Kent's promotion decider at the St Lawrence Ground, Barnum at the Marlowe, a riverside walk and chalk-stream day, and a split Sunday train to plan around.

Kent’s cricketers finish their season at the St Lawrence Ground this weekend with promotion at stake. The Marlowe has Barnum on Friday and Saturday. And the Great Stour Riverfest brings a riverside walk through Westgate Gardens and a chalk-stream day at Wickhambreaux on Saturday.

Two things to plan around. The A290 at Pean Hill is shut for an emergency gas repair. And on Sunday, trains from London to Canterbury West run hourly and split at Ashford. Details at the bottom.

Friday 25 September

  • Macmillan coffee morning, 10.30am to noon. Canterbury Soroptimists host it at BoConcept, 4 Orange Street. Everyone welcome. (Visit Canterbury listing)
  • Tai chi and qigong by the river, 4pm to 5pm. A beginners’ session beside the Stour at Hambrook Marshes. Register by email with the instructor, paul@magpietaichi.com. (Visit Canterbury listing)
  • Charity quiz at The Granville, Faussett Hill, 6.30pm to 9pm. £5 a head, teams of up to six, all proceeds to the Kent Neuro Therapy Centre. Booking essential on 01227 700402. (Visit Canterbury listing)
  • Bat walk in the Franciscan Gardens, 7pm to 8.30pm. Bat detectors along the Stour in the garden off St Peter’s Street, looking for pipistrelles and Daubenton’s bats. The organisers warn sightings depend on the weather. (Visit Canterbury listing)
  • Barnum: The Circus Musical, 7.30pm, Marlowe main house. Matt Rawle stars in the Watermill Theatre production. Tickets £38 to £90, 2 hours 15 minutes, recommended for ages 8 and over. (Marlowe Theatre)
  • Morgan Rees: What A Bummer, 8pm, Marlowe Studio. Stand-up, £21, strictly 18 and over. (Marlowe Theatre)

Saturday 26 September

  • Kent v Gloucestershire, day three. Gates open 9.30am, first ball 10.30am. Kent start the final round second in Division Two, four points ahead of Northamptonshire, and the top two go up. Entry is included in Kent memberships; advance tickets are cheaper than on the gate. (Kent Cricket match preview)
  • Tai chi in Westgate Gardens, 10am to 11am. Meet at 9.50am at the great Oriental plane tree by Tower House. (Visit Canterbury listing)
  • Herne Bay Market, 10am to 4pm. The weekly market on Mortimer Street. (Visit Canterbury listing)
  • Inter-faith riverside walk, 10.30am to 1pm. Canterbury and District Inter-Faith Action leads a Riverfest walk along the Great Stour Way to Hambrook Marshes and back, with readings about rivers and water. Meet at the Westgate Gardens entrance by the Westgate Towers from 10.30am; the walk starts at 11am. (Visit Canterbury listing)
  • Writing the River, 10.30am to 12.30pm. A free-writing workshop on the Great Stour in the Canterbury Library community room at the Beaney. No experience needed; bring paper and a pen. (Visit Canterbury listing)
  • Little Stour River Day at Wickhambreaux Village Hall, 11am to 2.30pm. Short talks from citizen scientists and academics on the Little Stour, the Nailbourne and the Wingham River from 11am, then riverside demonstrations that need a separate sign-up. Family river dipping follows from 3pm to 4pm, check-in 2.30pm, booked separately. (River Day, river dipping)
  • Barnum, 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Marlowe main house. The last two performances in Canterbury. (Marlowe Theatre)
  • Spotlight tour at the Beaney, 2.30pm. A free half-hour tour of the collection from the Garden Room, suggested donation £3, maximum 12 people. (Canterbury Museums and Galleries)
  • Laura Lexx: Yo-Yo, 8pm, Marlowe Studio. Stand-up, £20, recommended 18 and over. (Marlowe Theatre)

Sunday 27 September

  • Kent v Gloucestershire, day four, if the match goes the distance. First ball 10.30am. Kent’s promotion depends on keeping level with or ahead of Northamptonshire, who finish at Lord’s against Middlesex. (Kent Cricket match preview)
  • Canterbury Cathedral opens its grounds and shop at 11.30am and the church at 12.30pm, with last admission at 4pm. The Chapter House closes at 3pm and the Quire at 4pm. On Saturday the Centre Quire closes early at 3.30pm. (Canterbury Cathedral, closures)

All weekend in Dane John Gardens

Canterbury’s Cooking is back in Dane John Gardens after missing last year while the gardens were being improved. Zoom Events runs it: a food and craft market, street food, children’s entertainment and two music stages. The Canterbury Ale and Cider Festival runs alongside in its own marquee, with a green hop beer selection. (Zoom Events)

Food festival Ale and cider festival
Friday noon to 6pm noon to 8pm
Saturday 9am to 6pm 11am to 8pm
Sunday 10am to 5pm 11am to 6pm
  • Sunday music: Dirty Little Acoustic Band at noon and The Itemize at 2.30pm on the main stage. Crazy Water Common at noon and Gone Country at 2.45pm on stage two.
  • Eating challenges at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. Entry is free, spaces are first come first served, and forms are at the event.
  • The organisers say the times are approximate and the market manager can close early for safety or trading conditions.

All weekend at the Beaney

Both of these are free, with donations welcome, and the Beaney is closed on Mondays.

Exhibition Where Runs until
The Making of Marlowe: Poet, Playwright, Provocateur Special Exhibitions Room 22 November
Eerie: The Canterbury Bestiary, young people’s work from the Canterbury Festival’s public engagement programme Front Room Gallery 8 November

Getting about this weekend

  • A290 Pean Hill is closed between Fox’s Cross Road and Pye Alley Lane for SGN’s emergency gas repair, with no reopening time given. Driving to Whitstable, follow the signed diversion. Our report has the detail.
  • A2 eastbound is down to one lane between M2 junction 7 and Harbledown for a second SGN repair.
  • Sunday trains from London: all lines through Tonbridge close. Charing Cross trains run hourly via Maidstone East and divide at Ashford International, with one portion going on to Canterbury West. Southeastern lists no work on the Whitstable and Herne Bay line. The source maps are on our roadworks and travel page.

Driving into the city for the cricket or the theatre, our parking page lists the car parks and park and ride sites.

Sources

Update, 27 September 2026: we added Canterbury’s Cooking and the Canterbury Ale and Cider Festival in Dane John Gardens, which the first version of this listing missed.