What’s on in Ramsgate – May 2026
Shortcuts : Highlights | Theatres & Cinemas | Hotels, Bars, Cafés | Art Exhibitions | Shopping | Open Top Bus | Calendar | Maps
There’s so much going on in Ramsgate in May, especially around Half term (23rd-31st May). You also have two Bank Holidays to enjoy this month, so why not book a long weekend stay, there’s lots of different accommodation options in Ramsgate. See Visit Ramsgate – Where to Stay and the Where to Stay in Ramsgate Map below to find somewhere suitable.
For more information on the above events and other event highlights in May see below :-
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is on the 9th of May. Expect Magic, Mayhem & Music, in Ramsgate Town Centre. Step through the looking glass with ‘Looping the Loop‘ as they transform the streets into a realm of delightful nonsense, with a FREE, immersive experience inspired by the whimsical world of Lewis Carroll. Don’t miss the Flamingo croquet! (Pétanque Court between Charlotte Court and Albert Court).
Eurovision Song Contest
Watch Sam Battle AKA LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER from This Museum is Not Obsolete represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.
- Eurovision Screening : Ramsgate Arts Club are screening the ‘Semi Finals’ and ‘Grand Final’ (12th, 14th and 16th of May, starting at 7:00pm).
- Eurovision Night : The Bedford Inn are hosting a Eurovision night on the 16th of May. Dress code Eurovision Glam!
- Eurovision Party : The Falstaff are partying upstairs in the Waterloo Room on the 16th of May. Dress to impress. Glitter, Glam & Euro-Gorgeousness.
- Eurovision Open Mic Night at the Queen Charlotte. Prizes for Best Costume and Best Performance. Live screening of Sam Battle AKA LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER.
- Eurovision Viewing Party : There’s going to be a street party and a giant viewing screen opposite The Queen’s Head pub on the 16th of May, for a Eurovision event with compere Shiv and D J Nick Jones. Special prizes for the best Eurovision Inspired Costumes!
Sorbetto has also created a special Eurovision milkshake and Jam Roly-Poly ice-cream inspired by the lyrics to Eins, Zwei, Drei!
Local History Day
Ramsgate Tunnels‘ Local History Day is on the 16th of May (10:00am-4:00pm). This is a free annual event showcasing Thanet’s rich past, featuring heritage displays, archives, and talks from local museums alongside the Tunnels’ own deep-dive tours into their WWII air-raid shelter history, complete with refreshments and a chance to explore Ramsgate’s vibrant history from Roman times to modern day.
May Fayre
The popular Ellington Park annual May Fayre is on the 17th of May.
There will be live performances at the historic bandstand all afternoon, as well as a funfair, face painting, lots of craft and gift stalls, a beer tent and a variety of food vendors, see poster in gallery below for details.
Don’t miss :-
- The Miniature Railway: Steam train rides are provided by the Ramsgate and District Model Engineering Club (RADMEC) on their 5-inch gauge track.
- The Dog Show: 11:30am-2:30pm – see poster in gallery below for details.
- The Hornets Boxing Club : Demonstrations.
- Classic Cars : Over a dozen on display.
- The Ellington Park bookshop: A massive selection of second hand books for sale.
- Kids and Adults Fancy-Dress Competition: 2:30pm – see poster in gallery below for details.
A free vintage bus service operates between Ramsgate Station, Ellington Park and Ramsgate Harbour during the May Fayre event.
UNESCO World Day for Cultural Diversity
Then on the 21st of May you can get together in the town centre for International Food, Music & Fun, with a Free World Food Picnic.
Several events are also taking place over Half Term :-
- Operation Dynamo – The Return to Ramsgate 2026 : 22nd – 25th May.
- Active Ramsgate Week : 25th – 31st May.
- Ramsgate Lit Fest 26 : 23rd -31st May, includes several Children’s events.
- Half Term at the Reserve – Monkton Nature Reserve : 23rd – 31st May.
Check out the Children Under 16 Activities Map below for more ideas on additional things to do over the holiday or perhaps, just head for our lovely sandy (blue flag) beach, Ramsgate Main Sands, where you can relax, build a sandcastle or sunbathe. This is an ideal spot for a swim too as the life guards are back from the 23rd of May.
Operation Dynamo – The Return to Ramsgate 2026
There is a four day extravaganza from the 22nd to the 25th of May to welcome the Little Ships back to Ramsgate after a pilgrimage to Dunkirk.
Check out the live music stage opposite the Queen’s Head
and the projections on the cliffs by the Ramsgate Tunnels for ‘The Spirit of Ramsgate – Operation Dynamo event’ on the 23rd and 24th of May.
Click here for more in-depth information on the ‘Operation Dynamo – The Return to Ramsgate 2026‘ event.
In conjunction with ‘The Little Ships Return’ event you also have the ‘338 : Ramsgate Remembers’ event ‘Standing with Giants’ to commemorate Dunkirk with 338 Silhouettes. (15th of May to the 28th of June).
Click here for more information on this event.
Dancing with Giants
The San Clu Hotel is hosting a charity event for ‘Standing with Giants‘ – A 1940’s Tea Dance on the 23rd of May.
Ramsgate Lit Fest 26
The Book Hotel is hosting a Literary Festival from the 23rd to the 30th of May. A week-long celebration of non-fiction — author talks, panel discussions, illustrated events for children, and an opening night to remember as Mlle. Loulou (Garance Louis) — French accordionist, singer, and one of London’s most captivating live performers — brings her band to the Waterloo Room for an evening of vintage Parisian magic. Click here for more information.
Active Ramsgate Week
Active Ramsgate Week is an annual event held during half-term, it showcases the town’s diverse outdoor activities through a series of free taster sessions.
- Register here for Active Ramsgate week.
The Active Ramsgate Week Map below provides additional information.
Half Term at the Nature Reserve
Monkton Nature Reserve have a series of events scheduled for Half Term. Click here to book.
Theatres, Musical Halls & Cinemas
The Granville Theatre and the Ramsgate Music Hall are hosting several events this month to keep you entertained throughout May (see below).
The Granville Theatre
Ramsgate Music Hall
Ramsgate Community Cinema
Don’t forget to check out what’s on at the Ramsgate Community Cinema.
Hotels, Bars, Pubs, Cafés, Clubs and more
Local Hotels, Pubs, Bars and Cafés are hosting musical events and comedy events. Some events are being held in Ramsgate Clubs, check with them directly on their non members policy. The ‘May 2026 – Events in Ramsgate’ map below provides event information, location and contact information.
Comedy & Cabaret clubs
There’s the Ramsgate Comedy Club (Chuckl.) at the Granville theatre, Wilson’s Comedy Club at the Queen’s Head and Vaults Comedy at the Ramsgate Arts Club. The Alley Bar also hosts cabaret acts and comedians.
Writing, poetry and book clubs
There are book clubs at The Bedford Inn, The Ramsgate Arts Club and the Perico Lounge and a writing group at The Book Hotel at The Falstaff which also has a regular Friday Book & Bar nights where the Book Shop is open into the evening.
Quiz nights
There are regular quiz nights at The Book Hotel at The Falstaff , The Bellevue Tavern, The Churchill Tavern, the San Clu Hotel, Violets, the Perico Lounge and Seabird, and a music quiz at the Queens Head.
Art Exhibitions
(Photography and Fashion Exhibitions)
Exhibitions this month at local Art Galleries, Pop-up Galleries and Hotels/Bars/Cafes with Gallery space include :
- ‘My last Rodeo’ Art Exhibition by Abbie Ziegler at The Wooden Box Gallery : 2 – 9 May.
- ‘The Golden Zodiac‘ Art Exhibition by Mark Negrin at The Front Room : (3,9,10 May).
- ‘The Dreaming Seeds’ Art Exhibition by Hannah Battershell at Ramsgate Arts Club : 20 March – 17 May.
- Emily Tull at Ellington Park May Fayre : 17 May.
- ‘Where the Water Moves’ Art Exhibition by Emily Revell at The House Hotel : 1 April – 30 June.
- ‘My Own Devices’ 3 exhibitions by Drew McGuinness aka Lefthandrawn at Hold Creative Spaces : 22 May to 25 May.
- ‘Keeping Them Othered’ – Helga Dorothea Fannon (Resident Artist at Hold Creative Spaces) : April – June.
- Hold’s 5th Birthday Show – Celebrating all Artists who have shown with Hold in their 5 years at Hold Creative Spaces : 29 May – 31 May. Includes work by Emily Tull, ‘Death of an Irishwoman’ and ‘Patsy’ by Tracy Davidson (Stitching my Story).
- Matt Anker exhibition at Turner Rowe Art Centre & Gallery : 27 April – 16 May.
- ‘I carry you with me’ The Leather Designs of Bobby Breslau at the Madsen Sylvester Studio: 3 – 22 May.
- L’Enfant 40th Anniversary – The Athena 80s Collection and other works. Exhibition by Spencer Rowell at the Pop-up Gallery at The Westminster Bank Building, 53 High Street : (13 May – 31 May, Private View on 21st May/6:00pm).
- ‘Flash’ The Sculpture & Movement of Ron Hitchens at the Madsen Sylvester Studio: 30 May – 28 June.
For more information on Art Galleries in Ramsgate see Visit Ramsgate – Galleries and the Gallery Trail Map below.
Shopping Events
This is great month for shopping in Ramsgate as we have :-
- The Handmade & Vintage Fair at Piers Yard (3rd of May, 24th – 26th of May).
- Molly Pickle pop up’s at Union Yoga Café (1st – 4th of May) and at Silk Road (30th – 31st of May).
- Craft & Gift Stalls at The Ellington Park May Fayre (17th of May).
- A Craft Fair at Violets (23rd of May).
- ‘The Addington Street Vintage Trail‘, offering vintage fashion, furniture, and decor from local sellers, the trail includes a pop up market in The Falstaff Hotel (30th and 31st May).
- Dame Janet Makers Market (31 May).
For more shopping information click here.
We are Ramsgate – 20 for Ramsgate campaign
The ‘We are Ramsgate – 20 for Ramsgate‘ loyalty shopping campaign continues into May. Click here for details.
The Open Top Bus
(Route 69)
The Open Top bus service is running over the May half term holidays this month (23rd to 31st May).
The route runs from Minnis Bay to Ramsgate via Westbrook, Margate and Broadstairs.
For the more information on the Open Top Bus click here. For live bus times see www.stagecoachbus.com
There’s always lots going on in Ramsgate.
For more information on events this month, download the Visit Ramsgate Monthly Events Calendar –
May What’s on Calendar
More to Explore
Some events land in our inbox after the What’s on Calendar has gone to print so we’ll list them here to make sure you (and they!) don’t miss out!
- Dawn Chorus Guided Walk at Pegwell Bay – Bird Wise East Kent : (2nd May/5:15am-7:15am)
- To sleep…to dream… Coastal Choir Charity Concert at The Holy Trinity Church : (16 May/7:00pm)
- Hidden After Dark – House & Garage : (24th of May/7:00pm)
- Summertime Alchemy – a micro retreat at Gather& : (25 May/1:00pm-4:00pm) – Tickets available from the Psorcery Project.
- Synth Social at This Museum is not Obsolete (27 May)
Please note that events are subject to change, for the latest information see https:/www.facebook.com/VisitRamsgate and Event Organisers Social Media.
More Event information
Don’t Miss Ramsgate also has a weekly news letter you can subscribe to for event information and Thanet Gigs provides a comprehensive Music Gigs listing that includes Ramsgate.
Visit Ramsgate Maps & Trails
- Click on menu icon (top left corner) to view Map index.
- Click on the green icon (in map, bottom right) for Map information.