Things to do in Thanet and beyond

Ramsgate restaurant Seabird on Addington Street celebrates its first birthday today. Head down from 3pm to midnight for DJ sets, bowls of Twiglets and foam bananas and “a very silly drinks menu.” Sunday will be a more chilled and family-friendly affair, with DJs spinning tunes from 2016 (for reasons we aren’t fully clear on).

Hay's Burgers will be setting up a pop-up on Margate’s Harbour Arm this bank holiday weekend. There’ll be patties aplenty from 1-6pm Saturday to Monday, in addition to their usual home at the Rose In June pub.

Multidisciplinary artist Freyja Crow is bringing the world of her otherworldly creatures The Sprouts to Salon in Cliftonville until August 28. Check out her wonderful illustrations, ceramics and more.

Liminal Gallery in Margate will be unveiling the latest exhibition in its smaller space The Cupboard (a literal cupboard) today. German artist Zoe De Caluwé is installing their new piece Ein Kaltes Herz Kann Nie Glücklich Sein and you can be one of the first to see it between 5pm and 7pm. Details here.

The fifth edition of lovely Margate music night Assembly Acoustic will take place at Off Licence on Wednesday, August 28. It’s yet another great line-up with performances from William Doyle, Anxious Manchild, Lees and Jack Valentine. Music starts at 7pm, and you’re advised to get down early if you want any hope off getting a seat - they were queuing out the door last month.

New gallery and vintage clothing store Don’t Blink is set to open in Margate in October. Before that, there’ll be a pre-launch show at the Pie Factory gallery in the Old Town running from August 29 to September 3 - with an official opening party on August 30, 5-9pm.

Queer circus performers, ready yourselves for the first Cirque de Mar-Gay meet up on Thursday, August 29 from 5pm. The exact location is still to be announced (keep an eye on Instagram) but it’ll be somewhere near Walpole Bay tidal pool. Head down with your circus skills and whatever equipment you need to show them off.

Little Simz takes over the Tate Modern later this month. Photo: Karolina Wielocha

Little Simz is guest curating this month’s Tate Lates at the Tate Modern in London on Saturday, August 31. There will be music, conversations, workshops and more. Entry is free, full details on the Tate website.

Margate’s country music cabaret Queer Cuntry is coming back to London, taking over Signature Brew in Walthamstow on November 29. If you need a refresher, take a look back at our interview with founders Pink Suits from earlier this summer. Tickets range from £8-20.

Margate Festival of Design will return to The Margate School for its third year on October 26-31. This year’s theme is design that is inclusive and accessible through a programme of talks, workshops and exhibitions exploring and celebrating design. Full programme to be published in September. Check out the MFD website for more info.

Gadd’s Brewery will be pouring the first pints of its 2024 Green Hop Ale on September 21 and everyone is invited. It’ll all kick off at 12.30pm and there will be music and food on offer too. This will be followed on Saturday, October 5 by the Green Hop Festival, with 12 guest green hop ales on tap at the brewery.

Ramsgate Noise Institute will be hosting their second night of experimental music at the Queen Charlotte pub on September 26. The line up of local artists is still to be announced.

Fresh from a run at the Edinburgh Fringe, poet Luke Wright is heading out on a tour of the UK in October, and there’s a Margate date on the itinerary. He’ll hit the stage at Justine’s on October 17. Tickets are on sale now and will set you back £12 (or £16.96 if you want to sit down).

Immersive (and somewhat legendary) theatre production You Me Bum Bum Train is returning to London this November after eight years away. We’d tell you more but they insist that in this case “the less you know about it the better.” Ticket ballot goes live at 10am on September 3. Get yours and thank us later.

Rehearsals for this year's Doorstep Duets. Photo: Stephen Daly

ICYMI - previous tipped events happening in the next week

If you missed it in Margate yesterday, there are still three more opportunities to see Doorstep Duets - free contemporary dance performances in various outdoor locations from Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures - in Ramsgate today (August 24). Find out more in our interview with choreographer Anjali Mehra.

Also in Ramsgate today is Ramsgate Festival of Sound’s free family fun day at Ellington Park. There are lots of activities to check out - see the full itinerary here.

More family fun this weekend over in Canterbury, where you’ll find bOing! family arts festival at the Gulbenkian Theatre. Entry is free and there is a massive programme of outdoor performances and activities.

Tonight you can head down to the Margate All Dayer at Margate Leisure Centre, where you can watch local bands TARMAC, NO TV, TRAPS, AUTOHAUs and Cool Hot Rockers, plus a DJ set from Sunglasses At Night. Tickets £9.

Alternative club night Kerosene returns to Salon du Miel tonight, playing classic and brand new grunge, punk, metal, pop-punk, metalcore, hardcore and more. Tickets £5.

The Palace Cinema heads out on the last of its three Thanet cinema walking tours on Sunday, August 25. This one takes in the lost cinemas of Ramsgate. Tickets here.

Margate Vintage Furniture & Flea Market will be back at Dreamland’s Hall by the Sea on bank holiday Monday, running from 11am-4pm. Book your entry in advance or pay on the door. You can go in for free after 3pm to assess the dregs.

Folkestone’s next Silent Book Club is on Monday, August 26 at the Pullman Pub from 7-9pm. Take whatever book you want and read communally with no pressure to talk to anyone.

This year’s Smugglers Festival near Deal gets underway on Thursday, August 29, running through to September 1. Full weekend camping tickets are sold out, but there are still day tickets and non-camping weekend passes left. Grab them here.

Kinder Collective in Broadstairs is hosting a family-friendly beach clean at 9am on Friday, August 30. Book your place and then meet at the Lookout on Viking Bay Pier at 9am.

Catch and Seabird will be hosting another supper club at Ramsgate’s Radford House Fire Station on Friday, August 30 and Saturday, August 31. Four courses for £40 a head.

Turner Lates: Movements from the Margins takes place on Friday, August 30, presented by People Dem Collective and Diasporas Now. The night will feature a programme including live music, DJ sets, improv dance, sound healing, meditation workshops, performances and more. It’s free, but book here.