What's on Spring 2018

Spring 2018

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Festivals & events

Share in the wonderful array of events that are on in Medway.

= Advance booking essential

Sat, 21 Apr, 11am-5pm

The English Festival Riverside Country Park transforms for the annual festival.

It’s a fun-packed free day out for the whole family celebrating St George’s day and the most iconic and ironic English traditions. medway.gov.uk/englishfestival

enjoymedway.co.uk

Riverside Country Park

Sat, 5 to Mon, 7 May, 10am-5pm

Sweeps Festival A weekend not to be missed. Come down and witness the modern day Sweeps Festival. A colourful mix of music, dancing and entertainment with more than 60 Morris sides.

Plus artisan produce, musical instrument and record fairs and entertainers performing throughout the festival. medway.gov.uk/sweepsfestival Sat, 5 May

Sweeps Concert Night Outdoor concert featuring the talented Edward II. They are an English roots band that uniquely blend the rhythms of the Caribbean with traditional songs from the British Isles.

Supported by Funke and the Two Tone Baby Tickets: £22, can be bought at medwayticketslive.co.uk Rochester Castle Gardens

Sat, 19 May

Celebrating Medway20 - Focus On Four new local festival days designed for local people are part of Medway’s twentieth anniversary celebrations. Called Focus On, activities will highlight all that is great about each area and about Medway.

The first event is at Cozenton Park, Rainham.

Based on our successful and much-loved calendar favourites such as The English, Capstone and River festivals, Focus On events will focus on community identities. There will be plenty for people of all ages to do and see. Core activities will move to each Focus On location which will be crowned with signature events that highlight what that area is best known for.

Look out for dates and locations at medway.gov.uk/focuson

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Rochester Dickens Festival A weekend of colourful celebration, enlightening entertainment and Dickensian discovery, as we honour one of England's greatest writers. From costumed parades and street acts to readings and a fair, Rochester will be awash with entertainment. medway.gov.uk/dickensfestival Rochester

A Dickens costume sale takes place at The Corn Exchange, Rochester on Sat, 28 Apr.

Festivals & events

Sat, 2 to Sun, 3 Jun, 10am-5pm

Why not dress up this year?

Fri, 1 Jun, from 7pm

Dickens Festival Summer Costumed Ball Tickets: £38. Apply for tickets by Fri, 25 May - Phone 01634 338338 or visit medwayticketslive.co.uk The Corn Exchange, Rochester

Sat, 30 Jun, 11am-5pm

Armed Forces Day Medway Council, in conjunction with the Royal School of Military Engineering, is hosting Armed Forces Day. The free family event celebrates the work of serving men and women and honours our veterans who have served to protect the country.

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Don your finest and dance the night away. Includes a three-course sit down meal, raffle and disco.

The Great Lines Heritage Park

Sun, 1 Jul

Freedom of the City parade Line the streets to welcome the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. They’ll be awarded the freedom of the city to mark their long association with Medway and with Kent.

Chatham For more information on Armed Forces Day or the parade visit medway.gov.uk/armedforcesday

Castle Concerts • Tue, 10 Jul: The Australian Pink Floyd Show • Wed, 11 Jul: Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra • Thu, 12 Jul: Ronan Keating • Fri, 13 Jul: UB40 • Sat, 14 Jul: The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra at the Proms Tickets/prices: thecastleconcerts.co.uk or 01634 338338.

Rochester Castle Gardens

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Theatres

The Central and The Brook Theatres provide an exciting programme of performances this season. //thecentralandbrooktheatres thecentralandbrooktheatres

Fri, 6, 7.30pm Sat, 7 Apr, 2.30pm and 7.30pm Rare Productions present:

Wizard of Oz – a Youth Theatre production The classic musical based on all the favourite songs.

Tickets: Band A £16, Band B £15, concessions available

01634 338338

medwayticketslive.co.uk

The Central Theatre

Wed, 11 Apr, 7.30pm

The Bootleg Beatles in Concert The world’s most famous Beatles tribute band continues to draw critical acclaim from across the globe with their stunning re-creation of the greatest songbook of all time.

Tickets: Band A £29.50, Band B £27.50 The Central Theatre

Thu, 12, Fri, 13, 7.30pm and Sat, 14 Apr, 2.30pm and 7.30pm Three Town Theatre Company presents:

The Slipper and the Rose A musical version of Cinderella, where Prince Edward is to marry a princess from a neighbouring kingdom to form an alliance.

Tickets: £13, family ticket and concessions available The Brook Theatre

Sat, 14 Apr, 2pm and 6pm Enchanted Entertainment presents:

Beauty and the Beast - Easter spectacular The spellbinding story of Beauty who longs for romance and a bad-mannered prince who is transformed into a beast. With a star cast, impressive music, energetic dance routines as well as plenty of jokes, slapstick and heaps of audience participation.

Tickets: Band A £20, Band B £18 concessions available The Central Theatre

Take comfort in booking your tickets without paying those extra fees.

KING NO BOO FEES

4 Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

Professional hire

Feast of Fiddles 25th Anniversary Feast of Fiddles has been variously likened to a group of geography teachers or Bellowhead with bus passes but it doesn’t seem to be slowing them down.

Theatres

Sun, 15 Apr, 7.30pm Slaughter House Productions presents:

Tickets: £18 The Brook Theatre

Wed, 18 Apr, 8pm

Ed Byrne: Spoiler Alert Recognised as one of the finest observational comics in the industry, Ed’s television credits are countless: Mock The Week, Have I Got News For You, The Graham Norton Show.

LIM SE IT AT ED S

Thu, 19 Apr, 7.30pm

Jasper Carrott’s Stand Up and Rock This tour will see the legendary Jasper Carrott back with a new stand up show before introducing his musical compatriots that have been rockin’ audiences all over the world.

Tickets: Band A £27.50, Band B, £26 The Central Theatre

Fri, 20 Apr, 7pm Rotary clubs of the Medway Towns presents:

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Tickets: £24 The Central Theatre

Medway Young Musicians Awards Tickets: £8, student £4 The Brook Theatre

Sat, 21 Apr, 7.30pm

ELO Again - Return to The Blue Tour

01634 338338

The best young musical talent in Medway perform a recital under concert conditions. The winner and runner up win prizes.

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of ELO’s iconic album Out of the Blue. ELO Again give you a taste of ELO in their heyday.

Tickets: Band A £23.50, Band B £21.50, buy nine get one free The Central Theatre

Sat, 21 Apr, 7.30pm

The Salts The Salts are one of the most exciting and energetic bands around performing original material alongside their own interpretations of traditional songs we all know and love.

Tickets: £14 The Brook Theatre Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

5 Community hire

Professional hire

Theatres

Sun, 22 Apr, 7.30pm

You Win Again - Celebrating the Music of The Bee Gees Experience the distinct sound of one of the greatest bands to have ever graced the stage. This concert spectacular includes all your favourite songs, such as Night Fever, More Than a Woman, You Should be Dancing and How Deep is Your Love? as well as hits they wrote for artists such as Celine Dion and Dolly Parton.

Tickets: Band A £24.50, Band B £23, buy nine get one free The Central Theatre

Mon, 23 Apr, 7.30pm Cuffe and Taylor presents:

01634 338338

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Remembering Fred plus special guests An evening of song and dance celebrating the legacy of Hollywood icon Fred Astaire. Backed by a full supporting cast.

Tickets: £42.50 The Central Theatre

Fri, 27 Apr, 7.30pm

Grumpy Old Women: To the rescue Starring Jenny Éclair, Dillie Keane and Lizzie Roper. Join us for a brand new full-fat, batteries included comedy from the mistresses of grump.

Tickets: £25 The Central Theatre

Sat, 28 Apr, 7.30pm Derek Block Promotions Ltd presents:

The Carpenters Story Featuring the stunning vocals of international star Claire Furley as Karen Carpenter, and lavish arrangements from live musicians. Including They Long To Be Close To You, We’ve Only Just Begun, Rainy Days and Mondays, A Song for You and many more.

Tickets: Band A £24, Band B £22 The Central Theatre

Sun, 29 Apr, 11.30am and 3pm

Milkshake! Live: The Magic Story Book Starring Milkshake! favourites; Bob the Builder, Little Princess, Noddy, Fireman Sam, Shimmer & Shine, Pip from Pip Ahoy!, Winnie and Wilbur, Wissper, Milkshake’s very own Milkshake!

Monkey and two Milkshake! presenters, in this all singing, all dancing, musical masterpiece.

Tickets: Band A £15, Band B £13.50, family ticket and concessions available The Central Theatre

6 Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

Professional hire

Medway Stage Festival Young stage stars of the future from Medway and the South East converge on The Brook Theatre for the 28th annual Medway Stage Festival. Dancers compete in classes ranging from ballet to modern, from tap to song and dance.

Theatres

Sun, 29 Apr; Sat, 5; Sun, 6; Sat, 12; Sun, 13 May, 9am CAM Productions presents:

Tickets: £6, concessions available The Brook Theatre

Mon, 30 Apr, 8pm

Arsenal Legends with Paul Merson, Ray Parlour and Perry Groves

Tickets: Band A £27.50, Band B £25 The Central Theatre

Tue, 1 and Wed, 2 May, 8pm

Bill Bailey: Larks In Transit

Tickets: £27.50 The Central Theatre

Wed, 2 May, 7.30pm

Roundabout Nights with Henry Normal

01634 338338

Larks in Transit is a compendium of travellers’ tales and the general shenanigans of twenty years as a travelling comedian.

With musical virtuosity, surreal tangents and trademark intelligence, Bill Bailey tackles politics, philosophy and the pursuit of happiness.

medwayticketslive.co.uk

Three Arsenal legends grace the stage at The Central Theatre to talk about their careers at Arsenal and what it’s like playing with players at the top level of the beautiful game. Come and join Paul Merson, Ray Parlour and Perry Groves as they discuss games, dressing room/training ground stories, managers, fallouts and everything you wanted to know about playing for a successful football club.

Award-winning local literary organisation Wordsmithery bring their popular spoken word night to The Brook, with special guest headliner Henry Normal. Henry is a comedian, television producer (Baby Cow Productions), poet and writer. The show will also showcase local writers and the graduates of their writer development scheme.

Tickets: £9.50, concessions available The Brook Theatre

Take comfort in booking your tickets without paying those extra fees.

KING NO BOO FEES 7

Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

Professional hire

Theatres

Sat, 5 May, 7.30pm

Walk Right Back: The story of the The Everly Brothers Walk Right Back tells the story of the most successful duo of all time - The Everly Brothers. Featuring hits such as Bye Bye Love, All I Have To Do Is Dream and Cathy’s Clown.

Tickets: Band A £21, Band B £19.50, concessions available, buy nine get one free The Central Theatre

Tue, 8 May 7.30pm

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Martine McCutcheon Martine is back, with a new album Lost and Found, co-written with her husband, the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Jack McManus, and she has never sounded better.

Band A £25, Band B £23 The Central Theatre

Sat, 12 May, 7.30pm City of Rochester Symphony Orchestra presents:

Orchestral Fireworks They end their season with a programme encompassing the twin themes of love and vibrant orchestral colours. The concert includes - by popular request CRSO Associate Composer Jacob Bride’s engaging Folk Rhapsody No.2.

Tickets: Band A £17, Band B £13, concessions/group tickets available

01634 338338

The Central Theatre

Mon, 14 May, 7.30pm

Seriously Dead - A brand new musical comedy play Seriously Dead is an up-lifting tale guaranteed to make you feel there is nothing serious about being dead at all, because life’s party never ends: it simply moves to another location.

Tickets: Band A £21, Band B £19.50 The Central Theatre

Fri, 18 May 7.30pm

Magic of Motown Music fans are invited to the biggest party of the year. Prepare yourself for 40 back-to-back classic hits including Ain’t No Mountain, Signed Sealed Delivered, Dancing In The Streets, My Cherie Amor, Heatwave and many more. As well as glittering costume changes, dazzling dance moves and outstanding musicianship in this explosive concert experience.

Band A £26, Band B £24 concessions available The Central Theatre

8 Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

Professional hire

Seasons of Love A range of dance styles and ages – they are proud of their pupils who are dedicated, committed and loyal and enjoy performing in their bi-annual show.

Theatres

Sat, 19 May, 2pm and 7pm Duets Dance School presents:

Tickets: £10, concessions available The Central Theatre

Tue, 22 May, 7.30pm

That’ll Be The Day

Tickets: Band A £25.50, Band B £24 The Central Theatre

Thu, 24 May, 7.30pm

Liza sings Streisand Liza Pulman pays homage to the great Barbra Streisand, one of the finest singers of all time. With her fabulous band, Liza Pulman, singer, comedienne and one third of the satirical trio Fascinating Aida, celebrates Barbra Streisand with her hugely successful and critically acclaimed show.

medwayticketslive.co.uk

The UK’s premier rock and roll production That’ll Be The Day returns with another brand new show. This latest production features a fantastic new-line-up of smash hits spanning the 50s, 60s and 70s, plus more side-splitting comic sketches, all performed live on-stage.

Tickets: Band A £20, Band B £18.50, concessions available, buy nine get one free

Fri, 25 May, 7.30pm

Danny Baker: Good Time Charlie's Back Danny will be embarking on a nationwide, high-principled, peppy series of one-night-stands calling at dozens of theatres around the country starting in May 2018.

01634 338338

The Central Theatre

Tickets: £22.50 The Central Theatre

Join the Theatres’ Loyalty Scheme and start saving straight away For £10 a year you will get a discount on the adult price for shows marked with this symbol.

Once you have booked three events through the theatres’ box office during the course of any 12-month period, you will automatically qualify for two free tickets for the pantomime at The Central Theatre. For further details, please email: boxoffice@medway.gov.uk, phone 01634 338338 or visit: www.medwayticketslive.co.uk. Terms and conditions apply.

9 Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

Professional hire

Theatres

Sat, 26 and Sun, 27 May, 7pm Island Dance Academy presents:

Pure Imagination Island Dance Academy will be performing ballet, tap, modern, jazz, musical theatre, street and contemporary dance to some favourite fantasy themes such as Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin and Jungle Book.

Tickets: £12, under 16s £10 The Brook Theatre

Sat, 2 Jun. 7.30pm

The true story of Jimi Hendrix by his brother Leon Hendrix

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Throughout Jimi’s career, Leon was Jimi’s companion and for the first time in the UK, he is to embark upon a theatre tour.

Leon will be joined by an astounding band who will play all Jimi’s hits and more, as well as recalling his first-hand experiences of the recording, touring, and private life of a true rock legend, including memories of the legendary Woodstock.

Tickets: Band A £25, Band B £23 The Central Theatre

Sat, 2 Jun, 7.30pm Fluffy TOP Productions presents:

The Musicals – Songbook An entertaining evening of songs from the musicals, from classic to modern with an exceptionally talented cast of singers. One not to be missed.

01634 338338

Tickets: £14 The Brook Theatre

Fri, 8 Jun, 7.30pm

Swing with Laughter Variety is back with a capital V as legendary British Entertainers Jimmy Tarbuck OBE and Kenny Lynch OBE, swap their golf clubs for a unique night of comedy and music in the company of talented friends.

Tickets: £30 The Central Theatre

For hire

The Central and The Brook Theatres both offer performance and rehearsal space and conference and meeting rooms for hire. For more information phone: 01634 338300 or email: theatres@medway.gov.uk

10 Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

Professional hire

The Sensational 60's Experience Mike Pender (original voice of The Searchers), Chris Farlowe, Herman’s Hermits, The Fortunes and New Amen Corner Returning by huge popular demand without doubt the most explosive 60’s show touring the UK. For one night only five legendary names take to the stage and deliver to you a night never to be forgotten.

Theatres

Sat, 9 Jun, 7.30pm

Tickets: Band A £28.50, Band B £27 The Central Theatre

Sat, 16 Jun, 7.30pm Derek Block Promotions Ltd presents:

The Illegal Eagles

Tickets: Band A: £25, Band B: £23 The Central Theatre

Fri, 22 Jun, 7.30pm KCP & Audienceware proudly presents:

Rhythm of the Dance With a wonderful, gifted young cast of dancers, musicians and three Irish tenors, featuring live performances from the entire troupe, this is a show that has won critical acclaim across four continents of the world in 51 countries to over five million fans.

Thu, 21 Jun, 7.30pm The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars presents:

Soho Songbook Direct from London’s world-famous jazz club and combining world-class live jazz, narration and rare archive images and footage, The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars take to the stage to celebrate ‘The Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook’.

01634 338338

Tickets: Band A £24, Band B £22.50, concessions available The Central Theatre

medwayticketslive.co.uk

The world’s official No.1 Eagles tribute returns for another outstanding show promising more of their trademark musical prowess, acute attention to detail, and incredible showmanship.

Tickets: £21

The Brook Theatre

Take comfort in booking your tickets without paying those extra fees.

KING NO BOO FEES 11

Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

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Theatres

Sat, 23 Jun, 7.30pm

One Night of Queen Performed by Gary Mullen and The Works Gary began touring on his own and in 2002 formed a band The Works, to pay tribute to rock legends Queen. Since then, Gary Mullen and The Works have performed throughout the UK, USA, Europe, South Africa and New Zealand to sell-out audiences.

They have also twice rocked the prestigious BBC Proms in the Park, in front of a very enthusiastic crowd of 40,000.

One Night of Queen is a spectacular live concert, recreating the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of arguably the greatest rock band of all time.

01634 338338

medwayticketslive.co.uk

Tickets: Band A £21, Band B £19 The Central Theatre

Sat, 23 Jun, 7pm and Sun, 24 Jun, 2pm Claire Buckley School of Dancing presents:

Time Warp!

Join us for a dance through the time warp, from children aged three years to adults, dancing ballet, tap and jazz routines.

Tickets: £11 The Brook Theatre

Wed, 27, Thu 28, Fri 29 and Sat, 30 Jun, 7.30pm Kentish Players AODS presents:

Spamalot Lovingly ripped off from the hugely successful 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a riotous comedy full of misfit knights, killer rabbits, dancing nuns and ferocious Frenchmen.

Tickets: Wed and Thurs, £15.50, Fri and Sat £16.50, concessions and group offers available The Central Theatre

Fri, 29 and Sat, 30 Jun, 7pm Regan Performing Arts Academy presents:

Dreams, Nightmares, Mystery and Magic When a dancer closed her eyes she is pulled into a deep sleep drifting in and out of dreams…she travels a mystical universe, caught between worlds where twilight, dreams and reality become one.

Tickets: £9, concessions available The Brook Theatre

Take comfort in booking your tickets without paying those extra fees.

KING NO BOO FEES

12 Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

Professional hire

Land of Hope and Glory Neil Sands and his wonderful West End cast are back with their hit new production for 2018, Land of Hope & Glory, celebrating the best of British entertainment and especially produced to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the end of The First World War.

Theatres

Tue, 3 Jul, 2pm Neil Sands presents:

Tickets: Band A £12.50, Band B £10.50, concessions available The Central Theatre

Fri, 6 Jul, 7.30pm

Forbidden Nights

Tickets: Band A £23.50, Band B £21 The Central Theatre

Fri, 6, 7pm and Sat, 7 Jul, 7pm Cosson's School of Performing Arts presents:

The Play's The Thing!

Cosson's School of Performing Arts present their second year students. As part of their training, the students work with an external director and perform in a play. There will also be an opportunity for a Q&A with the cast after the performance.

Sun, 22 Jul, 3 and 7pm Starquest & Jackie Lynn Dance Studios presents:

Enchantment Come into a land of make believe and be amazed with this spectacular production.

01634 338338

Tickets: £5 The Brook Theatre

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Forbidden Nights are skilled and professionally trained performers, hand-picked from around the UK with charisma, undeniable talent, sparkling personality and honed physiques in equal measure. The evening is suitable for ages 18 to 80.

Think Cirque de Soleil meets Magic Mike!

Tickets: £10 The Brook Theatre

ED IT TS LIMSEA

Thu, 26 Jul, 7.30pm

Jason Manford: Muddle Class Muddle Class promises to feature a wealth of new material about Jason growing up ‘working class’ then finding, over the years, that part of him has become ‘middle class’ - causing much confusion!

Tickets: £27.50 The Central Theatre

13 Theatre Loyalty Scheme member discount

Community hire

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Theatres

Book early to disap avoid poin tmen t

01634 338338

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Also now booking Tassels Thank You for The Music Opera Boys Sun Records - The Concert Fastlove Lets Hang On T-Rextasy Elvis Years Swan Lake Think Floyd Dick Whittington and His Cat

5 Oct 6 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 21 Oct 3 Nov 9 Nov 15 Nov 16 Nov 17 Nov 7 - 31 Dec

Plus many more. Visit www.medwayticketslive.co.uk for more information on shows

Take comfort in booking your tickets without paying those extra fees.

KING NO BOO FEES

Theatre information More details at: medwayticketslive.co.uk The Brook Theatre: Old Town Hall, Chatham, Kent ME4 4SE The Central Theatre: 170 High Street, Chatham, Kent ME4 4AS (ME4 4RG for sat navs) • The box office is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm or until 15 minutes after curtain up on performance nights. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain up.

• Tickets must be paid for in person, by phone, credit card or by post within three days of reservation or 30 minutes before curtain up (whichever is the earliest) • Tickets should be considered non-exchangeable and nonrefundable and we advise customers to check their tickets upon receipt.

• The Central and Brook Theatre reserve the right to introduce, remove or alter special offers and discounts without notice. Discounts will not be applied retrospectively.

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The Central Theatre The Central Theatre The Brook Theatre The Central Theatre The Central Theatre The Central Theatre The Central Theatre The Central Theatre The Central Theatre The Central Theatre The Central Theatre

• If you are disabled and require assistance to visit the theatres, become a member of the Assisted Access Scheme and buy an additional ticket for your assistant at half price.

• Wheelchair access and spaces are available at both theatres. Please advise staff of your requirements when booking. Access at The Brook Theatre is by the electronic platform on the front steps or via the ramped entrance at Whiffens Avenue. Access to the Central Theatre is by the front entrance, via a platform, or by the side entrance by the Blue Badge holder car park.

• Management reserves the right to refuse admission.

Arts

There’s a mix of drama, dance, exhibitions, family workshops, community projects and more for you to see and take part in. = Advance booking essential

Workshops, projects and events Bank Holiday Mon, 7 May, 11am - 4pm

Splat! – the Sweeps Big Picnic

enjoymedway.co.uk

Now in its second year, a mixture of free and affordable fun including family craft workshops, children’s shows and roaming performers during Rochester Sweeps Festival.

Highlights: • The Chimney Sweeps – a show featuring juggling, comedy acrobatics and loads of charm.

• The Fairyland Trust – create your own May Day crown from leaves and flowers.

• The Crow House – a furious bird has taken up residency in the chimney of a derelict house. With acrobatics, silks, trapeze, hat juggling and slapstick, this silent movieinspired show features circus, puppetry and music.

Rochester Castle Moat

Cabbage Island – A history of Luton through the ages

Wordsmithery’s year-long project infusing and enthusing Medway with words.

Highlights include: • Free creative writing workshops in Medway Libraries – including opportunities to read your work out loud • Free zine-making workshops at INTRA – learn how to write, design and print your own fanzines and pamphlets • Roundabout Nights spoken word events including guest poets and writers – see p7 for details of our Henry Normal headliner night at The Brook Theatre Visit www.wordsmithery.info for full details.

Join us for free adult and family workshops.

Share memories of local life, and learn about local history research techniques with a professional heritage researcher.

For details phone 01634 813179 or visit icontheatre.org.uk.

Follow the Cabbage Island Exhibition as it goes on tour: Jul – All Saints Community Centre Aug/Sept – Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham Oct – Luton Library

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Arts

Cut, Fold, Create: Paper Commemorations – Medway Remembers 1918

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A series of beautiful installations, thought-provoking exhibitions and exciting workshops from international artists Caroline Collinge and Edmond Salter – Cabinet of Curiosity. Specialists in paper craft, they are helping people in Medway mark and honour the WWI Centenary.

Fri, 13 Apr – Sun, 6 May*

Mon, 7 – Thu, 31 May*

Exhibition: Band of Brothers

Exhibition: Peace Garden

An item of beauty, curiosity and intrigue, Band of Brothers is inspired by the history of the brass band movement during the Victorian era.

It explores connections between WWI and the brass band movement, with the band stand structure as a symbolic architectural memorial to this conflict. The artists have used a variety of paper craft techniques on an architectural scale and drawn upon the decorative ironwork design of band stands, with life-size military uniforms made from paper maps.

Paper archival materials connected to WWI and the locality will be recycled and transformed into flowers and symbols of nature to populate a pop-up paper peace garden that remembers the local lives lost during the conflict.

Drawing Room, Guildhall Museum, Rochester

Medway Dance Network MDN brings people with dance interests together to share, explore opportunities and make dance more prominent in Medway.

All ages and abilities welcome.

More information: 01634 338319 / arts@medway.gov.uk Next meeting: Wed, 11 April, 12noon Walderslade Social Club, 274 Walderslade Road, Chatham, ME5 0PA

Grand Magazine, Fort Amherst, Chatham

Sat, 2 and Sun, 3 Jun, 12-4pm

Drop-in Family Art Workshop: Paper Toys (Dickens Festival) Join Cabinet of Curiosity for their paper arts workshops inspired by vintage paper toys.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Guildhall Museum, Rochester

*For more information on the project and for details of venue opening times, visit cabinetofcuriositystudio.com or enjoymedway.co.uk or phone 01634 338319.

Fri, 8 to Sun, 24 Jun

Medway Print Festival 2018 The 3rd annual celebration of printmaking in Medway is the biggest yet and promises an exciting array of over 35 exhibitions, events and workshops for all ages and levels of experience in 13 venues, celebrating the best of local contemporary and historic printmaking.

Affordable prints also available to buy direct from the makers.

Pick up a free MPF18 newspaper, visit www.medwayprintfestival.com, or phone 01634 338319 for more details.

Various venues across Medway

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Rochester Art Gallery, Visitor Information Centre, 95 High St, Rochester ME1 1LX

Thu, 8 Mar, 6.30-8.30pm

Technofossils

Opening reception

New Paintings by Darrell Hawkins In this new series of paintings created especially for this solo show, Darrell Hawkins explores the allure of contemporary ruins through his beloved Kent landscape.

Monoliths and monuments – overlooked or forgotten structures that litter Kent act as signifiers to the county’s past and shape its current identity.

Meet the artist at the opening reception, free, all welcome, no need to book.

“Technofossils can range from infrastructure such as highways, cities and airports down to mobile phones, ballpoint pens and toothbrushes - everything humans build or manufacture - and will become humanity's equivalent of the dinosaur's footprint”- Tech Times, ‘The Technofossil Record of Humans’ by researchers at the University of Leicester A Cold War submarine, coastal ‘Sound Mirrors’, hovercrafts, and tower blocks all appear in the work. Darrell sees these subjects as records of past ambitions and faded ideals, clues to Kent’s previous societal structures in peacetime and in conflict.

Sat, 12 May, 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm

Technofossil Mountain - Free family workshops*

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Fri, 9 Mar – Sun, 27 May

Arts

Rochester Art Gallery and Craft Case

Join artist Darrell Hawkins to create your own ‘Technofossils’ using paper and collage.

Create individual artworks as well as a large collaborative ‘Technofossil Mountain’.

Suitable for young people and accompanied children aged 7+.

Sat, 19 May 10.30am-3.30pm

Free adult workshop day* Working with Darrell Hawkins for a day, exploring the processes and themes that run through his work, to create your own artwork. Includes discussion, collage, drawing and walking in the local area to develop ideas. Suitable for adults and accompanied young people aged 11+. Meet at the gallery.

*All sessions are free, but places must be booked in advance.

For more information about the exhibition or accompanying workshop programme, email: arts@medway.gov.uk or phone: 01634 338319.

Rochester Art Gallery & Craft Case.

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Libraries

Find out what exciting events and activities are going on at your library. = Advance booking essential

enjoymedway.co.uk

Regular events for children and families Medway libraries run regular events for children of all ages. To find out where and when these events are happening, visit: medway.gov.uk/libraries or phone your local library.

• Baby bounce and rhyme Babies can enjoy knee bouncing and nursery rhymes.

• Toddler shake and boogie Rhymes, songs and movement for pre-schoolers.

• Pop in and play Parents and children drop-in to meet, chat and play.

• Storytime Stories and rhymes for pre-schoolers.

• Teatime storytime (3-8yrs) After school storytime.

01634 337799

• Chatterbooks (8-12yrs) Readers’ groups.

Over 130 emagazines now available to download Medway Library card holders can borrow copies of 136 titles including Hello, Cosmopolitan, Amateur Gardening, Men’s Health UK and The Economist to read on their smartphone or tablet in full colour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sign up for the eMagazine service by visiting rbdigital.com/medway and click on ‘create new account’, with your library card to hand. Once an account has been created you will be able to borrow as many eMagazines as you wish from the website or download them for free using the RBDigital app on your smartphone or tablet.

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FREE !

Tue, 3 Apr, 2.15-3pm

Thu, 5 Apr, 11-11.45am

Cats and dogs (4-10yrs)

In the jungle (3-8yrs)

Stories and craft.

Stories and craft.

Twydall Library, Community Hub Twydall

Lordswood Library

Libraries

Special events - children and families

Thu, 5 Apr, 2.30-3.15pm Tue, 3 Apr, 2.15-3pm

Fly-catching frogs (3-8yrs) Stories and craft.

Out with the animals (4-10yrs) Stories and craft Cuxton Library

Hoo Library

Thu, 5 Apr, 2.45-3.30pm Tue, 3 Apr, 2-3pm

Stories and craft.

Stories and craft.

Luton Library

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Thu, 5 Apr, 2.30-3.30pm Wed, 4 Apr, 2-3pm

Animal patrol (4-10yrs)

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Stories and craft Gillingham Library, Community Hub Gillingham

(4-10yrs) Enjoy an immersive We're Going on a Bear Hunt storytime, followed by a bear hunt themed craft.

enjoymedway.co.uk

Down on the farm (3-8yrs)

Monkey puzzle (4-10yrs)

Thu, 5 Apr, 2.15-3.15pm

Zoo mania (4-10yrs) Stories and craft.

Walderslade Village Library

Wed, 4 Apr, 2.15-3.15pm

Fri, 6 Apr, 3.30-4.30pm

Zoo mania (4-10yrs)

Awesome animals (4-10yrs)

Stories and craft.

Stories and craft.

Walderslade Hook Meadow Library

Hempstead Library, Neighbourhood Community Hub Hempstead

01634 337799

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Wed, 4 Apr, 2.15-3.15pm

Exotic creatures (4-10yrs) Stories and craft.

Rochester Library, Community Hub Rochester

Thu, 5 Apr, 2.15-3.15pm

Spring crafts for teens (11-16yrs)

Fri, 6 Apr, 2.30-3.30pm

Craft workshop for teens.

Rumble in the jungle (4-10yrs)

Gillingham Library, Community Hub Gillingham

Stories and craft.

Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham

19 = Advance booking essential

Libraries

Easter celebrations (4-10yrs)

Wed, 11 Apr, 2.15-3.15pm

In conjunction with Tesco. History of hot cross buns and chocolate eggs.

Fri, 6 Apr, 2-3pm

Slates and chalks (4-10yrs) Animal creations using slates and chalks.

Rochester Library, Community Hub Rochester

Rainham Library

Tue, 10 Apr, 11am-12noon

Thu, 12 Apr, 11-11.45am

Wigmore Library

Farmyard fun (3-8yrs) Stories and craft

Sat, 7 Apr, 2-4pm

Lordswood Library

Cats and kits (all ages) Drop in and chill-out - A parent and child colouring session for Stress Awareness Month

enjoymedway.co.uk

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Thu, 12 Apr, 2.45-3pm

Jungle animals (3-8yrs) Stories and craft.

Luton Library

Tue, 10 Apr, 2.15-3pm

Jungle snakes (3-8yrs)

Women in World War Two Story and activity (4-10yrs)

Stories and craft.

Hoo Library

Tue, 10 Apr, 2.15-3pm

Nice weather for ducks (4-10yrs) Stories and craft.

Twydall Library, Community Hub Twydall

An interactive travelling suitcase event showing ‘Women in WW2’. Find out about a woman’s role in the ARP, sending and receiving messages and managing rations at home.

(This event is part of Fort Amherst's HLF funded 'Command of the Heights' project)

01634 337799

Thu, 12 Apr, 10.30am-12noon Tue, 10 Apr, 2-3pm

Gillingham Library, Community Hub Gillingham

Fantastic beasts and how to make them (4-10yrs)

Fri, 13 Apr, 10.30am-12noon

Stories and craft.

Fri, 13 Apr, 3.30-4.30pm

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Wolves! (4-10yrs)

Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham

Stories and craft.

Tue, 10 Apr, 2-3pm

Hempstead Library, Neighbourhood Community Hub Hempstead

Lambtastic (3-8yrs) Stories and craft.

Wigmore Library

Where The Wild Things Are (4-10yrs) Enjoy our special Where The Wild Things Are storytime, followed by a craft and musical wild rumpus.

Wed, 11 Apr, 2-3pm Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Tue, 5 Jun, 4-5pm Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

20 = Advance booking essential

Tue, 29 May, 2.30-3.30pm

Amazing animals (4-10yrs)

Flower power (4-10yrs)

Stories and craft.

Stories and craft.

Rainham Library

Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham

Libraries

Fri, 13 Apr, 2.15-3pm

Sat, 21 Apr, 2-3pm

Seed planting workshop (4-10yrs)

Tue, 29 May, 2.15-3pm

Drop in to plant seeds and decorate pots to take home, in honour of Earth Day 2018.

Stories and craft.

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Hoo Library

Mon, 23 Apr, 4-5pm

Tue, 29 May, 2-3pm

World Book Night celebration

A blooming marvellous storytime (4-10yrs)

Join us for a special storytime and bookish craft for World Book Night.

Stories and craft.

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Tue, 29 May, 2.15-3pm Mon, 30 Apr, 4-5pm

Share-A-Story and craft (4-10yrs)

Flower power (4-10yrs) Stories and craft.

National Share-A-Story Month storytime and craft activity.

Twydall Library, Community Hub Twydall

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Wed, 30 May, 2.15-3.15pm

enjoymedway.co.uk

(4-10yrs)

Blooming marvellous tulips (3-8yrs)

Paper flower crafts (4-10yrs)

Fri, 4 May, 3-5pm

Stories and craft.

Star Wars Day (4-10yrs)

Wed, 30 May, 2.15-3.15pm

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Blooming marvellous (4-10yrs)

Sat, 5 May, 2-4pm

Stories and craft.

Superheroes and comics day (4-12yrs)

Rochester Library, Community Hub Rochester

To coincide with the release of Avengers: Infinity War, visit our drop-in Marvel craft activity and comic reading zone.

Costumes encouraged.

Stories and craft.

01634 337799

Walderslade Hook Meadow Library

Drop in Star Wars crafts to coincide with Lego Club. Costumes encouraged.

Thu, 31 May, 2.30-3.15pm

Wacky weeds (4-10yrs)

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Cuxton Library

Thu, 31 May, 2.30-3.30pm

Beautiful blooms (4-10yrs) Stories and craft.

Gillingham Library, Community Hub Gillingham

Sat, 26 May, 2-3pm

Elmer Day celebration (4-10yrs) Join us for a special Elmer Storytime and craft.

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

= Advance booking essential

21

Libraries

Fri, 1 Jun, 3-4pm

Fancy petals (4-10yrs) Thu, 31 May, 2.30-3.30pm

Stories and craft.

Slimy science workshop (11-16yrs)

Hempstead Library, Neighbourhood Community Hub Hempstead

Have fun learning about the science behind slime and create your own pot of slime.

Fri, 1 Jun, 2-3pm

Thu, 31 May, 2.15-3.15pm

Blooming marvellous seed planting workshop (4-10yrs)

Paper flower crafts (4-10yrs)

Drop in to plant seeds and decorate pots to take home.

Rainham Library

Stories and craft.

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Walderslade Village Library

enjoymedway.co.uk

Fri, 1 Jun, 10.30am-12noon Thu, 31 May, 3-4pm

Blooms and bouquets (3-8yrs) Stories and craft.

The day of a Napoleonic soldier (4-10yrs) An interactive travelling suitcase event showing ‘The day of a Napoleonic soldier’.

Find out about the contents of a soldiers kitbag. Make and taste a soldiers biscuit (no cooking required). (This event is part of Fort Amherst's

Wigmore Library

HLF funded 'Command of the Heights project).

Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham

Fri, 1 Jun, 2.15-3pm

01634 337799

Spectacular spring (4-10yrs) Thu, 31 May, 11-11.45am

Stories and craft.

Fantastical flowers (3-8yrs)

Rainham Library

Stories and craft.

Shadow puppet theatre (4-10yrs)

Lordswood Library

Thu, 31 May, 2.45-3.30pm

Beautiful blossoms (3-8yrs) Stories and craft.

Luton Library

Make stick shadow puppets, design a stage, and write a script (or even a script with a 'twist'), based on classic fairy tales such as 3 Little Pigs, Red Riding Hood or Goldilocks and the Three Bears. (This event is part of the Dickens Festival) Sat, 2 Jun, 2.15-3.15pm Rochester Library, Community Hub Rochester

Sun, 3 Jun, 2.15-3.15pm Rochester Library, Community Hub Rochester

22 = Advance booking essential

Bird boogie (3-8yrs) Stories and craft.

Tue, 17 Apr, 24 Apr, 1 May, 8 May, 15 May (a series of five), 2-4pm

Luton Library

Libraries

Special events - adults

Thu, 7 Jun, 2.45-3.30pm

Developing your voice A creative writing course, suitable for writers who would like to stretch themselves. This course, run by the University of Kent, will provide an opportunity to develop your abilities in creative writing, building your confidence to express things in your own unique way.

Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham

Fri, 8 Jun, 10.30-11am

enjoymedway.co.uk

Bookstart - Bird boogie (1-4yrs) Join in with our special National Bookstart Week Toddler Shake and Boogie, inspired by Lucy Cousins' A Busy Day for Birds.

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Fri, 8 Jun, 11-11.30am

National Bookstart Week: Bird feeder craft (1-4yrs)

Strood Library, Community Hub Strood

Tue, 1 May, 8 May, 15 May, 22 May (A series of four), 11am-1pm

Media and society Does the media shape or reflect our opinion?

Suitable for beginners.

Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham

Wed, 2 May, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May (A series of four), 11am-1pm

01634 337799

Join us for a simple bird feeder craft to celebrate National Bookstart Week's chosen book, Lucy Cousins' A Busy Day for Birds. This event follows on from our Bookstart - Bird boogie event.

Introduction to adolescent development (psychology) Sat, 23 Jun, 10-10.30am, 10.45-11.15am & 11.30am-12noon

Printing workshop for children (5-12yrs) Join a 30 minute workshop to have a go at printing blocks on fabric.

Learn about the physical, intellectual, emotional and social growth and development of adolescents using psychological theories to develop your knowledge and skills. A short course run by the University of Kent.

Rochester Library, Community Hub Rochester

Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham

= Advance booking essential

23

Libraries

Tue, 15 May, 3.30-5.30pm

Confluence: Writing workshop and open mic (14yrs+) A creative writing workshop (part of Wordsmithery’s year-long Confluence: Plant; Grow; Nurture writing project, see pg15).

The workshop will be followed by an open mic where workshop attendees and others are invited to perform their writing.

Chatham Library, Community Hub Chatham

Elaine Everest - Author visit

enjoymedway.co.uk

Wed, 16 May, 7-8.30pm

Saga writer, Elaine Everest will visit to talk about her writing and her latest novel, Wartime at Woolworths.

Murder in the library 2 - Crime author event Crime writers discussion panel with Simon Booker, Mark Hill and Cass Green.

Hempstead Library, Neighbourhood Community Hub Hempstead

Rainham Library

eBooks and eAudiobooks available to download 01634 337799

Tue, 29 May, 3.30-5pm

Medway library card holders can borrow and download digital media anytime, anywhere, free of charge. Titles can be enjoyed immediately or transferred to a variety of devices and will automatically expire at the end of the lending period; meaning no late fees.

Visit medway.gov.uk/libraries

Tue, 12 Jun, 7.30-9pm

Ben Aaronovitch - Author visit Ben Aaronovitch is best known for the bestselling Rivers of London series of novels, as well as writing two Doctor Who serials in the late 1980s. His visit to Medway will be hard on the heels of the paperback edition of his PC Grant novella, The Furthest Station.

Gillingham Library, Community Hub Gillingham

Library contact details For opening times visit: medway.gov.uk/libraries or phone: 01634 337799.

Medway Mobile Library For routes and times visit: medway.gov.uk/libraries medwaylibraries

24

@medwaylibraries

Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre, Strood 01634 332714 malsc@medway.gov.uk

medway.gov.uk/archives medwayarchivesandlocalstudies

= Advance booking essential

Easter Trails Take part in our Easter heritage trails for a chance to win a small prize.

80p per child (plus admission fee at Rochester Castle, Upnor Castle and Eastgate House).

Fri, 30 Mar – Sun, 15 Apr, 10am-6pm (last admission 5.15pm) Rochester Castle

Upnor Castle

Sat, 31 Mar to Sun, 15 Apr, (closed Mon and Tue) 10am-5pm (last admission 4.15pm) Eastgate House, Rochester

31 Mar, 1, 7, 8, 14 & 15 Apr, 11am-4pm (Last admission 3.30pm) Temple Manor, Strood

Sat, 31 Mar – Sun, 15 Apr, 10am-5pm Guildhall Museum, Rochester

3, 5, 10, 12 Apr, 10.30am-3.30pm

Make an Easter Helmet Join our hands-on family craft activity to make an Easter Helmet for Norman the Knight. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

80p per child, free entry to Tower Two Rochester Castle, Tower Two

4, 6 , 9, 11, 13 Apr, 10.30am-3.30pm

Easter Bunnies and Bouquets Join our hands-on family craft activity to make an Easter bunny hat and a spinning daffodil. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

enjoymedway.co.uk

Fri, 30 Mar – Sun, 15 Apr, 10am-6pm (Last admission 5.15pm)

Heritage

Experience and enjoy Medway’s rich heritage. = Advance booking essential

80p per child, plus admission fee.

Upnor Castle

Wed 4, Fri 6 and Wed 11 Apr, 10am-4pm Drop in sessions throughout the day

Make a Victorian Easter Egg Family workshop with local artist Wendy Daws.

Free with admission to the house.

Eastgate House, Rochester

Mon, 2 to Fri, 6 Apr and Mon, 9 to Fri, 13 Apr, 10.30am - 3.30pm

Make your own paper Easter egg Join our hands-on family activity inspired by popular Victorian crafts. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

80p per child, free entry to the museum.

Guildhall Museum, Rochester

Sun, 8 Apr, 1pm-3.30pm

Make an Easter bunny and chick Join our hands-on family craft activity to make an Easter bunny and chick finger puppet.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

80p per child, admission free.

Temple Manor, Strood

Cut, Fold, Create: Paper Commemorations – Medway Remembers 1918 For details of events at the Guildhall Museum and Fort Amherst, see page 16.

25 = Advance booking essential

Heritage

Sat, 21 Apr, 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm

Sat, 5 and Sun, 6 May, 10am-4pm

Make an Elizabethan Nosegay (floristry workshop)

As part of Rochester Sweeps Festival, come and meet Joe the Sweep who will tell you all about his work and the May day holiday.

Don’t forget to shake his hand for luck!

Make your own chimney sweep’s brush with our family craft activity.

Create a scented Elizabethan nosegay as part of our Shakespeare weekend.

Free with admission to the house. To book please phone 01634 338400. Spaces limited.

Meet the Sweep

80p per child. Free with admission.

Eastgate House, Rochester

Eastgate House, Rochester

Sat, 26 May to Fri 1 Jun, 10am-5pm (last admission 4.15pm) (closed Mon and Tue)

enjoymedway.co.uk

Kids go free for half term One free child admission with one paying adult.

Eastgate House, Rochester

Sun, 22 Apr, 4.30pm-5.50pm Good Stuff Productions present

Tea with Mr Shakespeare Readings from some of The Bard's greatest works on the eve of his birthday. Enjoy sonnets, soliloquies, famous scenes and surprises, all served up with Elizabethan relish (and tea). Doors open at 4pm so you can explore this beautiful house before the performance. £15 per ticket including tea and coffee in the interval. Tickets can be purchased in advance from Eastgate House reception, Wednesday to Sundays 10am to 4.15pm.

Eastgate House, Rochester

Apr-Dec, Tue-Sun, 10am-5pm

The Knights Templar: Legacy and Legend

Crown Jewels Trail Take part in our heritage trail around the keep looking for all the jewels for the King’s and Queen’s crown. Find them all for a chance to win a small prize.

80p per child, plus admission fee.

Rochester Castle

The story of the Knights Templar is shrouded in mystery. Today, they still present a powerful image of the Middle Ages – warrior knights with their distinctive white tunics emblazoned with a red cross. But how much do we know about the history of the mysterious Knights Templar? This exhibition will shed a little light on the known facts, as well as bring their story home to Medway.

Guildhall Museum, Rochester

Sat, 26 May – Sun, 3 Jun, 10am-6pm (last admission 5.15pm)

Sat, 26 May – Sun, 3 Jun, 10am-6pm (last admission 5.15pm)

Dutch Raiders Take part in our trail around the castle looking for clues to find out what happened at Upnor Castle during the Battle of Medway for a chance to win a small prize.

80p per child, plus admission fee.

Upnor Castle

26 = Advance booking essential

Wed, 30 May and Fri, 1 Jun, 10.30am-3.30pm

A Knight’s Trail

Make your own Royal Charles Flagship

Complete the trail around the museum inspired by our Knights Templar exhibition and win a small prize.

80p per child, free entry to the museum.

Guildhall Museum, Rochester

26, 27 May; 2, 3 Jun, 11am-4pm (Last admission 3.30pm)

Join our hands-on family craft activity to make your own flagship – remember to keep it safe from the Dutch! Children must be accompanied by an adult.

80p per child, plus admission fee.

Upnor Castle

Crusader Trail

Fri, 31 May, 10am-4pm

Take part in our heritage trail around the site for a chance to win a small prize.

Decorating tiles

80p per child, admission free.

Temple Manor, Strood

Family workshop with local artist Wendy Daws - drop in sessions throughout the day.

Make a Crusader’s Shield Join our hands-on family craft activity.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

80p per child, admission free.

Temple Manor, Strood

Tue, 29 & Thu, 31 May, 10.30am-3.30pm

enjoymedway.co.uk

Free with admission to the house.

Eastgate House, Rochester

Sun, 27 May, 1pm-3.30pm

Heritage

Sat, 26 May to Sun, 3 Jun, 10am-5pm

Make Your Own King of the Castle Crown and Mace Join our hands-on family craft activity to make your own crown fit for a King or Queen.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

80p per child, free entry to Tower Two. Rochester Castle, Tower II

Mon, 28 May to Fri, 1 Jun, 10.30am-3.30pm

Sat, 2 and Sun, 3 Jun, 10am to 4pm

Rochester Literature Festival Join the Rochester Literature Festival for activities and talks in the house throughout the weekend, all of which are included free with admission to the house.

Tickets valid for the whole day’s activities.

Eastgate House, Rochester

Make Your Own…Knight’s Shield

Sun, 3 Jun, 4.30pm-5.50pm Good Stuff Productions present

Tea with Mr Dickens

Join our hands-on family craft activity based around our Knight’s Templar exhibition No need to book. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Enjoy a jam-packed irresistible feast of dramatised extracts from Dickens' most celebrated novels and stories. Doors open at 4pm so you can explore this beautiful house before the performance.

80p per child, free entry to the museum.

Guildhall Museum

£15 per ticket including tea and coffee in the interval. Tickets can be purchased in advance from Eastgate House, Wed to Sun, 10am to 4.15pm Eastgate House, Rochester

27 = Advance booking essential

Outdoors

If indoor activities are not for you then have a look at what's going on at our parks and open spaces. = Advance booking essential

Easter bunny hunt Track the bunny through the park with a fun quiz trail. There will be a small prize for every child who completes the trail. Suitable for accompanied children aged five to 12 years.

Fri, 30 Mar, 11am-3pm. Last entry 2pm

enjoymedway.co.uk

£3 per child. 01634 338191 Capstone Farm County Park

Mon, 2 Apr, 11am-3pm. Last entry 2pm £3 per child. 01634 337432 Riverside Country Park

Thu, 5 Apr, 10am-12noon or 1-3pm Wed, 11 Apr, 10am-12noon or 1-3pm

Beginners fishing for children

Tue, 3 Apr, 10am-12noon or 1-3pm

Whistles and walking sticks Can you whistle? Join the rangers who will show you how to make a whistle from natural material collected from around the park. You will then be shown how to select a suitable size walking stick, learn how to whip the grip, cap the end and have a go at ‘whittling’ your stick! Suitable for accompanied children aged five to 12 years.

Learn the basics of fishing at Capstone with our park rangers. Aimed at beginners and those wanting to improve. All equipment supplied. Suitable for accompanied children aged eight to 12 years. £10 per child. Limited numbers, so book early.

01634 338191 Capstone Farm Country Park

Sun, 8 Apr, Sun, 6 May and Sun, 3 Jun, 10am-2pm

£3 per child. 01634 338191

Volunteer conservation Task Day

Capstone Farm Country Park

Get involved at Capstone Farm Country Park by helping with some practical tasks on the site. Meet at the visitor centre.

Wed, 4 Apr, 10am-12noon or 1-3pm Thu, 31 May, 10am-12noon or 1-3pm

Big bug hunt (pond dipping and sweep netting) Explore the park in search of underwater creatures and amazing mini-beasts, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find. Suitable for the whole family. Children must be accompanied by an adult £3 per child. 01634 337432 Riverside Country Park

For more information phone 01634 338191 Capstone Farm Country Park

Tue, 10 Apr, 10am-12noon or 1-3pm

Mallet and badge making Spend a couple of hours in beautiful woods with the rangers who will teach you this useful bush craft, show you how to use hand tools correctly, help you make your very own mallet and while you are there have a go at making a wonderful badge made from our very own trees. Suitable for accompanied children aged five to 12 years. £3 per child. 01634 338191 Capstone Farm Country Park

28 = Advance booking essential

Mon, 28 May – Sun, 3 Jun, available at reception from 9am-3pm

Kite making workshop Join the rangers in making kites in the visitor centre then fly them in Riverside’s rather bracing winds. £5 per child. 01634 337432 Riverside Country Park

Half-term activity trail Come and explore the park and see if you can solve the mystery puzzle. Great fun for all the family. Please collect your activity trail pack from reception on arrival.

Outdoors

Thu, 12 Apr, 10am-12noon

£3 per pack. Suitable for all ages.

Riverside Country Park

Sun, 15 Apr, 10am-2pm Sun, 13 May, 10am-2pm

Volunteer conservation task day Learn about the country parks management and help out with some practical tasks on site. Meet at the visitor centre.

Mini beast hunting A must for those interested in insect life.

Learn how to identify the creatures that can be found in the pond and wild flower meadow.

Suitable for accompanied children aged five to 12 years. £3 per child, 01634 338191.

Capstone Farm Country Park

enjoymedway.co.uk

Register interest on 01634 337432 Riverside Country Park

Tue, 29 May, 10am-12noon and 1-3pm

Sun, 29 Apr, 7-10am

Morning birdsong A ranger-led guided walk to experience a morning of birdsong. Suitable for adults and children aged over 12-years-old.

Tue, 29 May, 10am-12noon

£3 per person. 01634 337432

Butterflies and bird feeders

Riverside Country Park

Come and make your own butterfly and bird feeder out of recycled materials. Suitable for children aged five to 12 years.

Thu, 10 May, 7am-10am

£3 per child. 01634 337432

Birds, birds, birds!

Join our ranger and see how many different kinds of birds you can find. Suitable for adults and children aged over 12-years-old.

Riverside Country Park

Thu, 31 May, 10am-12noon and 1-3pm

£3 per person. 01634 337432

Creative clay critters

Riverside Country Park

Join the rangers and get creative using air drying clay to make one of the many creatures found around the park.

Suitable for accompanied children aged five to 12 years. £3 per child. 01634 338191 Capstone Farm Country Park

29 = Advance booking essential

Sport

Sporting action taking place right here on your doorstep.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @medwaysport = Advance booking essential

Sun, 15 Apr, 10am-4pm

Tri for You family fun day A day of family fun. New sports to try, heathy eating with cooking classes and inflatable fun.

Medway Park

enjoymedway.co.uk

Training courses

Mon, 16 Apr to Sun, 22 Jul inclusive (13 weeks with no lesson during May half term)

Swimming lessons Medway Sport Swim Academy swimming lessons summer term. £6.95 per lesson or £90.35/term (or £83.40 for Monday lessons). 30 per cent discount for Medway Sport Premier members. medway.gov.uk/swimminglessons Medway Sports Centres

National pool lifeguard qualification With First Aid At Work and Defibrillator Training. £295 Mon, 23; Tue, 24 and Wed, 25 Apr

First aid at work £80 Mon, 14 and Tue, 15 May

Paediatric first aid £75

Tue, 29 May – Fri, 1 Jun

Phone 01634 336644 or email denise.todd@medway.gov.uk

Swimming lessons - holiday crash courses

Medway Park

Don’t miss the Easter and May half term holiday crash courses in swimming, synchro and diving. medway.gov.uk/swimminglessons Medway Sports Centres

Easter break: Mon, 2 – Fri, 6 Apr (Medway Park only) and Tue, 10 – Fri, 13 Apr Spring break: Tue, 29 May – Fri, 1 Jun

Holiday Sports Camps

Sat, 10 and Sat, 17 Mar, 9am-9pm

British Universities handball finals Hundreds of students from across the country will travel to Medway Park for the national finals of the student handball cups.

Free spectator admission. medway.gov.uk/sport Medway Park

Medway Council runs a comprehensive programme of training courses in lifeguarding and first aid. The qualifications are all fully-accredited and delivered by our experienced Royal Lifesaving Society tutor.

9-14 Apr and 29 May-3 Jun

Quality multi-sport coaching for seven to 12 year-olds during school holidays. You can book for single days or up to four days.

Four-day camps advanced bookings are £20 per day or £65 for all four days. On the day the charge is £25 per day on the day. Discount is available for junior members and children of premier members of Medway's sports centres.

Book online 01634 333943 or email medwaysport@medway.gov.uk Medway Park and Strood Sports Centre

30 = Advance booking essential

Sport

Sun, 3 Jun, 9am

Medway 10k Join hundreds of runners for the annual Medway 10k in aid of the Wisdom Hospice.

Medals and goodie bag for every participant.

Entry fee £16 for affiliated runners, £18 unaffiliated in advance or £20 on the day. www.nice-work.org.uk/races/medway-10k Medway Park

Parksport

Sat, 9 to Sun, 17 Jun

Hillyfields, Gillingham.

Medway cycling festival

Broomhill Park, Strood

Tuesdays (8 May to 28 Aug), 7.15-8.15pm

This new-look Medway Cycling Festival is designed to encourage all residents to get on their bikes and coincides with National Bike Week. It includes the Medway Ride Together family festival day at Riverside Country Park/The Strand, plus Sportives and a triathlon from Medway Park and a range of community and club activities across Medway’s cycle network, parks and schools.

Thursdays (4 May to 7 Sept), 6-7pm This includes a parkour session as well as parksport on the night

medway.gov.uk/cyclingfestival Various venues

www.medway.gov.uk/parksport

Fridays, 9.30-10.30am

Open sports sessions

#ThisGirlCan Swim Women’s-only swim session. Includes free cuppa. No booking required. £3 per week, £1.50 for members medway.gov.uk/thisgirlcan Hoo Sports Centre

Great Lines, Gillingham

enjoymedway.co.uk

Drop in, have fun and try lots of different sports in a park near you this summer.

Free weekly multi-sport sessions and summer weekend parksport specials in parks and open spaces across Medway. Including NFL, pop up tennis, softball, football, parkour, frisbee, archery tag and others (unless stated specific sports) Mondays (7 May to 27 Aug), 6.30pm-7.30pm

Fridays (27 Jul – 31 Aug), 10-11.30am Rochester Castle

Saturdays (5 May - 1 Sept) 1–2pm Maidstone Road Rec, Chatham 3-4pm Luton Millennium Green. Chatham

For people aged 11+.

• Korfball, Mondays 4.30-6pm • Pickleball, Tuesdays 5.30pm-7pm • Flag Football 5pm-6pm £3 (£1.50 for students).

Medway Park

Disability Sports Sessions All £3/session • All Ability Tennis. Mondays 7-8pm • Blind Football. Wednesdays 5-6pm • Multi Sports Club. Wednesdays. 5.30-7pm Medway Park.

• Roller Derby. Fridays. 4.30-6.30pm Strood Sports Centre

= Advance booking essential

31

TUESDAY

Castle CONCERTS

THE AUSTRALIAN

10 JULY

PINK FLOYD

WEDNESDAY

Jools Holland

11 JULY

SHOW

& his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra featuring GILSON LAVIS

THURSDAY

and guest vocalists RUBY TURNER, LOUISE MARSHALL & ROSIE MAE

Plus support

12 JULY

FRIDAY

Plus support

13 JULY

14 JULY

with special guest

MARC ALMOND

THE PROMS

Follow us for all the latest updates

#castleconcerts www.thecastleconcerts.co.uk Box office: 01634 338 338

10 - 14 JULY Rochester castle gardens

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• All events listed inside are free of charge unless stated otherwise.

• All children must be accompanied by an adult.

• Whilst every effort is made to ensure that information is correct at time of going to press, the programme is subject to alteration without prior notice.

This information can be made available in other formats Minicom: 01634 333111 from: 01634 333333 If you have any questions about this leaflet and you want to speak to someone in your own language please phone: 01634 335577

G10861 02 18 Designed by Medway Council’s Communications Team. medway.gov.uk/communications