Medway offers a colourful and lively calendar of festivals, cultural events and activities throughout the year. 

Our calendar of culture begins with the Chinese New Year celebrations organised by the Chinese community.  Hundreds of people proudly parade and entertain visitors in the centre of Chatham, dressed in colourful authentic costumes and accompanied by dragons and lions. 

It's full steam ahead during Easter at The Historic Dockyard Chatham's, Medway Steam and Transport Festival. See hundreds of spectacular steam and transport exhibits, vintage vehicles, classic motorbikes and much more. 

Spring into summer at the Rochester Sweeps Festival held on the first bank holiday in May.  This traditional festival brings colour and life to the city centre with street entertainment, maypole and morris dancing and live music at various pubs and venues throughout the city centre. 

The area's connections with Charles Dickens, are celebrated at the summer Dickens Festival in June and Dickensian Christmas in early December in Rochester. 

Take a fascinating journey back in time and see the author's much loved characters brought to life through readings and recitals, competitions and parades.

A celebration of arts and creativity in Medway that is different, diverse and daring is showcased at the Medway Fuse Festival in June. Stunning live street theatre, to site specific and specially commissioned performances take place at various venues and town centres.  This is followed by a fantastic series of open air concerts in July at Rochester Castle gardens.  The castle concerts features big names from the past and present, culminating in the ever-popular castle proms with spectacular fireworks.

There are many events taking place at local attractions throughout Medway.  The Seige! event at the Royal Engineers Museum in Gillngham explores the beginnings of military engineering and is fun and educational for all ages.  Discover historic Rochester through the late Middle Ages at Medieval Merriment, living history event at Rochester Castle and find out what life was like during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I at TheTudors at Upnor Castle event.

For more events and activities visit www.whatsonmedway.co.uk