17/06/2026
The 2026 Dickens Festival runs from Friday to Sunday, June 12-14. Expect song, party and parade, Victorian entertainment, stalls and, of course, theatre across Broadstairs.
Charles Dickens, probably this country’s greatest writer, first came to stay here in 1837 and naturally fell in love with the place.
A hundred years later, Gladys Waterer, who lived in Dickens House, set in motion a production of David Copperfield aligned with people wandering the town in Victorian dress to publicise it.
The Broadstairs Dickens Festival was born and, with the exception of the Second World War years, it has been held annually ever since.
It’s now a highlight of Thanet’s event calendar!
