On July 3rd 2020 Margate's Dreamland celebrated its 100th birthday. Unfortunately due to Covid large-scale party plans had to be changed drastically. The famous vintage rides, including the Scenic Railway, have not been allowed to run this summer season. The park remains closed while the pandemic continues and we are all waiting with trepidation to see what Dreamland has up its sleeve for next year.
To our relief, it looks like the much-loved and quirky amusement park is working hard to keep its successful music programme going. In recent years, Dreamland has treated us to some fantastic gigs, DJ sets and festivals - including Gorillaz, Happy Mondays, Mike Skinner and Hot Chip to name but a few. 2021 already has some big names lined up which will hopefully be going ahead, perhaps a little differently to accommodate social distancing.
Heralding the start of summer will be The Soundcrash Funk & Soul Weekender, running from the 28th - 30th May. The line-up features headliner spots from some real icons. Disco queens Sister Sledge are kicking things off on the Friday, the incredible George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic provide Saturday's main act. The legendary Toots & the Maytals are billed as Sunday's headliners (however at the time of writing the very sad news has been announced that Toots Hibbert has passed away at the age of 77.) This year is really testing us - all the more reason to let your hair down to some uplifting funk and soul.
A brand new festival is coming to Dreamland in July 2021 and it sounds very exciting indeed. Created by the team at the helm of the massively successful Demon Dayz in 2017, Hi-tide is all set to take place on 3rd & 4th July. The illustrious line-up includes Fatboy Slim, Madness, and Rudimental. This will be a fantastic weekend, mark our words. Remember to wear your dancing shoes!
Anyone that remembers the release of De la Soul's sublime first album '3 Feet High and Rising' way back in 1989 will be hot-footing it over to Dreamland to enjoy an evening with these grandmasters of hip-hop. A unique and brilliant blend of off-beat samples and witty lyrics that gets out of your seat and dancing with the best of them. One hit wonders they are not - De la Soul have accumulated 3 decades of exciting and collaborative music. In a nutshell, De la Soul make you feel happy, and they're coming to Margate on the 24th of July.
Another Dreamland bash certain to get you moving will be the Margate Pride 2020 show, with headliners All Saints and some not yet announced special guests providing the entertainment. With 5 number-one hits and five albums under their belts, the edgy, Brit-Awarding winning 90's girl-band will have plenty of crowd-pleasers to complement the colourful celebrations on the day. All Saints hold a fond place in many peoples' hearts and we're sure the atmosphere will be brilliant.
Remember that if you purchased tickets for any of the 2020 shows they will still be valid for 2021 without having to do anything. Tickets also include unlimited access to the rides. How much fun can one person have? Broadstairs Apartments is just a 5-minute train ride away from Dreamland, which is handily situated next to Margate station. There are lots of bars and restaurants in the vicinity, as well as the gorgeous main sands just opposite. A good time guaranteed!