Faversham International Hop Festival 2011

Saturday 3rd to Sunday 4th September 2011
various venues in Faversham, Kent, ME13 8NS, England MAP
FREE

Last updated: Wed 24th Aug 2011

Faversham's International Hop Festival takes place over the weekend commencing Saturday 3rd September. The whole town of Faversham plays host to this traditional festival set in the medieval town's square and surrounding streets and celebrating the olden days of hop picking in Kent.

There are two live music stages in the town featuring regional, national and international talent.

Line-up

Saturday

Preston Street Masterbrew Stage: Chantelle Kit, Japhets Band, Red Eye, Fern, Millie Mae, Jailbird, Slug Pixies, Tanglefoot.
Market Place Spitfire Stage: Pearly Kings and Queens, Morris Dancing Display, Loose Change, Poet Lynn Sullivan, Open Harp Surgery, Irish Dancers, Bonzo and Doris, Morris Dancing Display, Green Diesel, Fez Heads, Trouser Trumpets.

Sunday

Preston Street Masterbrew Stage: Jumbo Gumbo, Hoochies, Underworld Heroes, Blighty, I.R.I.S., Shades Music, New bands with DJ Graham Lejhaut feat. Creek from Abbey School and The Gang from Queen Elizabeths.
Market Place Spitfire Stage: Pearly Kings and Queens, Procession, Retrophonic Archive, Morris Dancing Display, Bowstring, Morris Dancing Display, Bonzo and Doris, Rappers (dance team), Get Carter, Poet Lynn Sullivan, Wheeler Street.

Bowstring will be presenting a Hopper's Ceilidh at The Alexander Centre on Saturday starting at 8pm. This is a ticketed event with entry charged at £8 on the door.

As well as live music there is children's entertainers, professional street theatre, stilt walkers, Morris dancing, a craft fare, and ceilidh.

This festival celebrates the old days of hop picking when thousands of Londoners came down to the Kent hop gardens every September for a country holiday with pay, has attracted tens of thousands of people to Faversham's town centre since the first event was staged in 1991.

Festival goers are expected to gather on the evening of Friday 3rd September, and local pubs and restaurants will play host to live music.