VISITKENT
Yinka Shonibare MBE( RA) Nelson ' s Ship in a Bottle
THE HISTORIC DOCKYARD CHATHAM
1618-2018: 400 YEARS, THOUSANDS OF STORIES, ONE EXTRAORDINARY PLACE...
2018 IS THE HISTORIC DOCKYARD CHATHAM’ S 400TH BIRTHDAY AND THIS SPECIAL MOMENT IN NATIONAL HISTORY IS BEING MARKED WITH THEIR‘ FESTIVAL 400’ CELEBRATIONS. CELEBRATING 400 YEARS OF THE WORLD’ S MOST COMPLETE DOCKYARD FROM THE AGE OF SAIL THROUGH AN EXCITING AND INSPIRING CALENDAR OF EXHIBITIONS, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS, DON’ T MISS OUT ON THE CHANCE TO MAKE YOUR MEMORIES IN 2018 AT THE HISTORIC DOCKYARD CHATHAM.
This Easter at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, there’ s plenty of family fun to have an eggcellent day out! Celebrations begin with the Festival of Steam and Transport on Easter Sunday and Monday; it’ s back bigger and better than ever before with free funfair upon entry!*
New for this year and joining in with the festival fun is the International Food and Drink Festival, brought to you by Zoom events who are providing a pop-up street food experience with a variety of cuisines from around the globe and a mouthwatering focus on Kentish products.
There’ ll be plenty of live music and street entertainment from acts such as Dizzy O’ Dare with his giant balloon show, as well as face painters and performances throughout the day from Rock Choir who have over 100 members.
The Steampunks are also back with their imaginative array of fashion and gadgets all inspired by 19th-century industrial steampowered machinery, with an inventor’ s corner, fairies’ cave, authors’ corner and much more.
And of course, it wouldn’ t be a festival of steam and transport without celebrating classic and vintage vehicles, so don’ t forget to look in awe at these beautiful motors as well as some familiar ones from the screen such as Mr. Bean’ s Mini and the 71 Reliant Regal Van from Only Fools & Horses – brought to the festival by Movie Motors. There will also be magnificent steam displays where you can watch the dockyard’ s locomotives thunder through the streets, or see them in The Railway Workshop.
If you can’ t make it to the Festival of Steam and Transport, don’ t worry, just hop on down from the 3rd- 17th April for some egg-tastic family fun. The Captain’ s Cat is back with an egg-cellent egg hunt that’ s bigger and better than ever before. Hidden throughout the 80- acre site will be the dockyard’ s rope eggs just waiting to be found by eager explorers. Pick up your Easter trail upon arrival for clues towards where to find them, then find them all and crack the code hidden within them and you’ ll get a prize.
All included within your annual ticket, it’ s family fun not to be missed.
Also running until 17th June is the latest temporary exhibition to open at No. 1 Smithery celebrating The Historic Dockyard Chatham’ s 400th anniversary – Powerful Tides: 400 Years of Chatham and the Sea. Displaying historical and contemporary artworks from prominent names such as Tracey Emin, John Constable, Eric Ravilious and Yinka Shonibare MBE( RA) the exhibition will convey the creativity the dockyard has inspired in artists throughout its 400-year existence.
* Discounts available for advance purchases, The Historic Dockyard Chatham 12-month ticket holders, and for two-day tickets. For more information go to http:// thedockyard. co. uk / whats-on / festivalsteam-transport-2018.
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