Discover Folkestone: Seaside Charm & Creative Spirit
Rich in history and brimming with culture – we take a look at Folkestone’s past, present and exciting events planned for the rest of 2026.
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An historic town
Starting as a small fishing town, Folkestone has grown through the centuries to become a fashionable seaside resort with an exciting future – as regeneration continues to see it evolve into a top Kent destination.
The town’s position as a Channel ferry port meant that it was an important military base during the Second World War. The now restored Harbour Arm was once a major gateway for soldiers fighting in Europe and this important legacy can been see in being remembered at both the Kent Battle of Britain Museum – the world’s largest Battle of Britain collection of memorabilia and artefacts – and Capel-le-Ferne’s Battle of Britain Memorial, which is dedicated to Churchill’s famous “Few” who fought in the skies.
The Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Co. has seen the development of the former branch train station transformed into a landscaped walking route connecting the Harbour Arm, Boardwalk and Viaduct.
With some trains now taking less than an hour to and from London, Folkestone is ideally positioned to have the best of both worlds – offering the chance to live in a coastal community while still having easy access to the City for workers. It also makes it a great and easily accessible location for a day out for Londoners looking to get out of the hustle and bustle of the capital.
And with the Channel Tunnel located in Folkestone, a trip across to France could not be easier, arriving in Calais within 35 minutes of leaving the town.
Plenty of culture to explore
Folkestone’s “cultural heart”, the Creative Quarter is an urban village of designers, filmmakers, musicians, web developers and artists. Home to hundreds of creatives, you can watch artists at work, sign up for some classes, head to a café where creativity blossoms, or see bars transform into micro-performance spaces. The quarter was developed by Creative Folkestone to help regenerate the town through creativity, offering something for both locals and visitors alike. However it has not forgotten the town’s past and has respected the area’s heritage by preserving the historical buildings’ shopfronts.
The Creative Quarter is also home to the performing arts venue Folkestone Quarterhouse which offers a regular programme of theatre, comedy, music and festivals.
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Why not explore the town while seeking out its local artwork? Folkestone Artworks is the UK’s largest urban outdoor exhibition of contemporary art. Download the map and you can go and discover the work of 46 artists in scenic and surprising locations, including the work of Yoko Ono, Tracey Emin, Antony Gormley and Mark Wallinger.
Meanwhile at Folkestone Museum they say you can go on a journey through the history of the town “from its origins as a humble coastal community, through to its heyday as a fashionable seaside resort and beyond”. Natural History formed the core of the original museum collection and remains an important part today, while collections also include those themed on maritime, frontline and ancient, as well as one titled ‘fashionable’ looking at the Victorian period when Folkestone became a fashionable seaside destination for high society.
What's On in Folkestone in 2026
The visionary arts charity Creative Folkestone aims to make the town a better place to live through creative activity. As such it offers a range of activities and organises a variety of events through its five projects – Quarterhouse, Creative Quarter, Folkestone Artworks, Book Festival and Folkestone Triennial.
Every Saturday and Sunday from 30th May to 19th September you can enjoy music at the Folkestone Bandstand between 2.30pm and 4.30pm arranged by Folkestone Festivals. Enjoy traditional bandstand entertainment include brass, silver and concert bands and discover a range of different genres with live music, entertainment and dance from local groups including tribute bands.
Folkestone Coastal 10k this year takes place on 31st May. The award-winning race starts at the seafront, heading on a flat route towards Hythe and back, and offers beautiful coastal scenery along the way. This year it will include a virtual option to run, along with the popular children’s race of approximately 600m. The event supports charitable causes, raising vital funds for them.
Folkestone and Ashford Military Show this year takes place on 6th and 7th June at Sellinge Showground with displays to entertain all the family as well as exhibitors and traders stalls to explore. The two-day event includes a Collectors Fair, classic cars, military vehicles and re-enactments, cadet and military displays, arena displays, as well as food stalls, beer tent and band, fun fair and music, plus steam engines.
Elham Food & Craft Festival will be held on 14th June from 11am to 2pm in the village square. There will be more than 40 stalls to browse, and the official opening will be made by Pam Ferris.
Folkestone’s annual summer carnival – Charivari Day – will take place on 11th July starting at 2pm from The Stade. The event will see people parade to The Leas Bandstand via the town, usually including floats, dancers and bands.
Sunny Sands will host the return of the Sandcastle Competition on 20th July. Head to this location next to Folkestone Harbour with your bucket and spade at the ready to take part in this fun and creative event for all the family, with almost £3.5k raised for The Church Street Project in 2025.
Folkestone Pride will return on Saturday 25th July, with the organisation celebrating the diversity of the local queer community, promoting tolerance, inclusion and community. The annual summer parade remains its biggest celebration, bringing thousands together in a joyful display of pride, solidarity and visibility.
Expect a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere with something happening wherever you turn at the Go Folkestone Anniversary Festival taking place on 25th July at The Grand between 11am and 9.30pm. Daytime entry to the event is free and there will be local food and drink, crafts and makers, music and performance, and activities for children. They say that “throughout the day, you’ll see the creative energy that runs through Folkestone – from musicians and performers to artists, small businesses, and community groups”. The day will culminate in a ticketed evening concert featuring a hand-picked line-up of musicians and singers from across Folkestone.
Returning for its sixth year at Folkestone Harbour Arm, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever will take place on Sunday 26th July from 11am to 6pm and this free event will once again see people don red clothing to recreate Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights music video.
Following its 50th birthday celebrations in 2025, Folkestone Trawler Weekend will be back on 1st and 2nd August 2026. Highlighting the magnitude of its fishing history and encouraging all to buy fresh fish, the weekend includes a raft race, paddleboard race, fish pie competition, trawler battle, stalls and fun fair, plus live music and more – there will be lots for all the family to enjoy during the fun-packed weekend.
The We Love Hythe Food Festival will be taking place over the August bank holiday weekend (29th-31st August) on Hythe Green from 11am-7pm on Saturday and Sunday and 11am to 6pm on the Monday. Offering more than 70 stalls for you to explore, the event is set to celebrate the best food and drink Kent has to offer, and what’s more it is free to attend.
Save the date for Hawkinge Summer Fest 2026, which will be taking place on Saturday 12th September between 11am and 4pm on Hawkinge Green offering lots of fun including live music, a bar, children’s activities, ice cream, displays, entertainment, food stalls and more.
Returning from 12th to 22nd November, the Creative Folkestone Book Festival will bring the town to life with storytelling, with 2026 festival inviting you to “step into other people’s worlds and explore new ideas, big and small”. Throughout the 11-day event there will be world-class headliners, the electric Local Authors Showcase and the inspiring Primary School Series.
Places to visit in Folkestone
A visit to Folkestone Harbour Arm should be at top of your list of things to do. This unique cultural attraction, which was originally the railway terminal for the Folkestone-Boulogne ferry, opened in 2015 and it reaches out into the English Channel offering not only views of the White Cliffs, but of France on a clear day.
There you will find a growing collection of independent businesses offering food, drink and entertainment, as well the chance to enjoy live music.
While at Folkestone Harbour Arm you can also enjoy the fresh sea air while being entertained as The Harbour Screen offers the chance to watch sports and films outdoors on the big screen, and for those looking for a walk there are walkways in all directions from the Harbour Arm.
On a visit to Folkestone take the chance to have a stroll along The Leas, the town’s unique clifftop promenade where you can see magnificent buildings, squares and gardens, plus a bandstand where events are held in the summer. Or head below to the Lower Leas Coastal Path which has walking and cycling trails, as well as a children’s play area and amphitheatre.
Rising high above the town are the North Downs where you can stand in awe at spectacular views of the Channel and beyond, while enjoying the landscape and wondering at the wildlife, much of which there is to enjoy as it has been designated as a site of European importance for wildlife.
A photographer’s paradise, the large shingle beach of nearby Dungeness National Nature Reserve is home to diverse wildlife and draws many a visitor each year to take in its unique beauty.
For keen cyclists there is a multi-use path stretching four miles from Folkestone to Hythe offering off-road cycling along the seafront, where you can enjoy the views and see the sights while getting some fresh air and exercise.
The nearby Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway offers a great day out for all the family running from Hythe to Romney and on to Dungeness with seven stations to stop off at. The railway also offers special events throughout the year.
Port Lympne is also well worth a visit for a family adventure like no other. It is a chance to see more than 900 rare and endangered animals. Head on safari to see free-roaming giraffes, Kent’s only spectacled bears, the UK’s largest dinosaur collection and more. With regular animal births and new species coming in every year, there’s always something different to see.
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