GO AD-FREE. Get 2 Months Digital Subscription for ONLY £1! Use code 2FOR1
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
GO AD-FREE. Get 2 Months Digital Subscription for ONLY £1! Use code 2FOR1
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
The Social music festival started out in Mote Park by local and international DJ Nic Fanciulli, and has now grown to be one of the major stops on the festival circuit, with a winter and summer event for over 18s. The Winter Social will be on Saturday, March 11, 2017, and the bigger, late summer event will be on Friday, September 29, 2017. Both are now held at the Kent Showground in Detling, near Maidstone. For details go to thesocialfestival.com
Electronic DJs and live bands will converge on multiple sites across Canterbury for the fifth City Sound Project on Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30. Headline acts for the boutique festival include White Lies, The Rifles, David Rodigan and MOB nominated AJ Tracey. Festivalgoers get a programme with acts and venues, although Secret Sets will be announced minutes before they happen through the festival app and Twitter. Tickets start at £22.50. Book at citysoundproject.com
Festival favourites and newcomers from the world of indie, rock, folk and blues music will play at the seventh Maidstone Fringe Festival from Thursday, April 27 to Bank Holiday Monday, May 1. Squeeze’s Glenn Tillbrook, BBC 2 presenter Nell Bryden and Michelle Stodart, the singer with the Magic Numbers, are among the headliners. Pubs, clubs and music venues join all-nighters and family friendly events in cafes and coffee shops for this year’s event. For details go to maidstonefringe.com
Eighties singer Rick Astley will headline one night of the 2017 Forest Live concerts at Bedgebury Pinetum near Goudhurst. The pop icon will play the Goudhurst site on Friday, June 16. Elbow will play the following night. For details go to forestry.gov.uk
BIG DAY OUT, MAIDSTONE
The second outing for the festival at Mote Park, Maidstone is on Saturday, July 1.
Expect added fun this year with more children’s television characters, children’s entertainment along with the chart topping artists, X Factor stars, a children’s disco andkaraoke stage, arts and crafts areas and workshops for the mini festivalgoers. There will also be a Food of the World Village as well as a beer, cider and ale area. Visitors can go and picnic. Tickets on sale from 10am, Monday, February 27. Early bird discounts for the first 1,000. For details go to bigdayoutfestival.com
A summer weekend of live music and dance, with free family fun, which has been attracting the crowds to Tenterden for 10 years. This year's event will be from Friday, June 30 to Sunday, July 2. For details go to tentertainment.co.uk
VICAR'S PICNIC, YALDING
Glasgow indie-rock band the Fratellis will headline this year’s Vicar’s Picnic, Kent’s biggest little music festival, which is on Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15. The triple platinum-selling band will headline the main stage on the Saturday night, following a Friday night appearance from Bruce Foxton and From the Jam. Previous years have seen Cast and Reef appearing on the main stage of the festival, organised entirely by enthusiastic volunteers. The festival will be held on The Lees with two stages and a DJ tent, plus overnight camping for families.
Tickets are on sale from Yalding Post Office, the Village Tea Rooms, Walnut Tree public house and the Chequers Inn, Laddingford, or by visiting vicarspicnic.co.uk This year it will support West Farleigh-based charity Dandelion Time.
RAMBLIN' MAN FAIR, MAIDSTONE
The Ramblin' Man Fair will be held over three days for its third year in Maidstone's Mote Park. The rock festival will start on Friday, July 28, and run through the weekend to Sunday, July 30. Headliners for the first day will be Saxon, who have played the fair before, playing the main stage on the first day. Already announced are Extreme and ZZ Top - both headlining the main stage, British Lion, Kansas, Magnum, Monster truck, Jessica Lynn and Ghoultown.
Tickets for the Friday are £45, or £65 VIP, while weekend general admission is £150 and VIP £250. For details and to book, visit ramblinmanfair.com
BROADSTAIRS FOLK WEEK
A huge event in the folk calendar for Kent - and further afield - the festival brings Broadstairs and the surrounding area alive with live music and events throughout the week. The week will be from Friday, August 11 to Friday, August 18. For details go to broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk
An eclectic boutique festival featuring music, theatre, comedy and walkabout performance will be held from Thursday, August 10 to Saturday, August 12. The event famously started in 16-year-old Lee Denny's back garden but last year celebrated its 10th anniversary with music acts in Edenbridge. For tickets and line-up go to leefest.org
The popular festival will this year be held from Friday, August 25 to Sunday, August 27. Dr Feelgood, Slade, The Yardbirds, Uriah Heap and Big Country are just some of the big names playing the three-day event at Mount Ephraim, Faversham. For tickets and details visit anewdayfestival.com
Arrested Development and gospel legend Candi Staton are among the line-up for the three-day Margate Soul Festival, which runs from Friday, August 4 to Sunday, August 6. There will be more than 50 DJs, two stages and seven themed venues. For tickets, visit facebook.com/mswfestival
FAVERSHAM HOP FESTIVAL
The two-day extravaganza to celebrate the county's hop harvest will be held on Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3. With parades, live music and nostalgic events, the weekend takes over the town. For details go to favershamhopfestival.org
The 25th folk festival will be held over four days in the autumn. From Thursday, October 5 to Sunday, October 8 there will be folk song, music, dance, crafts and traditions. The festival includes many free events with gigs in pubs and local venues. For details visit tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk
