Residents are invited to come together for and celebrate the best of Gillingham with at the Love Gillingham weekend.
With the Medway Mile on Friday, 18 July, Gillingham Market on Saturday, 19 July and the return of the Big Day Out on Sunday, 20 July, it is set to be a fantastic weekend for the whole family.
Fun for everyone at the Big Day Out
The Love Gillingham Big Day Out promises to be a celebration of community spirit packed with live entertainment and family-friendly activities throughout.
Running from 10am to 4pm, this event is the perfect opportunity to head down to Gillingham and support local businesses and traders on the high street.
There will be plenty to see and do too, including roaming street performers, local dance groups, activities from our Child-Friendly Medway team and even a wrestling ring!
As well as hosting a silent disco, Medway Council’s Youth Team will be taking charge of the bandstand presenting an eclectic mix of music from Medway’s talented young musicians. You can also take part in fitness activities with Medway Sport and play tabletop games in compete in challenges with Medway Adult Education.
The Big Day Out will give you a chance to connect with council services and see what support is on offer too. Our Climate Response Team will be on hand with tips on how we can all make a difference, Medway’s Public Health team will be there offering free health checks, you can speak to our Greenspaces team and find out about volunteering opportunities and even plant a seed to take home, or maybe you want to stop by and chat to The Central Theatre team and see what’s on!
A number of partners will be joining in the fun on the day as well, including Kent Police, The Royal Engineers, Gillingham Football Club, MidKent College, and The Historic Dockyard Chatham with dockyard inspired Lego themed craft activities and more.
Cllr Harinder Mahil, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic and Social Regeneration, said: “Last year’s Big Day Out was a huge success and we are absolutely delighted to be able to bring it back again this year. It is all about bringing communities together, celebrating what we love about Gillingham, supporting fantastic local businesses on our high street and ultimately about having fun in a place we all love. Whether it is a trip to the market on Saturday or the Big Day Out on Sunday, I hope you are able to come down and join us for what is set to be a fantastic weekend.”
The Big Day Out forms part of the wider Love Gillingham programme of work, which sees the council, partners and community come together to focus on ensuring the town centre is a great place for residents, businesses and visitors.
To find out more about the Love Gillingham Big Day Out, visit: VisitMedway.org/BigDayOut
Get active at this year’s Medway Mile
This year, this always-popular Medway Mile also forms part of the Love Gillingham weekend. Lace up your running shoes and get over to Medway Park from 5pm on Friday, 18 July to join in the fun.
The children’s track race will kick-start the free event at 5pm, followed by the mascot race at 6pm and then it’s over to the Medway running groups mixed relay and athletics club track races.
Throughout the evening there will also be plenty of free family-friendly fun and entertainment, with sports activities, live entertainment, facepainting with Child-Friendly Medway, an inflatable toddler zone and much more on offer.
At 7.30pm everyone taking part in the Mass Medway Mile will head over to the Great Lines Heritage Park for the main event at 8pm.
This year’s one-mile course is based entirely on the Great Lines, where you will pass the iconic Chatham Naval Memorial and soak in amazing views of both Gillingham and Chatham.
Cllr Nina Gurung, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and Leisure, said: “The Medway Mile is a firm favourite of families across Medway, and it is great to see it forming part of the Love Gillingham weekend this year. It is a really fun event for the whole family, with plenty of entertainment, food and drink and of course the races and fun-runs! I hope as many of you as possible are able to come down and join us for what is sure to be another joyful community event, that brings us all together and makes us proud to be Medway.”