At last, cosy season is upon us! September’s arrival marks a fresh phase of the year, moving through to October, a month that transforms Kent’s landscape with autumnal hues, before November and December usher in the warmth and wonder of the much-anticipated festive season.

Historically, the ‘ber months offer a chance to reset after the restless summer season, taking time to nourish our bodies as the days shorten. We begin to return to tradition, from the annual Kentish harvest to pumpkin picking and twinkling Christmas lights, before the new year arrives. 

Across Kent, the autumn and winter seasons bring these traditions to life in a diary packed with sparkling seasonal fun. Whether you want to enjoy a traditional Kentish harvest, discover a local Christmas market, or simply want to try something new, this seasonal guide is sure to fill your diary throughout the ber months.

September: A Fresh Start

View of the house across the frosty parkland at Knole, Kent

Kicking off September with the annual Faversham Hop Festival, one of the largest free street festivals in the South East, this year it will run from Saturday 5 to Sunday 6 September. Starting in 1990, the event marks the noticeable shift to autumn, celebrating the town’s historic hop-growing heritage with parades and live performances across the weekend including Morris dancing alongside artisan stalls and local ales crafted by Britain’s oldest brewery and Kentish favourite, Shepherd Neame.

At this time, the shift in the season sees large numbers of birds migrating across Kent, with the Oare Marshes Nature Reserve holding a migration walk on Friday 11 September. You can embark on a 3-4 mile walk around the reserve, where you will observe in the field learning about resident wetland birds, with high tide serving as an ideal opportunity to observe species that use the reserve’s floods and scrapes for roosting and feeding. 

Around this time, the annual Heritage Open Days also begin, recognised as England’s largest community festival and running this year from Friday 11 to Sunday 20 September. The annual festival is set to see thousands of venues across the UK celebrating diverse cultures and communities, and, here in Kent, a number of historical estates will offer free entry across the festival dates. 

Starting off, Cobham Wood and Mausoleum will be opening their doors with free entry on Sunday 13 September. Alongside a guided tour of the 243-year-old Darnley Mausoleum, set on the highest point of the site and recently restored to its former grandeur, the 18th-century, Grade I listed monument is only open on select days through the year – over the season, the Heritage Open Day offers a rare opportunity to take a look inside this historic landmark.

On Tuesday 15 September, you can head to Knole Park in Sevenoaks; again, free to all visitors, an open day will offer a chance to explore the showrooms, gatehouse tower and extensive grounds. There will also be a free guided walk – The Changing Faces of Knole: An Archaeology Walk – where you will learn about the parkland’s history and peek inside the historic icehouse, with elevated views from the newly installed viewing platform. 

October: Autumn Traditions

Hever Castle & Gardens

Deeply rooted in tradition, the month of October sees autumn come into its own, with crimson leaves and harvest traditions taking hold across Kent’s landscape. At the same time, the annual spooky season begins to emerge, with fancy dress celebrations and ripe pumpkins ready for carving.

At the start of the month, visit Brogdale Apple Fair; running from Saturday 3 to Sunday 4 October, the fair will offer the chance to discover a variety of rare and heritage apples grown on the farm, many of which you would never find in a supermarket. At the fair, you will be given a free tote bag to fill generously with apples alongside apple tasting and guided tours of the National Fruit Collection.

The month of October sees the much-loved Canterbury Festival returning from Friday 16 to Saturday 31 October. The festival will celebrate all things art and culture, with classical concerts and theatre productions such as the Festival Evensong held in the historic Canterbury Cathedral taking place alongside country walks and family-friendly events including clay-based creative activities and young-person poetry competitions.

Throughout the month, in the lead-up to Halloween, Lower Ladysden Farm is holding their annual ‘Pick Your Own Pumpkin’ event. Just in time for the spooky season, put your wellies on and head down to the fields where a wide variety of pumpkins are available for picking from the classic orange pumpkin and Munchkin mini pumpkins to the lesser-known white Polar Bear pumpkin and Autumn Crown squashes; all serving as excellent Halloween mascots!

Lower Ladysden Farm is also bringing back their much-loved pumpkin nights, where you can wrap up warm, bring a torch and pick your pumpkin in true Halloween spirit. The events will have food and drink vendors, and, whether you come as a witch or spider, dressing up is of course heavily encouraged. 

Heading into the week of Halloween, Kent sees a number of All Hallows’ Eve events, with Hever Castle & Gardens delivering its popular Halloween Half Term Fun programme running from Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November. Families can embark on the Hever’s Mad Scientist Trail, where you can set foot through the haunted grounds searching for spellbinding creations and uncovering hidden letters to solve the final puzzle and claim a frightfully fun reward. 

November: Cosy Season

Rochester Christmas Market
Image by: Visit Medway

Heading into November, we see traditions take hold, with Bonfire Night and the frantic panic of Christmas looming, the month offers a chance to get a head start on the festive season while cherishing the last of the autumn months.

Every year, Bonfire Night sees the county ablaze with traditional parades and burning stakes, and the Edenbridge Firework Extravaganza, Kent’s most famous bonfire celebration, is not to be missed. Held on the nearest Saturday to 5 November (the date of the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605), falling this year on Saturday 7 November, the event will run from 6pm – 10pm. Beginning with a torch-lit procession through Edenbridge town, with carnival floats, costumed walking parties and marching bands, the event is then moved to the local recreation ground where food and drink stalls will be set up alongside Kent’s oldest and best traditional fireworks display.

Heading into the festivities, Christmas markets begin to take place across the county, with the annual Tenterden Christmas Market running from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 November. An annual favourite for locals and tourists alike, the shopping experience brings local creatives to the twinkling high street of Tenterden, with live music and endless festive entertainment across the market days.

Christmas shopping continues with the Rochester Christmas Market, which will run this year from Tuesday 24 November to Sunday 13 December. The market is regarded as one of the UK’s premier festive events and is set in the spectacular Rochester Castle Gardens, with an impressive 11th-century Norman keep as a backdrop. The market takes place over three weeks and attracts a wealth of visitors from across the UK and Europe, with more than 120 stalls. Explore a range of locally produced crafts, clothing and homeware alongside artisan food and drink stalls, and enjoy toasted marshmallows and spiced mulled cider as a warming refreshment.

December: Festive Time 

Port Lympne Illuminated

Winter has arrived – and with it comes Christmas! Although the month flies past with family gatherings and frantic shopping for some, December offers a chance to see some of Kent’s much-loved towns and attractions decorated with festive cheer and a wealth of family-friendly entertainment.

Starting off the month in true festive spirit, families can step aboard The Polar Express Train Ride at the Spa Valley Railway. Running from Saturday 7 November to Wednesday 30 December, families are encouraged to wear their cosiest pyjamas, ready to snuggle up and enjoy a theatrical journey on their way to the North Pole, with golden tickets, joyful music, dancing chefs and, of course, rich cups of hot chocolate. Finishing with a very special visit from Father Christmas as he delivers the first gift of the season, it’s the perfect way to start December’s festivities. 

Moving through the month, a special evening out can be spent at Port Lympne Illuminated, which will run from Friday 27 November to Saturday 2 January. In December, you can step into the secret world of Port Lympne, by day a wildlife park and by night a magical world of naturalistic wonder, where nocturnal animals come alive and festive lights line the paths with brand-new installations featuring new species and extending the journey further than ever before. While you’re there, parents can enjoy a festive afternoon tea while children can take a trip to Santa’s grotto, leaving with a new sense of convivial wonder.

For some last-minute Christmas shopping, the Faversham Christmas Market Weekend falls on Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December this year. Held at Market Place and Court Street, the weekend offers a chance to explore a selection of unique gifts crafted by local makers based in Kent; bespoke presents and decorations will line the streets alongside seasonal food and drink stalls, live music and cuddles with the Happy Endings Rescue donkeys; a very close second to Santa’s reindeer.

An evening in the lead-up to Christmas can only be made better at The Nutcracker. Held at Gulbenkian Theatre, this year it will run on Sunday 13 December, with the award-winning Let’s All Dance Ballet Company returning for one night with their festive production. Retelling the traditional tale, you will join Clara and the iconic Nutcracker prince on a journey through the Land of Snowflakes and the Land of Sweets for an evening of festive joy.