News Blast: Fruit Trees, Margate Film Festival, ARK
The latest cultural and creative news from Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs and beyond
A new tourism body for Kent, some fruit trees for your front garden and a sell out run of tickets for David Bowie. The latest creative and cultural news from across Thanet and beyond.
Would you like to plant a fruit tree in your front garden? If you live in Ramsgate, your time is now. Ramsgate Town Council is bringing back its £5 fruit tree deal. Apple, pear, cherry and plum trees are up for grabs. It’s one tree per household and on offer to only new applicants. The trees help remove pollutants from roads and reduces the amount of carbon we breath, so sign up to the wait list. Also, trees are nice, aren’t they? Trees supplied by my favourite garden centre, Youngs. Full details.
Margate Film Festival has announced the cinematic feast will return this year, November 26-30. Put it in your diary.
Andy Malt
The first batch of free tickets to get inside the V&A’s new David Bowie Centre in East London were made available this week. And were immediately snapped up. That’s the news: no tickets for you. Not for the first six weeks the centre is open anyway. What you should probably do is sign up for ticket updates before the next release on October 22. Get all the info.
Having spent the summer closed for refurbishment, Cliftonville’s ARK venue is set to reopen on Friday, October 3. It will return with events as part of Our Freedom Then and Now - a nationwide celebration marking 80 years since the end of World War II. Head down at 3pm for the unveiling of the venue’s new Freedom Garden and to see the big changes inside. Check out the full line up of upcoming events.
Returning for its 25th festival next year, Margate Soul Festival’s super early bird tickets have sold out. However fear not, Tier Two Early Bird Weekender tickets have gone on sale for a limited time. Grab your £89.78 weekend pass.
It wasn’t that long ago that there were no branches of Giant Coffee. Do you remember? Not one. Then that little one in Margate Old Town opened. Followed by a larger cafe in Broadstairs. As of yesterday, there’s now one in Ramsgate as well, situated in the Old Wine Warehouse. Somewhat cryptically, they said in an Instagram post this week, “For now we will open as Giant doing all we do, [but] The next chapter is loading very soon and it is looking tasty.”
Kent County Council has announced that it will launch a new organisation to promote tourism in the county. This comes after Visit Kent and the partner company hired to run it fell into administration this week. Paul King, cabinet member for economic development and coastal regeneration, told BBC Radio Kent, "It won't be Visit Kent, but there will be a body that helps promote the visitor economy in Kent. We are looking at all options and want to get a result as quickly as we can."
The Kent Pop Exchange has put out an open call for musicians interested in playing an upcoming showcase. Monthly gigs at Where Else in Margate will begin in October, putting on three acts each time. Bands and performers of all ages are invited to apply, although those aged 16-30 will be prioritised. Apply now.
Broadstairs plant-y cafe Foliage has a new autumn menu - toasties, jacket potatoes, paninis and the non-carb alternative, soup. What could be more autumnal, other than rain?
Want more? Subscribe to our newsletter for a hit of arts, culture and fun things to do around Thanet and beyond in your inbox every Saturday morning.
