Thousands enjoy bumper Big Day Out in Dartford

by | Jul 18, 2023 | Dartford Community, Dartford Entertainment, Entertainment, What's On?

Thousands of people enjoyed a full range of activities and entertainment in Dartford’s Central Park over the weekend.

Live music played out at the Big Day Out and the Big Chill Out, with tribute acts, local musicians and community groups all gracing the stage.

Dartford Borough Council partnered with Cohesion Plus to provide roaming entertainment across the park, while also working with Colin Wheeler to provide a fantastic steam rally where visitors could see all sorts of historic and vintage vehicles.

The free event offered ride vouchers so everyone could enjoy the Gallopers and Chairoplane for nothing.  There were even vouchers to get money off the various food stalls on site. Plus there were visits from DAODS’ Chitty Chitty Bang Bang cast, the Kings of Dhol and America’s Got Talent: All Stars’ Tom Ball. Tributes to Madness, Take That and Spice Girls also performed, along with Channel 5’s Milkshake presenter David Ribi.

Roaming dinosaurs, Punch and Judy, community stalls and a special Kids Zone in the Outdoor Theatre were all provided as part of the free event.

This year saw the addition of the Big Chill Out, where live music, food stalls and rides remained from the previous day, with the addition of a free cup of tea for visitors to enjoy! 

Leader of the Council Jeremy Kite MBE said: “After last year’s scorcher we were so pleased to see crowds return to Central Park for the second-ever Big Day Out. It was a fantastic day and it was brilliant to work with so many different organisations to make this whole weekend possible.  It’s really important that our communities have every opportunity to come together at events like this.  We didn’t want cost to be a barrier to anyone and so worked hard to ensure a packed programme that everyone could enjoy without having to put their hands in their pockets.

“There’s lots more to come this summer. Dartford Pride is this weekend, and we’ll be announcing our Outdoor Cinema screenings very soon.”

LOCAL CHILDREN GIVEN CHANCE TO SHINE IN THIS YEAR’S CHRISTMAS PANTO AT THE ORCHARD THEATRE

Young performers across Kent are being given the chance to step into the spotlight this Christmas as The Orchard Theatre announces open auditions for this year’s magical family pantomime, Cinderella. Youngsters aged 9–16 (school years 4–11) are invited to audition for...

Bluewater to Host ‘The Monster’ – One of the World’s Largest Inflatable Obstacle Courses

Bluewater is set for an action-packed summer as one of the world’s largest inflatable assault courses, The Monster, arrives during the summer holidays, with tickets on sale now. From Saturday 18th July to Monday 31st August, the Kent shopping and leisure destination...

Orchard Theatre – WE’RE HIRING

The Orchard Theatre Announces Search for a New Buildings and Technical Manager to Lead Landmark Reopening Following a period of major refurbishment, Dartford’s iconic Orchard Theatre is officially launching a nationwide search for a visionary Buildings and Technical...

‘A Brief History of Me and My Time’ – Local Author’s new book is released in September

My name is Richard Winston. I am a retired teacher of languages, living in Sidcup. Since retirement I have written a couple of novels and a memoir. The novel, called "The Seed of Change", is currently with Troubador Publishers and is due for release on 28th September....

Dartford’s Night Food Market returns with a World Cup twist

Dartford will once again host its popular Night Food Market on Friday 12 th  June, transforming the town centre into a vibrant celebration of flavour, live entertainment, and community spirit.  Visitors will be able to taste their way around the...

The Kindness of Strangers: A Reminder of What Unites Us

We never truly know how a day is going to unfold. One moment you are enjoying a sunny  Sunday afternoon listening to the Bandstand Concert in Dartford’s Central Park. The next you  are waking up from a sudden blackout, surrounded by confusion and panic....

Dartford Juniors lift the inaugural Kent County Chess Association Foundation Cup

Dartford Juniors are the 2026 KCCA Foundation Cup champions — and the first team ever to lift the trophy. On Saturday 30th May, our squad beat Petts Wood & Orpington 2½–1½ in a tense final to write their names into Kent chess history. The Foundation Cup is a...

“FAMILIES CALL US THE COMFORT BLANKET”

“When you spend time with Tina, you quickly understand why families remember her. She puts people at ease immediately and makes families feel like they’re not going through difficult moments on their own. Tina brings warmth and reassurance into people’s homes every...

Paralympian JohnBoy Smith to Scale the O2 in Wheelchair for We Are Beams

Commonwealth Games Medallist, Team GB Paralympian and Patron of We Are Beams JohnBoy Smith is taking his support to new heights by undertaking a breath taking wheelchair climb over the iconic O2 Arena in London. This special fundraising event, which will take...

Pop Icon Sinitta and Drag Royalty Divina De Campo announced to headline Dartford Pride

Pop Icon Sinitta and Drag Royalty Divina De Campo Announced to Headline Milestone 5th Anniversary of Dartford Pride. Orchard West, in partnership with Dartford Borough Council, is thrilled to announce that 80s pop sensation Sinitta will headline PrideFest: The Party...