Dover at Night
Following the success of last year’s launch event, Dover at Night is back this spring, with 15 venues taking part. Over 20 community groups and organisations have come together to offer a variety of fun and free activities for everyone to enjoy.
Taking place in Dover town centre on Friday 7 March from 5pm to 9pm, it promises to be a fun evening with an action-packed programme of art and craft activities, storytelling, conservation-in-action, digital projections, music, dance and drama.
The rare chalk stream of the River Dour is this year’s central theme, and community groups have already been hard at work preparing for the evening.
The drop-in event trail encourages visitors - young and old - to explore Dover’s historic and creative spaces. Entrances to local venues will be lit up in celebration, while inspiring River Dour artwork created by more than 1,000 children from local schools and youth groups will be projected onto the inside and outside of the town’s buildings.
Dover Castle will also be lit up in blue and green, and five castle story tellers will be telling the unique stories of five historic ladies from the past as part of the entertainment taking place in Dover Market Square. Hosted by EKC Dover College, there will be a vibrant evening of music, dance and drama by a variety of acts including The Fuddlers, EKC Junk Band, Nepalese drumming, Bollywood dancing and LED hula hoops.
This family-friendly event will include a wealth of creative activities for children. They can enjoy creating creatures for the big textile River Dour at the Charlton Centre, designing water colour silhouettes with the Dover SmArt team and experiencing the spooky torchlit tours of Dover Museum. With 15 venues involved, this illuminated night promises to be a lot of fun – the only challenge will be fitting it all in.
Trail leaflets can be picked up, from Friday 28 February, from the Visitor Information Centre based at Dover Museum as well as some of the other participating venues. Some venues will be ‘stamping stations’ where young people can stamp their leaflet as part of the trail.
Dover at Night is led by the Maison Dieu and Artswork in partnership with over 20 community partners and has been made possible with generous funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Artswork and Arts Council England.
Martin Crowther, Engagement Officer at the Maison Dieu, said: “Following the success of last year’s Dover at Night event, we have welcomed even more local partners to celebrate the town’s rich history, heritage and treasured chalk stream this year. We are delighted to put on this event for our residents and visitors to enjoy. Look out for the illuminated stained-glass windows at the Maison Dieu too – we can’t wait to open its doors to the community once more in a few months’ time.”
Louise Webb, Creative Producer for Artswork, said: “Our Placemaking programme is all about celebrating local communities and we have really enjoyed working with Dover residents to appreciate the beautiful River Dour. This rare chalk stream runs through the very centre of the town and its rich biodiversity deserves to be highlighted and celebrated with this Dover at Night event.”
Notes
- As part of the Reawakening of the Maison Dieu, DDC’s Maison Dieu team has worked with Dover’s community groups, who shared their vision of putting on more Dover-wide events
- For full event information, visit www.maisondieudover.org.uk/events
- From Friday 28 February, trail sheets will be available at the Dover Museum shop, The Big Local (Charlton Centre), Riverside Centre, St Mary’s Church and The Art Club. Trail sheets stamped at three venues will receive a small prize from the Dover Museum shop (until 8.45pm on the night of the event).
- Participants may visit venues in any order, with no advance booking necessary (except for the Dover Youth Theatre performances). For younger children, Dover library will be participating from 4pm-6pm.
- Refreshments will be available at St Mary’s Church, the Riverside Centre and The Art Café. The Market Square Kitchen and Beehive Café (Stembrook) are also opening for the evening with themed food and beverages.
- All venues are buggy and wheelchair accessible (except historic St Edmund’s Chapel).
- For further details, please email martin.crowther@dover.gov.uk or phone 07434 588 297.
Projection sites
Digital animations of the History of the River Dour, created by local schools and youth groups, will be shown on a loop (5pm to 9pm) at the venues below.
- Exterior of Maison Dieu House
- Charlton Shopping Centre (Future Foundry upstairs)
- St Mary’s Parish Rooms (window monitor)
- Dover Museum Exhibitions gallery (first floor)
- Wall of building opposite The Art Club
Participants can immerse themselves in the following activities at various venues across the town:
Charlton Shopping Centre
Make creatures for the big textile River Dour, storytelling, river sounds. See the Giant Winter Light-Up animals. View the projection.
Maison Dieu (Dover Town Hall)
Look at this incredible building as you walk past! It re-opens in May 2025. Activities at other venues are inspired by its stories.
Maison Dieu House (Dover Town Council)
See the projection on the façade and chat to Maison Dieu volunteers. Create nature-based shapes from hand-made paper.
St Edmund’s Chapel
Participate in immersive drama with The Parrot Theatre.
Biggin Hall
Stencil a Maison Dieu dragon
The Riverside Centre
Watch a film of 2 two boys rowing the River Dour in 1967, take part in historic building card-making
St Mary’s Church
View river and medieval waterworks maps (Canterbury Cathedral), learn about Medieval fishing at Dover, see animals in illuminated manuscripts and the Pent harbour model, decorate a wooden fish. View the Spirit of the Ladywell art installation (by Jenni Cresswell).
The Art Club
View the digital projection and lighting effects. Enjoy the Market Square entertainment programme.
NEW: Market Square Stage
Music, dance and drama curated by EKC Dover College including The Fuddlers, EKC Junk Band, Nepalese drumming, Bollywood dancing and LED hula hoops plus story tellers from Dover Castle
Dover Museum
View historic images of the Dour (Dover Society), Dour valley stories, make an eel on a stick, view the digital projection, create ceramics inspired by the River Dour and participate in the Torchlit Trail. Celebrate the Dour and decorate a cased caddis fly.
Dover Community Cinema
View Dover Youth Theatre performances at 6.30pm, 7pm and 7.30pm inspired by the Maison Dieu and River Dour. Entry via Gaol Lane entrance. Advance booking only at www.maisondieudover.org.uk/events
NEW: Dover Library (Dover Gateway) open 4pm-6pm
Make a paper fish. Join the library and take out books! Please note this is open from 4pm to 6pm only.
Dover SmART
Create watercolour silhouettes.
Posted on 20 February 2025