gift shop with various postcards, stationery items along with varied local history books.
The museum is in Market Place, Margate. Open Saturday & Sunday 11am-3pm
Rent
Wantsum Productions will be bringing award-winning musical Rent to the stage in Ramsgate this half term.
Rent, whose dramatisation, music and lyrics won writer Jonathan Larson awards both in his lifetime and posthumously, was originally produced in New York and premiered in 1996.The musical brought new forms of music to the genre of musical theatre.
Set against the background of the Aids/HIV epidemic of the 1980s, it follows the story of an impoverished group of people connected through their artistic talents and their struggle to survive in Lower Manhattan.
The show features lyrics such as ‘525,600 minutes’ from Seasons of Love, and ‘So with a thousand Sweet Kisses’ from I’ll Cover You.
Show dates: Thursday 15th – Saturday 17th February 7.30pm
Venue: The Theatre at Chatham House, Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School Chatham Street, Ramsgate CT11 7PS.
Tickets: Adult £16, Under 18 £14, group booking for 4 adults £58 (ticket prices includes the booking fee)
There is a special promotion with 10% off tickets bought online using code WPIT10.
Book at:https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/wantsum-productions
ALL OF US STRANGERS (15)
Palace Cinema Broadstairs
Bafta Nominated. Mysterious and dreamy, writer-director Andrew Haigh (45 Years, The North Water) takes us on a riveting journey. Adam (Andrew Scott – 1917, Sherlock and Fleabag’s sexy priest!) has a chance encounter with mysterious neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal – Aftersun, Normal People, The Lost Daughter), drawing him back to his childhood home where he makes a very strange discovery.
Friday 16 February to Thursday 22 February. Details here
Kids Go Free at the Shell Grotto
February 10-18, daily 11am-4pm The Shell Grotto, Grotto Hill, Margate
Kids 16 and under go FREE with a paying adult between 10th -18th February
Tickets Adult Ticket £4.50, Concession Ticket (Over 60s, students, registered disabled, armed forces) £4
Spring into the Museum
February 17-18, 11am to 3pm, Powell-Cotton Museum, Quex estate Birchington
Get outside with a range of springtastic activities for the whole family!
Explore the winding paths of Quex Gardens that lead you to find curious faces amongst the trees.
Use your scavenger wheel and senses to discover the scents and colours of the new season.
Get arty with bold colouring activities, and play competitive games like Bug-Bingo and Memory-Match ‘bug’ edition.
Track down their mischievous gem bugs that have wandered off on their own exploration in the museum.
Tickets
Adult £4
Child £3
Concession £3.50
Infant & Powell-Cotton Members FREE
Surestart Cards Welcome
Peppa’s Cinema Party U
Carlton Cinema Westgate
Featuring the voices of Katy Perry as Ms. Leopard and Orlando Bloom as Mr. Raccoon in an episode of the 3-part Wedding Party story, the whole family can enjoy 10 never-before-seen Peppa Pig episodes! And with 5 brand new songs, as well as 11 interactive entertainment shorts with Peppa and her friends playing, dancing and singing in the real world, you and your little ones will be moving and grooving with Peppa in a whole new way!
February 16-18. Details here
Vintage and alternative clothing market
February 17, Sarah Thorne Theatre Broadstairs / Hilderstone, from noon-4pm
Thousands of incredible vintage clothing, ranging from the 1960s up to the early 2000s, with lots of 90s and Y2K pieces. There will also be a huge selection of vintage goth, punk and alternative clothing. Sizes range from XXS-XXXL. As well as individually priced discounted rarer items, there will be £1, £3, £5 and £7 rails with hundreds of items to choose from.
This event is also dog friendly.
Carl Stafford
Now until February 21, York Street Gallery Ramsgate
Artist Carl will be in the gallery on Saturday from noon until 4pm.
He’s bringing his easel, canvas and painting gear and will be working on a new project!
Open 10.30am-4pm Friday and Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sunday.
Margate Songbook: Echoes of England
February 17, doors open 7pm, ARK, Albion Road Cliftonville
A collaboration of Rosslyn Court and ARK which promises a night of comedy and music
These are the songs that people chose when interviewed for an Arts Council Grant project that looked at different aspects of living in England.
They will be performed by different artists in the area and introduced by comedian Charlie Partridge with Morris Side Bower Street Morris adding to the mayhem.
Including: Snottledogs, Sally Ironmonger and Brian Carter, Gerry Colvin, Bower Street Morris, Harmony Bo, Phien O’Phien, Morag Butler, Jon Beetham, Charlie Hannah, Ben Faria, Paul Grant.
All ages (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult)
Tickets £10 plus £1 booking fee Book now
Singles Bottomless Brunch
February 17, Bar 7, 59 High Street, Margate, present Single’s Bottomless Brunch, with all the single pop hits with Rachel J
Bottomless Prosecco £35 / Bottomless cocktails £40
Over 18s only
Message to reserve your table… 07908 965443, or email [email protected]
Queer House Party does Margate
February 17, 7pm-2am, Margate Arts Club, 276 Northdown Road
Queer House Party’s radical + liberatory politics fuse with some of the best music, arts + performances from the DIY queer scene
Host Taali Not Charlie will welcome you into Margate Arts Club with music from QHP resident DJs Harry Gay, Watcha, and Passer. Guest DJ and full-time ICON Elizabeth Whibley will also join them!
18+ Tickets £10 Book now
Perverse Verse Post Valentine’s Day Massacre
February 17, 7.30pm, The Albion Rooms Eastern Esplanade Cliftonville
A venue with ‘an engine for art & artistry that will inspire you to create’.
Get ready to be entertained in technicolour, observational humour with the likes of:
RACHEL PANTECHNICON – author of story-books such as Cheesegrater Leg-Iron Lion, winner of the Glastonbury Festival Slam 2004
LIZ BENTLEY – writer, poet, comedian, musician, psychotherapist, winner of Short Fuse Poetry Idol and Poetry Idol the Rivals 2003, four successful Edinburgh shows
ROSIE WILBY – award winning comedian, author, speaker and creator of global hit podcast/book The Breakup Monologues.
There will also be a LUCKY DIP OPEN MIC featured hosted by MC’s LIZ BENTLEY and JO OVERFIELD, a writer, poet, DJ and producer. Bring your words, your bravery, your wit and we’ll see if you get lucky in the dip!
Tickets £8 – £10 Book now
Alice Oseman Book Signing
February 17, 11am-12.30pm, The Margate Bookshop, 2 Market Place
Meet Alice Oseman, the creator of #1 bestselling Heartstopper series, and celebrate the launch of Heartstopper Volume 5 at the Margate Bookshop
About Heartstopper 5: As we catch up with Nick and Charlie in this next phase of their lives, they’re still deeply in love. And what’s more, it’s official; they’ve finally said those three little words. But the course of true love was never a smooth one – and with uni looming for Nick, is everything about to change?
Tickets are £12.99 and must be purchased through Eventbrite, this includes a copy of Heartstopper Volume 5 and the opportunity to meet Alice and have your book signed.
Queuing outside the shop will be necessary so please be prepared for all weather conditions.
Tickets £12.99 Book now
Aircooled
February 18, 7.30pm, Justines Margate
Aircooled release their second album, Eat The Gold on February 16th on the Music’s Not Dead label.
Release day will be celebrated with a show at London’s Third Man Records and then to Justines in Margate on the 18th February.
Aircooled are Katherine Wallinger from The Wedding Present, Justin Welsh from Elastica / The Jesus and Mary Chain, Oliver Chester of Gilroy Mere / Dollboy and Riz Maslen (Neotropic)
Support comes from @notv.theband and @niche_crush
This is an 18+ event
Tickets £6 Book now
The Schizophonics
February 18, 7.30pm, Ramsgate Music Hall
The Schizophonics live act, the band are committed to writing great, memorable songs, channeling such influences as Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Sonics, the Stooges, the MC5, James Brown, and Little Richard
Tickets £12.50 + £1.50 Booking Fee Book now…
Word Slags 1st birthday
February 18, 7pm, Albion Rooms, Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville
Kayla Martell Feldman, slam winner Alby Stockley, poets on the undercard and hosts Genevieve Pepper and Jake Nathan.
Tickets £6.50, cost of living ticket £3 at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/word-slags-its-our-first-birthday-tickets-797780903157?
