Canterbury
Zoom Events in Kent
Dane John Gardens
22-24 Sep
Canterbury’s Cooking
A Festival of Food and Drink
There's a new food & drink offer coming to Dane John Gardens this Autumn bringing a feast of food focused family fun. Kitchen theatre, children's entertainment, workshops, live music, street foods, liberal libation and competitions together with an eclectic food and craft market featuring local, national and international stalls. Canterbury is cooking with good food and top quality entertainment all within the convivial setting of Dane John Gardens. Come and join us to enjoy the last of the summer wine as this great gathering delivers some serious foodie fun.
Canterbury’s Cooking is a free to enter event with plenty of free activities for all ages.
Opening Times:
Friday: 12pm – 6pm
Saturday: 9am – 6pm
Sunday: 10am – 5pm
Get Your Canterbury-Live Tickets Online - Limited Numbers Available
The Canterbury-Live Comedy Evenings accompany our Free to Enter Canterbury’s Cooking Event.
Enjoy our Town-Live! events running alongside Canterbury’s Cooking Food & Drink Festival – tickets are NOW AVAILABLE for our stand up comedy evenings on Friday and Saturday evenings (7.00pm – 9.00pm) here.
OUTSTANDING STAND-UP
Hilarious performances at Canterbury-Live from a superb list of stand-up comedians. Info & Biogs below.
Friday 22nd September Line up
MC: Mat Wills Info / Biog →
Headline: Justin Panks Info / Biog →
Andrew Mensah Info / Biog →
Nicole Halsey Info / Biog →
Saturday 23rd September Line up
MC: Mat Wills Info / Biog →
Headline: Michael Hackett Info / Biog →
Tiziano La Bella Info / Biog →
Lovdev Barpaga Info / Biog →
Please note: Artists are confirmed and contracted to appear on the event date, however, all line-ups are subject to change. If an act cancels their performance, or cannot make their agreed time slot, the even organiser will make every effort to find a suitable replacement to perform in their place. The replacement act will be chosen at the sole discretion of the event organiser and, if possible, communicated via social media.
Kitchen Theatre – Free Entry
Saturday 23rd September
- 12 p.m. Saddle Goose – Adam Collins
- 1 p.m. The Corner House – Matt Sworder
- 2 p.m. Kent Green Hop Beer – Jon Mills
- 3 p.m. Bear n Mind Catering – Ian Waghorn
- 4 p.m. The cooking Elvises
Sunday 24th September
- 1 p.m. The Cook’s Tale – Dev Biswall
- 2 p.m. Kent Green Hop Beer – Jon Mills
- 3 p.m. Zambur Ferments
- 4 p.m. Entertainment with the Food & Drink Quiz
Competitions
Saturday 23td September
- Chilli Eating – 1.30 p.m. on the Main Stage
- Hot Dog Eating – 4.00 p.m. on the Main Stage
Sunday 24th September
- Chilli Eating – 12.30 p.m. on the Main Stage
- Hot Dog Eating – 2.45 p.m. on the Main Stage
- Food and Drink Quiz – 4.00 p.m. in the Kitchen Theatre
Please see the various rules for the competitions available in the side bar info on this page.
- Individual Food Eating! – Your chance to become chilli chomping OR the top dog hot dog devouring champion. Please click here to purchase your entry tickets for the food eating competitions, entry fee is £5. Winners will receive the much-coveted Zoom Events kitchen apron!. If entering – you will need to download, complete the Eating Contest Waiver. Hotdogs supplied by Farmhouses Sausages. Chillies supplied by The Wiltshire Chilli Farm.
- Team Quiz – Teams of (min) four to (max) six compete per table, answering food and drink focused questions to take Canterbury’s Cooking quiz crown, along with a brewery and distillery tour being kindly donated by Canterbury Brewers & Distillers. Please click here to purchase your entry tickets the quiz, to enter your team, entry fee per table is £20.
- Children’s Fancy Dress – Every child up to the age of 11 who come dressed up with a food or drink theme will receive a prize. Prizes can be collected from the Author’s Gazebo.
Children’s Entertainment
Lots of family fun
- Stilt Walking
- Children’s Book Author
- Storytelling
- FacePainting
- Themed Fancy Dress
- Fun Rides
Live Music Stages with acts including:
- The Hysterics – young and talented purveyors of pop/rock
- Rudy Warman & The Heavy Weathers – best original blues band around
- Phat Gandalf – rock/blues covers better than the originals
- Ian Fox – the man/the legend, he’s played with some of the greats
- Deep River Blues – oh yes they are and the river runs deep
- Katie Bradley & Phil Woolet Allstars – Jazz/blues and soul from a truly first class act
- Jack Bowden – young, exuberant and captivating
- The Bohemianauts – the music of unrequited dread!
Other Event Features
- Foraging in Dane John Gardens – take a tour with Amy Hitchcock to discover so tasty wild growing food growing in the Gardens
- The Kent Authors’ Club – come and meet some of Kent’s published authors across a range of styles and topics including Children’s stories, Murder Mysteries and Local History
- Green Hop Beer Tent – first chance to taste the freshest of green hopped beer from a selection of Kent Breweries
Lots more information soon – check back regularly!
Status
Traders/Acts - Book your place
For trader/act registration and event information please visit:
Market Square Group
Children's Entertainment
Entertainment at the event
Visitor Info
With its Cathedral, vibrant High Street, historical points of interest, including St Augustines Abbey and the Roman Museum, fantastic gardens including the walled location for our event in Dane John Gardens, ancient buildings (don’t miss the crooked house), river cruises, Marlow Theatre and more, there is a wealth of places waiting to be discovered in Canterbury.
PLEASE NOTE:
Advertised times may be subject to change at short notice.
Town-Live events are generally 7:00-9:00pm & 7:30-9:30 during the summer.
Ticket cancellations are non refundable.
Images are representative of previous Zoom Events.
Downloads
Download the A format poster HERE
Event Countdown
Day(s)
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Hour(s)
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Minute(s)
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Second(s)
Ticket Order Information
Please ensure you enter a valid email for your ticket purchase. The tickets will be emailed to that address.
If you do not receive your ticket and confirmation to your email address within half an hour of placing your order, please contact Market Square Group on 01832 281 274 for assistance.
Please print one copy of each ticket – multiple copies cannot be used to enter an event.
Concession Tickets
Disabled ticket holders will need to bring one of the following for their carer to be admitted free of charge:
- Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance for children under 16 or Personal Independent payments for those aged 16-64, either in the form of a letter stating that the benefit has been awarded, or the actual Allowance book
- Attendance Allowance or Carer’s Allowance letter of award
- Incapacity Benefit books, or a letter notifying the recipient that the benefit has been awarded
- A Blue or Orange badge, or
- In the case of visual impairment, a registration card known as the BD8 or a Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI)
- Carers will need to purchase a ticket at a very reduced rate, available from our online shop.
Wheelchair Users
We endeavour to ensure that our events are wheelchair friendly. However, if you are purchasing a concession ticket as a wheelchair user, please telephone Market Square Group on 01832 281 274 at the time of booking to confirm the exact arrangements we have made for your event.
Students
- Will be required to show a current student ID or NUS card.
NOTE:
Entry may be denied to anyone who’s documentation does not support their ticket type/description, or anyone who is not carrying the required documentation.
Speed Eating Competitions
- 2 competitions, one Saturday afternoon the other Sunday afternoon on the Band Stand.
- Maximum of 6 contestants for each competition.
- All contestants compete simultaneously.
Chilli Competition
- Each person is issued one chilli to eat in its entirety, minus the stalk for each round.
- The Chilli’s get progressively hotter with each round as contestants drop out.
- After all chilli rounds are complete if there are two or more contestants remaining there will be “shoot out” with uber hot chilli sauce to decide the ultimate chilli bad ass and prize winner
Chilli Competitions drops outs are designated based on the following:
- Inability to finish the chilli issued
- Drinking from the glass of milk (provided to each contestant)
- Expelling any chilli once in the mouth
- Taking too long to finish a chilli as the final contestant in the round
Hotdog Competition
- No one is allowed to start eating until an official gives the signal.
- Contestants can eat the food however they want, either breaking it into pieces or whole.
- They can dip the food into a liquid (usually water) to make it softer.
- If the food has different parts, the parts do not have to be eaten together. For example, hot dogs can be eaten separately from their buns.
- When time expires, any food that is already in the contestant’s mouth counts as eaten as long as he or she eventually swallows it.
Hotdog Competitions drops outs are designated based on the following:
- Expelling any food, once it has entered the mouth
Foodie Quiz Rules
The Rules
- Quiz will take place on Sunday 4pm to 5pm in the Kitchen Theatre.
- Teams of 4 people.
- £20 entry fee per team.
Location & Parking
Market Location
Dane John Gardens
Canterbury
Kent
CT1 2QX
Parking
Other Information
Traders
PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES
The list of traders is continually updated as the event approaches.
Arts and Crafts
AMBER GD Ltd
Handmade natural Baltic amber jewellery, amber and silver decorated glass.
INCAS
Ponchos, dreamcatchers, handmade friendship bracelets, incense burners, hats, handbags, finger puppets and Ecuadorian clothes. Everything handmade from South America ‘Ecuador.’
Partygirls Jewellery
Handmade silver, copper, resin and clay jewellery. Holistic crystals and hand made gemstone candles.
Viking Drinking Horns
Drinking horns, stands and holders. All horns treated and safe for use for drinks.
Coco & Ginger
Luxury Handcrafted candles and home fragrance. The collection includes candles in various beautiful vessels, Diffusers, Wax Melts and Wax Melt Burners, Room Fragrance Mist and Hand & Body Wash & Lotion.
CAR Designs/Handmade by Us
CAR Designs Handmade silverware and jewellery all made in precious metals some with gemstone. Handmade by Us upcycled glassware, Handmade fleece hats, upcycled garden items, photo greeting cards, hand knitting ornaments made from leftover wool. All items named by Charlotte Landman.
Flint and Flame
Premium quality kitchen knives, blocks, chopping boards, sharpeners and accessories.
Hand made by Ausra
Handmade toys from yarn, keychains from plywood with a laser cutter, bracelets and hair elastic.
Jenni Rogers Jewellery
Jewellery made by myself using semi precious stones, sterling silver and pearls.
Romney Marsh Wools Ltd
British made wool products created using the fleeces from our own flock of Romney ewes. Based on our family farm on the beautiful Romney Marsh, Kent.
Barrels & BespOak
All our products are handcrafted from whisky barrels; cheeseboards, charcuterie boards, wine racks, lights, clocks, candle holders, fruit bowls, kitchen baskets, cheese knives, bottle openers, keyrings, coasters, garden furniture.
Izzy Makes Things
Craft artist who produces a variety of cards, plants in decorated pots, upcycled furniture, handmade clothes and accessories, jewellery, crochet and felted items, textiles and original prints.
Niloticinfluences
Range of handcrafted East African inspired arts, crafts, jewellery and various gifts (children’s bows, headbands, bracelets, skirts, snoods, bags, head wraps, cards, coaster etc…). Along with steel rings.
Shhh Menopause Wellness
Wellness and Menopause products. Relieve and Ease Spray, Sleep Sound Spray, Allay Anxiety Spray, Eye Bright, Seaweed Serum Soothe and Smooth hand cream, Vitamin C Serum Seaweed Bath Salts, and Diffuser Oils.
Home and Garden
Lafi Crafts
Handmade Tunisian pottery such as fruit bowls, salad bowls, Mezey dishes and tagine. Olivewood items such as chopping boards cheeseboards, fruit bowls, salad bowls and pestle & mortar.
Staffordshire Pottery
A beautiful array of Staffordshire Pottery pieces, sets and individual items.
C M Trading
Innovative kitchen ware for the home including a vegetable dicer.
Clothing
Emporium
Italian clothing, Indian rugs and accessories.
San Jose Import
Wool products from South America (Ecuador, Peru) such as knitted hats, cardigans and dolls.
Fashion Clicks
Clothing for men and women; Men’s shirts, hats, jackets and jumpers, Women’s scarves, dresses, tops, jumpers, coats, and gloves. Black and white posters of artist of yesteryears.
Hot Food
‘Hits the Spot’ French Crepes
Delicious savoury & sweet crepes (Vegan and Gluten-Free options) and freshly squeezed Victorian lemonade, with a twist.
Crepeexpectations
Delicious sweet & savoury crepes, freshly cooked to order with seasonal, fair-trade and organic ingredients.
Farmhouse Foods
Wood burner smoker oven. 100% British beef burger, pork, beef, gammon, chicken wings and ribs. Chips, cold soft drinks.
Hide & Greek
Greek Street Food
Nori Pan Asia
Japanese Food Chicken Katsu Curry with rice, Korean style house spicy chicken, Teriyaki chicken with rice, Veg teriyaki with rice.
Mexitaco
Mexican street food including burrito, fajita, nachos, chilli con carne and tacos.
Thainese Street Food
Thai and Chinese street food including dishes such as Thai green curry, black bean, sweet & sour, kung po and spring rolls.
Caribbean Street Food
A selection of Caribbean street food.
churros2 ltd
Churros and chocolate, soft drinks available.
Funky Duck
Crispy Duck wraps served with cucumber, spring onion and a choice of Hoisin or Sweet Chilli Sauce, Duck fat potatoes, Gluten Free Duck salad, Halloumi fries with hoisin and sweet chilli sauce.
Outlaw
Wood fired, Asian inspired street food, Bao Buns, fries and smoked meat.
Wrap It
Range of Vegan/Vegetarian toasted wraps and salad boxes themed around the globe including, Freshly made Falafel, Vegan Halloumi, Onion Bhaji, and Vegan Duck. We also Serve a range of flavoured fries and cans of San Pellegrino.
Taste of Thailand
Thai Cuisine; Pad Thai vegetable, Pad Thai chicken, Pad Thai prawns, Green curry chicken & rice, Green curry vegetable & rice and a special of the day.
The Hot Donut Co.
Hot sugared donuts.
Crumble Cups
Homemade apple crumble and mixed berries crumble along with homemade custard and locally made ice cream. This will be served from our dessert pod which has been especially made for this business which is called Crumble Cups.
Mr Dumpling
Chicken Dumplings Vegetarian Dumplings Bubble tea (all vegetarian).
Paul’s Big Eat
Selection of grilled German sausages, sauté potatoes and cold soft drinks.
Grocery Food
Cherry Tree Kent
Preserves, curds, pickles, marmalade & chutneys
Crumbs Cakes
Homemade luxury American-style Belgian chocolate brownies & blondies in a variety of flavours & fillings.
Dunk Cookies
Handmade Cookies (freshly baked off-site at our bakery) Cookie Cones (mini cookies with a dip) Dip jars Cookie Bake At Home KitsDunk Chocolate Items: including Dippies (chocolate bars filled with one of our dips), Cuppies (chocolate cups filled with one of our dips), Dunkies (chocolate and cookie).
Granny Sally’s Fudge
A wide variety of old English fudge from bars to custom made jars. A huge range of flavours including classic vanilla, rum & raisin, chocolate, rocky road and many more.
Lavin Limited
Olives, baklava, Turkish delight and nuts.
Passion Du Fromage
Spanish and French saucisson, French cheese and more continental fine foods.
The Great British Cheese Company
Award winning, flavoured, waxed cheese truckles.
The Tipsy Bakery
Cupcakes, brownies, cookies & blondies.
Weymouth51
Chilli sauces and chilli related products, salt dry, mustard, kimchi , oil.
Zambur Ferments
Fermented food and drink, vegan kimchi, kraut, persian pickles, kombucha.
The Biltong Station
Biltong, drywors, bites, red & white wine and prosecco.
Cheesemakers of Canterbury
The home of the award winning Ashmore Farmhouse cheese. Cow, goats & ewe’s cheeses.
Kingcott Dairy
Blue cheeses made with our own milk from our dairy farm.
Little Sugar & Co
Little Sugar Cakes is a start-up bakery and sells what is arguably the most artistic, contemporary and delicious line of baked goods in the Medway Towns. Broad variety of cakes, brownies, cupcakes, cookies and desserts.
The Wiltshire Chilli Farm
Chilli products from their home grown chillies. Chilli sauces, jams, grinders, dried chillies, fresh chillies and plants.
Thomas Cookie Co
Gourmet Cookies
Valentins Artisan Bakery Ltd
Sourdough bread, sausage rolls, stromboli, pizza, pies, carrot cake, coffee cake, doughnuts and brownies
Mighty Spice
Variety of spice pastes.
Gilda Bakery Ltd
Gilda is an artisan bakery in Bishopsbourne, a beautiful rural Kent location, producing handmade bread and pastries. This year’s Christmas collection is inspired by the familiar flavours we all know and love. From handmade deep fill Mince Pies made with a trip of toppings (viennese, crumble or frangipane) to Salted Caramel Chocolate Yule Logs, luxury Stollen, Brie & Cranberry Sourdough or smoked Bacon and Caramelised Onion sausage rolls.
Paulassamosas
East African style samosas, onion Bhagya, chick-peas bean stews, Rolex egg and chapati rolled egg, spicy chicken with jollof rice, jerk chicken platy of salads and salsas.
O’Donnell Moonshine
Unique bottled alcohol for off-site consumption: ‘Tough Nut’ , ‘Roasted Apple’ , ‘Wild Berry’ and ‘High Proof’.
George Heath
Doughnuts, Sweets, Candy Floss
KORKO
Exquisite African inspired non-alcoholic beverages here in the UK.
Beverages
Famous Last Stand
A great selection of beer, ale, lager, cider, prosecco, wine and gin.
Soak Craft Beer
Craft beers gift boxes and build a box.
The Coffee Shed
Hot and iced coffee, hot and iced tea, hot chocolate, water, soft drinks, traybakes and biscuits.
Willobeans Espresso Bar
Barista style coffee, speciality teas, lush hot chocolate, iced coffee, our own bags of Willoblend coffee beans. Option of addition of Baileys or Brandy in coffee or espresso Martini and Jamaican Americano. Non-alcoholic Lumumba and non-alcoholic Fruit Sangria.
Vintage Shakes
Refreshing milkshakes in a variety of different flavours.
Freeze Zone
Slush puppy drinks.
Blooming Beans
Hot drinks: Latte, Cappuccino, Espresso, Hot chocolates, Mocha, Flat white, Cold drinks: Fruit shoots, cans of coke, Pepsi, Fanta, lemonade. Croissants and sweet pastries.
Ice Cream
Snow White Catering
Fresh whippy ice cream and a selection of iced lollies.
Simply Ice Cream
Homemade multi award winning ice creams and sorbets in a variety of flavours.
Other
Butternut Box
At Butternut Box, we believe that dogs deserve better. That’s why we’re putting the food back into dog food. We make freshly prepared dog food – cooked like you would at home and delivered in perfect portions.
Charity Link – Dogs Trust
Fundraisers will invite members of the public to become direct debit donors for their ‘Sponsor a Dog’ campaign.
Demelza
Raising Money for Children’s Hospice.
Fairy in a Pop Can
The author has written the children’s book, Fairy in a Pop Can to raise money for charity. All proceeds will be donated to Young Lives V Cancer and Batten Disease. You may also be lucky and get to hear the story read by the author.
Riverford Organic Farmers
Award-winning seasonal organic veg boxes and more – fresh from our farm, bursting with flavour, and delivered free to your door.
Tunbridge Wells Dog Biscuit Company
Homemade dog biscuits.
Kent Green Hop Beer
Kent Green Hop Beer Fortnight launches at Canterbury’s Cooking – A Festival of Food & Drink. A chance to taste newly released beers made from just harvested hops produced by over 30 of Kent’s finest brewers.
Emmanuel Church Canterbury
Registered charity, here to chat to people and let them know about some of the community work we do as a church.
h2 Vodka
Produced, bottled and crowned in Southern England, our ultra-premium Strawberry vodka is masterfully distilled six times from organic sugar beet and molasses, defining a smooth rich tasting spirit.
Saddle Goose
Selection of our own sparkling and still wines, including non alcoholic.
Produced in Kent
Produced in Kent is a trade organisation dedicated to supporting & promoting all types of food, drink and craft businesses in Kent.
Trim Fadeys
Wax, hair gel, shampoo pomade, aftershave, beard brushes, beard oils, shave jelly, shave balm and also providing haircuts and hot towel shaves.
Mat Wills – MC
Biography/Info
Mat Wills – a short engaging mini man, who puts audiences at ease with his deft crowd and cheeky East End vibe.
“He’s got “Impressive quick thinking”.” NOTTS COMEDY REVEIW
Stella Graham
Biography/Info
Stella Graham – Shameless, charmingly aggressive and unladylike. Stella is a slick, sharp and polished comedian, balancing warmth and charm that have audiences queuing up to meet her after the show.
“Fun and original… everything a good comedian should be, self-assured, likeable and, crucially, funny”. We say…… Enjoy!! BROADWAY BABY
Russell Arathoon
Biography/Info
Russell Arathoon – explodes onto the stage delivering a rollercoaster of high energy, one liners, double entendrés with his hilarious everyday observations.
Finalist for Edinburgh Fringe’s ‘So you think I’m Funny’, Russell won both Hastings ‘New Comedian of the Year’ award’, and King Gong at London’s Comedy Store. Do not miss this!!!
Michael Hackett – Headline Act
Biography
Nicole Halsey
Biography
Graduate in COMEDY with a 1st from Kent University is a new comedy force to be reckoned with…… and she’s on the look-out! Nicole quickly became part of the brilliant comedy collective ‘Fools Folly’ honing her skills in ‘heckle management’ from the female perspective. With her razor-sharp wit, and stylish delivery, heckle at your peril, Nicole is coming for you!
Headliner: Lovdev Barpaga
Biography/Info
The 2017 UK Pun Champion, has the kind of effortless and gentle likeability that is completely unique in the comedy world. Entire crowds seem to fall in love with him from the start and as much of his incredible humour as for his undeniable charm.
Often laughing as much as his audience, here’s a man in love with his job and it shows. You can’t help but laugh along with him: The ultimate feel good comic.
“The 21st Century Asian Ken Goodwin” – STEVE BENNETT
“One of the most brilliant daft comics you will ever see” – JOE LYCETT
Totally hilarious…effortlessly funny” – JO ENRIGHT
Caroline Mabey
Biography
Caroline Mabey is part ‘best mate you shouldn’t have gone on holiday with’ and part ‘drunk school-run mum who’s been dragged backwards through a box of crunchy surrealism’.
“A mischievous, kooky talent” TIMEOUT
Justin Panks – Headline Act
Biography
Andrew Mensah
Biography/Info
Also known as host of BT Sport’s hit show ‘What I Wore’ where he interviews footballer’s based on their lives and careers. Andrews relatable comedy style and ability to speak on life experience in an unapologetic manner has established him as one of the most exciting emerging comedians on the circuit today. Most excitingly – Andrew has recently provided tour support for the great Ricky Gervais
Tiziano La Bella
Biography/Info
Tiziano La Bella discusses his Catholic childhood, the incoherence of the Italian fascists and his challenges as an immigrant in the UK. Tiziano loves to touch the nerves of the audience, in order to get them involved to generate a reaction. He offers his surreal point of view to his audience who get the chance to laugh with him – or to beat him up right after show!
