Staple Stores, Summer Picnics & Swift Awareness Week

It's a day for new openings!

If you’ve seen me recently, you’ll likely be bored of me saying “it’s all happening in Ramsgate”, but truly, it is. Today’s newsletter is proof of that, with new openings all over town and events coming in thick and fast. I don’t know how we’re going to squeeze it all in.

And guess what else is happening? This newsletter! With nearly 400 of you signed up and lovely feedback coming in, I’m thrilled it’s hitting the mark. If you happen to be one of those who love it (please disregard if you don’t) and are discovering new things in town, please do tag us on social media and spread the love.

Don’t miss out, until next week - EJP x

🥐 Grand Opening: Staple Stores
Sat 28 Jun, 8am-3pm / Staple Stores
Ramsgate has been waiting, and the folks at Staple are providing. Head down to 18-20 York Street to see the team in their brand-new space, complete with real cups and everything. I can’t wait to see what’s on the menu.

👨‍🎨 BOYHOOD – The Art Of Stephane Raynor’s BOY
Sun 30 Jun - Sun 20 Jul / Madsen Sylvester Studio
Local artist Jonas Ranson will be featured in this Addington Street window with his iconic screenprints exploring BOY London and its founder, Stephane Raynor.
🎟 Free

🖼️ The Ramsgate Affordable Print Fair
Fri 4 Jul, 12pm - 6pm / Front Room Gallery
Discover 25 local artists from Andrew McGuiness to Caroline List at this independent art show (the very best kind). Works will be priced between £50 and £200.
🎟 Free

🎨 Friends of St George’s Summer Art Exhibition
Fri 4 Jul, 2pm - 5pm / St George’s Church
Looks like it’s your weekend to discover great art. St George’s will be displaying local artists, and you’ll have the opportunity to browse (and purchase) paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs in this super beautiful setting.
🎟 Free

🏴‍☠️ Grand Opening: Plunder
Sat 28 Jun, from 12pm / Plunder
It’s a bookshop, a tea room, a publisher, a boardroom and home to the ‘Thanet Smuggler Experience’. Niche, but I have a feeling this is set to be a destination, and I’m so here for it.

🍸 Grand Opening: Ramsgate Arts Club
Sat 28 Jun, from 7pm / Ramsgate Arts Club
Following the successful opening of Ramsgate Works, a mysterious bar has opened up below. From the soft launch, it looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun…

🏩 Wedding Open Day
Sun 29 Jun, 12- 5pm / Chapel House Estate
Calling all nearly-weds! Explore Chapel House Estate as your potential wedding venue and discover a handpicked selection of wedding suppliers showcasing their services.
🎟 Free / Book a tour

🌾 Refillable Van & Swap Shop
Mon 30 Jun, 11am - 2pm / Outside Radford House
Fill up your dry goods and cleaning products with the amazing Refillable Van. Amanda of Seagal Clothing will also be on hand with preloved clothes to swap with your own.
🎟 Free to browse

🥖 Summer Picnic
Fri 4 Jul, 11am - 1pm / Newlands Lane
Join The Hive Thanet for a wholesome summer picnic. Bring your own food and drink (and a picnic blanket), meet some new people, and enjoy the stunning outdoor setting.
🎟 Free / Book here

🔊 sixty beats per minute: Closing performance with Adrian Sherwood
Sun 29 Jun, 2 - 5pm / St George’s Church
Say ta-rah to the ‘sixty beats per minute’ installation by artist Phil Coy with a live dub mix performance by Adrian Sherwood alongside Mark Bandolla (The Lucy Show), Duncan Mackay, Alex White (Fat White Family / Primal Scream) and Ivan Hussey (Celloman).
🎟 Free / Book here

🎶 C Bone
Thu 3 Jul, 8 - 10.30pm / Red Arrow Club
Inspired by blues, jazz, Latin, swing and soul, guitarist and songwriter C Bone is poised to perform at the Red Arrow Sports & Social Club. Support comes from Chris Kennedy, who offers vintage blues with a New Orleans twist.
🎟 £13.20 / Book here

🎤 HONEYBUZZARD
Fri 4 Jul, 7.30pm / Ramsgate Music Hall
Kent-based alternative rock band HONEYBUZZARD are set to ‘take you on an audio-spiritual journey’ (according to PitJunkie), and if grunge, psychedelic rock, shoegaze and indie are your thing, you won’t want to miss it.
🎟 £10 / Book here

🚲 Active Ramsgate: The Big Bike Revival
Sun 29 Jun, 9.30am - 11.30am / Queen’s Head
Need help with your bike tyres, brakes or chains? Now’s your chance to get your bike fixed for free with Harbour Bikes mechanics. At 10.30am, there will be a 1-hour led ride, suitable for beginners.
🎟 Free (includes a non-alcoholic drink or hot drink on sign-up / Book here

🧘 Tai Chi Movements for Wellbeing
Sun 29 Jun, 10.30am - 11.15am / Monkton Nature Reserve
TMW (Tai Chi Movements for Wellbeing) is a specially developed sequence of movements which promotes physical, psychological, and emotional health and wellbeing. Try it out at this drop-in session and you’ll get access to the nature reserve for the day too.
🎟 £10 / Book here

🏺 Good Grief Wednesday
Wed 2 Jul, from 11am / Wooden Box Cafe
Create a ‘Tile of Hope’ with Jayne, Annette and Dawn of Jaw Ceramics CIC. The tiles will explore grief, loss and hope as well as what brings joy, and they’ll be used as part of a permanent display.
🎟 Free

💸 Pricing & Cashflow Workshop
Thu 3 Jul, 1pm - 2pm / Ramsgate Space
Get practical advice on pricing, cashflow forecasting, and finding the right financial support with Ramsgate Space’s Caroline Fenton-Swain.
🎟 Free / Book here

🎨 Rosie’s Craft Class
Thu 3 Jul, 1pm - 4pm / Arts in Ramgate
Make cards, gift boxes, parchment art, forever flowers, and more at Rosie's weekly craft class. It’s as much about the chatter as it is about the craft.
🎟 £3 + material costs / Pay on the day

🐦 Swift Awareness Walk
Thu 3 Jul, 6.30pm / Seafront opposite San Clu Hotel
RSPB Thanet are hosting a number of relaxed swift walks across Thanet for Swift Awareness Week. Join them in Ramsgate to learn more about this iconic species and discover how you can contribute to its conservation.
🎟 Free

🕺 70s Disco Inferno: Charity Event
Sat 28 Jun, from 7pm / The Vale Tavern
Burn, baby! Burn! Time to get dressed up and hit the dancefloor at this 70s-themed night raising money for charity.
🎟 Charity donation

🎸 OAYSIS
Sat 28 Jun, 7.30pm - 11pm / Ramsgate Music Hall
Caught short in last year’s Ticketmaster scandal? Don’t worry, the next best thing is headed straight for Ramsgate. Don’t look back in anger and grab your last-minute tickets below.
🎟 £22.40 / Book here

🛵 Ramsgate Northern Soul
Sat 28 Jun, 7.30pm - 11.30pm / Small Boat Owners Association
Ramsgate Northern Soul tends to sell out months in advance, but you might get lucky with an on-the-door ticket. Trust me, it’s one of the best nights in town.
🎟 £10 / Join the waiting list

5 THINGS TO KNOW…

1. Addington Street Vintage Trail returns next weekend as part of Ramsgate Day. Shop preloved and vintage from small businesses and local sellers. Follow @addington_street for further info.

2. Catch x Seabird is back! This one will sell out, so I’m popping the link to book here. Don’t miss out!

3. Ramsgate Festival of Sound has launched an Open Call for submissions to its Sonic Trail. The theme is “Acoustic Architecture” and the team will select up to 5 works for a paid commission of £400. Submit by 12 July.

4. Fancy seeing reality TV stars and soap legends battling it out on the pitch? Book tickets for this celeb-packed charity match at Ramsgate F.C. on Sun 6 July.

5. Hurrah, The Love Booth has been extended to Mon 7 July! I wish it could stay forever, but alas, head down to grab your photobooth snaps before it goes!