Ways to celebrate St George’s Day in Kent in 2023
Celebrate English traditions across the county this St George’s Day.
From live entertainment to community parades, there are lots of ways to show your patriotism and mark the occasion, which takes place on Sunday, April 23.
Kick off the weekend celebrations early with the annual Gravesend and Dartford parades, which return this year on Friday, April 21.
Over the past few weeks, pupils from 24 local schools have been taking part in creative workshops and will be showing off their work in town centre parades on Friday.
There will also be live entertainment, including brass bands, Dhol drummers and folk musicians, as well as a visit from St George and the dragon.
The free festivities begin from 9.45am in Gravesend and 12.45pm in Dartford.
The fun continues into Saturday, April 22 in Dartford, where there will be even more live music taking over the town, along with family activities and the chance to take a selfie with the dragon from 10am to 2pm.
If you’re in the party mood this St George’s Day, the Pelham Arms in Gravesend is hosting an afternoon of ska, dub and 2-tone classics that are guaranteed to get you on the dancefloor.
2Tone Army, a six-piece band playing hits from the likes of The Specials, Madness and The Selecter, will be performing from 4pm, along with an old-school DJ set from Lou Vincent.
There will also be live music at The Magnet in Broadstairs, with sing-along 1950s, swing and wartime songs from the Jukebox Sweethearts.
The seaside micropub will also be joined by the Wantsum Women, who will be performing traditional Morris dancing.
For those who are hoping to enjoy the spring weather this St George’s Day, there is a 7km walk taking place from Westerham to Chartwell on Sunday morning.
The historic trail, organised by Boots On Adventures and led by Ben Crozier, will take guests on a stroll through the Kentish countryside and will end up at the family home of former prime minister Winston Churchill.
You can book your place online here.
Families looking to spend time together on St George’s Day can head to Canterbury Christ Church University and join in with creative arts and craft sessions.
Children can design their own colourful dragon costumes, visit Spiro the Sleeping Dragon and help choose a name for the baby dragon.
There will also be a dragon egg hunt and interactive storytelling, all organised with SEND children aged 4-18 in mind.
The event is free, but you need to book your place online in advance here.
There are also a number of free parades taking place in Kent over the weekend, with families welcome to line the streets and watch.
The local Scouts groups in both Dartford and Maidstone are among those planning events but timings and routes are still to be announced.
