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Things to do over the Easter bank holiday weekend in Kent in 2023

By: Sam Lawrie slawrie@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 27 March 2023

Updated: 11:30, 29 March 2023

Easter weekend is a great time to get together with the family and enjoy brilliant days out and about.

Take part in Easter egg hunts, say hello to the Easter Bunny and get yourself some tasty chocolate treats with lots of activities all over the county…

The Maidstone Medieval Fayre takes place over the Easter weekend. Picture: Maidstone Borough Council

Brenchley Gardens, Maidstone

Step back in time this Easter weekend with Maidstone’s Medieval Fayre. This day out with a difference will see the county town gardens filled with re-enactors who will be showing off their traditional skills with craft demonstrations and talks, from blacksmiths to woodworkers. There will be childhood toys, family games, live music, puppet shows, princess and knight training sessions and a birds of prey display.

Details: Saturday, April 8 at Brenchley Gardens, Maidstone. This event is free, no need to book.

Explore the Brogdale orchards on the Easter trail. Picture: Brogdale

Brogdale, Faversham

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The orchards will be full of spring blossoms over the Easter weekend, so it’s the perfect time to visit. There will be an outdoor Easter trail that takes visitors through the orchards, where they can follow the trail map, hunt giant Easter eggs and figure out the word quiz to get a chocolate treat at the end. There will also be a chance to see baby farm animals, and maybe even the Easter Bunny if you keep your eyes peeled…

Details: Good Friday to Easter Sunday at Brogdale, Faversham. Tickets cost £8.50 for adults, £5 for children. Book online here.

Who will win Dover Castle's egg and spoon race? Picture: English Heritage

Dover Castle

Challenge your family to games and see who comes out on top. Dover Castle will be hosting traditional games such as egg rolling and the egg and spoon race over the bank holiday weekend, as well as an Easter trail with a chocolate prize at the end. There will also be live music, storytelling sessions and the castle’s sword school, so you won’t run out of things to do anytime soon.

Details: Good Friday to Easter Monday at Dover Castle. The Easter trail costs £2 in addition to standard entry. Book online here.

Dreamland will be open over the Easter weekend for indoor and outdoor activities. Picture: Dreamland

Dreamland, Margate

Straight from the West End, from the team behind shows such as Elf, Chicago and Grease, comes family favourite, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Regency Productions have once again pulled out all the stops for this magical show, which includes old-school slapstick, musical classics and, of course,a jaw-dropping flying car.

Also, on Easter Sunday the vintage fairground will be welcoming visitors to take part in a free egg hunt. There will be lots of eggs to find and, if you uncover the special golden egg, you will win a special Dreamland day out. The park will also be open with rides, street food and a family film screening.

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Details: Thursday, April 6 to Easter Sunday at the Hall By the Sea in Dreamland, Margate. Tickets start from £21. Book online here.

Great Comp Garden will be filled with eggs over the weekend. Picture: Supplied by Vikki Rimmer

Great Comp Garden, Sevenoaks

The Easter Bunny hunt at Great Comp Garden will put your family’s detective skills to the test. Visitors will be tasked with exploring the seven-acre garden to find all eight of the Easter bunnies hidden in and around the plants, trees and shrubs. There will be one last tricky riddle at the end and, if you solve it, you will get a chocolate prize to take home.

Details: Good Friday and Easter Monday at Great Comp Garden in Platt, near Sevenoaks. The trail is free with a standard entry ticket, which costs £9.50 for adults and £3.50 for children. Book online here.

Put your thinking cap on to figure out Lullingstone's Easter quiz. Picture: Alan Graham

Lullingstone Castle and World Garden, Swanley

Take part in a fun family quiz this Easter. It’s the first event of the castle and garden’s 2023 season, which will include plant fairs and historical days out, and is a fun-filled activity for visitors of all ages. There will be themed clues and questions dotted around the gardens that you will need to figure out in exchange for a tasty reward at the end, not to mention the chance to meet some friendly Easter characters along the way.

Details: Saturday, April 8 to Easter Monday at Lullingstone Castle and World Garden, Swanley. Tickets cost £12.50 for adults, children go free. Book online here.

Historic Legacies will be performing at Penshurst Place. Picture: Andrea Platt Photography

Penshurst Place, near Tonbridge

Experience what it's like to survive in the great outdoors with a host of bushcraft activities. Children can try their hand at challenges such as axe-throwing, archery and bushfire cooking, all with the supervision of expert guides who will help them hone their new skills. There will also be an interactive story about the rise and fall of famous Tudor families, all performed by a cast of colourful characters from Historic Legacies, on Good Friday, followed by a fun Easter-themed storytelling session on Easter Sunday.

Details: Good Friday and Easter Sunday at Penshurst Place in Penshurst, near Tonbridge. Activities are included in your entry ticket. Book online here.

Find the bugs and forage in the woodland at this seaside museum. Picture: Powell-Cotton Museum

Powell-Cotton Museum, Birchington-on-Sea

Enjoy the best of both worlds with outdoor activities and fascinating museum displays over the Easter weekend. The Powell-Cotton Museum will be open over the bank holiday and, along with its impressive display of historical artefacts, there will also be a number of spring activities for the whole family, including creating your own bug magnet, playing bug-bingo and hunting gem bugs in the museum. There will also be tree walks and scavenger wheels for children to forage for different colours and smells throughout the park, all included in your free animal buddy backpack.

Details: Good Friday to Easter Monday at the Powell-Cotton Museum in Birchington-on-Sea. Tickets cost £3.50. Book online here.

Reuthe’s Lost Garden, Sevenoaks

Over the bank holiday weekend, there will be a number of fun kids’ activities taking place at Reuthe’s. The annual Easter trail returns, which will take visitors on a journey through the gardens to find clues and hidden eggs using a trail sheet from the onsite café. You can also get tickets to a special meet-and-greet with the Easter Bunny, which is the perfect opportunity for a family photo.

If you want to stick around, on Saturday there will be an Easter party for children of all ages to enjoy. The Easter Bunny will be hopping onto the dancefloor for a boogie as the DJ plays the biggest party hits. There will also be games, photo opportunities and a guest appearance from Reuthe’s alpacas, Nuzzle and Scratch.

Details: Good Friday to Easter Monday, with an Easter party on Saturday, April 8, at Reuthe’s Lost Garden in Sevenoaks. Tickets to meet the Easter bunny cost £12.50, which includes entry to the trail. Tickets to the trail only cost £6 for children. Tickets to the Easter party cost £3. Book online here.

Join Little Red Riding Hood for a trip on the Spa Valley Railway

Spa Valley Railway, Tunbridge Wells

An interactive theatre performance returns to Spa Valley’s authentic steam trains over the Easter weekend. The immersive experience begins at Tunbridge Wells West Station, where you will board the train with Little Red Riding Hood as she escapes the Big Bad Wolf. The train will journey through to Eridge Station, where everyone will then help Little Red find the Easter Bunny so she can collect a special egg for her Granny. As a thank you, Little Red will then hand out Easter eggs to her friends on the way home.

Details: Good Friday to Easter Monday at the Spa Valley Railway, Tunbridge Wells. Tickets cost £15 for adults, £7.50 for children. Book online here.

Grab yourself a drink and a bite to eat at the Broadstairs Food Festival. Picture: Alan Langley

Victoria Gardens, Broadstairs

The annual Broadstairs Food Festival returns to the coastal town this spring. The free weekend boasts a selection of food and drink stalls from local vendors, including Anno Distillers, the Tipsy Bakery, Sumo Donuts, Hide and Greek, the Vegan Habit and Kent Cider. There will also be craft and gift stalls, live entertainment and family cooking demonstrations.

Details: Good Friday to Easter Sunday at Victoria Gardens, Broadstairs. This event is free, no need to book.

Bring the camera and snap a selfie with Benji the Bunny. Picture: Grayling

Westwood Cross, Broadstairs

Make sure you stop off at this Thanet shopping centre over the Easter weekend and grab yourself a free Easter egg from Benji the Bunny. Benji and his friend Joey will be bouncing around the centre all day, handing out treats and posing for photos. If you share your photo with Benji and Joey on the Westwood Cross Facebook competition post, you might even win an Easter gift bundle including a £20 M&S gift card.

Details: Good Friday to Easter Monday at Westwood Cross, Broadstairs. This event is free, no need to book.

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