Events
There are many fun family events across the borough each month.
Hosting an event
If you would like to add an event to this page, please e-mail your details to Leisure Services.
If you are planning to hold any event, there are a number of organisations that you, as the event organiser, need to request permission from and consult.
Country Park events
Events take place in Haysden Country Park and Leybourne Lakes Country Park throughout the year.
View our Country parks events booklet.
Tonbridge Events
Please download our Tonbridge events poster
Rotary Club of Tonbridge events
The Rotary Club of Tonbridge run a number of events as listed on their newsletter.
RecycleForAll Roadshows
The RecycleForAll team are holding a number of roadshows where you can chat to them about the introduction of new recycling services.
Tonbridge Summer Carnival
This year's event will take place on Sunday 16 June 2019 and promises to be another great afternoon of fun for all the family.
This popular annual event begins with the usual carnival procession through the High Street.
The carnival procession will include bands, walking groups, floats and majorettes, and will leave Avenue Du Puy at 12.30pm and proceed through the town to Tonbridge Castle. The Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling and the President of Tonbridge Lions Club will judge the entries in each category. After the procession, the fete will be held on the Castle Lawn and in Castle Walk during which the winning procession entries will be announced and trophies awarded.
The carnival day is organised each year by Tonbridge Lions Club with support from Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council. Money raised at the event is distributed to local charitable causes and to Lions Club charities.
Tonbridge Music Weekend
5 - 7 July 2019
A weekend of music on the Castle Lawn, for more information please visit:
http://tonbridgemusicweekend.com/
Changeling Theatre- The Winters Tale
11 July 2019
The Winters Tale by William Shakespeare
'It is required, you do awake your faith.’
The Winter’s Tale, a wonderful fairy story set in Sicily and Bohemia. Leontes has everything a man could want, Wealth, power, a family that loves him and friends. But he is not at peace. Inside he harbours a bitter jealousy that drives him to destroy all he holds dear. Many years later, in a distant country, a journey begins that may ultimately heal his pain and reunite his family. With all the crazy antics of the Changeling magic, plus beautiful costumes and just hint of …ABBA
The play contains Shakespeare’s most famous but challenging stage direction: ‘Exit, pursued by a bear.’
Enjoy the Open Air Theatre on the Castle Lawn, bring a picnic or take advantage of the stalls on site.
For tickets http://changeling-theatre.com/tickets/#
Out of the Box
La Marzocco UK & Ireland are organising the 2019 edition of Out of the Box which will be held at Tonbridge Castle on Saturday 13 July 2019 10am-7pm. Free event
Out of the Box is an engaging and welcoming event that is open to all and an event that offers particular focus on the artisan coffee roaster/ barista community. The event will be rich in content dedicated to each of our target audiences and coffee enthusiasts from around the UK and locally.
As well as tailoring the event to the coffee community, this year we will continue our drive to engage with a wider food and drink audience, outside of the world of specialty coffee. We will do this through the inclusion of bookable dining experiences, cocktail masterclasses and wine, beer and food vendors. Tonbridge Castle is the biggest venue for us yet, and it also allows us to host our first Summer Edition of Out the Box. As such, we aim to have the event run more like a Summer, Family Friendly, Festival.
A short 20 minute, direct train, from London Bridge, Tonbridge Castle is the perfect setting for a summer event. With the event being held in Tonbridge Castle, we can accommodate more guests than ever before and will aim to pull in 2000 event visitors. The main space of the event will be held on the castle lawns, with an inside conference room being utilised for panel discussions and pre-scheduled product demonstrations.
Tonbridge Lions Car Tour
14 July 2019
Tonbridge Lions Classic Car Tour, for more information and to take part please visit:
http://www.tonbridgelions.co.uk/car-tour-2017.html
Luna Cinema
19 - 21 July 2019
This summer, The Luna Cinema transforms the grounds of the majestic Tonbridge Castle into an impressive setting for open air cinema.
Tonbridge Castle is steeped in 900 years of English history, and we invite you to come and enjoy a unique cinematic experience; watching classic films on a giant screen in one of Kent’s most ancient sites. To book please visit
Harry Potter – Friday 19 July
Bohemian Rhapsody – Saturday 20 July
A Star is Born – Sunday 21 July
http://www.thelunacinema.com/tonbridge-castle/4592091961
Illyria - Frankenstein
4 August 2019
FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley
Brilliant young student Viktor Frankenstein discovers how to endow dead organic matter with life itself. It is one thing to stitch together an anatomically complete organism, but quite another when it becomes a living, breathing creature that shows intelligence, feels torment – and demands answers of its creator. Viktor, disgusted by his creation and unable to face the consequences of bringing it into the world, escapes his claustrophobic university life to return home to Switzerland. But the Monster is not to be put off, and it relentlessly tracks him down. Jealous that Viktor is about to marry his childhood sweetheart and create life in a more conventional way, the Monster resolves to ransom him until a wife is created for him also.
Running time: 2 hours (including interval)
Enjoy the Open Air Theatre on the Castle Lawn, bring a picnic or take advantage of the stalls on site.
For tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/627428
Illyria - Tempest
27 August 2019
THE TEMPEST By William Shakespeare
The magician Prospero is marooned on an island with his daughter Miranda. With the assistance of a powerful air spirit he keeps in servitude, he conjures up a storm to shipwreck his enemies on the shore of the island. Inexorably they are driven towards the centre of the island to answer to Prospero – until Prospero learns that in spite of everything Miranda has met and fallen in love with Ferdinand, the son of his enemy. Which is greater – his thirst for revenge or his aptitude for forgiveness?
Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes (including a 20 minute interval)
Enjoy the Open Air Theatre on the Castle Lawn, bring a picnic or take advantage of the stalls on site.
For tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/627437
Summer Band Concerts
A series of free summer concerts will be taking place on the Bailey Lawn at Tonbridge Castle and everyone is welcome to come along.
The concerts, which will be performed by a mixture of amateur and professional bands, have been organised by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council and will take place between 3pm and 5pm. There is no need to book a ticket – people can just turn up on the day and enjoy the music, bring a picnic or take advantage of the stalls on site.
Every Sunday will feature a different band:
14 July – Jon Hamilton Big Band
28 July – Second Wind Jazz Band
11 August – Invicta Jazz Orchestra
18 August – Sevenoaks and Tonbridge Concert Band
25 August – East Grinstead Concert Band
Heritage Open Days
7 - 8 September 2019
Heritage Open Days celebrates England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. It is a once-a-year chance to discover hidden architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities which bring to life local history and culture. Organised by volunteers – usually property owners or managers – for local people, Heritage Open Days is England’s biggest and most popular voluntary cultural event, attracting some 800,000 people annually.
The Heritage Open Days Partnership gives central co-ordination and additional voice to the event which is made possible by funding and support from English Heritage. Locally this event has been co-ordinated by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council in partnership with The Malling Society and Tonbridge Civic Society. Tonbridge Art Group, Tonbridge Civic Society, Tonbridge Historical Society, Tonbridge Parish Church Bell Ringers and members from the Jane Austen Society (Kent branch) will be exhibiting at Tonbridge Castle throughout the weekend.
For more details, visit www.heritageopendays.org
Tonbridge Town Team's Dragon Boat Race
8 September 2019
Dragon Boat Race Watergate, River Medway, Tonbridge, KentThe 7th Tonbridge Dragon Boat RaceDear Dragons, Welcome Dragons past and prospective! The 7th Tonbridge Dragon Boat Race will be held on Sunday 8th September 2019. For six years now the Tonbridge Town Team has hosted what many feel to be the Tonbridge event of the year. As in previous years, the event relies on the professionalism and expertise of Dragon Boat Events – the company that supply the boats and equipment. On the same weekend the Tonbridge Medieval Fair will be taking place on the Castle lawn and we at the Town Team will be organising stalls along the newly refurbished River Walk. The RaceThe Dragon Boat Race will take place in Tonbridge town centre on the River Medway at the Watergate (Big Bridge).
Theatres
EM Forster Theatre
The Box Office, EM Forster Theatre, Tonbridge School, Tonbridge, TN9 1JP
For a full list of shows visp;www.boxoffice.tonbridge-school.co.uk/home/
Oast Theatre
London Rd Tonbridge Kent TN10 3AN
For a full list of show visit www.oasttheatre.com
Happy Tonbridge
A video has been made in Tonbridge to show off its thriving community and put a bit of happiness into the town. Inspired by Pharrell Williams' number one hit Happy, more than 2,000 happy films have been made worldwide and Tonbridge wanted a slice of the action. Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council recognised the film's worth and a Community Enhancement Grant was given to support the launch event. See the full video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEApL1fxZ-U
Jane Austen's Connections to Tonbridge
You can have an MP3 audio guided tour of the monuments in the Church of St Peter & St Paul; these include the tomb of Jane Austen's grandparents, other Austens and people they knew narrated by Louise Jameson. You may also download this guide.
A circular walk of Tonbridge includes local links to Jane Austen. Download a copy of the leaflet.
Farmers' Markets
There are a number of Farmers Markets across the borough.