Start filling your 2023 diary with these top events in Kent, from live music to food and drink festivals.

Whether you want to book tickets to next summer's Black Deer Festival or fancy taking the family to the Kent County Show, we've got you covered...

Black Deer Festival at Eridge Park, Tunbridge Wells

This year’s Black Deer Festival saw top performances from the likes of Van Morrison, James, Wilco and Jake Bugg and fans of rock, blues and Americana music will be pleased to hear it’s coming back next summer.

The festival celebrates the genre with a packed line-up of bands and musicians, and the first wave of Black Deer Festival artists has now been announced. Bonnie Raitt, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats and Lucinda Williams, among others, will be performing next summer, and there will also be cooking demonstrations, a gospel brunch, motorcycle and truck displays and family activities. The three-day event is one of Kent’s leading summer festivals and certainly shouldn’t be missed.

When: Friday, June 16 to Sunday, June 18 at Eridge Park in Tunbridge Wells. Book online here.

Medway Food and Drink Festival at Rochester Castle Garden

The first ever Medway Food Festival was a highly-anticipated event of 2022 but, unfortunately, was postponed from its original date in September. However, that simply means that visitors now have a spring date to look forward to in 2023.

The Medway Food and Drink Festival will be the first of its kind in the area, bringing together top chefs, cooking demonstrations, live music and comedy, and a selection of stalls for a huge culinary celebration.

When: Friday, March 31 to Sunday, April 2 at Rochester Castle Garden. Book online here.

Kent Spring Marathon and Half Marathon in Ashford

If you didn’t manage to get into the London Marathon, not to worry. We’ve got lots of fantastic runs taking place in the county throughout 2023, and one of the biggest is the Kent Spring Marathon and Half Marathon.

Take on the challenge of running a full or half marathon with a route that winds through the picturesque countryside around Ashford, Westwell and Charing. See the spring flowers and enjoy the quiet lanes as you head towards the finish line, where you will receive a bespoke medal to mark your achievement.

When: Sunday, April 16 at Sandyhurst Lane in Ashford. Register online here.

Rochester Sweeps Festival

Sweeps Festival made a huge comeback at the end of April after being postponed for two years, and it shows no signs of slowing down as a date has already been set for 2023. The festival has been going for more than 40 years and has become a staple of the Medway calendar.

The town will be transformed into a colourful parade for the three-day festival, which boasts traditional folk music, dancing and live entertainment. There will be stalls in the gardens of Rochester Castle, independent food and drink vendors, pop-up stages and an annual Sweeps procession.

When: Saturday, April 29 to Monday, May 1 in Rochester Town Centre. Find out more here.

Faversham Festival of Transport

Start revving up your engines, as one of Kent’s biggest car shows is set to return next year. The Faversham Festival of Transport will take over the historic market town once again and is set to fill it with classic cars and vintage vehicles.

There will be displays of commercial vehicles, retro cars, rare motorcycles and more, as well as bus rides and demonstrations. There is also usually a market, food stands and family activities to make it a great day out for visitors of all ages.

When: Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21 in Faversham Town Centre. Find out more here.

Battle of Britain Airshow at Headcorn Aerodrome, near Ashford

Returning for its eighth year, this spectacular airshow will once again be at the Headcorn Aerodrome to pay tribute to the Battle of Britain.

There will be choreographed displays and re-enactments, which will swoop and soar through the skies as crowds cheer on from below in the very airspace where the Battle of Britain took place more than 80 years ago. There will also be models, historic planes and vehicles, and family-friendly attractions.

When: Friday, June 30 to Sunday, July 2 at the Headcorn Aerodrome near Ashford. Book online here.

Pub in the Park at Dunorlan Park, Tunbridge Wells

Tom Kerridge’s food, drink and music festival will be touring the country again in 2023, and will be making its usual stop in Dunorlan Park. The festival has incredible chefs, live cooking shows, local food producers and top musicians.

The initial line-up for next year’s Tunbridge Wells festival has been announced and includes the likes of McFly, Sister Sledge, Rudimental and Badly Drawn Boy. While we’re still waiting to hear more about the foodie side of things, we know Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge will be on board and he’s sure to bring some of his culinary friends along for the weekend.

When: Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 9 at Dunorlan Park in Tunbridge Wells. Book online here.

Kent County Show at the Kent Showground, Detling

We couldn’t talk about next year’s events without mentioning the Kent County Show. A must-visit on the Kent calendar, this long-running agricultural show has already announced its dates for next summer.

The huge outdoor show features lots of highlights from the farming and agriculture industry including animals, showjumping, sheep shearing, clay pigeon shooting, flower displays, fresh produce stands and a large market. There will also be live music, fairground rides and more.

When: Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 9 at the Kent Showground in Detling, near Maidstone. Book online here.

Primal Scream with Happy Mondays at Dreamland, Margate

Dreamland is fast turning into one of Kent’s top music venues, having hosted artists such as Noel Gallagher, Tom Grennan, Paul Weller and Craig David this year.

The vintage seaside funfair has already started announcing its Summer Series for 2023, and one of the huge names revealed so far is rock band Primal Scream. The band behind hits such as Movin’ On Up and Rocks will be joined by Happy Mondays for their Margate gig in August. Other artists announced to play there next summer are Bastille, Olly Murs, Will Young and N-Dubz.

When: Saturday, August 5 at Dreamland in Margate. Book online here.

Salute to the ‘40s at the Historic Dockyard Chatham

Start digging out your best retro finery and perfecting your victory rolls, and you’ll be ready in time for next year’s Salute to the ‘40s celebration. The rich heritage of the dockyard is the perfect place to step back in time and relive this fascinating era.

The blitz spirit will take over the dockyard with live music, retro cars, historical re-enactments, a vintage market, traditional fairground rides and British food such as fish and chips and pie and mash. This year, there were some unique activities, such as the chance to get your hair styled in the on-site salon and visit a replica 1940s pub, so it’s anyone’s guess what the organisers will pull out of the bag for 2023.

When: Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10 at the Historic Dockyard Chatham. Book online here.

You can also check our Events Calendar for a full list of what’s on in Kent in 2023.