Whether you want to hurtle around a race track or get cuddly with some farm animals, there is plenty going on in Kent this Bank Holiday weekend. Chris Price reports.

Buckmore Park, Chatham

Aspiring drivers can turn up and try their hand at an open day on the track where former F1 champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button learned their trade. Anyone aged four and above can take on the floodlit circuit. The 120-metre mini GP circuit is open to children aged four to seven for 15 minute sessions on the 5mph electric karts. Children aged eight to 11 can drive the 20mph petrol karts on the 300-metre Club circuit. Youths aged 12 to 16 can test their skills on 40mph petrol karts on the 600-metre National circuit.

When: Until the evening on Bank Holiday Monday.

Cost: Prices from £15.

Address: Buckmore Park, Maidstone Road, Chatham ME5 9QG

Contact: 01634 201562 or www.buckmore.co.uk

Chiddingstone Castle

See samurai sword demonstrations at an open day at the castle inspired by its collection of Japanese armour, swords and lacquer. The sword arts of iai and tameshigiri will be accompanied by a demonstration of chado, the traditional garden tea ceremony. Visitors can also ask questions about bonsai trees, the flower arranging art of ikebana and a model will be dressed in a traditional kimono. Children can take part in Japanese art and craft activities.

When: 11am to 4pm on Bank Holiday Monday.

Cost: Adults £7, children £4, under-fives free, families £19.50.

Address: Chiddingstone Castle, Hill Hoath Road, Chiddingstone TN8 7AD

Contact: 01892 870347 or www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk

Doddington Place Gardens, near Sittingbourne

Have a trot on a pony ride and take aim at have-a-go archery in a day of family activities. Children can have their faces painted, try crafts and go on a treasure hunt. There is also a beat the goalie competition and a flying demonstration from birds of prey at 3pm. Then grab a cream tea.

When: 11am to 5pm on Bank Holiday Monday.

Cost: Adults £5, children £1.

Address: Doddington Place Gardens, near Sittingbourne ME9 0BB

Contact: 01795 886101 or www.doddingtonplacegardens.co.uk

Dover Castle

Steer a course for the castle for a weekend of seagoing entertainment. Watch a motley crew of pirates settle their differences with swordplay and gambling. See the ship's surgeon busily patch up his shipmates, and aspiring actors can perform in two seafaring plays. Children can also find out how England's realm was defended and try their hand at directing a battle to defeat the 1588 Spanish Armada. There will also be pirate songs and face painting.

When: 10am to 5pm from Saturday, August 27 to Bank Holiday Monday.

Cost: Adults £13.90, concessions £11.80, children £7, families £34.80, plus £1 per child for pirate activities.

Address: Dover Castle, Harold's Road, Dover CT16 1HU

Contact: 0870 333 1181 or www.english-heritage.org.uk

East Kent Railway, near Dover

The third Beer and Cider Festival at the railway will have people chugging away for three days. The colliery line's station is a short walk from the Southeastern mainline station at Shepherdswell, meaning it is easy to stay for a few. The colliery line takes beer lovers to Eythorne, where there will be a beer tent and picnic area. Train rides run all day and there will also be a barbecue.

When: Saturday, August 27, to Bank Holiday Monday.

Cost: Adults £7, concessions £6, children £4, families £19.

Address: East Kent Railway, Station Road, Shepherdswell, Dover CT15 7PD

Contact: 01304 832042 or www.eastkentrailway.co.uk

Hever Castle

The Knights of Royal England return to joust for King Henry VIII, pitting the brave knights of the Blue Order against their arch rivals from the Red Banner. There will be stunts, falls and fights. Children can come dressed up as young knights or princesses and parade before the Tudor monarch, with prizes for the best costumes. There will also be a hog roast tent. Then see breathtaking displays of Tudor falconry as birds of prey soar overhead. The displays will be interspersed with longbow warfare demonstrations from The Companye of the Whyte Boar.

When: Jousting on Friday, August 26, and Saturday, August 27. Tudor falconry on Sunday, August 28, and Bank Holiday Monday.

Cost: Adults £14, seniors £12, children £8, families £36.

Address: Hever Castle, Hever, near Edenbridge TN8 7NG

Contact: 01732 865224 or www.hevercastle.co.uk

Hop Farm Family park, Paddock Wood

Children can learn dances and sing along with songs at Camp Hop with the Hop Farm's entertainers. The summer camp will teach visitors how to play musical instruments and run sports tournaments on the lawns. There is also a bouncy castle and go karts.

When: Every day until Wednesday, August 31.

Cost: £14.90, seniors £8.70, children £12.80, families £47.50.

Address: The Hop Farm Family Park, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge TN12 6PY

Contact: 01622 872068 or www.thehopfarm.co.uk

Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks

Take a look at the colobus monkeys and langurs in their open-top enclosures at Howletts before marvelling at the curious lemurs in the Walking with Lemurs experience. Port Lympne has lions, tigers and small cats in its Carnivore Territory and visitors can also see the monkeys and gorillas on the Primate Trail. Giraffes, zebra and rhino roam freely in the African Experience. Both parks will have daily talks and feeds.

When: 9.30am to 6pm throughout the weekend.

Cost: Howletts adults £19.95, children £15.95, under threes free. Port Lympne adults £22.95, children £18.95, under-threes free.

Address: Howletts Wild Animal Park, Bekesbourne, near Canterbury CT4 5EL; Port Lympne Wild Animal & Safari Park, Lympne, near Hythe CT21 4PD

Contact: 0844 842 4647 or www.aspinallfoundation.org

Kent Life, Maidstone

Birds of prey will take over the park in a falconry day. Swooping overhead will be a barn owl, eagle owl, a griffon vulture, a bald eagle, a harris hawk and peregrine falcon. As well as seeing the hunting skills, families can have their picture drawn by a caricaturist for £5. Families can still explore the park's 28 acres and give animals a cuddle, ride tractors and go wild in the play areas. There are daily sheep races as part of the parks's summer SheepFest.

When: 10am to 6pm Bank Holiday Monday with falconry displays at 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Cost: Adults £8.95, concessions £7.75, children £6.50, under-fours free.

Address: Kent Life, Lock Lane, Sandling, Maidstone ME14 3AU

Contact: 01622 763936 or www.kentlife.org.uk

Leeds Castle

Watch some children's theatre on the lawn as the Wind in the Willows is performed by the Cambridge Touring Theatre. Families can bring a picnic to this open-air show and watch Ratty, Mole, Badger and Mr Toad.

When: 5pm on Saturday, August 27, and Sunday, August 28.

Cost: Adults £12, children £10.

Address: Leeds Castle, Maidstone ME17 1PL

Contact: 01622 765400 or www.leeds-castle.com

Penshurst Place

There will be a chance to learn about life in the Napoleonic Wars as part of the stately home and gardens' Back to Regency events this summer. Get hands on with the history of the early 19th century at the height of the Peninsular War. There will be games and the chance to try on costumes at the historical property. The battle-hardened can take aim as they try paintball cannon shooting.

When: Noon to 4pm on Sunday, August 28, and Bank Holiday Monday.

Cost: Adults £7.80, children £5.80, families £23.

Address: Penshurst Place, Penshurst, Tonbridge TN11 8DG

Contact: 01892 870307 or www.penshurstplace.com

Turner Contemporary, Margate

There is a lot more going on beside street show BLINK on the Margate seafront - see page 3. The first of the monthly Late Night Live performances, Nocturne, takes place on Friday. Dance company Wayne McGregor/Random Dance will fill every space of the gallery with performances with the help of talks from scientists, lecturers and artists. On Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday the family workshop will teach visitors how to make mirror buildings inspired by Ellen Harvey's Arcadia. Also on Bank Holiday Monday, see a miniature theatre performance by local artist Robert Poulter and artist Serena Korda called Space for the Imagination: The Depiction of Clouds.

When: Throughout the bank holiday weekend.

Cost: Nocturne free, mirror buildings £2 per child, under-threes and accompanying adults free, Space for the Imagination £5, concessions £4. Standard Turner admission free.

Address: Turner Contemporary, Rendezvous, Margate CT9 1HG

Contact: 01843 233000 or www.turnercontemporary.org