Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) has been working with One Maidstone, the Hazlitt Theatre and Maidstone Museum to bring the town centre to life.
Cllr Claudine Russell, Lead Member for Leisure and Arts at MBC said:
“It is great to see so much happening in the town centre this half term for everyone of all ages to enjoy and so much entertainment for free! The Council is working very closely with our partners in the town to create vibrant and fun activities to encourage people to enjoy all that Maidstone has to offer.”
Maidstone town centre will welcome a host of bright and colourful scarecrows as local schools and community groups have been busy creating them based on the themes of ‘Maidstone Faces’ or ‘Famous characters from literature’. Prizes are on offer to the best school and community group, so members of the public are being asked to help decide the winners by voting for their favourite in each category.
Scarecrows will be at Fremlin Walk, The Mall, Lockmeadow, Royal Star Arcade and other businesses around the town centre throughout the half term week. See how many you can find and vote for your favourite:
https://letstalkmaidstone.uk.engagementhq.com/scarecrow-festival-2022, Voting closes on 30 October.
There will be free Halloween crafts in the Mall throughout the week and a Scarecrow School in Fremlin Walk on Wednesday 26 October. The kids can also enjoy the tradition of pumpkin carving and other Halloween crafts at Lockmeadow from 26 to 29 October. Don’t forget to look out for the giant scarecrow, Jack – King of the Scarecrows, at Lockmeadow.
Family friendly spooky characters will be wandering around the town each day, organised by One Maidstone, from Monday 24 to Sunday 30 October giving out free treats. Every day they will be at The Mall between 10am to 11am, Royal Star Arcade 11.30am to 12.30 and at Fremlin Walk from 1pm to 2pm.
Book on a free spooky Walking Escape Room created by the Hazlitt Theatre and funded by One Maidstone. ‘The Stage Managers Secret’ will get you solving clues around the town centre and is suitable for families and young people aged from 5 years. ‘Take it to the Grave’ is a walking scavenger quest around Maidstone between 5pm and 7pm and is suitable for over 18’s.
Both are running all week from Monday 24 to Sunday 30 October at various times, book your free place now at: https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/Hazlitt-Theatre/Whats-on
Maidstone Museum are really getting into the Halloween spirit too with The Geek Tour @ Halloween taking you on a night time tour, connecting sci-fi, fantasy, comics, TV and gaming with the museum’s collections, histories and stories! Join Sacha Coward, historian, tour guide and massive nerd, for an exploration of what it is to be a GEEK! You can even come dressed as your favourite character. Friday 28 Oct 6pm to 8.45pm and suitable for anyone aged 16 years or over.
The Museum is also running Halloween Make It! Crafts from Tuesday 25 to Thursday 27 October between 10am and 2.30pm, Ideal for ages 4 to 11 years, £3 per session.
Visit https://museum.maidstone.gov.uk/ to book any of the events at Maidstone Museum.