ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Kent’ s Unmissable 2026 Festivals cont...
29- 30 AUGUST bOing! Festival, Canterbury boingfestival. com
Inspiring endless creativity for children and adults alike, Kent’ s international family arts festival, bOing!, is sure to be a hit with the little ones with its brilliant range of performances and activities. With all performances having a relaxed approach to noise and movement in the space, and ample chill-out spaces and noise cancelling headphones available for all, the inclusive bOing! has something for the whole family, from baby sensory sessions to art workshops and theatre shows.
19- 20 SEPTEMBER Paws in the Park, Detling pawsinthepark. net
Not forgetting festival fun for our four-legged friends, Paws in the Park’ s biggest event of the year presents the ultimate day out for beloved pups and their owners. Watch expert trainers, working dog teams and exciting demonstrations in the main arenas, let your dog try something new with the have-a-go activities, or even enter your pooch into the popular novelty and companion dog classes. There will also be an incredible selection of dog products, treats, accessories, services and gifts to browse in the shopping village and plenty of space to relax.
7- 9 AUGUST Canterbury Live, Canterbury canterburylive. uk
CANTERBURY LIVE
A thrilling new addition to Kent’ s festival calendar, Canterbury Live will take over the St Lawrence Ground, home of Kent Cricket, to welcome thousands of music fans for back-to-back performances from some of the UK’ s most exciting artists. On Friday, charttopping boyband JLS will headline the opening night, joined by The Wanted 2.0 and Pixie Lott. Saturday will then see dance music powerhouse Becky Hill take to the stage, supported by Ella Eyre and rising artist Mia Kirkland, and completing the summer celebration will be British ska-pop legends Madness, joined by Cast and The Beat ft. Ranking Jnr.
2- 4 OCTOBER Broadstairs Food Festival, Broadstairs broadstairsfoodfestival. org. uk
This ultimate celebration of local flavours, passionate foodies, artisan producers and top Kentish chefs will round-off the festival season in style with its flavoursome autumn outing. Set against the backdrop of Broadstairs’ sweeping coastline, the bi-annual, free-toenter Broadstairs Food Festival offers up the perfect opportunity to taste the very best culinary delights our county has to offer. Browse almost 100 stalls of lush produce, from cheeses, preserves and bakes to condiments, ciders and wines. Be sure to catch the insightful chef demonstrations as familiar faces share their top foodie tricks.
BOING! FESTIVAL
7- 14 AUGUST Broadstairs Folk Week, Broadstairs broadstairsfolkweek. org. uk
Broadstairs Folk Week has gathered folk fans up and down the country to sing, dance and play beside the seaside in beautiful Broadstairs for over 60 years. Taking place in various venues across the town including Sarah Thorne Theatre, The Bandstand and Broadstairs Sailing Club, Folk Week boasts a wide array of top-class concerts, ceilidhs and diverse workshops to look forward to. In the striking clifftop location of Victoria Gardens, the Craft & Music Fair will also pitch up with Kent’ s finest artisans during the celebrations and families can book a spot at the festival campsite to extend the fun.
21- 23 AUGUST A New Day Festival, Faversham anewdayfestival. com
PAWS IN THE PARK
Created by like-minded, enthusiastic music lovers, A New Day is an eclectic Faversham festival taking place in the scenic setting of Mount Ephraim Gardens that features the best in prog-rock, classic rock, blues and roots music. Kicking off with a pre-festival chill-out evening on Thursday for those looking to pitch up early and camp out amongst the action, this August’ s festival schedule is as impressive as ever, with names such as Blue Stragglers, The Mentulls, Mike Sanchez and HENGE set to perform.
38 • www. insidekent. co. uk