Where: Broadstairs, Kent
£: Ticket prices vary depending on the event. Many events are free.
What is it?
Broadstairs Dickens Festival will take place in Kent, from Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th June, with quirky events including Mother’s Ruin Gin Tastings, Victorian Scruffs, a Best Parasol Competition and a Dickensian Hat Demonstration.
The festival is an eclectic mix of live music, talks, competitions, theatre and special events. This year’s festival will kick off on the Thursday with The Old Curiosity Shop at the Sarah Thorne Theatre, and a screening of Broadstairs of Yesteryear at The Palace Cinema.
The events will continue on the Friday with school choirs on the bandstand, a Best Dressed Scruff Competition, a Country Fayre, a Dickensian Hat Demonstration and a lamplighter will be plying his trade on the promenade.
Weekend events will include Mother’s Ruin Gin Tastings, a Grand Parade, some Melodrama at Victoria Gardens, Old Time Music Hall, Voices from Victorian London, a Dickensian Cricket Match, a costumed Garden Party, and a Best Parasol Competition.
There will also be cream teas, a costume talk and a beach party. Many events, including the Country Fayre, are free but donations are most welcome. Some events, such as the gin tastings should be booked in advance.
Throughout the festival there will be all sorts of Dickensian characters on the loose at Victoria Gardens and on the Prom. Look out for policeman making arrests, wives chasing naughty husbands with rolling pins, and militant maids marching.
More info: www.broadstairsdickensfestival.co.uk and www.facebook.com/BroadstairsDickensFestival