Celebrate the start of summer with Kent’s Big Weekend

Celebrate the start of summer with Kent's Big Weekend

After a brief hiatus last year, Visit Kent have announced the return of the annual opportunity ‘Kent Big Weekend’ for visitors to win free tickets to a host of attractions and activities across the Garden of England.

Visit Kent have decided to make a few tweaks to this year’s Big Weekend celebrations so that visitors and locals can enjoy an even bigger Kentish adventure.

Those who reside in Kent, Essex, or East Sussex can use this opportunity to take a look at some of this year’s amazing offers and free tickets, available right on your doorstep. This can be done by simply enter the online ballot before 18 June for a chance to win a pair of free tickets to top attractions across the county.

This year’s lucky ticket holders will be able to redeem their days out between 26 June and 23 July, providing the perfect way to kick-start the summer.

Hever Castle

Some of the county’s biggest attractions have already signed up to take part in this year’s event, including: Canterbury Cathedral, Dover Castle, Hever Castle, Hush Health Estate, The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Gusbourne Estate, Leeds Castle, Margate Caves, Mount Ephraim Gardens, Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, The Royal Weels Hotel, and Wildwood Trust.

The Big Weekend is also giving visitors a chance to uncover a wide range of smaller, hidden gems throughout the country, including: Action Watersports, the Battle of Britain memorial at Capel-le-Ferme, Huckleberry Woods Micro Animal Adventure, Nemes Driving School, Royal Engineers Museum, Ramsgate Brewery, The Seaside Museum, Herne Bay, and UK Electric Bike Centre.

60 of Kent’s tourist attractions and businesses will be opening their doors or offering special gifts to lucky ticket holders this year, with experiences on offer ranging from entry into some of the county’s most iconic castles and close encounters with wild animals, to delicious meals, relaxing afternoon teas for two, and adrenaline-inducing activities. With over 5,000 up for grabs in this year’s ballot, the Kent Big Weekend is the perfect excuse to get out and discover (or rediscover) exactly what makes the Garden of England so special.

Residents can now apply for as many pairs of tickets as they like via the website until 18 June. Following this, two tickets (one pair) per household will be allocated at random by ballot and the winners will be notified via email.

Deirdre Wells OBE, Visit Kent Chief Executive said, “We were so sad not to be able to go ahead with our annual Big Weekend celebrations last year. Following an extremely difficult 15 months for Kent’s tourism and hospitality businesses, what better way to mark the re-opening of our much-loved venues than by getting outdoors and rediscovering what’s sitting right on our doorstep?

“This year’s Big Weekend is the ideal opportunity to scope out which attractions you’ll be returning to with friends and family on this year’s ever-important staycation, and we’re delighted to be opening up the ballot to our neighbours in East Sussex and Essex for the first time in 2021 too!”

Find out what else is on in Kent this summer.

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