Dreamland special events

• Written by: Lorraine
• Written on: October 10, 2016
• Filed Under: 2016 Events, 2017 Events, Christmas, Days Out, Local Area, Margate, Shopping

Margate’s iconic Dreamland amusement park reopened last year and immediately started to attract increased visitor numbers to the town and the wider area. Margate beach is once more packed out in the summer and the higher footfall for the town as a whole has helped lots of new businesses get established, particularly around the seafront and harbour arm and throughout the old town.

This is great for us at Beeches as many of our guests can now enjoy Dreamland when they stay in one of our holiday lets in Broadstairs, or will even book with us specifically because they’re planning a holiday around trips to Dreamland as well as other local attractions. We love that there is so much on offer right on our doorstep in the three towns of the Isle of Thanet, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, which are all just a short hop from each other around the coast and we very much view Thanet as a whole as the destination our guests are coming to.

Most recently Dreamland have changed how they charge visitors to the park, you can now enter and enjoy the atmosphere free of charge and purchase a wristband or tokens to go on the rides…except when there are special events taking place when you can’t get in without buying a ticket which can then give you free access to the rides.

Events look set to be an important part of the park’s future as those which have taken place so far have been so successful and it’s such a spectacular venue it is certain to be used more and more for really unique happenings.

As an example – we wrote last year about Screamland (see our post here). When Dreamland was transformed for Halloween 2015 the park won a clutch of awards and was described as “the best scare event on any UK park”. No surprises then that it will now be an annual event and likely to get bigger and better, and sold out earlier, each year. Could Halloween by the sea be your excuse to book an autumn seaside holiday with us and go all out with costumes, and craziness for a few days.

This year Screamland is 14-29 October.

Another example – the second Beside the Sea Festival brought big names, Bat for Lashes, Wolf Alice, Hot Chip and Super Furry Animals, to Dreamland, with Jarvis Cocker DJing on the dodgems on the Saturday night.  The park has several performance spaces including the Roller Rink, the Ballroom and Hall by the Sea as well as smaller outdoor stages. It is the antithesis of being at a corporate gig. The newly opened Hall by the Sea has rough hewn walls and girders in the ceiling, being at a performance here feels very intimate and even a little bit rough round the edges, which is a good thing.  The playful atmosphere and opportunity to pop off for a quick ride on the scenic railway, big wheel or helterskelter, between bands, add a a whole new dimension to a night out at an event like this.

Grandmaster Flash also played a set at Dreamland this year and that was free entry!

We can’t wait to see what events will be at the park in 2017.

It’s well worth subscribing to the Dreamland newsletter for information about new events as they are announced.  You can do that here.

There’s one more biggie to come this year being advertised at the time of writing. On 3rd December there’s a Dreamland Vintage Market which will be interesting. Margate has really become something of a mecca for cool vintage stuff so the market will doubtless be showcasing some of the finest quirky items that local traders and those from further afield can find to offer for Christmas gift hunters looking for unusual presents for loved ones – or indeed for themselves. From toy cars, to large format cameras, high fashion from years gone by and vintage leather bags and suitcases to carry it all home in – if you don’t bring yourself a bag with wheels to cart your haul away that is!

The park is also available for corporate events, weddings and the like, if you’re taking over the whole of Dreamland and you need accommodation for your guests, remember us – our nearby Beeches holiday homes are just a short drive away and have every comfort and amenity.