The Grand in Folkestone is turning into a ‘Fun Palace’ between 2pm – 5pm on Saturday 3 October!

A fun palace is a space where groups can use a local space to put on events for the community.

Local organisations have offered to host free workshops, ranging from pottery to collage, Nepalese dancing to 121 writing workshops.

You can find the full programme for the afternoon on The Grand’s page on the Fun Palace website.

Folkestone Documentary Festival

22 to 25 October 2026

Silver Screen Cinema, Creative Folkestone Quarterhouse and venues across town

Autumn in Folkestone starts with reels rather than fireworks. The Folkestone Documentary Festival has quietly become one of the most respected non-fiction film events in the UK, and one of the few documentary festivals held outside London. Now in its sixth year, the festival takes over the Silver Screen — Folkestone’s much-loved independent cinema — for four days of new international and UK documentaries, followed by Q&As with the directors themselves.

Expect subjects that range from the deeply personal to the properly strange: past editions have covered dementia, migration, saunas, skating and even the World Porridge Championships, alongside big-name premieres fresh from festivals like Sundance and CPH:DOX. Screenings spill out beyond the cinema into venues such as Kollectiv and Burrito Buoy, and the festival’s Community Walk and Community Meal give the whole thing a genuinely local, unpretentious feel rather than a red-carpet one.

It’s a brilliant excuse for an autumn weekend by the sea: watch a film in the afternoon, wander the harbour as the light drops, and be back in a warm bar in time for the evening’s Q&A. Full programme details and passes are released closer to the festival via the Creative Folkestone website.

Folkestone Book Festival – Ideas and imagination in autumn

12–22 November 2026

The Folkestone Book Festival brings authors, thinkers and book lovers together for discussions, readings and discovery.

One of the UK’s longest-running literary festivals, it fills Folkestone with thought-provoking conversation and storytelling magic. Expect a festival that lives beyond the stage, in foyers, queues and those unexpected conversations that stay with you long after an event ends.

Whether you are there for world-class headliners, the electric Local Authors Showcase, or the inspiring Primary School Series, there is something for everyone!

Autumn Gala: A Spectacular Weekend on the RH&DR

Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October 2026.

Step back in time and experience the magic of the railway in miniature at the RH&DR Autumn Gala.

Promising a spectacular weekend of steam, nostalgia and railway heritage, the two-day event will showcase the ‘mainline in miniature’ that is the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway.

For the Autumn Gala, all available RH&DR steam locomotives will be in service, alongside the railway’s diesel engine, J B Snell, making this a special opportunity to see the railway’s locomotives in action across the line.

Whether you’re a lifelong railway enthusiast or simply looking for an unusual autumn day out, the Gala offers the chance to enjoy the RH&DR at its most atmospheric, with steam trains, historic rolling stock and the beautiful Kent coast providing the backdrop.

There’s even an element of mystery, with a secret visiting engine set to join the celebrations. Further details will be revealed closer to the event, so keep an eye on the railway’s website for updates.

For those keen to plan their visit around specific locomotive workings, an ‘Enthusiasts’ timetable will be published nearer to the Gala. This will provide detailed information about locomotive and coach-set workings, allowing railway fans to make the most of the weekend.

Tickets can be booked online in advance to avoid queues, or you can purchase them from the railway’s ticket offices on the day.

Folkestone Harbour Arm Festive Marketplace — from 13 November 2026

Weekends through to Christmas Eve

Folkestone Harbour Arm

The moment the lights go on at the Folkestone Harbour Arm Festive Marketplace, the harbour turns properly magical — a huge, star-topped Christmas tree at its centre, fisherman’s huts strung with lights, and the smell of mulled wine drifting between the stalls. From 13 November, the marketplace runs every Friday and Saturday (11am–7pm) and Sunday (11am–6pm), with extended hours in the run-up to Christmas Day itself.

Inside the huts you’ll find genuinely local, independently made gifts rather than mass-produced stocking fillers, and there’s free family entertainment, festive music and films running throughout. Once you’ve done your shopping, the Harbour Arm’s newer indoor restaurants make an easy, warm spot to sit down and refuel.

Children (and the young at heart) shouldn’t miss the Harbour Grotto, returning from Friday 4 December in the Customs House building. Created by artist Sally Hogarth, it’s a harbour-themed grotto rather than a generic one, and booking ahead is essential. It’s a proper reason to make a whole day of the Harbour Arm rather than just a quick stroll.

Santa Specials: A Magical Christmas Journey

28 November – 24 December 2026

Christmas comes to life on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway this winter, as the much-loved Santa Specials return for another festive season.

Climb aboard a steam train at New Romney and travel through the Kent countryside to Hythe, before meeting Father Christmas and his elves in his magical grotto. With festive treats, entertainment and plenty of seasonal surprises along the way, it’s a Christmas experience designed to delight visitors of all ages.

The railway has been running its Santa Specials since 1981, and while plenty has changed over the decades, the heart of the experience remains the same: a memorable steam train journey followed by a very special visit with Santa.

• A magical visit to Santa and his elves in the grotto
• Entertainment from a magician while you wait to meet Santa
• A quality, age-appropriate gift for every child aged 0–17*
• Seasonal refreshments, with a range of dietary options available**
• Entry to the Model Railway Exhibition at New Romney
• A snowy arrival back at New Romney

It’s worth arriving early to explore the Model Railway Exhibition before your train departs – the perfect way to begin your festive railway adventure.

The experience culminates in a wonderfully atmospheric return to New Romney, complete with a snowy arrival to round off your Christmas journey.

Tickets are available to book online, with Santa Specials running on selected dates between 28 November and 24 December 2026.

Get Crafty at a Christmas Wreath Workshop

If you’re looking for a festive experience with a difference this Christmas, head to Gingerly Green Flower Farm for one of its seasonal Christmas Wreath Workshops.

Set on the flower farm, the workshops offer the chance to slow down, get creative and learn how to make your very own Christmas wreath using locally sourced, natural greenery. The farm’s ancient woodland provides the greenery used in the workshops, giving each wreath a genuine connection to the local landscape.

There’s a strong focus on sustainability, too. The wreaths are designed to be 100% compostable, with no wire, floral foam or other unnecessary materials. Along the way, the team will share their tips and techniques, as well as explaining more about the different types of greenery available and what you might be able to source at home.

Everything you need to create your wreath is provided, and you’ll leave with your own finished creation ready to decorate your home for the festive season. Workshop numbers are limited to eight people, creating a relaxed and personal atmosphere where you can make the most of the experience.

Evening workshops are also available, making them a lovely option for a seasonal get-together after work. Bespoke group bookings can be arranged, with a minimum of four people for private group sessions.

Expect festive music, plenty of Christmas cheer and the chance to pick up a new creative skill – even if Father Christmas himself isn’t guaranteed to make an appearance!

Find out more and book your Christmas Wreath Workshop at Gingerly Green Flower Farm

Port Lympne Illuminated

27 November 2026 – 2 January 2027

For something a little wilder than the usual light trail, Port Lympne Illuminated transforms the 600-acre reserve at Port Lympne into an after-dark animal-themed wonderland. Wind your way through the gardens and woodland walks past holographic tigers, illuminated giraffes, a fairy disco complete with bubbles and smoke, and a golden tunnel of twinkling lights, before finishing at a genuinely spectacular grand finale with dynamic water jets and aerial light beams.

New for 2026, the trail introduces fresh installations and species, an extended zone, a reimagined Elf Disco, and Elfwood — an overnight glamping experience among the pines opposite the lion enclosure, for families who fancy turning their visit into a proper festive sleepover. Santa’s Grotto and a festive afternoon tea are also on offer for those who want to make a full day (or night) of it, and there’s a Garden Room Restaurant serving sit-down festive dining if the fairies’ kitchen pop-ups aren’t quite enough.

Running for over a month, from 27 November right through to 2 January, this is one of the few events on this list you can build a visit around at almost any point over the festive period — including that quiet stretch between Christmas and New Year when everything else has wound down. Tickets are limited and priced by peak, off-peak and super off-peak dates, so it’s worth booking early via the Port Lympne Illuminated website for the best price and choice of time slot.

Folkestone’s Living Advent Calendar

Throughout December 2026

24 secret doors across Folkestone and Hythe, opening nightly at 6pm

There’s nothing quite like Folkestone’s Living Advent Calendar anywhere else on the Kent coast — and it’s completely free. Every night in December, at 6pm, a different door somewhere across the town (and this year, further afield into Hawkinge and Hythe too) opens to reveal a live performance: a choir, a string quartet, an opera singer mid-aria in a pizza restaurant. Nobody knows what’s behind the door until it opens.

Now in its twelfth year, and back after a well-earned pause in 2025, the calendar is the brainchild of Jim Jam Arts founders Sadie Hurley and Sue Blakesley, and it genuinely brings the town together — past audiences have included children reaching out to touch a soprano’s hand, and a man with a learning disability so moved by a tenor’s voice that the whole room ended up in tears. The opening night takes place at the Leas Cliff Hall, and, as ever, the calendar closes on Christmas Eve at St Mary and St Eanswythe’s Church.

Workshops for those wanting to take part begin in late October, with door locations announced through November — keep an eye on the Folkestone Living Advent Calendar’s listing for updates as they’re released.

Cinderella at the Leas Cliff Hall

16 to 31 December 2026

Leas Cliff Hall, The Leas, Folkestone

No British Christmas is complete without a pantomime, and Folkestone’s clifftop venue does it properly. This year’s Leas Cliff Hall pantomime is Cinderella, staged by Stuart Morrison’s Second Star Productions, running from Wednesday 16 to Thursday 31 December. Expect sparkling sets, a full complement of gloriously over-the-top Ugly Sisters, plenty of songs to tap your toes to, and the audience participation that makes panto, panto.

Leas Cliff Hall itself is worth the visit alone — a clifftop entertainment venue built in 1927, with sweeping Channel views that make even the queue for the bar feel special. A relaxed performance is also scheduled for those who’d prefer a calmer sensory experience, with adjustments made to sound and lighting.

It’s an easy one to build a winter weekend around: matinee performances mean you can catch the show and still have time for a walk along the seafront or a wander round the Harbour Arm markets before heading home. Tickets are on sale now via ATG Tickets.

Folkestone Christmas Tractor Run

Saturday 19 December 2026

The Blue Silo, Acrise, to Folkestone Harbour Arm

There’s something wonderfully unexpected about seeing sixty tractors, decked out in Christmas lights and tinsel, rumble their way down through the villages towards the sea. The Folkestone Christmas Tractor Run was started by a group of local farmers in 2024 as a way of connecting Folkestone’s farming community with the town, and it’s grown fast — the convoy sets off from The Blue Silo microbrewery in Acrise at 4.45pm, winding through Densole, Hawkinge and Capel before arriving at the Harbour Arm around 7pm.

It’s raised thousands of pounds for local causes including Touchbase Care and the Kent Air Ambulance along the way, and once the tractors reach the Harbour, everyone’s welcome to climb aboard, chat to the farmers about life on the land, and grab a mulled wine while they’re at it. Bring the whole family and wrap up warm — you’ll hear the convoy coming before you see it.

Best watched from along the route through Hawkinge and Capel, or waiting at the Harbour Arm itself for the big arrival. Follow the Folkestone Christmas Tractor Run’s Facebook page nearer the date for the confirmed route and timings.

Boxing Day Dip

Friday 26 December 2026

Sunny Sands, Folkestone, registration from 9.30am

If Christmas dinner has left you needing to blow the cobwebs off, Folkestone has just the thing. The Boxing Day Dip, run by the Folkestone Lions Club for over 40 years, sees hundreds of “dippers” — many in elaborate fancy dress — take to the freezing waters of Sunny Sands for a very brief, very bracing swim in aid of local charities.

Registration runs from 9.30am along The Stade, with everyone heading into the water together around 11.30am. Dippers are limited to three minutes in the sea for safety, and there are medals for first-timers and for those clocking up their tenth dip, plus a prize for best fancy dress. It’s every bit as much a spectator event as a participant one: Sunny Sands fills with well-wishers, and the noise as everyone charges into the waves is half the fun.

Whether you’re brave enough to dip yourself or would simply rather watch from the sand with a hot drink, it’s a properly joyful, slightly mad way to see out the Christmas season on the Kent coast. Details and registration are available via Folkestone Lions Club.