insideKENT Magazine Issue 43 - October 2015 | Page 108
DAYSOUT
Half-term fun and Halloween happenings in
MARGATE, BROADSTAIRS AND RAMSGATE
In addition to all the coastal activities, there’s a full events diary to enjoy throughout
October, including some fun and creative things to do with the children during
half-term, and some nerve-wracking, spine tingling Halloween happenings to
get involved in –if you’re brave enough.
Let’s start with Margate
Winter Gardens, or
Hellgate Winter
Gardens as it will be
known from 27th to
31st October. Last year
we all breathed a sigh
of relief as we escaped
the Zombie
Apocalypse, but we
didn’t plan for the virus
to mutate, so the
nightmare’s not over! It
is back this year,
bigger, badder and
bloodier and with three
fully immersive ‘fright
night’ attractions:
‘Quarantine’, ‘Dead Meat’ and ‘Buried Alive’ – you will need to keep your
wits about you and not be claustrophic to cope with some of these. This
year also sees the introduction of the ‘Bloody Boulevard’ with Scare Fair
Stalls, Trick or Treat street theatre, roaming characters, a Laser Zombie
Run Zone and themed refreshments. Hellgate Winter Gardens will take
place each night from 6:30pm to 10pm, further info and booking on 01843
292795 or www.halloweenmargate.com
The annual Broadstairs Food Festival is the starter this month with three
days full of tasty activities and mouth-watering events from 2nd to 4th
October. The free entry food fair, with over 100 local producers, will be in
Victoria Gardens and along the promenade throughout. Festival highlights
include the Chef’s Theatre, ‘Meet the Growers’ and ‘Food with Chetna’ –
Broadstairs’ very own Great British Bake Off finalist. Children’s activities on
the Saturday and Sunday include Skip2BFit, balloon making, facepainting,
Lillyputt Minigolf and Helter Skelter Play Centre. For further info and details
on bookable events go to www.broadstairsfoodfestival.org.uk
The recently opened Dreamland Pleasure Park takes on a darker side when
it becomes Screamland for the month. During the daytime younger guests
can experience ‘Abramacabre’ and get lost in a magical mirror maze where
the ghost of The Amazing Mystero, a celebrated Edwardian Magician, is
prowling the passageways in search of his beastly bunny. Then from 16th
October, as night falls, the site will be transformed into an experience of
five fully themed, interactive and immersive scare attractions, which cleverly
play on the history of different elements of Dreamland: ‘Festino’s Forgotten
Funhouse’, ‘The Final Cut’, ‘Dead and Breakfast’, ‘Scream Machine Scare
Zone’ and ‘The Phantom Express’. There is also a selection of themed
sideshows and complementary events such as Singalong The Rocky Horror
Picture Show, The Dreamland Dance Club’s Monster Mash and Sink the
Pink’s, Cockles and Muscles Halloween Special. For further information
go to www.dreamland.co.uk/screamland or buy tickets online at
www.dreamland.co.uk/tickets
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