FESTIVAL CONTRIBUTORS
Essex based Zero Radio headed by Merv Griffiths and Ian Reading have been a part of Margate Soul Festival since 2012 and have been instrumental in its growth to date. Join them in the new arena and at Westcoast Bar over the duration of the weekend.
Winter Gardens
The Main Hall, steeped in history and one of the most impressive music venues in the country, will host the headlining live and DJ performances on Saturday night. In addition, also on Saturday night, we will be expanding into the The Queens Hall where our HOUSE DJ’s will party until 4am.
Olby’s Soul Cafe – A focal point of the festival, located in the Old Town and where it all began, with three rooms of music across the whole weekend. This is where the Mi-Soul Friday night opening and Sunday night closing parties will take place, with a ‘Zero Night Out’ takeover on Saturday night. Included as part of your ticket.
The Lighthouse Bar – This popular location on the Harbour Arm, with spectacular views of Margate will be presented by our colleagues from Stomp & Soulpower playing ‘The Other Stuff’. Included as part of your ticket.
Imperial Lounge – Overlooking both the beach and Piazza, this will be the home to our friends from Caister, playing Friday to Sunday night fully supported by MSF residents . Included as part of your ticket.
The Crescent Victoria – Enjoy the ambience of this boutique bar & garden situated directly opposite our main venue and perfect for the pre club drink or BBQ. Our Dj’s will deliver the cream of soulful vibes in this unique space full of eastern promise.
Milos – We are pleased to present the Mi-Margate Connoisseurs, featuring the purest soul from 60’s to future soul. Headed up by JM, this special venue will feature DJs from Mi-Soul Connoisseurs and an exclusive appearance from Francis Jaye of Neo Soul Cafe USA.
The Northern Belle – The oldest pub In Margate will host Soulbeat, bringing their mix of everything soulful. Look out for some surprise big name DJ sets over the weekend.
THE ORIGINAL CARNIVAL STAGE – Where it all began 11 years ago, and located opposite the Turner Gallery – expect street sounds and carnival classics.
THE PIAZZA STAGE – A short stroll down the Parade from the Turner Gallery, is the picturesque Piazza with great views of cafes and the beach, where the music will be provided by Team Zero.
THE REVENGE OF THE SOULBOY STAGE – Now in it’s second year and the newest addition to the Festival, this increasingly popular stage is located in Market Place surrounded by bars, cafes & event stalls. Headed up by our very own Bob Masters and a team of DJ’s passionate about everything soulful.
SPOKEN AT MARGATE SOUL FESTIVAL – New for 2017 For the very first time, Margate Soul Festival is proud to launch a dedicated Spoken Word Corner located at the all new Beet Bar.
As part of our free to access programme and for the very first time, Margate Soul Festival is proud to announce it’s very own Spoken Word Corner. Located at the Beet Bar along the Old Town Alley on Market Street, in the far right corner of the car park, “Spoken @ Margate Soul Festival” features some of the biggest names to headline Margate’s Soul Food & Street Sonnets poetry night, as well as internationally travelled poet Christian Foley and Margate’s own Neanderthal Bard. Spoken at Margate will take place as part of our free to access programme at The Beet Bar
The Repeat Beat Poet
Bryan ‘Beady Man’ Wilson
Julian Alexander
Stefan Gambrell – Neanderthal Bard
YOUR TICKET INCLUDES
The ultimate soulful festival experience:
You will be required to present your weekend or day pass wristband.
Thanet has a range of accommodation options available, from B&B’s to 4 star hotels. Central Margate gets booked up early for this event so we recommend you book your accommodation in a nearby town, just a short taxi ride from the festival area.
DATE: 4th – 6th August 2017
TIMINGS:
Friday 2pm – 3am
Saturday 12pm – 4am
Sunday 12pm – 3am
The Margate Soul Festival is spread over several venues and outside areas in Margate Old Town, Margate Harbour and Margate Winter Gardens. All venues are a short walk away from each other and will operate on individual time schedules so do check the event programme for exact itineraries.
The Management reserve the right to refuse admission please read our entry policy.
For the last ten years the sun has always shone bright on Margate and our outside stages will be at the very heart of the festival once again.
TICKETED OUTDOOR STAGE
FREE ACCESS OUTDOOR STAGES
The Piazza – Zero Radio Stage.
Market Place – Mi-Soul and Revenge of the Soulboy Stage.
Fort Hill – Original Carnival Soul Sounds.
Stages will be open on Sat 5th & Sun 6th from 12pm – 6pm.
We have 5 Indoor Stages for #MSFest2017. These venues are all ticketed arenas. You will not be permitted inside without a wristband.
Winter Gardens
Olby’s Soul Cafe
The Lighthouse Bar
Imperial Lounge
The Crescent Victoria
By Bus
Stagecoach
Thanet is fortunate enough to have an excellent bus system. The comprehensive routes enable you to make the most of your visit by reducing journey times between each town and village.
‘The Thanet Loop’ is one of the most frequent services in the UK, running on average every 7 minutes and operates 7 days a week, from early morning until late evening. This service provides excellent connections between Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate.
Other bus services offered by Stagecoach will enable easy access to the villages. The number 8 bus provides excellent links from Thanet to the nearby city of Canterbury.
A ‘Dayrider’ ticket is ideal for exploring the area, allowing you to hop-on or hop-off at any point, without limits and on any Stagecoach bus in Thanet.
Concessionary bus passes are also valid on all services. Restrictions may apply. Please contact Stagecoach for more details.
www.stagecoachbus.com/plan-a-journey
Tel: (0) 871 200 22 33
Disability Helpdesk: (0) 8456 00 22 99
Other Services
Local coach company Carol Peters operate a small timetable of buses: www.carolpeterstravel.co.uk
By Train
All stations in Thanet are served by the same line, making train travel between each point simple and quick. Stations are found in the main towns- Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate as well as Minster, Birchington, Westgate and Dumpton.
By Foot/Bicycle
We have an excellent coastal route which connects each part of Thanet. The Viking Coastal Trail is a 32 mile route, but you can pick and choose which parts to follow. Two thirds of the route is off-road so ideal for family walks or rides and the route is also signed throughout for convenience. Maps are available from the Thanet Visitor Information Centre in Margate without charge.
Cycle Hire
Ken’s Bikes: 26 Eaton Road, Margate. CT9 1XA. 01843 221422.
Margate has a plethora of cafes bars and restaurants situated within our site location, however in addition to this we have invited an eclectic mix of food, drink and family friendly concessions to ensure as much choice as possible is available to our visitors.
The Isle of Thanet’s three resorts, Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate are home to a plethora of pop up stalls, micro bars and vintage, collectible outlets, not to mention miles and miles of sandy beaches.
Dotted around Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate and the villages, you’ll find tempting boutiques, artists’ and jewellers’ studios and lots more. Margate Old Town is full to the brim with independent antique, vintage, junk and nostalgic retro shops which pride themselves on offering unusual and original goods. The addition of The Turner Gallery adds award winning design to the backdrop of Margate Harbour and it’s breathtaking sunsets.
What Time Does The Festival Open?
Friday 4th August 2017 at 2pm.
What Time Does The Festival Close?
Sunday 6th August 2017 at 3am.
Where Is The Festival?
Margate Soul Festival takes place in and around the creative quarter, known as Margate Old Town. We take over the .streets, specific venues harbour, seafront and Winter Gardens for the whole weekend.
How Can I Get There?
Please use our route planner on the website, enter your location, select travel method then click ‘Get Directions’.
Where Can I Find Information On Accommodation?
Thanet has a range of accommodation available for your stay from B&B’s to 4 star hotels. More information in Event Facilities
Is There A VIP Ticket For 2017?
No. Everyone is a VIP for 2017.
Is There Car Parking?
You will find plenty of parking options in and around central Margate.
Are There Any Facilities For The Disabled?
The accessible facilities onsite are for festival goers with permanent disabilities or impairments as stated in the Equality Act 2010. Broken legs, recent injuries or pregnancy do not qualify for these facilities.
Site Layout and Ground Conditions is accessible to visitors with mobility impairments as the site is mainly level access with a few slight inclines.
Are Dogs Allowed On Site?
With the exception of guide dogs, no animals are allowed on the ticketed festival arena sites.
Can I Bring My Own Food And Drink?
No food or drink can be taken into the main festival ticketed site, but don’t worry we have lots of great food and drink bars on site.
Can I Bring Chairs, Blankets And Gazebos Into The Main Festival Site?
Fold up chairs and blankets are permitted, however if you intend to bring them into the arena we request that they are not used in the space between the stage and the mix tower.
Note: Gazebos and large parasol type umbrellas are not permitted as they restrict other festival goers’ views.
Can I Bring My Camera?
You may bring a “domestic” camera however anything deemed professional (i.e. with detachable lenses etc.) is prohibited unless authorised by management in the ticketed areas.
Are Children Allowed?
On our free to access sites children and families are welcome as long as their accompanying adult(s) remain in full supervision of the children. This will be monitored by our stewards and security and any breaches to these conditions may result in you being asked to leave the site.
In our ticketed event arena a child or children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 yrs or older ID must be provided and both must be in possession of a valid pass or will be refused entry to the ticketed event space. Once inside the event space the child(ren) must remain under the supervision of an adult at all times.
In the interests of safety and security, Margate Soul Festival reserves the right, in its absolute discretion to change the age restrictions referred to in this condition, without any prior notification.
Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Bring To The Margate Soul Festival?
Illegal Drugs. The sale or use of legal highs is also banned within the festival ticketed areas. Please keep all of your valuables safe.
Margate Soul Festival is expecting thousands of visitors over the festival weekend. During your stay in the town please be aware of those who live nearby, and help us to keep it clean and protect the environment.
