This year, Folkestone Harbour celebrates a remarkable milestone: a decade as a stunning visitor destination and vibrant seaside hub. With a rich and varied past, the harbour has worn many hats – ferry terminal, lorry park and railway station. During WW1, it became a place of poignant farewells for soldiers heading to the Western Front. 

Today, the space has been reimagined into an iconic foodie hotspot. It’s a hub for independent businesses to grow and thrive, drawing tourists from around the world, but Folkestone Harbour’s story, as a beacon for positive regeneration, is just beginning. 

How it Started 

When Sir Roger De Haan purchased Folkestone Harbour in 2004, the area was in a state of serious decline. It was neglected, dilapidated and closed off to the public. With ferry services long since ceased and no clear purpose ahead, the harbour would have continued to decay, deteriorate and become increasingly dangerous.   

The newly formed harbour team, led by Sir Roger, worked with world-leading architects and designers to completely reimagine the site. In 2015, the Harbour Company received outline planning consent for the harbour and the neighbouring neglected rotunda site to be turned into a stunning vision. It included beautiful homes with sea views, vibrant shops, restaurants, bars and the once-dangerous concrete wasteland on the foreshore to be transformed into a welcoming pebble beach for all to enjoy. At the time, it seemed unimaginable. 

Having received the planning permission, the Harbour Company then got to work demolishing the dilapidated old sheds and buildings left over from the port operations and closed the ugly lorry park. Over the next few years, the team lovingly restored the Harbour Arm, Customs House, Folkestone Harbour Station, the Folkestone Harbour Viaduct, The Signal Box and the lighthouse, which would become an iconic Champagne bar. 

Unexpected Popularity 

The concept of reopening the harbour as a visitor attraction for the first time seemed like an overly ambitious reach. Whilst work had been done to make the site safe for visitors, with some amazing attention to detail, the entrance to the Harbour Arm looked like a building site with works to the station still yet to begin.  

Despite this, a handful of small, local, independent businesses opened for a 10-week summertime street-food pop-up experiment in 2015. It was unexpectedly popular; local people were keen to explore a space that had previously been off limits.  

Riding on a tide of unprecedented success, ‘Folkestone Harbour Arm’ had a grand reopening for its first full summer season in 2016. This saw an ambitious live music programme, unique events and a growing reputation for interesting and unusual street food options.  

 Art, Sport and Culture  

Every three years, local arts charity Creative Folkestone hosts a prestigious outdoor contemporary art festival: Folkestone Triennial. In 2017, the fourth triennial catapulted Folkestone Harbour into the spotlight and cemented its reputation as a major cultural landmark, with artworks from Antony Gormely, Lubaina Himid and Richard Woods dotted across the site. This year, public artworks will again return to Folkestone Harbour for the 2025 Folkestone Triennial, How Lies the Land?, taking place from 19 July – 19 October. 

In summer 2018, the Harbour Screen launched in time for the first England game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup; tickets sold out instantly, crashing the booking site and cementing the screen’s popularity with visitors. 

This same year saw the completion of the restoration works to Folkestone Harbour Station and the Folkestone Harbour Viaduct – an incredible walkway with views across the inner and outer harbour. Sensitively restored with multiple nods to its extensive heritage throughout, the Harbour Station would go on to win Best Overall Entry at the National Railway Heritage Awards. Connected to this was a new boardwalk, meandering across Folkestone’s shingle beach.  

Turning Challenge into Change 

What makes Folkestone Harbour truly special is the pioneering spirit and continuous creativity of the local, independent traders who give this space its unique character. Nowhere was this more evident than during the Covid years. In response to lockdown, the harbour team reimagined the visitor experience, launching a new drive-in cinema by dismantling and relocating the Harbour Screen to the west side of the site, creating space for over 100 cars. 

It was Covid that inspired the innovation of The Goods Yard, a sheltered area of the harbour designed to help traders extend the outdoor dining season. What began as a makeshift setup of hay bales, scattered furniture and small wooden huts has since evolved into a thriving, year-round street-food plaza 

Today, 10 independent businesses call The Goods Yard home and it has become the beating heart of the harbour’s event calendar. Visitors enjoy a completely free programme of summer and festive cinema, live sports and memorable one-off events including the now-iconic Wünder Harbour, Folkestone’s playful twist on Oktoberfest.

Extending the Season 

Establishing Folkestone Harbour’s reputation as a year-round destination was the first ever Festive Marketplace, held in 2021. An event which has grown enormously in popularity and was ranked by The Times newspaper in 2024 as one of the seven ‘loveliest, boutique’ Christmas markets in the UK.  

Alongside the launch of an adventure golf course built directly into the beach, this period saw the creation and development of 11 large-scale restaurants and bars. The first to open was The Pilot Beach Bar and Little Rock, from The Rocksalt Group. They were soon joined by Brewing Brothers, a lively pizza pub on the beach; Sailbox, a waterside brunch hotspot; The Boardroom, a competitive socialising hub and The Tasting Rooms, a Frenglish (French-English) bistro known for its live music programme. By late 2024, two restaurants opened in beautifully restored train carriages: Cavells (Mediterranean) and Shesells Seashells (seafood). 

Join the 10th Anniversary Celebrations  

Folkestone Harbour’s 10th anniversary celebrations will run from 23 May to 1 June with a vibrant mix of art, culture, food and sport. Here’s what visitors can expect across the week. 

Friday 23 May – Mamma Mia! on the Big Screen (7pm), The Goods Yard

Grab your friends, a blanket and your best singing voice for an open-air screening of the feel-good ABBA musical under the stars. Consistently the most popular film every season, it had to come back for the 10 Year Special.

Saturday 24 May – Drum Circle with Kevin Richards (12pm–2pm), The Harbour Arm

Join experienced Kent-based percussionist Kevin Richards for an inclusive drumming workshop using West African djembe drums. Open and free to all ages and abilities — come feel the rhythm!

Sunday 25 May – Bloco Fogo Live Samba Performance (2pm–4pm), Across The Harbour

This colourful community samba band brings the infectious beats of Brazil to the Harbour with high-energy drumming and dance. Expect a carnival atmosphere!

Monday 26 May – Live Painting with Shane Record (From 12pm), Under The Folkestone Sign on The Harbour Arm

Watch local artist Shane Record at work as he creates an impressive, 9″ x 12″ live painting inspired by the Harbour. Shane has had a gallery in Folkestone’s Creative Quarter since 2005, and the finished artwork will be installed for all to enjoy afterwards.

Tuesday 27 May – Fish Out of Water Dance Workshops by MCDC (12pm & 3pm), The Goods Yard

An uplifting dance session with international company MCDC. Led by choreographer Michaela Cisarikova, these workshops mix urban and contemporary styles in an engaging, collaborative way.

Wednesday 28 May – Forest School with Willowbank Education (From 12pm), The Goods Yard

Join the team from Bee Free on the Farm to team to decorate your own Harbour Lighthouse to take home. Running from 12 noon until they’re run out! All run by expert leaders from the 26-acre woodland school near Chislet.

Thursday 29 May – Buzz by Smoking Apples (12pm, 2pm & 4pm), The Goods Yard

A Bee-rilliant Adventure! Buzz is a magical puppet-filled journey with Billy Bumble as he shrinks to bee-size, faces buzzing dangers, and inspires audiences to help bees by planting wildflower seeds.

Friday 30 May- Talks and Tastings 

Throughout the day, some of the Harbour’s favourite food and drink traders will demo their signature dishes live, sharing top tips and behind-the-scenes secrets.

Saturday 31 May  – 

Beach Clean & Mini Golf with Hula Beach, Beachside

Get involved in a community beach clean. Collect a full bag and then enjoy a free round of adventure golf as a thank-you!

Temptation Harbour Screening (7pm), The Goods Yard

Watch this 1947 film noir, shot on location in Folkestone Harbour and featuring the original Doctor Who, William Hartnell. Screened in partnership with the BFI and introduced by actress Margaret Barton.

Sunday 1 June – Fireworks Display (9.15pm)

End the celebrations with a bang! This promises to be the most spectacular display Folkestone Harbour has ever experienced on a scale that visitors will not have seen before.

Head to folkestoneharbourarm.co.uk for more details.