The best things to do in Thanet, East Kent and London

We all know how delightful The Margate Bookshop is, so it’s no surprise they have been chosen as a regional finalists for the the British Book Awards Independent Bookshop of the Year award, again. In fact, it’s their fifth time at this rodeo. While you can just leisurely peruse the shop’s titles, look out for their book clubs and book related events too.

Ramsgate Festival of Sound has announced that it is shifting its dates this year, taking place on September 12-14 instead of over the August bank holiday weekend as in previous years. The team will also be collaborating with other events over the summer - look out for updates on Instagram.

Grilled fish supper club Catch is back with its first event of the year. The team will be at Gather & (formerly Archive) in Ramsgate on Saturday, March 15. Places are £38 per person for a four course meal. Book now.

Pomus has announced a tasting evening with English winemaker Matt Gregory on Thursday, February 27. There will be five wines to try, as well as snacks provided by Pomus. Places are £45 per head. Email enquiries@pomus.co.uk to book.

Do you like drinking wine and making stuff? Head to Margate Creatives’ next Art Bar event at Bar Nicoletta in Cliftonville on Thursday, February 27. From 6pm to 10.30pm the space will be given over for crafting, reading, writing or whatever creative endeavour you like. Pre-order a bottle of wine to secure your place.

Queer Ramsgate Social is back at wine bar Penelope on Thursday, April 3. The bar will be open from 6.30pm for wine, snacks and queer socialising.

Power pop duo ARXX will play Ramsgate Music Hall on Thursday, June 19. The duo’s live shows have gained them a strong reputation, with Loud Women saying that they will “thrill [you] to the bone.” Tickets £16.50.

Get a sneak big screen preview of Bridget Christie's The Change. Photo: Channel 4

The second series of Bridget Christie’s excellent sitcom The Change will be out later this year. You can get an early peek (and on the big screen too) at BFI Southbank in London on Wednesday, March 12. Tickets £17.

Want to get into drag but don’t know where to start? Trudi Jackson - aka Pat Riarchy - is here to help with Screaming Mary's Drag Class. The four week course runs upstairs at Ramsgate’s Queen’s Head pub from Wednesday, March 12. New students can enrol at the pub on Wednesday, March 5 from 6-7pm. DM for more info.

Stand up comedian Stevie Martin will be filming her new show Clout over two performances at Where Else in Margate on April 7-8. The first is already sold out, but you can still grab £15 tickets for the 8th.

Ramsgate Space has identified a number of vacant commercial properties on Harbour Street. Suitable for retail, hospitality and gallery mixed use ventures. Get in touch for more information.

Green thumbed and crafty? Foliage in Ramsgate is hosting terrarium workshops on Saturday, March 22 and Saturday, May 10. Both sessions start at 10.30am and are £45, which includes everything for your glass garden and a drink for yourself as well. Call or text Keely on 07784249702 to save a space.

A lovely spot for some quizzing. Photo: Seabird

Seabird is gearing up for spring. The Ramsgate wine bar has two quizzes on the cards. The first, Wednesday, February 26, with the following quiz taking place a month later on Wednesday, March 26. Book via the website, and it’s £2.5 per head. The venue has also launched a lunch set menu, available Wednesday to Friday, 12pm-3pm. It’s two or three plates for £16/£24. The team is also buddying up with Catch for the March 15 supper club.

Life drawing is great and all, but you can be pretty sure the model won’t get distracted and start shouting at a passing bicycle. If you see that as a negative, why not try Wild Life Drawing? Classes that feature actual animals as the subjects. Having run in London for some time, they’re now coming to Thanet. The first class will see a group of rescue greyhounds posing for you. It takes place at Margate’s Fort Road Hotel on Thursday, March 13. Places are £35, a tenner of which will be donated to Kent Greyhound Rescue.

New film From Here On captures performances of a physical theatre piece about displacement, movement and being forced to find a new home, created by award-winning theatre companies Good Chance and Gecko. Catch a free screening at Dover Museum, as well as a short film from recently-arrived young people in Dover and Folkestone, and a Q&A with the creative team and cast. It’s on Sunday, March 9 and tickets are free.

Margate’s multi-venue new music showcase festival On Margate Sounds will return on Saturday, May 3. No word yet on the line up, but previous years has seen then emerging acts including Yard Act, Squid, Du Blonde, Warmduscher, Divorce and O. Sign up to the Where Else mailing list to be the first in the know on this year’s bill.

If you’re at a loose end today, the Royal Albion Hotel in Broadstairs is hosting a number of Blues Bash workshops, and they are free. At 10am, there’s a slide blues guitar session, with a fingerstyle guitar sesh following on at 11am. Pull out your harmonica at 12pm, and the day will finish off with a songwriting workshop at 1pm with Richard Townend. You’re welcome to listen, or join in with your own harp, harmonica in C or guitar. Head to the hotel’s dining room.

Looking for a hospitality gig? Reign bar in Broadstairs is looking for bar and waiting staff as well as chefs and kitchen crew, with full time positions available. Email hello@reign.bar for more info.

Canterbury’s Gulbenkian Theatre is having a wardrobe clearout and selling off a stack of costumes. Head to the Colyer-Fergusson Hall in the Gulbenkain Arts Centre this weekend 10am-2pm to find something glorious and at a bargain. Money raised will support the centre’s work with children and young people. Card payments only.

Iraq War demonstration, as part of Turner Contemporary's Resistance. Photo: Andrew Wiard

ICYMI - previous tipped events happening in the next week

The new exhibition at Margate’s Turner Contemporary opens today. Resistance is curated by film director Steve McQueen and examines “how protest shaped Britain and photography shaped protest.”

Queer House Party is at Margate Arts Club tonight, hosted by Taali Not Charlie and Lori Mae. Tickets are £10.

French singer-songwriter Laura Cahen performs at Cliftonville’s Tom Thumb Theatre tonight, close to where she recorded much of her latest album De L'autre Côté. Tickets cost £10.

Punk band Blyth Power will play Ramsgate Music Hall in aid of local charities Arts In Ramsgate and St George’s Community Meal. Tickets are £15.

Tracey Emin’s TKE Studios will be hosting a live recording of Russell Tovey and Robert Diament’s Talk Art podcast on Sunday at 5pm. Sold out but check for returns.

Wine consultant Natalie Suta - aka Wine Rocks - hosts a wine tasting evening at Fort Road Hotel on Thursday. Places cost £38.62.

Artist Dr Melanie King and astronomer Dr Claudia Mignone launch new exhibition In Praise Of Raw Data at Salon in Cliftonville on Thursday from 6pm. Musician Clementine Blue will perform live. Full details.