When: 18th – 24th June 2016
Where: Broadstairs, Kent
£: Ticket prices vary depending on the event. Many events are free.
What is it?
The Broadstairs Dickens Festival takes place in Kent, from Saturday 18th to Friday 24th June 2016, with parades, plays, music, and talks. The fun, eclectic, festival has taken place annually since 1937.
The Broadstairs Dickens Festival kicks off at 10am on the Saturday with a Victorian Country Fair in the marquee at Victoria Gardens. Events at the fair include the Noon Day Gun, a reading by The Dickens Declaimers, a grand parade and the festival’s grand opening. The fair is free to attend and continues until 5pm. In the evening there are ticketed events including a production of David Copperfield and a concert.
The festival continues on the Sunday with events including a Victorian cricket match, a Dickens dog show, a ‘Prom-on-the-Prom’, and a chance to have coffee with some Dickensian characters.
Monday’s festival highlights will include a Dickensian Beach Party at Viking Bay, and The ‘Militant Maids’ March on the promenade. Then on the Tuesday there will be a period hair and make-up workshop by East Kent College, wine tasting, Victorian music hall entertainment, history talks, and a screening of the 1951 version of Scrooge at the Palace Cinema.
On Wednesday there will be more talks and live music, plus a Royal Command Performance of the Victorian Music Hall at Broadstairs Sailing club. Thursday’s entertainment includes a Victorian picnic at Victoria Gardens, and fun wine tasting with What the Dickens is in the Cellar? The final day rounds off with music at the Bandstand, and an Elegant Dickensian Traditional Afternoon Tea at Bleak House.
More info: www.broadstairsdickensfestival.co.uk and www.facebook.com/BroadstairsDickensFestival