Faversham International Hop Festival 2009

Faversham's International Hop Festival takes place over the weekend commencing Saturday 5th September. The whole town of Faversham plays host to this traditional festival set in the medieval town's square and surrounding streets and celebrating the olden days of hop picking in Kent.

There are two live music stages in the town featuring regional, national and international talent.

The line-up is as follows:
Saturday:
Spitfire Stage: Tanglefoot Clog Dancing, Faversham Mission Brass, Opening Ceremony, Pearly Kings & Queens, Hot Rats, Prague Castle Orchestra, Jam Sandwich, and Kingsdown Band.
Quinn/Wilson Developments Stage: The Celebrated Hop Festival Band, Follia, Anthony James Baker Band, Jumbo Gumbo, Chix Wiv Pix, and Fat River Band.
Anchors Inn: Fat River Band, Soul Sisters, Les Bons Z'Enfants, Prague Castle Orchestra, Jam Sandwich, and Rusty Ford & The Classics.
The Old Wine Vaults: Three Blind Mice, Bob Kenward & Skynflynt Fyrebox Session, Get Carter, and Fyrebox Session.
Railway Hotel: Goosebumps Jazz Jive, Les Bons Z'Enfants, Pepper Set, Mel Harris, Chimney Boys, Les Bons Z'Enfants, and Kingsdown Band..
Market Inn: Tagg, Chimney Boys, Open Harp Surgery, Jumbo Gumbo, Kev Reynolds Covers Show, and Moveable Feast.
Shepherd Neame Stage: Byrne, Hot Wings, Morris Dancers, Hot Rats, Morris Dancers, and Jam Sandwich.
The Sun Inn: Jack Jack & The Hats, and Boughton Fez Heads.
Faversham Bistro: Les Bons Z'Enfants
Albion Tavern: A varied programme of local and Kent based live rock music.
The Bear: Continuous Come all Ye Traditional Sessions.

Sunday:
Pearly Kings & Queens, Les Bons Z'Enfants, Prague Castle Orchestra, The Fore, and Jumbo Gumbo.
Spitfire Stage: The Celebrated Hop Festival Band, Follia, Driving Sideways, Fat River Band, Blue Devils, Chix Wiv Pix, and Me13.
Quinn/Wilson Developments Stage: Anchors Inn: Goosebumps Jazz Jive, Driving Sideways, and The Blue Devils Blues Band .
The Old Wine Vaults: Bob Kenward & Fyrebox Session, Chris Taylor Allstars, and Fyrebox Session.
Railway Hotel: Chimney Boys, Break Thru, Fat River Band, Soul Sisters, and Jumbo Gumbo.
Market Inn: Mel Harris, Les Bons Z'Enfants, and Goosebumps Jazz Jive.
Shepherd Neame Stage: Byrne, Hot Rats, Hot Wings, and Jam Sandwich.
3 Tuns: James Bradley & The Almost Ready Band.
The Sun Inn: Prince Valiant
Albion Tavern: A varied programme of local and Kent based live rock music.
The Bear: Continuous Come all Ye Traditional Sessions.

As well as live music there is children's entertainers, professional street theatre, stilt walkers, Morris dancing, a craft fare, and ceilidh.

This festival celebrates the old days of hop picking when thousands of Londoners came down to the Kent hop gardens every September for a country holiday with pay, has attracted tens of thousands of people to Faversham's town centre since the first event was staged in 1991.

Festival goers are expected to gather on the evening of Friday 4th September, and local pubs and restaurants will play host to live music.

For more information, see the Hop festival website.

Latest Updates