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jhorn@thekmgroup.co.uk

Fagin, Miss Havisham and Bill Sikes basked in the sunshine in
Rochester at the weekend as hundreds of people gathered for the
31st Dickens Festival.

Celebrations began with lots of children’s activities during the
day and a Dickensian ball at the Corn Exchange in the
evening.

Saturday included the usual parade and those taking part included
parents and pupils campaigning to keep threatened schools
open.

Throughout the weekend there were paddle steamer cruises on the
River Medway, walking tours of Rochester, and a traditional fun
fair in Rochester Castle Gardens.

Families could stop by at the
Guildhall Museum for Victorian workshops and exhibitions or visit
the Corn Exchange for cream teas, entertainment, exhibitions and
demonstrations. There were also prizes for the best Victorian
costumes and a gurning competition.

A new event in The Vines on Saturday and Sunday was The Traditional
England Festival.

The celebration of the English summer included Punch and Judy
shows, a tug-of-war competition, terrier racing and falconry
displays.

A miniature train took visitors to and from The Vines to the main
attractions in the town centre.

The weekend was topped off with another parade on Sunday afternoon
and a singalong in The Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel.

Medway Council events manager Carl Madjitey said: “The sun
definitely helped bring people out, but it was not as busy as
previous years because we were competing with the FA Cup final on
Saturday. In some ways that made it better because the High Street
was not too crowded.

“The festival was much more family orientated and I am
particularly pleased with the success of the English festival. We
hope to build on that in future years.”