Faversham International Hop Festival 2014

Faversham's International Hop Festival celebrated its 25th and takes place over the weekend commencing Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st August 2014. 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.

In addition to the Brewer Stage run by Shepherd Neame, there are 3 stages around the town all providing a range of different music. Not to mention all the pubs in town many of whom also have live music over the weekend.

Line-up

Saturday

Market Place Stage
Pearly Kings and Queens, The Curb Pilots, Morris Display, The Crossfire, The Trouser Trumpets, Vignette, Green Diesel, Dance Display, Cadbury-Hicks

Preston Street Stage
The New Inventions, Comic Verse, Thomas Ashby, The Doctorates, Lucky Jackson, High Tide, The Narrotones, George Ogilvie

Brewery Stage
The Sweetchunks Band, Taking Care of Vegas, Fate the Juggler, Goosebumps, Skatonics, Ben Russell & The Charmers

Folk Stage
Labyrinth, Faversham Folk Club Residents, Helen North, Sally Ironmonger, Martin Ledner & Shouting In The Woods, Sue Watson & Lizzie Stephens, Fred Holden & Chris Sadler

Sunday

Market Place Stage
Hop Blessing, Procession, Pearly Kings and Queens, Serpentyne, Morris Display, Rough Common, Vignett, CoCo and the Butterfields, Josh and Daisy.

Preston Street Stage
Hop Blessing, Cantiana Choir, Nic Bennett, King Size Slim, Comic Verse, Creek, Harper, Smoking Grace, Captian Patch and the Mermaid Mollies.

Brewery Stage
Mark Lees, Paragraph1, I.R.I.S., Scarlett Rae & The Cherry Reds, Milly Mae

Folk Stage
Chris Care, The Sunshine Ukes, Lonesome Trails, Bob Kenward, Gillywolfe, Capella, Larkspur

More info

As well as live music expect 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.

Procession

The Procession starts at the top of Preston Street. This traditional morning parade consists of morris dancers, entertainers, carnival queens  and occasionally a marching band! It passes down Preston Street, into Market Street and ends at Court Street around 11:30 am. Pedestrians are asked to leave the procession via Partridge Lane

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

Accommodation

This event does not have camping but there are a number of hotels, hostels and guest houses in the area.

More info

For more information, see the Hop festival website.

More information will be here when available.

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