Josie Carter: Rapid Passages
2025-09-20 11:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London) | National Coastwatch, East Cliff, Folkestone, CT19 6PU
Join writer Josie for a creative and playful writing workshop inspired by one of the new Folkestone Triennial 2025 artworks.

Together, you’ll explore how poetry and creative criticism can grow from the simple things around us – from overheard conversations to the textures and sounds of everyday life. This is a chance to slow down, notice more, and let language take shape in surprising ways.
No writing experience is needed. Just bring your curiosity.
Rapid Passages – meet at Hanna Tuulikki artwork.
National Coastwatch Folkestone, East Cliff, Folkestone CT19 6PU
///stormy.slanting.hips
Venue

TBC

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Tickets
FREE, booking required
Book this event online or email the box office at boxoffice@creativefolkestone.org.uk

Critics' Tour: Jonathan Watkins
2025-09-20 11:00 - 14:30 | The Quarterhouse, CT20 1BN
Join Jonathan Watkins, one of the UK’s leading curators and writers, for a special walking tour of Folkestone Triennial 2025.

Jonathan was Director of Ikon Gallery in Birmingham from 1999 to 2022, and has also led Chisenhale Gallery and worked as a curator at the Serpentine Gallery in London. His career spans more than three decades and includes curating major exhibitions and biennials across the world – from Sydney to Sharjah, Shanghai to Venice.
He has curated for the Venice Biennale, the Tate Triennial, the Hayward Gallery and the Manif d’art Quebec City Biennial, among many others. His thoughtful writing and curatorial work have introduced audiences around the world to the work of artists such as On Kawara, Martin Creed, Cornelia Parker and Giuseppe Penone.
This tour is a rare opportunity to experience the Triennial through the insight of an internationally respected curator. Jonathan brings a deep knowledge of public art and a global perspective to this local landscape.
The tour will go ahead whatever the weather, so please dress accordingly and wear shoes suitable for walking. While we aim to make all our tours as accessible as possible, some routes may include uneven ground, slopes or narrow paths due to the layout of the town. If you have access needs or questions, please contact the Box Office before booking and we will do our best to help.

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Tickets
FREE, booking required
Book this event online or email the box office at boxoffice@creativefolkestone.org.uk

Select a date and timeSat 20 Sep, 11:00amSat 20 Sep, 2:30pm
Book now

Creative Folkestone
Quarterhouse
Mill Bay
Folkestone
Kent, CT20 1BN
01303 760 740
info@creativefolkestone.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 1105174
Company No. 4566484

THE WILLOW STREET BAND @ THE HARBOUR ARM
2025-09-20 14:00 - 16:00 | Folkestone Harbour Arm, Folkestone, CT20 1QQ
KILLER VOCALS, POUNDING DRUMS AND JAW DROPPING GUITAR PLAYING.

The world’s most incredible 2-man-band. You will be AMAZED!!!!

GAIA STUDIO: COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS WITH DISTILLERY TASTING
2025-09-20 18:30 - 21:00 | Folkestone Harbour Arm, Folkestone, CT20 1QQ
COCKTAIL MASTERCLASS WITH DISTILLERY TASTINGS FROM PLEASANT LAND.

Price is £50 and includes nibbles, 3 tastings from Pleasant Land. After each tasting, participants will then follow along to make cocktails that showcase each spirit.
Customers can also enjoy 10% off of retail purchases on the night.

NEED TO KNOW OTHER DATE

SAT 13 DEC 2025
18:45 – 20:45

Alan Davies Think Ahead Autumn Tour 2025
2025-09-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Leas Cliff Hall
He thinks he’s Marty McFly but he’s older than Doc Brown. He spends more time in the pharmacy than the gym. Subject to relentless eye rolls from his kids. What is he? A late middle-aged stand up on tour for the first time in a decade. Funnier than ever, he says.

Alan Davies is a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and TV personality. He is a staple of British television, known for his performance as the eponymous hero of David Renwick’s hugely popular, long-running TV series Jonathan Creek, and as a permanent panelist on QI. His talk show, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, recently reached its seventh season. He is also one of the UK’s best-loved comedians. His stand-up show Urban Trauma ran in London’s West End and Life is Pain and Little Victories sold out in venues across the UK. His second memoir, Just Ignore Him was published in 2020 and the third instalment will be published later this year.
Buy Tickets

This show has an interval

Age guidance: 12+

For group bookings of 10 or more:
Submit a request online
Or call 020 7206 1174

WHISKEY AND WINE @ THE HARBOUR ARM
2025-09-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Folkestone Harbour Arm, Folkestone, CT20 1QQ
UPBEAT COVERS & MASH UPS GUARANTEED TO GET YOU MOVING!

Kent’s most exciting new party and wedding band playing a variety of upbeat covers and mash-ups, guaranteed to get you moving!
Providing a complete mix of songs across different genres and decades with a fun Whiskey & Wine twist!

Folkestone Early Music presents Newe Vialles – Old Viols
2025-09-21 15:00 - 17:00 | The Green Room, The Grand,, Folkestone, Select a State:, CT20 2XL, United Kingdom
Artists:

Henrik Persson (viola de gamba)
Caroline Ritchie (viola de gamba)
Lynda Sayce (theorbo & lute)
James Akers (baroque guitar)
Programme:
‘Newe Vialles – Old Viols, English 17th century music for two historical bass viols and continuo.’
The programme includes Fantasias, dances, and divisions by Christopher Simpson, John Jenkins, William Young, Benjamin Hely, and others, played on two spectacular and historically important English Viols. This is a rare opportunity to hear two original English viols by John Pitts (1675) and Edward Lewis (1703) played together live, exploring some of the repertoire that their original owners might have played. The concert features original divisions and sonatas as well as our own arrangement of popular melodies and ground basses from the time.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/select/rjzpgpnwdbkr

KUSCHTY RYE @ HARBOURSIDE SQUARE
2025-09-21 16:00 - 18:00 | Folkestone Harbour, The Stade, FOLKESTONE, Kent, CT19 6RB, United Kingdom
AMERICANA WITH COUNTRY AND BLUES.

Kuschty Rye play Americana with Country and Blues.

Zoe Gilbert (novelist), Claire Booth (soprano), and Christopher Glynn (piano)
2025-09-25 18:30 - 20:30 | The Grand
Promoter
Folkestone New Music

Talk and Concert
Artists
‘Magnificent’ soprano Claire Booth has been widely acclaimed for her ‘radiant, rapturous, wonderfully nuanced performances’ and voice of ‘piercing purity and luscious richness’. Claire won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Singer Award this year.
Programme
6.30pm
Writer Zoe Gilbert talks about writing words for music.

7.30pm
Claire Booth (soprano) and Christopher Glynn (piano) will perform music by Schumann, Brahms, Richard Strauss, Ravel, Stravinsky and much more; plus the first performance of John Woolrich and Zoe Gilbert’s new song cycle.
Ticket Prices
£15 on the door or online

Booking www.tickettailor.com/events/folkestonenewmusic/1671188

The Drifters are back on tour in the UK performing all their greatest hits!
2025-09-25 19:30 - 22:00 | Leas Cliff Hall
Book fast to make sure you don’t miss an incredible night of uplifting entertainment with this legendary group. Featuring timeless classics such as “Saturday Night At The Movies”, “You’re More Than A Number In My Little Red Book”, “Save The Last Dance For Me”, “Under The Boardwalk”, and many, many more!

Prior to lockdown, The Drifters enjoyed a remarkable resurgence, regularly performing to thousands of fans across the UK. The busy tour schedule included numerous major arena dates and was ultimately topped off by the group’s first-ever appearance at the world-famous Royal Albert Hall.

Previous accolades for The Drifters include: – Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – Listed among the Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine. – Performing at the White House at the request of the President of the United States.

This event is only on for one night!
Buy tickets

The Box Office is open for 90 minutes prior to the performance commencing. See ‘What’s On’ section for performance times

Bar – Pre-show & interval drinks and snacks

For group bookings of 10 or more:
Submit a request online
Or call 020 7206 1174

World Jazz Live Sessions
2025-09-25 19:30 - 22:30 | The Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone, CT20 1TX
WORLD JAZZ LIVE SESSIONS-2025-A PortCaia concept in support of live jazz
@ The NEPTUNE BASEMENT JAZZ Club,
The Grand Burstin Hotel, The Harbour, Folkestone-Kent-UK. CT20 1TX
Presents;
DEREK NASH QUARTET plus special guest NOEL MCCALLA
The all-star band features;
Derek Nash on sax / Noel MacCalla on vocals
Neil Angilley on piano / Marc Cecil on Drums / Phil Mulford on bass

Tickets from Ticket Source £22.50 + booking fee

*****The show draws from a back catalogue of hits by Bill Withers, The Crusaders, The Average White Band, David Sanborn, Grover Washington Jnr, Herbie Hancock, the JBs to perform crowd-pleasing, spirit-lifting funk tunes and creating a night of foot-tapping, hand-clapping good times!
With the addition of the mesmeric vocalist, Noel McCalla (Derek’s long time partner from “ The Wonder of Stevie” Show) they can pay tribute to Soul artists such as Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers.
Noel McCalla’s long association with the brilliant Morrisey Mullen Band earned him acclaim as “one of Britain’s best Soul Singers” (Blues and Soul Magazine) and, for more than 19 years, Noel’s searing, soulful vocals were featured with the iconic Manfred Mann’s “Earth Band”. He also provided vocals on Mike Rutherford’s highly acclaimed album, Smallcreep’s Day, and is often featured with jazz funk band, Mezzoforte.
He is also on tour with Paul Jones (Do Wa Diddy Diddy, Mighty Quinn) and the Manfreds in 2025.
Derek Nash has played in Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra since 2004 and is also a member of the Ronnie Scotts Blues Explosion.
He has won several British Jazz Awards throughout his career fronting Sax Appeal, his Acoustic Quartet and the funk band, Protect the Beat.
Derek has performed live, on record and on television with Gregory Porter, Chaka Khan, David Sanborn, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Amy Winehouse and many, many more.
At the forefront of the British jazz movement, Derek Nash is “one of the most versatile saxophonists in the UK today” (The Guardian)”Rarely have I heard this music interpreted with such finesse, energy and all round brilliance” – The House of Soul
Our Audience’s comments; A superb trawl through an eclectic and vibrant songbook, played with real elan and gusto.
A thrilling show. Go see…
Amazing first class musicianship and Noels vocals were simply stunning. You left me wanting more.
There are two entrances to the Neptune Basement Jazz Club; one is via the Grand Burstin Hotel underground car park, (this entrance is wheelchair accessible).
You can also get to the Neptune Basement Jazz Club through the main hotel reception entrance, then follow the stairs leading to the Basement Jazz Club, (this entrance is not wheelchair accessible)
(Please register your car details at the Hotel reception to avoid parking fines)

Folkestone Portraits - Catherine Robinson
2025-09-26 09:00 - 17:30 | specsavers, 14 Bouverie Place, Folkestone, CT20 1AU
Folkestone Portraits – Linocut portraits of people of Folkestone going about their business, with reflective writing about the work.
#Exhibition #Workshop
Date: Friday 26 – Sunday 28 September
Opening Times:
– Friday & Saturday: 9:00 – 17:30
– Sunday: 10:00 – 16:00
Location: Specsavers, 14 Bouverie Place, Folkestone, CT20 1AU

Folkestone Portraits – a series of linocut portraits by printmaker Catherine Robinson, developed from quick observational sketches of passers-by in the Old High Street and other places around the town. Come to Specsavers, and see if you recognise anyone! Accompanied by reflections on the work by writer Claude.

You can find out about all participating artists here >>
Follow the programme on our socials >>
Find out more about the artist:
www.catherinerobinsonprintmaker.co.uk
@catherinerobinsonart

The Improv Comedy Extravaganza!
2025-09-26 19:30 - 21:30 | tower theatre
Love “Whose Line Is It Anyway” and “Mock The Week”? Then this is a show for you!
Happy Box of Imps is an improv show featuring local talent, and if you joined them last time, this evening is guaranteed to be completely different. You never know what to expect, and neither do they!
The evening will include short-form scenes and silly games, which are completely unscripted and unplanned. Audience involvement is key – the ideas come from you! Bring along suggestions of scenes you’d like to see, situations, emotions, occupations and random lines you’d like us to include, and see if they make it into the show.
You can expect an interactive evening full of unpredictable dialogue, and lots of laughter.
Contains adult humour
“I laughed so hard I lost my voice the next day!” ★★★★★
“My face still aches from the last one!” ★★★★★
“Brilliant night out!” ★★★★★
“Every show is different” ★★★★★
www.happyboxofimps.com
Tickets
Standard – £8
Special group deal 10 tickets for the price of 8!
Doors from 6.30pm | Unreserved seating

https://purchase.towertheatrefolkestone.co.uk/ChooseSeats/2601

THE LIBERATORS @ THE HARBOUR ARM
2025-09-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Folkestone Harbour Arm, Folkestone, CT20 1QQ
LIBERATORS BRING THE REGGAE HEAT!

A four piece reggae band from Folkestone bringing a mix of original grooves and choice covers that veer away from the usual ska and reggae standards. Playing at venues all over the south- come join us!

‘From Vienna to the New World’ a programme of piano duets
2025-09-27 15:00 - 17:00 | The Grand
– Marianne Kelly and Heather Sargeson, four hands at one piano. Music by Copland, Mozart, Barber, Schubert and Gershwin.
Welcome to the Bayle Music Autumn concert series.
We are delighted to present a fascinating and varied programme to keep you entertained this autumn. Full programme details are listed below this message.
Admission remains at £15 with under-21-year-olds admitted free.
This season, we are offering a combined ticket for these four concerts for just £50 – a saving of £10. Also, if you are not able to attend a particular concert, you can transfer your ticket to a friend.
You can pay for a combined ticket on the day by cash, cheque (payable to Bayle Music) or card and in advance by post with a cheque payable to Bayle Music sent to I. Gordon, 16 Bayle Court, The Parade, Folkestone. CT20 1SN. Combined tickets will be issued at the concert on 27 September.
Individual concert tickets can be purchased in advance at this website:
www.soundsfolkestone.co.uk – follow the Bayle Music link.
We cannot offer combined tickets on this site.
If there is a concert you are especially attracted to and feel inspired to offer individual sponsorship, please be in touch with Ian – 07877 407 702 or email bayleman@gmail.com
All sponsors will be acknowledged in the appropriate publicity and programme.

Now the music:

All concerts are at The Grand on a Saturday afternoon at 3 pm. Put the dates in your diary now!
Saturday 18 October
The Tamesis String Quartet with music by Purcell (arr. Britten), Haydn and Mendelssohn.

Saturday 15 November
‘Ode to Joyce’ performed by Cheryl Knight. Originally conceived for Joyce Grenfell’s centenary, this presentation recreates the setting of one of Joyce’s ever-popular stage shows.

Saturday 20 December
Grand Mansion Voices with Alex Rider (harp)
The programme will include Benjamin Britten’s evergreen ‘Ceremony of Carols’.

LOST IN MUSIC – One Night at the Disco! Returns for 2025!
2025-09-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Leas Cliff Hall
Step back into the era of glitter balls and groove – Lost in Music is back with a brand-new, high-energy show that’s bigger, bolder, and more dazzling than ever!

Join us for a spectacular night of non-stop disco anthems as our sensational live band, powerhouse vocalists, and vibrant production bring the magic of the 70s back to life. Feel the rush as we reignite the dancefloor with iconic hits from Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chic, Sister Sledge and many more.

Slip into your sequins, channel your inner disco diva and celebrate the golden age of disco like never before. From the infectious joy of “I Will Survive” to the euphoric energy of “Le Freak” and “Boogie Wonderland” – every moment is a glittering throwback to pure feel-good vibes.
This is the ultimate disco celebration, so let your hair down and let’s get Lost in Music.
Touring across the UK – tickets on sale now!

One Night Only
This event is only on for one night!
Buy tickets

The Box Office is open for 90 minutes prior to the performance commencing.

Bar – Pre-show & interval drinks and snacks

For group bookings of 10 or more:
Submit a request online
Or call 020 7206 1174

BIG ORANGE HEAD @ THE HARBOUR ARM
2025-09-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Folkestone Harbour Arm, Folkestone, CT20 1QQ
Big Orange Head are a 4 piece band that regularly expands to 6 or 7 piece and plays a rocking mix of classics and rareties from the forties through the noughties in their own inimitable style.

BAMBOOZLE @ HARBOURSIDE SQUARE
2025-09-28 16:00 - 18:00 | Folkestone Harbour, The Stade, FOLKESTONE, Kent, CT19 6RB, United Kingdom
ALT- ROCKABILLY TRIO FROM KENT

Alt- Rockabilly Pioneers Bamboozle make a welcome return to the harbour arm, bringing a unique blend of old school thumping rockabilly with modern alt rock and pop sensibilities, they are sure to get the party jumping wherever they turn up!

Peter Maxwell Davies’ Naxos Quartets – talk
2025-09-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Market Square, Folkestone, CT20 1EY
Promoter
Folkestone New Music
Date
Talk
Artists
Grenville Hancox (Emeritus Professor of Music at Canterbury Christ Church University)
Programme
Between 2001 and 2007 the Maggini Quartet performed and recorded 10 specially written string quartets by Peter Maxwell Davies. Canterbury Christ Church University, where the Magginis had a residency, collected a major archive of the whole project, including recordings of performances, rehearsals, and workshops.

Grenville Hancox will tell the story of the project, illustrated by material from the archive.

Booking

£10

www.tickettailor.com/events/folkestonenewmusic/1701653

Barefoot Opera
2025-10-01 19:30 - 22:00 | The Tower Theatre, North Road Shorncliffe, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 3HL
The Tower Theatre is thrilled to have Barefoot Opera visit us, and work with our very own FHODS performers!
Barefoot Opera is creating a bold, emotionally charged production of Donizetti’s romantic tragedy – Lucia di Lammermoor, staged with the company’s inventive, collaborative spirit, for a 14-night tour from September 2025.
The score will be reimagined for the Barefoot Band, who bring together classical music and gypsy jazz instrumentation, and several of the cast will be multi-tasking, seamlessly moving between playing an instrument and singing on stage.
Recommended 13+. Contains scenes of mental health trauma that may be triggering, as well as notions of death and suicide
Introducing Lucia….
For those new to opera, Lucia di Lammermoor offers a powerful introduction – an intense, emotionally charged work fusing Gothic romanticism with psychological unravelling. Composed by Gaetano Donizetti and based on Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor, the opera tells the tragic story of Lucia, a young woman caught between forbidden love and family obligation.
Her secret romance, forced betrothal, and eventual descent into madness unfold against a backdrop of hauntingly beautiful music. At the heart of the opera is Lucia’s iconic “mad scene” – a virtuosic display of vocal brilliance and dramatic depth. In this moment of psychological collapse, a soprano stands alone onstage, covered in blood, spinning out ethereal, impossibly high notes that seem to float from another realm. It is one of opera’s most unforgettable scenes, where grief, betrayal, and fragile sanity are laid bare through music that is both otherworldly and deeply human.
Whether you’re an opera veteran or a curious newcomer, this Barefoot Opera production invites you to experience Lucia di Lammermoor as you never have before: not as a historic artifact, but as a living, breathing work of art with enormous contemporary relevance. It’s edgy, gripping, and urgently alive.
Creative team
Increasingly known for uniting theatre, music and movement, Barefoot Opera’s new production offers an innovative interpretation of this classic work, brought to the stage by an inspiring creative team.
Director Rosie Kat, known for her highly physical performances exploring power imbalance in interpersonal and political drama, is working alongside designer Fenna de Jonge, known for her experimental, multi-layered approach to set and costume. As ever, the aim is to break away from traditional opera conventions to create dynamic theatre that truly connects with audiences.
Laurence Panter (Barefoot Opera’s Associate Musical Director), has reworked the score for the Barefoot Band (piano, double bass, saxophone and accordion), ensuring the music retains its emotional weight while gaining vibrancy, rawness and spontaneity. This transformation remains faithful to the soul of the score, infusing it with fresh textures that electrify the drama further.
Musical Director and Pianist – Laurence Panter
Lucy Mulgan – Double Bass
Lydia Kenny – Saxophone
Alistair Sutherland – Accordion
The Cast
Driven by a bold vision to create fresh opportunities for singers and performers, this Barefoot Opera production shines a spotlight on a new wave of operatic talent. These emerging artists blend technical mastery with raw, emotional power, and they share the stage with seasoned professionals to create a truly electrifying experience.
Beren Fidan, who captivated audiences in last year’s celebrated La Traviata, returns to lead as Lucia.
Baritone Phil Smith with a track-record from Royal Opera and Ballet, Welsh National Opera, and BBC Radio 3 broadcasts, sings Lucia’s controlling brother, Enrico.
Adding a dynamic edge to the cast, tenor Jack Dolan (Edgardo, Lucia’s true love) infuses the production with the soulful energy of his rock and blues background, while tenor Eamonn Walsh (Arturo, the man Lucia is forced to marry) brings with him warmth, charisma, and vocal brilliance. The entire ensemble promises both artistic depth and vibrant chemistry.
The cast approach Lucia di Lammermoor with both reverence and risk, bringing to life the psychological complexity and volatility that lie beneath the bel canto elegance. Every aria and ensemble is rendered not just with precision, but with a deep intensity that reflects the opera’s dark heart.
Lucia – Beren Fidan
Edgardo – Jack Dolan
Edgardo – Davide Basso
Enrico – Philip Smith
Raimondo – Alistair Sutherland
Arturo – Eamonn Walsh
Normanno – Laurence Panter
Partners and collaborators
This year, the Barefoot Opera team is delighted to collaborate with Soundcastle, a Hastings-based charity that highlights creative music-making in promoting positive mental health – perhaps an especially relevant focus for the Lucia project: the entire team and cast will be taking part in mental health awareness training. The team is also continuing its outreach work, including with long-term partner Seaview, which supports society’s most marginalised.
Working with choirs and local people
At Barefoot Opera, inclusivity is at the heart of everything we do – on stage and off. Opera should be for everyone, not just to watch, but to experience and take part in! We are delighted to work alongside FHODS and their members for this performance in our tour.
Through our vibrant outreach work, we open the door to opera and singing for those who may never have encountered the artform before. Across our tour, many performances feature local choirs, school groups, and community singers who join the professional cast on stage. Singing side by side, they create a powerful, deeply human sound that resonates far beyond the theatre – immediate, emotional, and unforgettable.
Tour/ticket info
This year is Barefoot Opera’s biggest tour yet.
With our mission to bring opera to new audiences, our tour will take us across East Sussex and Kent, introducing our work to new audiences, as well as to the Grimeborn Festival in London.
Funders and supporters
With thanks to ACE (Arts Council of England), as well as Magdalen and Lasher, for their continued support.
Barefoot Opera pioneers a transformative approach to opera by uniting theatre, singing, and movement dance to inspire collaborative storytelling – empowering both emerging and established artists, redefining the art form through innovation, inclusivity, and a vibrant community ethos.
Barefoot Opera, a registered charity, pioneers a transformative approach to opera by uniting theatre, singing and movement to inspire collaborative story-telling – inspiring both emerging and established artists, redefining the art form through innovation, inclusivity and a vibrant community ethos.
At Barefoot Opera, we do things a little differently – and that’s exactly the point. We collaborate, experiment and innovate, aiming to create productions that push boundaries and redefine operative conventions. We bring together thrilling young professional singers at the start of their careers, full of energy and fearless emotion, and place them shoulder to shoulder with people from choirs and schools, creating a rich, human sound that is as immediate as it is moving.
Our productions don’t hide behind velvet curtains or full orchestras – we work with a live band right on stage, giving the music a punchy, intimate feel that draws the audience in from the first note. Audiences often tell us they feel the power of the music more deeply because they’re right there with the performers, close enough to see every breath, every tear, every triumph. It’s opera with no safety net—vibrant, raw, and real.
Tickets
Standard – £20
Concessions (Under 18s and over 65s) – £18

Sacconi Residency Weekend 2025
2025-10-03 08:00 - 2025-10-05 17:00 | The Grand
Sacconi Quartet:
Ben Hancox, Hannah Dawson (violins)
Robin Ashwell (viola)
Cara Berridge (cello)
with
Isabelle Nettle (viola)
Matthew Clemmet (piano)
Programme
Brahms String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111

Schumann Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, Op. 44

Sacconi Residency Weekend and Grand Arts CIC present a fabulous concert of two great quintets. The Sacconi Quartet’s commitment to empowering and advancing young talent continues with the invitation to two very talented young artists studying at the Royal College of Music. Isabelle and Matthew will spend the day in coaching sessions with the Quartet members before the concert. Part of the Grand Arts CIC Young Artist Programme.

Not to be missed!

Ticket Prices
£10
Free for students and Under 18s
Booking
Book Tickets Here

Lucy May Walker at Keppels Bar
2025-10-03 20:00 - 22:00 | Keppels Bar, The Grand,, CT20 2XL
In 2018 Lucy May was discovered busking by Jeremy Vine and went on to perform live on both his BBC Radio 2 show and his Channel 5 TV talk show

BLACK TIE GRAND OPERA DINNER
2025-10-04 18:30 - 22:00 | The Grand
Grand Arts CIC presents a Black Tie Grand Opera Dinner in the Dining Room at The Grand
Doors open 6.30p.m. for Canapes and Champagne
The four course dining experience will have arias from international opera singers Josephine Halsall & Per Bach Nissen who will be accompanied by composer Alise Kirtley.
Coffees & Petits Fours will be served.
22.00 Carriages
£99 per person tickets and table reservations available via email from grandartscic@gmail.com

The Horne Section's Hit Show
2025-10-09 19:30 - 22:00 | Leas Cliff Hall
Why see The Horne Section?

Bombastic And Hilarious Jazz-Comedy Combo
Combining the UK’s finest musical and comedic talents all under the watchful eye of ringleader Alex Horne, The Horne Section have been honing their act over the last decade on stage, on our televisions and on the airwaves with their chart-topping podcast and Radio 4 show.
Now heading out on a brand new tour, catch this rag-tag-jazz collective as they bring the hits to you in a night of raucous music and spontaneous stand-up, crackling with razor-sharp wit and infectious mirth, provided by the assistant Taskmaster himself!
What Can I Expect From The Horne Section?
Alex Horne comperes as his quintet play behind him. Exactly what they play is guaranteed to be different from night to night: Horne, alongside special guests who are invited to join the stage, improvise songs about anything and everything as the band try to keep up, with results that are unexpected, often absurd and consistently hilarious.
A host of top drawer comedians have participated in the frivolities, including Ed Byrne, Jimmy Carr, Greg Davies, Tim Minchin and Al Murray. Expect to witness musicians and comedians at the top of their game having as much fun as the audience, as they produce a gleefully funny and invariably unique show which you will not want to miss.

Prices from £32 BOOK TICKETS

Glenn Miller Orchestra
2025-10-12 15:00 - 17:00 | Leas Cliff Hall
Get In The Mood!

The Glenn Miller Orchestra has been consistently touring since forming in 1956, and now’s your chance to witness one of the most popular bands in the world as they come to a town near you. The band’s unique jazz sound and arrangement make them highly sought after, even more so now that they’re bringing a night of nostalgia and swing!
Relive some of the most popular and iconic music of the 1940s, from Chattanooga Choo Choo to Moonlight Serenade, the Glenn Miller Orchestra fills the room with entertainment whilst bringing the American songbook to life for an unforgettable evening.
Prices from £15
folkestonetheatre.co.uk/shows/leas-cliff-hall/glenn-miller-orchestra

Nina Clark and Sam Dunn Come join us for an afternoon by the fire with Nina Clark and Sam Dunn at Keppels.
2025-10-12 16:00 - 18:00 | Keppels Bar, The Grand,, CT20 2XL
Nina Clark and Sam Dunn form a dynamic jazz duo, bringing with them a vibrant and swinging energy. Together they weave rich melodies and intricate rhythms, capturing a seamless blend of timeless standards and offbeat gems, offering audiences a captivating musical experience

To celebrate 20 years of Creative Folkestone, our artist in residence, Randolph Matthews, asked what's that noise?
2025-10-13 19:00 - 21:30 | The Quarterhouse, CT20 1BN
Over the summer, Randolph took to the streets and landscapes of Folkestone to collect its sounds and tune into the town’s unique frequency that binds us as a community.
In a series of open workshops, walks and field recording sessions, Randolph and a group of local artists including Craig Gell, Sophie Stone, Tell Me About Your Mother, Nina Clark and the Yo Songsters, went out and about in Folkestone to Tune In and collect the noise of the streets and special ambience of its quiet places. From Radnor Park to The Leas, from Sunny Sands beach to The Warren, they collected 100s of short sound clips of Folkestone.
Randolph also visited schools and invited the people of Folkestone to contribute recordings of their personal soundscapes to the project. The resulting collection of Folkestone sounds has been transformed into a brand-new musical composition by Randolph with accompanying images by film-maker Alex Davies.
The world premiere of Tune In Folkestone, will take place at Quarterhouse on Thursday 13 October at 7pm – all welcome!
And from 1- 31 October, Tune In Folkestone jingles will be played in places and spaces around town, from Folkestone Harbour to Folkestone Central train station. Listen out for them they might contain your sound!

Alison Stockham Workshop - How To Write A Psychological Thriller
2025-10-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Sandgate Old Fire Station, 51 Sandgate High Street, Sandgate, CT20 3AH
The event cost £18 per ticket
Sandgate Literary Festival (previously known as The Little Literary Weekend).

The Festival will run from 16 – 19 October 2025. The Festival, now in its second year, is building on last year’s success by extending the number of talks and author events and including workshops for budding fiction and non-fiction writers. Organised by the Sandgate Society, talks and panels will take place in venues around the village of Sandgate, near Folkestone, and include appearances from Lisa Jewell, Sophie Haydock, Zoe Gilbert and Lucy Caldwell, as well as a murder mystery evening and a talk about social reformer, Elizabeth Fry. There is also a programme of children’s events which are free of charge to attend.
This year the Festival is supported by the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust.
More information from: https://sandgatesociety.com/sandgate-literary-festival-2025/
Tickets available from: sandgatesociety@gmail.com

Other events include
Thursday 16 October 7pm The Self-Published
Panel event with local self-published authors talking about the challenges and rewards of self-publishing The Royal Norfolk Hotel
Sandgate High Street
(£7.50)
Friday 17 October Interactive events with Daniela Douglas
0–4-year-olds
Sandgate Library
Sandgate High Street
(Free)
Friday 17 October 7.30pm The Art of the Short Story
Panel event discussing this popular genre with Zoe Gilbert, Lucy Caldwell and Adam Marek Masonic Lodge
Gough Road
Sandgate
(£12)
Saturday 18 October 10.00am Interactive event with Daniela Douglas for 4 – 7-year-olds Sandgate Library
(Free)

Saturday 18 October
11.00am Children’s author, Paul Robinson 11.00.a.m. venue TBC (Free)

LISA JEWELL HEADLINES 2025 SANDGATE LITERARY FESTIVAL
2025-10-18 14:30 - 16:30 | Sandgate Masonic Hall, Gough Road, Sandgate, CT20 3BE, United Kingdom
Best-selling novelist, Lisa Jewell, will be the headline author on Saturday October 18th at the Sandgate Literary Festival (previously known as The Little Literary Weekend).

The Festival will run from 16 – 19 October 2025. The Festival, now in its second year, is building on last year’s success by extending the number of talks and author events and including workshops for budding fiction and non-fiction writers. Organised by the Sandgate Society, talks and panels will take place in venues around the village of Sandgate, near Folkestone, and include appearances from Lisa Jewell, Sophie Haydock, Zoe Gilbert and Lucy Caldwell, as well as a murder mystery evening and a talk about social reformer, Elizabeth Fry. There is also a programme of children’s events which are free of charge to attend.
This year the Festival is supported by the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust.
More information from: https://sandgatesociety.com/sandgate-literary-festival-2025/
Tickets available from: sandgatesociety@gmail.com

The Sandgate Literary Festival Schedule includes:
Thursday 16 October 2pm Alison Stockham Workshop
How To Write A Psychological Thriller Old Fire Station, Sandgate High Street
(£18.00 per ticket)
Thursday 16 October 7pm The Self-Published
Panel event with local self-published authors talking about the challenges and rewards of self-publishing The Royal Norfolk Hotel
Sandgate High Street
(£7.50)
Friday 17 October Interactive events with Daniela Douglas
0–4-year-olds
Sandgate Library
Sandgate High Street
(Free)
Friday 17 October 7.30pm The Art of the Short Story
Panel event discussing this popular genre with Zoe Gilbert, Lucy Caldwell and Adam Marek Masonic Lodge
Gough Road
Sandgate
(£12)
Saturday 18 October 10.00am Interactive event with Daniela Douglas for 4 – 7-year-olds Sandgate Library
(Free)

Saturday 18 October
11.00am Children’s author, Paul Robinson 11.00.a.m. venue TBC (Free)

The Tamesis String Quartet with music by Purcell (arr. Britten), Haydn and Mendelssohn.
2025-10-18 15:00 - 17:00 | The Grand
Welcome to the Bayle Music Autumn concert series.
We are delighted to present a fascinating and varied programme to keep you entertained this autumn. Full programme details are listed below this message.
Admission remains at £15 with under-21-year-olds admitted free.
This season, we are offering a combined ticket for these four concerts for just £50 – a saving of £10. Also, if you are not able to attend a particular concert, you can transfer your ticket to a friend.
You can pay for a combined ticket on the day by cash, cheque (payable to Bayle Music) or card and in advance by post with a cheque payable to Bayle Music sent to I. Gordon, 16 Bayle Court, The Parade, Folkestone. CT20 1SN. Combined tickets will be issued at the concert on 27 September.
Individual concert tickets can be purchased in advance at this website:
www.soundsfolkestone.co.uk – follow the Bayle Music link.
We cannot offer combined tickets on this site.
If there is a concert you are especially attracted to and feel inspired to offer individual sponsorship, please be in touch with Ian – 07877 407 702 or email bayleman@gmail.com
All sponsors will be acknowledged in the appropriate publicity and programme.

Now the music:

All concerts are at The Grand on a Saturday afternoon at 3 pm. Put the dates in your diary now!
Saturday 15 November
‘Ode to Joyce’ performed by Cheryl Knight. Originally conceived for Joyce Grenfell’s centenary, this presentation recreates the setting of one of Joyce’s ever-popular stage shows.

Saturday 20 December
Grand Mansion Voices with Alex Rider (harp)
The programme will include Benjamin Britten’s evergreen ‘Ceremony of Carols’.
