insideKENT Magazine Issue 41 - August 2015 | Page 13

NEWS

TICKETS NOW ON SALE AS LINE-UP OF ENTERTAINERS CONFIRMED
FOR SALUTE TO THE ‘40S!

Tickets are now on sale as Chatham Historic
Dockyard Trust has announced the full line up of
entertainers performing at this year’s Salute to
the ‘40s on 19th and 20th September at The
Historic Dockyard Chatham. Recognised as one
of Britain’s 'Best Vintage Festivals' by The Daily
Telegraph in 2014, this year’s event will celebrate
the 70th a nniversary of the end of the Second
World War and be full of vintage spirit and nostalgia
from start to finish.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham will provide a
very welcome return to some of the best
entertainers who have performed at Salute to the
‘40s in previous years. Appearing throughout the
weekend are Madeline Brown, The Polka Dot
Dolls and Natasha Harper – all first class 1940's
vocalists who put their own interpretation on
wartime classics. The Three Towns Theatre
Company performs a mock 1940's radio show,
whilst Paul Casper, the George Formby
Experience, Puttin’ on the Blitz, Mickey Driver
and Adam Hoffman all add fantastic male voices
to the programme.

Gypsy John and the Cinque Ports Lindy Hoppers
will be entertaining the crowds again, dancing all
weekend with lindy hop, swing and jive
performances and workshops in the British Family
Fayre area; and new for 2015 will be The London
Swing Orchestra, The Femmes, DJ Danger UXB,
and Justin and the Argonauts.
Of the three stages at this year's event, The
Spitfire Stage will host the music that kept the
home front morale high, and will be flanked by a
full-size replica Spitfire and encampment,
surrounded by 1940's civilian vehicles, a fire
station, anti-aircraft guns, a general store, and a
bombed-out house! The Hurricane Stage is at
the heart of the military encampments, military
vehicles and re-enactors area – and is where
performers will entertain the ‘troops at war’. The
British Family Fayre Stage, on the back of a
Matador truck, provides entertainment and reenactor performances as visitors sit ‘street party’
style and enjoy delicious traditional food and
drink.

At the end of the afternoon, all performers will
join together for a heart-warming finale on
The Spitfire Stage for a singsong and farewell to
round off each day.
The Spirit of Kent Spitfire, with its distinctive
engine sound, flies overhead on both days in a
spectacular air display adding to the
celebrations. A vintage fair and parade of vintage
fashion, plus a wartime fire station, will also add
to the authentic feel of the event.
For full event details, visit
www.thedockyard.co.uk/salutetothe40s.
Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased
via the website or by calling the Ticket Hotline on
01634 823826. Group admission prices are also
available for groups of 15 or more, by calling
Group Sales on 01634 823815

LONELY PLANET NAMES KENT THE TOP FAMILY DESTINATION
IN EUROPE FOR 2015
It was cause for a celebration this June as Lonely
Planet, the largest travel guidebook publisher in
the world, named Kent as the top family
destination in Europe for 2015.
Chief executive of Visit Kent, Sandra-Matthews
Marsh MBE, said: “We are absolutely thrilled by
this news, and welcome this accolade from a
highly respected authority on travel.
“This is the happy result of a decade of ongoing
hard work to transform the county’s image and
offer through tourism and to bring Kent’s unique
story to life.
“As Lonely Planet recognised, our county offers
‘a host of opportunities for curious young minds’;
we combine rich heritage with cutting-edge
culture.
“The Kent coast is experiencing a thrilling
renaissance, and we have more Blue Flag
beaches than anywhere else in the UK. You don’t
need to go to Europe for sun, sea and sand!

“We are dedicated to delivering a strong, joinedup tourism strategy with our public and private
sector partners, and award-winning marketing
with M&C Saatchi, which has helped us deliver
a world-class product that is coherently marketed.
“Where else can you see Grayson Perry ceramics,
the Magna Carta, the White Cliffs Dover, Wayne
Hemingway’s Dreamland, giraffes crossing a
savannah, and taste award-winning English wine?”

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Sandra added, in her capacity as chairman of
the Tourism Society: “The success of Kent as a
product underscores the critical importance of
having a joint vision and long-term strategy for a
destination, and the importance of destination
management organisations.”
www.visitkent.co.uk