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Easter events in Kent for all the family

There's no need to hunt out the Easter fun - our guide for Kent has it all.

LOVEASHFORD EASTER TRAIL

On Easter Saturday, April 20, there will be Easter activities in Ashford town centre, sponsored by LoveAshford.com from 19am to 3pm. The Easter Trail runs from 11am to 2pm around the High Street, Park Mall and County Square, with hidden letters and a code to crack for an Easter egg. Trail maps from the Loveashford gazebo next to the bandstand. Crafts are on offer between 11am and 3pm in Park Mall and in County Square between 10.30am and 3.30pm. Details at loveashford.com

The long Easter weekend has lots going on
The long Easter weekend has lots going on

EASTER TRAIL, CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL

The free Easter trail, put on by the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral, is on Easter Sunday, April 21, between 12.30pm and 2.30pm. The trail will lead you around the cathedral precincts to find clues in order to collect a Fairtrade Easter egg.To find out more and other events coming up at the cathedral visit the website at canterbury-cathedral.org/whats-on

Canterbury Cathedral has a special Easter egg hunt
Canterbury Cathedral has a special Easter egg hunt

SPRING LAMBS & PIGLETS, BROGDALE

The annual Easter fun at the Faversham attractions runs from Good Friday, April 19 to Easter Sunday, April 21. Visitors will be able to see hatching chicks, spring lambs, rabbits and piglets, plus daily falconry displays Faversham Miniature Railway will be running train rides all weekendand there will be an Easter egg hunt through the orchards - plus the Easter bunny will pop in. There will also be storytelling and food to buy. Details at brogdalecollections.org

You can see little lambs at Brogdale this Easter weekend
You can see little lambs at Brogdale this Easter weekend

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE, KENWARD TRUST

For the third year running, Walk on the Wild Side comes to the grounds of the Yalding trust's grounds on Easter Monday, April 22. There will be a funfair, a play area and Easter Egg trail, plus animals including alpacas. Entry is £2 with under 12s free. Details at kenwardtrust.org.uk.

Elsie Harris cuddles up to Christy Wenban, at Kenward Trust's Walk on the Wild Side last year Picture: John Westhrop
Elsie Harris cuddles up to Christy Wenban, at Kenward Trust's Walk on the Wild Side last year Picture: John Westhrop

WELCOME SPRING, ELWICK PLACE, ASHFORD

Head down to Elwick Place Piazza in Ashford between 11am and 2pm on Easter Saturday, April 20 for their Welcome Spring celebration packed with free, family-friendly activities. Check out the Sowing Zone where you can pick your favourite seeds and plant them in a pot to take home. Plus local farmer Ed Kyrke-Smith, owner of Rebel Farmer, will be demonstrating how to grow fresh food in any space. There will also be live music and fresh vegetables and colourful flowers on display.

Welcome in spring in Ashford
Welcome in spring in Ashford

EASTER WEEKEND AT RARE BREEDS CENTRE, WOODCHURCH

From Good Friday, April 19 to Easter Monday, April 22, there's a range of animal fun at the Rare Breeds Centre, including the chance to wash a pig. They love it and you'll love it too. Washing times are at 11am and 1pm. There's also a chance to greet the Easter Bunny and help young visitors find the clues for the Chocolate Bunny Hunt and get an Easter treat. The games are in the main arena at 11.30am and 1.30pm. There will also be a show, The Three Little Piggies, by Wiley Wolf Productions at noon and 2pm. To find out more go to rarebreeds.org.uk

Eve and Mia Dury meet the Easter Bunny at the Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch last year Picture: Chris Davey
Eve and Mia Dury meet the Easter Bunny at the Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch last year Picture: Chris Davey

DEMELZA EGG HUNT

Demelza holds its annual Easter egg hunt on Good Friday, April 19. Head along to Rook Lane to help Cotton Tail find his friends in the Demelza gardens. Each child will receive a prize for completing the hunt. There will also be stalls and refreshments. The hunt costs £3, adults are free. Details at demelza.org.uk

EASTER BUNNY HUNT, GREAT COMP

The garden near Borough Green hosts its children’s Bunny Hunt from Good Friday, April 19 to Easter Monday, April 22, when children can find all the bunnies dotted around the seven-acre gardens for a chocolate prize. Under fives get in free; ages six to 17 £3. More at greatcompgarden.co.uk

The Great Comp bunny hunt
The Great Comp bunny hunt

LEEDS CASTLE, MAIDSTONE

It’s a big year for the castle as it celebrates its 900th birthday. There will be a range of activities on offer at the castle for Easter, culminating in performances by the Junk Orchestra, who will be performing jamming sessions on the Pavilion Lawn from Good Friday, April 19 to Easter Monday, April 22, with instruments constructed from bits of old rubbish. The new Adventure Golf and Knight’s Stronghold Playground is now also open for visitors. Details at leeds-castle.com

Adventure Golf at Leeds Castle. Picture: www.matthewwalkerphotography.com
Adventure Golf at Leeds Castle. Picture: www.matthewwalkerphotography.com

For more Easter activities click here

EASTER BUNNY HUNT, CHIDDINGSTONE CASTLE

The Funny Bunny Ester Hunt runs all the way through the Easter weekend and on to Wednesday, April 24. Pick up a clue sheet and find all the bunnies hidden around the grounds. The sheet costs £2. Entry to the castle is £9.50 and £4.50 for five to 13s, with under fives free. Go to chiddingstonecastle.org.uk or call 01892 870347.

Chiddingstone Castle Funny Bunny hunt
Chiddingstone Castle Funny Bunny hunt

CADBURY EASTER EGG HUNTS, NATIONAL TRUST

There are themed trails and egg hunts daily at National Trust properties across Kent, most ending on Easter Monday, April 22. Sites include Chartwell, Scotney Castle, Ightham Mote, Emmetts Garden, Knole and Sissinghurst. More details at nationaltrust.org

EASTER EGG HUNT, DUNORLAN PARK, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

The Friends of Dunorlan Park have organised an Easter egg hunt on Easter Saturday, April 20, between 2pm and 4pm. Meet at the cafe at the park. The hunt is free and there are some small prizes to be won.

Make sure you wear suitable footwear for the parkland hunt.

There's bucket loads of Easter egg hunts this long weekend
There's bucket loads of Easter egg hunts this long weekend

EASTER FUN, SPA VALLEY RAILWAY

There will be an Easter egg hunt and chocolate reward at the railway during the Easter weekend, from Good Friday, April 19 to Easter Monday, April 22. Trains will also be running. Book at spavalleyrailway.com

EASTER EGG QUIZ, LULLINGSTONE

Lullingstone Castle and The World Garden kicks off its season with family fun on Saturday, April 20 with the fun running through to Easter Monday, April 22, between 11am and 5pm daily. Scour the two-acre World Garden for clues to get a surprise and meet Easter characters. Details at lullingstonecastle.co.uk with entry £10 and under 15s free.

Easter at Lullingstone Castle Picture: Alan Graham
Easter at Lullingstone Castle Picture: Alan Graham

SHORNE WOODS COUNTRY PARK, GRAVESEND

Shorne Woods Country Park is holding an Easter Bunny Day on Easter Sunday, April 21. Follow a marked trail around the park hunting for the hidden Easter animals and get an Easter Egg from the Easter Bunny at the end. It takes around 30 minutes. Tickets are £6. Book at bookings.kentcountryparks.co.uk

WESTGATE PARKS, CANTERBURY

The Friends of Westgate Parks are holding an Easter Trail on Saturday, April 20. The event, which begins in Westgate Gardens, takes place between 10am and 3pm and costs £2.50 per person. Colouring and craft activities will also be on offer. Find out more at westgateparks.co.uk

HEMPSTEAD VALLEY, GILLINGHAM

The shopping centre is hosting free Easter bunny hunts until Saturday, April 20. Find the Easter Bunny clues around the centre, unscramble the letters and return to claim a free, mini chocolate treat.Events run from 11am to 3pm and there is no need to book but children need to be supervised. Details at hempsteadvalley.com

Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre has Easter fun, including face painting as Alice Johnson found out Picture: Matthew Walker
Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre has Easter fun, including face painting as Alice Johnson found out Picture: Matthew Walker

EGG-CELLENT ADVENTURE, BLUEWATER

The centre's Egg-cellent Adventure invites little ones to explore the mall and look for items that have been transformed into eggs by the dastardly Professor Oeuf. With his Egg-a-tron 3000, the professor has scrambled eight well known things into eggs, with some up to 6ft tall, so keep your eyes peeled. Maps are £1 and every child completing the trail will receive a sweet treat. You can collect a trail map from any concierge desk around the mall. The event runs until Easter Monday, April 22. Details of this and other activities on offer, including the Selfie Factory, which is open until Sunday, May 5, go to bluewater.co.uk

There is a selfie factory at Bluewater
There is a selfie factory at Bluewater

EASTER AT THE HOP FARM FAMILY PARK, NEAR PADDOCK WOOD

There will be a daily programme of fun indoor entertainment, including magic shows, party dancing and balloon modelling, as part of activities throughout the school Easter holidays, which run until Easter Monday, April 22. For more details go to thehopfarm.co.uk

WESTWOOD CROSS, BROADSTAIRS

The centre has a dinosaur-inspired Easter egg hunt until Easter Sunday, April 21. Collect a form from the management suite's guest services and hunt for eggs inside the centre's dinosaurs to get a chocolate treat.

ENGLISH HERITAGE

Join the hunt for dragon eggs by cracking the clues and following the family trail at Dover Castle which leads to a dragon, certificate and sticker.... plus a chocolate treat. It costs £1 per child, plus standard admission. Details at englishheritage.org.uk At Rochester Castle, the family trail runs until Easter Monday, April 22, and is suitable for ages five to 12 - though anyone can have a go - and there’s a chance to win a prize. The trail costs 80p, plus standard admission costs. To find out more go to visitmedway.org Upnor Castle’s trail runs until Easter Monday, April 22. There’s a chance to win a small prize for children. The trail costs 80p per child, plus admission fees. Details at visitmedway.org

DINO LIVE, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

The free dinosaur attraction has stomped back in to the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre with a new selection of dinosaurs until Tuesday, April 23 - including. The event life size animatronic Parasaurolophus, Shunosaurus, Raptorex and Stegosaurus. It will be open from 9am until 6pm Monday to Saturday, with a later close of 8pm on Thursday but the centre is shut on Easter Sunday.

Details at royalvictoriaplace.com

Dino Live at Royal Victoria Place
Dino Live at Royal Victoria Place

EASTER FUN, WHITEFRIARS

The shopping centre in Canterbury has Easter fun running through to Saturday, April 20, from 11am to 4pm daily. There will be Easter bunny selfies, the chance to decorate an Easter card, an egg rolling competition and games with prizes - plus regular appearances by the Easter bunny. There will be a treasure trail around the stores with an Easter treat at the end and a colouring contest. For full details go to whitefriars.co.uk

PORT LYMPNE & HOWLETTS

Animals at the parks near Hythe and Canterbury got to enjoy early Easter treats this week, a bit like their human counterparts. The parks are running a Kids Eat Free offer until Easter Sunday, April 21. Go to aspinallfoundation.org/kids-eat-free

HISTORIC DOCKYARD, CHATHAM

There’s still time to catch the Easter activities on offer at Chatham’s Historic Dockyard, as they run through to Saturday, April 20, before making way for the Festival of Steam and Transport. Inside Doc.Yard’s Secret Lab inside the No.1 Smithery, Doc. Yard has set off on a nuclear submarine and left Bunsen with several experiments that explore the use of sound to complete. Young visitors can join Bunsen and get to see some of Doc’s favourite sound experiments in an interactive 20-minute experience. After checking the audience are loud enough, visitors will be allowed into the sound laboratory for some interactive science fun, such as talking through a drain pipe. Other experiments include the Ripple Tank, Singing Bowls and Battle ropes. You will need to get a timed ticket when you enter for your trip to the lab. Entry tickets to the dockyard last for a year, so if you pay once, you can go as many times as you like through the year. Book at thedockyard.co.uk

* To find your nearest pharmacy open over the four-day bank holiday weekend go to healthhelpnow.nhs.uk

Read more: All the latest events happening across Kent, including for the Easter holidays

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