Lots going on at the 168th Canterbury Cricket Week

The waiting is finally over; the 168th Canterbury Cricket Week is here and it promises to be better than ever as the club mixes old with new.

The oldest festival in the country begins on Tuesday (3 August) and lasts until Sunday (8 August).

Kent take on Somerset in the LV= County Championship, running from Tuesday to Friday, before Leicestershire Foxes are Sunday“s visitors in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

Canterbury Cricket Week dates back to 1842 and has been held every year since then, apart from the years of World Wars I and II.

Apart from the traditional positioning of tents around the perimeter during the festival, other long-established traditions include ladies day and the laying of a wreath at the foot of the Colin Blythe memorial.

This year ladies day takes place on Wednesday, rather than its usual Thursday, and culminates in the judging of the ladies hat competition. Prior to that, the Band of the Parachute Regiment will play during the lunch interval.

Kent“s chief executive officer, Jamie Clifford, is anticipating a typically bumper crowd: “Canterbury Week is a very special occasion, steeped in tradition with its own unique feel. We expect fantastic crowds, and if you have never experienced this fantastic cricket event, do come and give the team your support. We hope to see lots of families as ‘the week“ really does span the generations.”

A full rundown of this week’s events can be found below:

Wednesday – ladies day
Horse and dray
Band of the Parachute Regiment
Ladies hat competition with a special first prize
Ladies Arcade – including jewellery, cosmetics, arts and crafts, milliner
Flower arranging demonstration
Massage therapy and physiotherapy
A vehicle demonstration from Jeep

Girls from the Kent under 11 side will greet the players with a special guard of honour as they make their way out to the middle.

Anyone wishing to come along to the LV=CC match with Somerset should look out for a special half-price voucher in all paid-for editions of the Kent Messenger newspaper.

Then on the Sunday, for the visit of Leicestershire Foxes, it“s kids for a quid on our special family fun day.

Sunday – Family Day
Live music – provided by Rescue Cat
Kids for a quid – when accompanied by an adult
Coaching session
Autograph session
A guest appearance from our mascot, Bomber the Spitfire
Fire engines
Face painting
Arts and crafts
Giant Connect 4
A chance to play on the Wii machines – thanks to Wiicked Entertainment

Ticket are available on the gate. The admission prices are as follows:

Kent v Somerset, LV= County Championship – £20 for adults and £5 for juniors*
*Get a half-price voucher in this week“s Kent Messenger newspaper

Kent Spitfires v Leicestershire Foxes, Clydesdale Bank 40 – £25 for adults and £1 for juniors**
**When accompanied by a paying adult