Here are some details about the Festival of the Landscape, taking part in the Darent Valley (Kent) throughout May, June and into early July.
The festival involves lots of different activities themed around embracing and celebrating the beautiful Darent Valley and offers something for everyone of every age through creativity, art, discovery and exploration.
The idea of the festival is to explore and come to know the amazing landscape on the doorstep.
Events are taking place in Shoreham, Horton Kirby, Otford, Lullingstone, Farningham, Westerham, Sevenoaks and Eynsford.
Within the media release below, you will find:
- Details about the event
- Event listings - what's on, when and where
Within the editors' notes, I have listed all the events under the following headings plus added geography so you can easily pick out relevant ones for your readership:
- Family
- Half-term
- History
- Nature
- Walking
- Workshops
The contact for visiting events to broadcast / film / photograph is within the editors' notes - Selina Levinson-Drake.
Please got o her directly so that she can make any arrangements you need.
Best wishes,
Sarah Hawes
On behalf of the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme
07748 631100
MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 26thMay, 2022
Festival of the landscape - connect with nature and history
A festival incorporating more than 50 events across the Darent Valley area is taking place - and there are some fantastic and interesting events to look out for.
Festival of the Landscape is going on for the rest of May and into early July, with events taking place across the Valley in Dartford, Shoreham, Horton Kirby, Otford, Lullingstone, Farningham, Westerham, Sevenoaks and Eynsford.
There are family days out including arts and crafts, fun days, fetes, river dipping, picnics, scavenger hunts, orienteering, woodland walks looking for clues, den building, campfire cooking and photography lessons.
There are many events planned for the half term week (from May 28th) for families looking for things to do, including mono printing at Lullingstone Country Park on June 2 (10am - 1pm). You'll be collecting leaves then creating art from them, led by a professional artist who will make it fun and creative!
You'll also find woodland activity trails, a scavenger hunt, river dipping and river fun day, and art workshops too.
Lullingstone Country Park has a free half-term activity trail for the whole week - follow the Queen Bee Jubilee trail map and children will get a small prize at the end.
There are also drawing and painting events for all abilities including complete beginners who want somewhere to start, plus plenty for the history fan too, including archaeological digs, a medieval event, guided walks, exploration tours and history talks.
Nature lovers will also find something - including self-guided and guided Kent Wildlife Trust nature walks across the Valley, in woodlands, and across nature reserves, plus various expert talks and looking for orchids.
Kent Wildlife trust is hosting a walk this week - on Thursday (26thMay); a 2-hour guided walk from 10am to share with people what a roadside nature reserve is and what species and fauna are found there.
If you like historical walking tours, a guided walk is taking place in Shoreham on Friday (27thMay) from 11am - 12:30pm, led by historian Sarah Newman, taking in the churches and river, plus some fascinating facts about the area's links to Hollywood and the book world too.
There are several events for families looking for a great day out:
Saturday 28thMay
Otford Village fete, Otford Recreation Ground
Fresh from their much-publicised visit to Stonehenge, puppetry company Puppets with Guts will be there, with their giant caretaker of the earth puppet, Gnomus.
You'll also a find free arts-based ‘ReFRAME' landscape workshop, to discover your local landscape's colour palette. It's being run by professional artists who will guide you through how to reframe your environment and create your very own Darent Valley picture frame.
Lullingstone Castle, Eynsford
Step back in time to experience the authentic sights and sounds with ‘living history' displays including live firing of cannons and mock battles, character dress, campfires, tents and medieval weapons.
Lullingstone Country Park Open Day
Every activity is free, includingface painting, self-led geocaching, education and storytelling events and a children's craft school. You can also meet the rangers and visit Kent Fire and Rescue.
Sunday 29thMay
Dartford Great Big Platinum Jubilee Party
Central Park, Dartford.
Puppetry company Puppets with Guts will be in Dartford too, with their giant caretaker of the earth puppet, Gnomus.
The free event will also offer a concert, balloon modelling, ReFRAME art workshops and Dartford Arts Network's Ice Cream Van mobile art initiative, encouraging communities to explore art with a professional artist on-hand to help.
The majority of events are free but some have small charges - all details of dates, times, prices and booking info is available on the website of the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme, which is behind the festival:
https://darent-valley.org.uk/get-involved/events/
The Partnership, which is run under Kent County Council, aims to get people into their local landscape to enjoy it, learn its history and help to protect and conserve it.
Much of the Darent Valley is unchanged from previous guardians and farmers who themselves protected its heritage and encouraged others to appreciate it.
Landscape painter, etcher and printmaker Samuel Palmer, who painted the area around 200 years ago, described it as ‘Earthly Paradise'. He lived in the Valley and influenced by William Blake, who he met when he was around 19, painted many pieces inspired by the Shoreham landscape.
The festival encourages people to find the beauty that's on their doorstep and bring it into their lives for health, wellbeing, mindfulness and connecting - both with nature and each other.
If people are holding their own events that link into the festival theme, contact the organisers to speak about incorporating in into the festival to benefit from promotion:
darent.valley@kentdowns.org.uk
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
FILMING / PHOTOGRAPHY:
Media are welcome to attend any of the events - the full list is here, plus there is also an at a glance list below, if you scroll down:
https://darent-valley.org.uk/get-involved/events/
Please contact Selina Levinson-Drake to arrange to come:
Selina.LevinsonDrake@kentdowns.org.uk
01732 494566
We suggest the following for the most visual for photography or filming:
Sat 28thMay - Otford Fete
Sat 28thMay - Lullingstone Country Park Open Day
Sun 29thMay - Dartford Platinum Jubilee Party
Workshops:
River Dipping - Tuesday 31stMay, Farningham
River Fun Day - Wednesday 1stJune, Westerham
Family Art Workshop - Thursday 2ndJune, Lullingstone Country Park
Take a look at all the events and if you'd like to join one, let us know.
https://darent-valley.org.uk/get-involved/events/
FULL EVENT LIST:
FOR THE FAMILY
28 & 29 May: Lullingstone Castle Medieval Weekend (https://www.lullingstonecastle.co.uk/events)
28 May: Otford Village Fete
28 May: Lullingstone Country Park Open Day
29 May: Dartford Platinum Jubilee Party
19 June: Family Photography Workshop and Walk - Sevenoaks
11 June: Orienteering - Darent Valley Country Park
HALF-TERM WEEK
29 May - 5 June: Lullingstone Country Park - Queen Bee Trail
29 May: Polhill Picnic & Wander with Kent Wildlife Trust
30 May: Enchanted Wood Scavenger Hunt, Dartford
31 May: River Dipping - Farningham
1 June: River Fun Day - Westerham
2 June: Family Art Workshop - Lullingstone Country Park
HISTORY
27 May: Shoreham and its Colourful History - walk and talk
14 June: Samuel Palmer Moonlight Walk - Shoreham
25 June: Samuel Palmer Curator's Talk - Shoreham Village Hall
NATURE
26 May: Shoreham Roadside Recovery Nature Walk - led by Kent Wildlife Trust
29 May: Polhill Picnic & Wander with Kent Wildlife Trust
6 June: Mindfulness Walking - Dartford Park
11 June: Orienteering - Darent Valley Country Park
16 June: Forest Club - Dartford Park
17 June: Orchids Guided Walk - Kent Wildlife Trust
17 June: Chalk Grasslands: Explore the Jewels of the Darent Valley Walk - Fakenham Down Reserve
9 June: Family Photography Workshop and walk - Sevenoaks
22 June: The Wildlife of Dartford Marshes Walk - Dartford Marshes
WALKING TOURS
26 May: Shoreham Roadside Recovery Nature Walk - led by Kent Wildlife Trust
27 May: Shoreham and its Colourful History - walk and talk
29 May: Polhill Picnic & Wander with Kent Wildlife Trust
6 June: Mindfulness Walking - Dartford Park
9 June: Family Photography Workshop and Walk - Sevenoaks
14 June: Samuel Palmer Moonlight Walk - Shoreham
17 June: Orchids Guided Walk - Kent Wildlife Trust
17 June: Chalk Grasslands: Explore the Jewels of the Darent Valley Walk - Fakenham Down Reserve
24 June: Landscape Exploration from Eynsford Station - Eynsford
WORKSHOPS
28 May: ReFRAME Art Workshops - Otford Village Fete
29 May: ReFRAME Art Workshops and Dartford Arts Network Nature & Art workshops- Dartford Platinum Jubilee Party
2 June: Family Art Workshop - Lullingstone Country Park
19 June: Family Photography Workshop - Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks
24 June: Spring Drawing Workshop - Lullingstone Country Park
30 June: Art Workshop: Drawing with Pen, Brush and Ink - Lullingstone Country Park
IMAGES:
Images from previous workshops and event logos can be found in this link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1waAnoEB-Mrm2p3Rj-801fFchbOdHFTGi?usp=sharing
COPYRIGHT:
Images remain the copyright of the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership and are supplied for us with this story and information only.
Future and further use will require permission. Please make requests to:
darent.valley@kentdowns.org.uk
