Incoming: A Dead Good Festival, Building Stories, Wild Life Drawing
Upcoming events in Thanet, East Kent and London, including a four day Halloween festival, creators discussing storytelling and more
A four day celebration of magic and myth, an exploration of storytelling, drawing a frog called Jabba and much more. Our pick of events coming up in Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, East Kent and London.
The Samhain Society has announced A Dead Good Festival, a four day celebration of ritual, magic, music, and myth from October 30 to November 2. There will be a programme of talks, workshops, film screenings, and immersive experiences across two Margate venues, Smith & Sun and Bar Nothing. There will also be a beach procession and ritual and historical walking tour. Sign up for updates.
We’re putting on an event as part of this year’s Margate Bookie literary festival! On Thursday, October 9 at the Margate School, Building Stories will look at how stories are created and curated in different forms outside traditional prose. We will speak to actor and dancer Ash Mukherjee, actor and director Jon Edgley Bond, songwriter and director of Margate’s Social Singing Choir Hughie Gavin, The Body As Data’s Sidonie Carey-Green, and Margate Queer Library & Archive founder Sé Nomayo. Tickets £6.
Wild Life Drawing are bringing their animal life drawing classes to Ramsgate. Taking place at Gather&, the first will see a group of owls striking poses on Thursday, October 9. Tickets £35, including a 10% donation to the Barn Owl Trust. Then on Sunday, November 9, the theme will be rescue animals, with models including Hettie the Pygmy Hedgehog, Mika the meerkat, and Jabba the African bull frog. Tickets £35, including a 10% donation to the South Essex Wildlife Hospital.
London’s Comedy Store venue has announced that it will be bringing some big names down to Margate for four nights in 2026. Dreamland’s Hall by the Sea will host the performances on February 28, May 2, October 17 and November 28. No names have been announced yet but tickets go on sale on Friday. We already have plenty of big comedy names coming to Margate courtesy of Chump’s, of course.
Andy Malt
Margate WI hosts a fundraising quiz next month, with a variety of prizes donated by local businesses up for grabs. It takes place at Roosty’s in the Kent Innovation Centre in Broadstairs at 7pm on Friday, October 3. Entry is £6 per person with a maximum team size of eight. Money raised will support Margate WI itself and the Margate Bookshop’s Free Books for Schools initiative. To book, email margatewi@gmail.com with the subject Quiz Tickets.
The Fangs A Lot pop-up snakebite bar will be making a comeback for a Halloween special at Bar Nicoletta on Thursday, October 30. There will be a variety of cocktails based on the classic lager and cider blend that was the downfall of so many of us as students. There will probably be some sort of performance. It may all be quite difficult to remember in the morning.
Get the Word Out, a new creative writing night, has its first outing at the Old Curiosity Shop in Broadstairs on Monday, September 22. Poets, storytellers and songwriters and invited to come and share their work and get informal feedback (if they want it). Tickets are £5, which includes a hot drink.
Neoclassical record label Bigo & Twigetti will be holding its annual composer showcase at St Ethelburgas Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in London on Thursday, November 27. In-house string ensemble Curve Ensemble will perform pieces by various composers signed to the label. These nights are always very special, relaxed and intimate performances. Watch this video for an idea of what to expect. Tickets £20.
Disco-pop night Double D’s returns for its second edition on Saturday, November 29 at CAMP in Cliftonville, following its sell out first last month. Resident DJ AKA Fox will be joined by a TBA guest. Tickets from £3.
Liverpool indie band Courting will be coming down to Margate on Friday, November 7 for a show at Where Else. The band released their third album Lust for Life in March. Tickets £12.
Lovers of beer and German things, Oktoberfest is coming to Quex Park on Saturday, October 18. Grab a stein and enjoy oompah bands, bratwurst, pretzels and lederhosen. This is the event’s tenth anniversary and one of the things listed as new for 2025 is glitter. And what isn’t improved with glitter? Don’t answer that. Tickets from £20.
Patrick Wolf has announced that he will bring his Yulenite winter solstice celebration to his adopted home of Kent this December. He and his band will play two matinee shows at the Quarterhouse in Folkestone on December 20 and 21. Trudgepig Folk Theatre will also be on hand for a traditional Kentish Hooden Horse ceremony. Tickets £29.50.
Margate co-working space Bon Volks celebrates its tenth anniversary on Saturday, September 27. A day-long celebration at the venue will include open studios, performances, workshops and a silent auction.
Also celebrating its tenth birthday and the winter solstice, Margate Arts Club has announced a free party on Saturday, December 20. It will also be Luke Vandenberg’s last night before handing over the running of the venue to Pink Suits. DJs including Luke, Leeland Crane, Hubert Zirconium and James Leadbitter will be spinning disco all night. Free tickets.
Tonetic Records will host a talk on making money in music, Artist manager Dan Garber and musician Lanta will discuss carving out a career in the industry both as a performer and behind the scenes. It takes place at Canterbury Christ Church University’s Daphne Oram Creative Arts Building on Thursday, September 25. Suggested donation £5.
Jonny Woo’s alternative performance, comedy and drag extravaganza Un-Royal Variety returns for a three night run at Soho Theatre Walthamstow from November 13-15. The incredible line up includes musicians Peaches and David McAlmont, comedians Jade Adams and Sam Nicoresti, drag acts Camille Leon and Azara and loads more. Definitely worth the hassle of getting to Walthamstow. Tickets £30.
Japanese restaurant Mori Mori and pie-focussed supper club CRIMP and teaming up for a one-off menu at the George & Heart in Margate. There will be dumplings. There will be pies. It will be an autumnal Japanese inspired feast. Put Wednesday, October 8 in your diary. Tickets £35.
Salt in Broadstairs reopens its bar next month with a big party in celebration. There will be beer, wine, cocktails, small plates, plus a DJ to wash it all down. Head down on Friday, October 3 from 6.30pm to 10pm.
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