Your guide to the Margate Bank Holiday Mod weekender

Mod weekender events Photo Stephen Todd

The Mods return to Margate for the annual bank holiday weekender this month.

Eli Thompson, from the Westcoast CIC, has teamed up with Modernist promoter the New Untouchables to form Great British Music & Culture (GMBC) to host the event in the Old Town.

Like Brighton, Margate has a long association with the Mod scene with a strong local scene, great bands, clubs and scooter runs and local shops Thanet Area scooters and Rat Race clothing.

GBMC has put together a program for three evenings and two daytime events with live acts, internationally renowned and local DJ’s, a scooter run and show, market and record fair.

The weekender takes place from May 25-28

What’s on

Friday night headline act, 8pm to 3am

Motown star Brenda Holloway who performed live at the request of The Beatles on their first US tour. Her best known recordings are Soul hits You Made Me So Very Happy, Every Little Bits Hurts, and When I’m Gone.
She will be supported by British Funk & Soul band Push.

Saturday night, 8.30pm to 4am

Rock n Roll band Les Grys Grys. Supported by Green Seagull. Plus The Dug Out features DJs, Garage and Psych

Sunday finale, 9pm to 6am

Northern Soul Allnighter in the main room with authentic Mod Club sounds in the Dug Out.

All events are at Olby’s Music Room, 3-5 King Street, Margate/Dug Out, 4 Fort Hill, Margate

Day time events

Photo Great British Music & Culture

Saturday Noon to 5pm and Sunday Noon to 6pm

Four live bands (Saturday with Samuel Parkes and The Gallerys, Sunday with Len Price 3 and Maker) and DJ sessions, scooter show and comp, market, food and drinks on The Parade.

Scooter run from the harbour at midday on Sunday

Tickets

Weekend ticket £40 (inc all events)

Discounts on multi purchase Buy 4 = £145 or Buy 10= £360

Day Wristbands (Friday £20 Saturday £15/ Sunday £10)

(Tickets prices higher on the door and subject to availability)

Booking fee applicable

For the full program and tickets go http://www.gbmusicculture.co.uk/

Get the clobber

Want authentic Mod clothes? Pop into Margate’s Rat Race at 34-36 High Street.

Fancy a drink or something to eat?

Check out the Harbour Arm for bars and cafes as well as everything from Pete’s fish and chips to Woodys, GB Pizza, the Harbour Cafe, Bernie’s Chocolate Bar, Sands Hotel, The Two Halves and more on the Piazza.

Parking

Well, if you have a scooter you might just be able to park in the middle of it all! Otherwise there are spaces at the Harbour Arm and the car park in Sidney Place as well as the town’s two multi-storeys at Mill Lane and Morissons (College Square).

For even more bikes…

Photo Stephen Todd

The Margate Meltdown with Ace Cafe comes to Margate for the 11th year on Monday, May 28

Margate seafront and harbour is given over to motorcycles and scooters, diverse club and trade stands and, from noon, a stage with live entertainment.

Margate Meltdown is the most recently established ride out from Ace Café London and their chosen charity for this event is The Royal British Legion Riders Branch.

www.ace-cafe-london.com