Ramsgate Arts Summer Squall festival

Ramsgate Arts Summer Squall festival | home

Programme of events

Sonic Junk Machine - Milk Float (Jump Ship Rat)

“The open spaces of any city are the playgrounds of the people…” Artists Ben Parry and Jacques Chauchat have created a sonic junk street machine. Catch it as it tours Ramsgate and sets up with workshops and chance to explore the craft!

Daily, around town:

Sat 12-4.30 Newington Green

Sun 11-1.30 Ellington Park with jazz on the bandstand, organised by Friends of Ellington Park

Sun 2.30-4.30 Harbour Parade

Mon 11-1.30 Harbour Parade

Mon 2.30-4.30 King George VI Park

FREE

Sol Cinema

“The smallest solar-powered cinema in the world!” Relax in small but perfectly formed cinematic luxury to watch 60s and 70s Thanet promotional shorts from the Screen South East archive and short films from the Thanet Film Society. Or take in a comedy, music or environmental film from the cinema's own collection.

Maximum per show: 8 adults or 12 children.

Sun 11-1pm Newington Green, 4-7pm King George VI Park

Mon 11-1pm Ramsgate Circus (Queen St/King St junction), 4-7pm Harbour Parade FREE

The Slide Show (Slot Machine)

In a small hall somewhere in England, a slide show is beginning. Little do the enthusiastic husband and wife team know what chaos they are about to unleash...Rich on invention and crammed with surprises, Slot Machine's The Slide Show is a trip into an extraordinary world, featuring upside-downery, philosophising cheeses, the god Dionysus, a singing guinea pig and liberal helpings of tweed. Miss it at your peril. Suitable for everyone over 8.

Sat 3pm & 7.30pm, Kings Church Hall, £5/£2.50

Back to the Drawing Board with Royston Robertson

A slideshow and talk by freelance cartoonist Royston Robertson, from Broadstairs. Royston's cartoons have appeared in Private Eye, The Spectator, Reader's Digest, Prospect, New Humanist, and many other magazines internationally. He has also drawn cartoons for Scholastic Books, T-Mobile, Channel 4 News, Paper House Cards, BBC Magazines, the Green Party, and Oxford University Press.

Sat 2pm, Ramsgate Library, FREE

Death In Ramsgate (The Squalling Players)

Hush! Listen: on board the Steam Tug Cervia; shadowy figures, voices, a haunting melody, a scream, a body … a murderer; join us aboard for a tale of love, intrigue, jealousy and murder … if you dare! A play performed by professional performers from around Thanet.

Performance lasts 30 mins.

Sun & Mon 11.30am, 2.30pm, 3.30pm, Cervia Steam Tug, FREE

Big Beat Performance

A unique band, using unorthodox instruments including gas and water pipes, shopping trolleys, custard and chewing gum barrels, car springs, and even the kitchen sink! Big Beat have a Guinness World Record for the largest junk band in the world and have racked up a multitude of gigs including the Houses of Parliament, the Olympics and Paul O'Grady.

Sun 11-12.15pm Charlotte Court

1.30-2.45pm Harbour Parade

4-5.15pm Seafront esplanade

FREE

The Biscuit Chronicles (Amy Godfrey)

The Biscuit Chronicles is a bright new show that tackles the sticky-fingered question of obesity and dieting with a spoonful of skepticism and a healthy helping of laughter. Amy Godfrey, never far from a sensitive subject, guides us through the highs and lows of life in the fat lane.

Mon 8.30pm, Kings Church Hall, £3/£1.50

Roman Ramsgate - Victorian Discoveries (Trust for Thanet Archaeology)

A talk with Gerald Moody and a display of artefacts, which is open all day. Thanet Archaeology provide professional services to developers and others. Deputy Director Gerald Moody is a highly respected archaeologist, recently publishing The Isle of Thanet from Pre-History to the Norman Conquest.

Sat 11.30am, Ramsgate Library, FREE

Skywalker (Marina Sossi Group)

A new performance for Ramsgate Arts. Skywalker is butoh dance with poetry. Skywalker is a body telling stories, sharing dark secrets and uncovering past incarnations. Come and be part of the experience...feel the clouds between your toes! Marina Sossi Group welcomes artists to bring drawing equipment to and become part of the show (if you are bringing an easel please book your place and come at 2pm to set up). The session lasts 80min.

Mon 2.30pm, Oddfellows Hall, £3/£1.50

Workshop/take part

Treasure Hunt Challenge

Join top treasure hunt and quiz compilers Brain Men on a mystery tour

of Ramsgate's riches. You'll be given a map of the town showing numbered clues -

some real, some red herrings. Each clue leads to your next destination. The individual and team that makes it to the final destination in the shortest time, with all clues correctly completed, win a special prize. Max per team: 4 (excluding infants).

Mon 11am, start Belgian Café, £3 per team/entry

Workshop/take part

The Con Man (Mischievous Theatre)

Tom Askew is an Elizabethan actor, a philanderer, cove, rebel and cheat. He's got mixed up in the murder of Kit Marlowe and a bunch of people are outside, looking for him, for revenge. This may well be his last performance….Performed by Clive Holland, written by Nick Downes & Clive Holland.

Sat 6pm, Kings Church Hall, £3/£1.50

The Buccaneer's Bride

The Buccaneer's Bride is New Model Theatre at its best with music, lighting and sound effects, and includes a talk by Robert Poulter after the performance.

Sun 7.30pm, Kings Church Hall, £3/£1.50

Sam Parker, Mark Hewins & Friends

Laid back music for the afternoon in this stunning renovated Victorian greenhouse and garden, with traditional tea and cakes.

Mon 4.00pm, Italianate Greenhouse King George VI Park, FREE

Ramsgate's Got Writing Talent

Have you got what it takes to write a best-selling book? Show off your writing talent to our published authors and win an introduction to one of the UK's top literary agents. All you have to do is write a first paragraph that impresses our judges - Thanet authors Jane Wenham-Jones and Iain Aitch with Isle of Thanet Gazette Editor Rebecca Smith. Take workshops during the day, a talk by Canterbury-based children's author Louise Arnold, culminating with a `Britain's Got Talent' style showdown! Public are invited to attend at 5pm for the finale.

Maximum number: 50

Mon 10am-5.30pm, Royal Temple Yacht Club, £5

Squally stories - readings from WW Jacobs

Writing mainly funny short stories, Jacobs (1863-1943), was most inspired by marine life: "men who go down to the sea in ships of moderate tonnage" said Punch. Reading by Bob Fludgate.

Sun 3pm & Mon 12pm Kings Church Hall, FREE

A Garden of England (Sioux Peto)

Come and have fun making organic mutant and alien flower forms from general rubbish - plastic bottles, tubs, bags etc. Let your imagination run free. Family workshop led by the Polka Dot Artist Sioux Peto, who specialises in rubbish art to change attitudes on dropping litter. All ages welcome.

Sat 10am, Mind Garden Café and 2pm, Newington Community Centre, FREE

Especially for children

Mouse In The House (SCAT Theatre)

SCAT's newest show, written especially for 3 & 4 year olds, follows the adventure of Monty Mouse when he decides to leave his nest in the meadow and look for a `house'. With the help of his young audience, Monty and his friend Hodge play and learn in their new home.

Sat 1.30pm, Newington Community Centre and Sun 10.30am Kings Church Hall, FREE

Alice in Wonderland (Scandalmongers)

Join the characters of this timeless classic for a mad and magical journey...sit back while Alice delights you with her tales, play 'hide and seek' with the White Rabbit, be challenged to a game of flamingo croquet with the Queen of Hearts (mind your head!) and of course join the Mad Hatter for a truly bonkers tea party! A fabulous adventure, and great fun for the whole family. Bring a picnic and 'don't be late!'

Sat 12.30pm Newington Community Centre and 4pm, Italianate Greenhouse, King George VI Park

Other events and activities

A Summer Squall Open Art Exhibition

A display of painting, sculpture, textiles and photographs from East Kent artists.

Daily, 10am-4pm, Arch 20, Military Road

Young People's Creative Arts Exhibition

A display of work from local schools including mosaics, paintings and photographs.

Daily, 10am-4pm, East Lodge, Westcliff Boating Pool

Market Squall

Market themed on Made In Thanet and Green Futures

Sun & Mon 10am - 4pm, Turning circle, Harbour Parade

Open Studios

Ramsgate artists open up their studios to show you how they work and how they get their inspiration.

Meltdowns - Sarah Craske, Stacy Keeler, Stephen Melton, Simon Mitchell, Estelle Rosenfeld	Sculpture	Studio 2, St Lawrence Ind Est, Manston Road	CT11 0QZ
Joanna Costello	Gallery	71 Ellington Road	CT11 9TA
Tracy Carpenter	Ceramics	26 Codrington Road, Ramsgate	CT11 9SP
Bob Fludgate	Paintings	15 St Mildred's Road	CT11 0EQ
Emily Tull	Visual Arts/Sculpture	48 London Road	CT11 0DN
Pauline Urwin	Visual Arts/Sculpture	20 Mallory Close	CT12 6TW
Julie Westbury	Photography, collage, mixed media	23 West Cliff Road	CT11 9JP

Alterations to programme: Open Studios ONLY Sun 29 August; Sol Cinema at The Boating Pool 4pm Sun 29 August

Availability for musicians, street entertainers and market stalls (within themes), contact us.