UPCOMING EVENTS IN 2025 - Folkestone & Hythe : Folkestone & Hythe

There’s always something going on in Folkestone and Hythe… here are just a few of the highlights for 2025!

CHARIVARI DAY

Celebrating The British Seaside in 2025, Charivari Day is Folkestone’s annual summer carnival. It all kicks off at 2pm on Saturday July 12th from The Stade. This is the town’s 29th such event, and more than 20,000 local people have been involved since 1997.

A vibrant procession of 800 plus people including bands, dancers and giant carnival floats parade from The Stade to the Leas bandstand via the Old High Street and town centre.

Organised by local arts organisation Strange Cargo, the event is partnered with funders including Leas Lift and Arts Council England. For more information, visit www.strangecargo.org.uk.

food and festivals — A performer at Charivari. Photo by Strange Cargo

A beach with many people sunbathing and swimming. — Beach goers enjoying Sunny Sands in Folkestone. Photo captured by Andy Markell.

SANDCASTLE COMPETITION, SUNNY SANDS, FOLKESTONE

Got your bucket and spade and your creative head on? Then head down to Sunny Sands next to Folkestone Harbour for the annual Sandcastle competition on July 20th, starting at 10am.

FOLKESTONE PRIDE

Come and celebrate with Folkestone’s LGBTQIA+ community on July 26th 2025!

A parade, a picnic on the Leas with a variety of performers and an after party at The Quarterhouse are all on the menu for the event which attracts over a thousand visitors every year.

www.folkestonepride.org

FOLKESTONE TRAWLER RACE

The 50th anniversary of this fun-packed weekend takes place from August 8-10th 2025.

The boats in the inner harbour are all decked out with flags and bunting, as soon as the horns sound all the contestants fire coloured flour bombs from one boat to the next before they set out to sea.

Still on the water there’s a paddleboard and home-made raft race, while back on land there are stalls and music and a fish pie competition, using fresh local catch.

FOLKESTONE TRIENNIAL

Folkestone Triennial is the town’s internationally renowned arts event, one of just a few to focus on work made for beyond the formal gallery setting. This year’s event takes place from Saturday July 19th to Sunday October 19th 2025.