The Kent Gathering will represent the singing and music traditions of Kent’s traditional communities, including farming, fishing, and traveller and gypsy communities.

Performers so far confirmed include The Millen Family, Andy Turner, Nigel Hobbins, Kerry Fletcher, Florida, Den Giddens the St Nicholas at Wade Hoodeners and Chris Pitt.

We’re planning a day including an organised session of singing and playing in the village pub, followed by a village hall concert in the afternoon, all rounded off with a dance in the village hall in the evening.

During the morning we’re running a dancing session for local children and their parents at the village hall starting at 10.30am, and we hope also to organise other events including traditional plays and dancing.

Heading the bill will be Kent’s own The Millen Family – a wonderful traditional farming and singing family who sing in harmony, not unlike the better known Copper Family from Sussex. Here are two short samples of them singing In Yonder Old Oak and Sweet Bye and Bye.

We’ve also got local singing and anglo concertina star Andy Turner lined up to perform for us.

And Nigel Hobbins will be singing some of the songs he learned from his grandfather, who in his time was a famous local singer around the village of Challock (it’s pronounced Chollock, by the way!).

The St Nicholas at Wade Hoodeners were formed in 1966 after a horse effigy found in an attic led to discussions with members of the Trice family, who owned and took round the horse until 1919, and also with Tom West, who in his youth took part in the role of ‘The Boy’. Each year, the current team performs a specially written annual Christmas play at parties and local  pubs on the Isle of Thanet. The play is always topical and full of entertaining rhyming couplets.

And no doubt some of the organisers, including George Frampton, Julie Arnott and Gavin Atkin will also put in brief appearances.

To do the honours in the evening we have the roistering local country dance band Florida featuring trumpet and saxes, with Chris Pitt calling. If dancing to a great band isn’t your game, the landlady and landlord of the village pub are happy to host an informal evening session of singing and playing.*

To register your interest, please email Gavin Atkin at gmatkin@gmail.com. If you love the traditional music and dancing of Kent and round about, you won’t want to be anywhere else!

Timing-wise, the day will include a step dancing workshop at 10.30am in the village hall (£2 adults, £1 under-17s who are welcome with parents), a free session of singing and playing in the pub starting at mid-day, a concert in the village hall from 3.30pm (£4 adults, £2 under-17s), and a dance in the village hall in the evening from 8pm (£6 adults, £4 under-17s).

Please note that all tickets will be available on the day – there are no advance ticket sales, though we may be able to reserve tickets close to the day.

If you’re coming to the session, please let us know if you want to eat – it will help the landlord and landlady if we can warn them of the numbers to expect to want lunch. This applies particularly if you are a vegetarian! Call us on 01622 832871 or 01622 832461, or email gmatkin@gmail.com.

Download a handbill: Kent Gathering Handbill.

Download a Kent Gathering ceilidh or barn dance poster.

Where is Frittenden? Click here for the information!

*The ceilidh, or barn dance, is supported by Awards for All.