More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
All things quintessentially English come together in a plethora of patriotic pride in Gillingham this weekend.
The annual English Festival, held at Riverside Country Park on Saturday, April 22, promises free family fun between 11am and 5pm, celebrating the country’s traditions and the chance to meet some of the great Brits who have gone before, including Shakespeare and King John.
New attractions to the busy festivities include an Iconic England zone, where visitors can enjoy a performance by St George and The Dragon, while playing a spot of bingo, as well as appearance by Mods on scooters.
The Village Square will feature an English High Street, land train and bandstand entertainment while the Countryside Experience will be packed with baby farm animals, sheep shearing, and a real ale bar.
Also celebrating Englishness will be Punch and Judy and donkey rides, classic sports cars and appearances by the Southern Mini Owners Club, Medway Ramblers and Bee Keepers, shire horses and a blacksmith.
Traditional funfair rides will include a helter skelter and a roundabout and there will be a hog roast and a tea bar, barbecue, hot cross buns and ice cream.
There will also be face painting, and the chance to meet a Pearly King and Queen, Tudor characters. In true English fete tradition, there will also be a cake decorating competition, for entries can be a maximum of 30cm x 30cm, with prizes for under-14s and over.
For details go to medway.gov.uk/leisurecultureandsport
Celebrations start in Gravesend for the saint’s day on Friday, April 21, with a cultural feast of festivities starting from 10am.
Bollywood Brass and Premier Brass bands play in King Street and the High Street near Gravesend Borough Market from 9.45am, with entertainment on the Community Square from 10am when the Salvation Army Brass Band play a special concert.
Schoolchildren from 12 local schools will parade from St George’s Church, through the town centre, with festivities culminating in a flag raising at 11.30am. It has been organised by Cohesion Plus in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council, supported by Gravesham Borough Council and Arts Council England.
FOLKESTONE
Life sized puppets of St George and the Dragon will do battle as part of a parade led by local youth groups in Folkestone on Sunday, April 23.
The pair will be the highlight of the fun-filled day, which kicks off at 11am at Leas Cliff Hall. In the afternoon and evening there will be the second annual Strictly Folkestone Dancing, with dinner, dancing and music inside the hall, starting at 4pm. For details visit folkestonefestival.org
HEVER CASTLE
Hear the tales of St George’s adventures and meet his dragon, Flame, while avoiding his smoke and deafening roar at Hever Castle on St George’s Day.
Young visitors can make a fire breathing dragon in a free craft workshop or test their knowledge in a Knights and Shields trail around the castle, collecting a gold coin at the end. For details go to hevercastle.co.uk or call 01732 865224.
MAIDSTONE
Maidstone will be decked out with red and white bunting for St George’s Day. Yarn bombers have created some feisty fiery dragons to install in Jubilee Square while morris men and clog dancers will entertain. From noon there will be live music in Jubilee Square, with local bands including the Black Lion Courtiers, a five-piece from Rochester and Medway folk band, Larkspur.
There will be magic shows at 2.15pm and 3.15pm in Market Buildings while Maidstone Museum will be running a children’s craft workshop to make a dragon to take home, plus there will be free face painting for under-12s in Jubilee Square and Fremlin Walk. Street theatre through the day will be provided by Theatretrain, the Hazlitt Youth Theatre and Honk Project’s dancing day trippers. For details click here.
