Strange Tourist #35: Ramsgate photographer Mike Goldwater, Off Season, CatVideoFest

Hello and happy new year!

We're back with our first newsletter of 2025 and it is positively bulging with newly announced things to do. Hibernating we are not, the diary is already too packed. Let's get out there and celebrate all that's on offer.

For this week's feature, we spoke to Ramsgate-based photographer Mike Goldwater. He's travelled the world as a photojournalist but his new book Island turns the lens on Thanet. The striking black and white images in its pages took our breath away when we first saw them last year, so we just had to find out more about his this book came together.

Scroll down to find our interview with Mike and all of our latest recommended things to do.

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Have a great week, and thanks for reading.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Margate Arts Club first opening its doors. It also marks the final year that the club will be run and programmed by Luke Vandenberg, who has announced plans to pass the baton to “some amazing new custodians”. For now though, it’s business as usual, so look out for details of new parties and events.

It feels like just a few weeks ago that we said goodbye to Ramsgate pub The Queen Charlotte. Mainly because it was. But before the dust could even settle on the empty kegs, just after Christmas its original management team swooped in and reopened the doors. Good news for fans of cozy spaces and great music. 

The full programme for the inaugural Off Season art festival in Margate has been announced. Over 50 venues, including galleries, cafes, pubs, private homes and more will be displaying a wide range of art across the town. There’s a lot to get through in just three days - the event runs from Friday, January 24 to Sunday, January 26. It’ll be worth trying to see as much as possible though. Check out the full listings. 

The East Kent Photographic Competition is open for entries until Sunday, February 16. There are five different themed categories with winners chosen from three age ranges from children up to adults. Entry is free and there will be an exhibition of the winning images later this year. Full details.

Kebells in Broadstairs is leaning into Veganuary will serve a six course vegan tasting menu on Thursday, January 16. The menu also has a Chinese theme to mark Chinese New Year. Expect steamed bao bun teriyaki jackfruit, coconut donuts with warm miso caramel and more. Seats are £50 a head.  

Shelley Grotto will be launching The Lonely Thanet Guide to Queer Margate at Margate Arts Club on Wednesday, January 22. The event will take the format of an interactive training session for prospective queer tour guides. Tickets are free (although donations are welcomed).

The Faversham Literary Festival will be taking place this year from Friday, February 21 to Saturday, March 2. Speakers include Alison Steadman, Miranda Sawyer, Zandra Rhodes, Will Self, Pam Ayres, Michael Rosen, Danny Robins, Leeroy Thornhill and Harry Baker. Check out the full programme. 

Snug Club and Margate Pride have teamed up to stage a series of filmmaking workshops inspired by director Derek Jarman. Workshops take place at Oast and Camp in Margate on January 13-14. Attendees will create their own DIY short films, which will then be screened at the Tom Thumb Theatre on Thursday, January 30. Places cost £5. 

If you can stop watching cat videos and put your phone down for a minute, next weekend you might want to attend CatVideoFest at Folkestone’s Silver Screen Cinema. Started in the US in 2019, this is the first time the now global event has made it to UK cinemas. Grab your popcorn and get ready to watch 75 minutes of the world’s best cat videos on the big screen. Catch it at 3.30pm on January 18 and 19. Get tickets. 

Margate Radio will be curating a new series of Turner Lates at the Turner Contemporary this year. The first is set for Saturday, January 24 from 5-9pm - also the final weekend to catch Anya Gallaccio’s (now quite smelly) Preserve exhibition. 

Fans of early gigs take note, Ramsgate Radio will be hosting performances from saxophonists Robert Stillman and Evan Parker at The Sailors Church on Military Road at 4.30pm on Saturday, January 25. The event will mark Parker’s 80th birthday, as well as the launch of his new boxset The Hericlitean Two-Step, Etc. And it’ll all be done and dusted by 7pm. Tickets £15. 

Comedian Joey Page will be performing at Justine’s in Margate on Thursday, February 20. Support will come from Sham Shakil of Funny Cuts fame. Tickets are £12.50. 

The Kent Poetry Slam is back on the road, with its next stop scheduled for The Venue in Canterbury on Thursday, February 6. Ten poets are already booked to duke it out, with an eleventh place reserved for a confident audience member on the night. There will also be a headline performance from Vanessa Kisuule. Tickets are £5. 

Broadstairs & St Peter’s mayor Mike Garder is putting on a night of live music in aid of Down’s syndrome charity 21 Together and Pie Factory Music later this month. Headlined by Charlie Don’t Surf, also on the bill are Harmony Bo, Conor Beerling and DJ Mark. It takes place at the Sarah Thorne Theatre in Broadstairs on Saturday, January 25. Tickets £10. 

Local artist Nerena Wright will be exhibiting her work at High Tide Social in Cliftonville from next week until the end of February. Join her at the launch event 5-8pm on Friday, January 17. The displayed artworks will also be on sale. Find out more. 

Head to Salon Du Miel in Ramsgate on Saturday, January 17 for Soulstream, a brand new night of soulful beats, funk grooves and disco energy. Doors open at 8pm and advance tickets cost £7 (or £9 on the door). Busy that night? Don’t worry, the second edition has already been confirmed for Saturday, February 7. 

Also coming up at Salon Du Miel is the next edition of poetry night Setlist on Thursday, January 23. On stage will be The Repeat Beat Poet, Seb Reilly, Jake Nathan, Clair Meyrick, Melissa Todd, Zack Davies and Setareh Ebrahimi. Tickets are pay what you can up to £5.

Quiet psychedelic night Lounge Wizards is back on Thursday, January 30 at Daisy in Cliftonville. There will be live performances from Kkailou, John Boch, MLJ and Tony Westcliff. Entry is free. 

Punk raconteur Gemma Rogers has been popping up all over the place recently. Later this month she’ll be popping up at Cliftonville’s Tom Thumb Theatre. On Friday, January 31 to be precise. If you’re yet to make her acquaintance, here’s recent single Never Have I Ever. You can pick up tickets for a tenner.

London’s Barbican has announced a season of alt-folk performances from the beginning of February through to the end of May. The line up includes Roo Panes, I’m With Her, and Jason Isbell, as well as a night paying tribute to David Crosby with The Staves, Kris Drever and more. Full details. 

Do you like quizzes? Do you LOVE Peep Show? Well, get revising, because coming up on Thursday, March 20 at Olby’s in Margate is Big Mad Andy's Peep Show Quiz. It’s £10 a head for teams of up to six, which is pricey. However, reviews from other nights around the country are very positive. Also, it is hosted by Liam Noble, aka the actual Big Mad Andy from Peep Show.

Mike Goldwater: ‘There’s a lot of spirit and a lot of beauty’

Work has taken photojournalist Mike Goldwater across the globe. He has documented war, famine, natural disasters and social issues in central Asia, Brazil and Africa for organisations such as Christian Aid, Tree Aid and Save the Children, and as the founding member for the Network Photographers agency.

In his latest book, Island, the accoladed Ramsgate resident, who has been awarded by World Press Photo, focused his lens on subjects closer to home, in the Isle of Thanet.