News and things to do: Festive lights, winter warmers, carol singing
Thanet is not winding down for Christmas, there are lots of events in the diary for the rest of 2024 and into 2025
Margate Creative Land Trust has announced a fresh Emergency Support Fund round. If you’re a creative organisation, apply for up to £10K, which could be used for things like emergency repair work, legal advice, surveys and reports and feasibility work. It’s open until Friday, January 10. Full details.
Thanet's very own Lou Sanders and fellow stand up comedian John Robins will be hosting a special New Year’s Eve Eve live stream to brighten up the post-Christmas lull. The pair will chat to each other and some secret special guests. They’ll be online at 8pm on December 30. Tickets are £8, with £1 for each sale being donated to Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse.
The Ramsgate Lumiere festival runs through to January 3, but right now we’re in what’s billed as the Weekend of Wonder. That weekend kicked off on Thursday, but there are still lots of light-based events to catch over the next two days. The programme includes a Christmas tree festival, illuminated boats in the harbour, digital art, lanterns, and more. Find out more.
Tracey Emin’s TKE Studios is holding a pop-up Christmas market this weekend, with items on sale from its resident artists. Go and grab gifts made by Lindsey Mendick, Layla Andrews, Dominic Watson, Ted Rogers, Mercedes Lucy, Gabriela Max and Jack Hirons. Runs 12-5pm today and tomorrow.
Breakbeat pioneer Krafty Kuts will be heading to Ramsgate Music Hall for an all night DJ set on Friday, February 28. A master of the turntable, with sets that span a wide array of genres, this will be a really great night. Tickets are £19.83.
CAMP is hosting its Beige Buffet on Saturday, December 21; a spread of Iceland’s finest frozen food. It’s a free shin-dig that starts at 2pm, to say thanks for supporting the venue throughout the year and for showing your love in their Crowdfunder and membership drive.
The Margate School is currently hosting its first affordable art fair, which still has two days left. Get down to Margate High Street today and tomorrow to pick up original artwork, prints, books and other stuff from the likes of Sue Pitman, Arnold Borgerth, Ash Pure, Eirinn Hayhow and Grace Saint.
Itchy Rich and Dame Jame will be taking over Margate Arts Club on tonight for a Christmas House Party. There will be festive drag shows, dancing and games, plus guest DJ Inky. Tickets are £5-10.
Hit the pubs in Margate on Tuesday, December 17 to catch The Social Singing Choir on their Charity Carolling Crawl, raising money for Arts Education Exchange. Starts at Little Swift at 7.15pm, before hitting the Old Town Market Square at 7.45pm, and will finish at Where Else for a Christmas party and raffle at 8.30pm.
Ark in Cliftonville is putting on its first ever Christmas Show, The Christmas Goblin, created by Margate’s Brigitte Aphrodite and Gaz Tomlinson, aka Quiet Boy. The show tells the tale of 11-year-old Daphne who unleashes mischievous creatures on snow-doused Margate. Running until December 21. Tickets are £5.
Hankering for a supper club before the end of the year, MOP will be setting up shop in Bar Nothing's kitchen on Sunday, December 22 to cook up a festive feast. There will be two sittings at 3pm and 6.30pm. Meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans all covered. £25 per person.
Thinking ahead to the new year, Neptune’s Hall in Broadstairs is putting on a big New Year’s Day party for those not partied out from the night before. Energise yourself with a roast lunch from 2pm (booking required), then dance to DJs Bill Brewster (author of the excellent Last Night A DJ Saved My Life) and Rosy Ross from 4-11pm.
Marine Studios in Margate has launched a monthly Quiet Reading Group. Free from the distractions of home, rock up with your favourite book, make a cup of tea and read for a couple of hours. It takes place on the second Thursday of each month, 6-8.30pm. The first took place on Thursday, with the next one on January 9. Entry is free.
Margate Radio will be taking over Sargasso on the Harbour Arm on Wednesday, December 18 from 6-10pm. The kitchen will be closed but the drinks will be flowing and there will be some excellent music from various DJs. Also, mince pies are promised. Free entry.
Get out of the house this Twixtmas (yuk, what a word. Sorry) for Where Ele’s Winter Pub Sports Olympics. On Friday, December 27 from 6pm to midnight the bar will be your place to play pool, darts, beer pong and shut the box. Free entry.
Black Midi’s Geordie Greep is heading to Margate Lido for a show on Saturday, April 5 in support of his solo album The New Sound, which came out in October. Need convincing? Geordie has just released a video of a full live show on YouTube. Tickets are £20.
Following a successful first edition back in the summer, Ramsgate Pride has announced that it will return on Saturday, June 14 2025. Follow on Instagram for updates.
ICYMI - previous tipped events happening in the next week
Dreamland’s Christmas World opens today (December 14). There are rides, indoor snowball fights, Santa’s grotto and more. Entry is free, but you need tickets for the grotto. Full details.
The Happy Reading Bookshop in Broadstairs is hosting a festive storytime and craft session today with author Neal Hoskins. For 6 year olds and old, there’s a session at 1.30pm-2pm, while 3 year olds and older can turn up at 11am. Tickets are £5.
The Clayspace Ceramics Market is open today, 10am to 4pm, at Clayspace Studios, at 60 Ethelbert Road Cliftonville.
Huey Morgan putting on his Xmas Block Party at Faith In Strangers in Margate tonight. Tickets are £22.66.
Jack Goldstein will be taking over the kitchen at Madre in Margate on Sunday for a chestnut themed supper club menu. You’ll have to try your luck on the waiting list if you want to get in.
Rakookoo will be setting up shop at The Good Egg in Cliftonville on Wednesday, December 18. For £40pp, you’ll get a four course meal including Issan spiced duck, grilled hispi cabbage, Javanese fish curry and coconut panna cotta. Book your table.
Grace Campbell hosts this year's Chump's Comedy Christmas party. She'll be joined by fellow stand ups Chris Hall, Sophie Duker, Alice Brine and Dom McGovern. Tickets are £18.04, but you'll need to join to waiting list.
Pole Dancing studio, Solstice Studio is hosting its Christmas Cabaret at Faith in Strangers on Wednesday, December 18. Drag act Shelly Grotto hosts, and there will also be a raffle and (non pole-based) dancing. Tickets £10.
There’s just one more week to donate to CAMP’s crowdfunder. They’ve already smashed their target, but are now aiming to raise more to be able to put on a programme of events through the quieter winter months. Donate here.
