Christmas nights out: Parties, comedy, theatre, live music
The festive party season is here. Check out our guide to getting out in Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs as we head towards Christmas
The Christmas party season is here, always an excuse to go big and silly. Thanet is as ever laying on a wide variety of events to get you in the festive mood.
Whether you're on the look out for sophisticated wine tasting or a raucous adult panto, we've got you covered. There's also live music, theatre, comedy and loads more.
We'll be updating this with more events as they're announced, so be sure to check back to fill any gaps in your calendar.
Ramsgate Winter Festival
Running from November 30 through to the end of January, Ramsgate Winter Festival features illuminations, a light art trail, workshops, music, family events and much more. There’s a huge schedule of events to brighten up the darker months of winter.
Sunday, November 30 to Monday, January 26. Various venues in Ramsgate. See the full programme.
Andy Malt
Adam Riches as Sean Bean in The 12 Beans Of Christmas
What is more Christmassy than a man in full medieval dress pretending to be Sean Bean? Find out when comedian Adam Riches welcomes you to Where Else for a night of jokes and festive games.
Thursday, December 4. Where Else, 21-22 The Centre, Margate, CT9 1RL. Tickets £16.54.
Girl Dinner
Sète in Cliftonville is hosting Girl Dinner, a festive three course feast with a women-only entry policy. Get the girls together for a night out with great food and £5 snowballs all night (other drinks are available).
Wednesday, December 10. Sète, 238 Northdown Road, Margate, CT9 2QD. £35 per person.
Letters You’ll Never Send
Confessional theatre show Letters You’ll Never Send will be putting anonymous messages with a festive twist on stage at a special Christmas edition of the show. Got a bone to pick with Santa? A festival confession you could never tell? You can submit letters to be performed on stage now.
Thursday, December 11. Tom Thumb Theatre, 2A Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville, Margate, CT9 2LB. Tickets £12.
Andy Malt
Chumpsmas
Chump’s Comedy have announced their annual Chumpsmas show. This year they’re ramping things up a level. Taking place at Dreamland, the line up is Stewart Lee, Michelle de Swarte, Harriet Kemsley and Lou Sanders. Christopher Hall will MC the night.
Thursday, December 11. Dreamland, Hall by the Sea Road, Marine Terrace, Margate CT9 1XJ. Tickets £32.80.
Crabsmas
Punk band Crabs have announced their annual festival Crabsmas show at the Tom Thumb Theatre in Cliftonville. Also on the bill are Los Coyote Men and Harmony Bo. This always sells out early, so don’t hang about.
Friday, December 12. Tom Thumb Theatre, 2A Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville, Margate, CT9 2LB. Tickets £12.
Night for Weird Folk
The festive edition of Bower Street Morris's Night for Weird Folk returns to Margate Arts Club. There will be a traditional Kentish hooding play, singing, morris dancing, tarot reading, a ceilidh and a costume competition. if you miss this, Bower Street Morris will also be doing 'wooly jumper' dances at pubs around Margate from about 1pm on Saturday, December 20, finishing with carol singing at the Shakespeare pub.
Friday, December 12. Margate Arts Club, 276 Northdown Road, Cliftonville, Margate, CT9 2PT. Tickets £8.
The Non Office Party
Ramsgate wine bar Penelope is hosting an office party for freelancers and home workers. Just remember it's not Zoom and you can't mute yourself. DJ TBX will be handling the music.
Friday, December 12. Penelope, 30 Harbour Street, Ramsgate, CT11 8HA. Free entry.
Softly Softly
Acoustic music night Softly Softly returns to Salt in Broadstairs for a special festive edition. Performers include Morag Butler, Rick Jakubowski, Megan Wardroper and Jack Hayter. It’s a nice early one too, with the music starting at 3pm. Note that no under 18s will be allowed in though.
Sunday, December 14. Salt, 127 High Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1NG. Pay-what-you-can on the door.
ELZ’s Christmas Office Party
It's been a long time since I went to an office Christmas party. Like an increasing number of us, I don’t have an office to party in. To address this issue, ELZ is organising an office party for the office-less at Olby’s in Margate. There will be DJs, karaoke, a photobooth and (don’t ask me what this means) a “photocopy machine contest”. Turn up early and you can also have Christmas dinner.
Friday, December 12. Olby's, 3-5 King Street, Margate, CT9 1DD. Tickets from £6.
Good Good Film Club
Good Good Film Club is screening a Christmas classic movie this month. Which one? You won’t know until you get there. Fun! The only clues are that it’s a contemporary American comedy drama and contains some bad language and “a lot of smoking.” There will also be a screening of short comedy films and you can pre-order Casa pizza to have while you watch the main feature.
Wednesday, December 17. Margate Arts Club, 276 Northdown Road, Cliftonville, Margate, CT9 2PT. Tickets £15 with pizza / £5 without.
Sobar Social
The Sobar Social will be at The Shakespeare for those who like going out but aren’t looking to get smashed over the festive party season. Or maybe you just need a break from all that. Head down for all kinds or alcohol-free refreshment.
Thursday, December 18, 6.30-8.30pm. The Shakespeare, 1 Canterbury Road, Margate, CT9 5AQ.
Carols by Candlelight
The Institute Collective choir will be singing carols by candlelight at Margate’s Fort Road Hotel bar. The choir have previously been heard on the soundtracks of shows like Silent Witness and True Detective. For this one-off performance, they’ll be serving up a setlist of contemporary choral reimaginings of Christmas classics and carols.
Thursday, December 18. 18 Fort Road, Margate, CT9 1HF. Tickets £14.
This Museum is (Not) Obsolete
This Museum is (Not) Obsolete in Ramsgate is having a Christmas party on Saturday, December 20. The experimental sound and tech museum will be open from 6pm until late, serving mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas music as you’ve never heard it before.
Saturday, December 20. This Museum is (Not) Obsolete, 5-7 Church Hill, Ramsgate, CT11 8RA. Free entry.
Pat Riarchy’s Seasonal Sac
Thanet drag legend Pat Riarchy takes over the new Alley Bar in Ramsgate for a special Christmas show. Pat wants to know if you’ve been naughty or nice this year and may insist that you sit on his lap as you answer. The venue promises that the show will be “loud, irreverent and rude.”
Saturday, December 20. The Alley Bar, Salt House, 12 Queen Street, Ramsgate, CT11 9DR. Tickets £10.
Zita Whalley
Christmas Assembly
Acoustic music night Assembly is putting on a special Christmas edition at The Wellington in Margate Old Town. Different from the usual event, there will be carols performed by a choir and a singalong of festive classics led by Charlie Hannah and Meg Bird. You can win big in the charity raffle and stuff your face with mince pies too.
Sunday, December 14. The Wellington, 1 Duke Street, Margate CT9 1EP. Tickets £16.69.
The Twelve Wines of Christmas
Unsure about what wine to put on the table this Christmas? Bottleneck in Broadstairs is hosting a Twelve Wines of Christmas tasting. Covering white, red, sparkling and dessert wine, you’ll taste seven wines and be introduced to another five. There’ll be cheese and charcuterie too.
Tuesday, December 16. Bottleneck, 7-9 Charlotte St, Broadstairs, CT10 1LR. Places £55.
ELZ & Dame Jame Do… Panto
Continuing their run of two person musicals, ELZ and Dame Jame turn their attention to pantomime with two performances at CAMP. Mashing up bits of all the classics, from Cinderella to Dick Whittington, with the audience deciding plot twists and making special guest appearances as the story unfolds. There will be a family-friendly matinee too.
Saturday, December 20. CAMP, 125 Northdown Road, Margate CT9 2QY. Tickets £8-12.
It’s a Wonderful Life
What would the festive season be without this perennial classic? Continuing the Palace cinema's traditional December screenings of the film, this year they'll be showing a beautifully restored copy.
Saturday, December 20; Sunday, December 21; and Tuesday, December 23. Palace Cinema, Harbour Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1ET. Tickets £9.
Boxing Day Bubbles
Keep the festivities going with Little Swift in Margate's now traditional Boxing Day Bubbles event. The bar will be cracking open bottles of champagne from midday to 10pm. Detour from a beach walk for a quick glass or settle in for the evening. Non-champagne drinks also available.
Friday, December 26. Little Swift, 7-8 Marine Drive, Margate CT9 1DH. Email hello@littleswift.co.uk to book a table.
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