Dover at Night 2026

Dover at Night… and the magical time machine clock!

Explore Dover’s Past, Present and Ecological Future
Fri 20 March, 5pm to 9pm

Dover’s time-continuum has been disrupted by a lightning strike on the Maison Dieu’s famous old clock!

This dramatic incident has turned its impressive mechanism of cogs, levers and dials, into a time machine, spiralling Dover at Night venues into a mind-blowing mix of historical eras.

Intrepid time-travellers will explore the town, to discover secret symbols, before visiting the Maison Dieu to correct the Time Machine, assisted by Steam Punk scientists, and allowing Dover to return to the 21st century!

The Dover Time Machine, which lights up, has its own sound-track from Dover history and a seat for visitors to sit in been built by young people from EKC Dover College, working alongside puppeteer James Frost. It will be located in the Maison Dieu Council Chamber.

Artwork by over 1,000 local school children, representing Dover from prehistory to its imagined ecological future, will be projected on the outside of buildings, including the façade of Maison Dieu House. There will also be animated projections on St Mary’s Church and opposite The Art Club near the Market Square.

Who is taking part?

This free drop-in event encourages visitors young and old to explore 14 historic and creative spaces in Dover town centre including:

  • Gamebase, where visitors will re-imagine Dover buildings through Minecraft, using a bank of 22 computers 
  • The Roman Painted House, where Roman graffiti is the inspiration for visitors to create a giant paper mural, working alongside street artist Tim Smithen. There’s also a fun game to handle real and replica Roman artefacts and match them to their equivalents today from fragments of mosaic to a sponge on a stick!
  • Dover Library, based in the recently refurbished Dover Discovery Centre, with creative activities specially designed for Key Stage 1 and pre-school visitors.

  • Dover Museum, there’s a Night at the Museum theme, with characters coming to life from the displays, to talk about Dover in the past, from a Roman soldier and medieval pilgrim, to Queen Elizabeth I and a WW1 gun crew!

  • The Kent Downs National silver Airstream caravan - in Biggin Street (near Greggs). Travel through millions of years to explore how our amazing planet has changed and how to shape its future! Marvel at the beautiful owl lantern and watch out for the naughty Hooden Horses as they get up to mischief!

  • St Mary’s Church - a real ‘history zone’ with representatives from Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury Christ Church University’s Kent-Maps-Online and the Dover Society, sharing stories, maps, documents and images of the town’s colourful history. Including a try-on costume, a working train set and wooden train colouring activity.

  • Biggin Hall - you can take part in a giant boardgame inspired by the Kent Downs and White Cliffs coastline, led by students from the Royal College of Arts. 

  • St Edmund’s Chapel - view the candlelit Guardians of the Ladywell and River Dour, textile installations by local artist Jenni Cresswell.
  • Dover Big Local
  • Dover SmART Gallery

Two family-friendly performance stages

Expect high energy and lots of opportunities for audience participation at both venues!

  • The Market Square stage programme organised by Shiva Nova, includes performances by South Coast Samba, the Fuddlers dance group, Chinese dancing (with fans and ribbons), Nepalese dancing, and African drumming.
  • At the Maison Dieu stage in Connaught Hall, we time-travel through the decades. Hosts Fraser Doyle and Emma Panda will be wearing futuristic costumes designed by EKC Dover College students who are co-creating the stage programme. Look out for Rock ‘n’ Roll, Seated 70s dancing, Junk Punk 80s, Crinolines to techno, and live tributes from the 1940s to the 2020s. 

Pick up a trail sheet to win a prize

  • Pick up a trail sheet map at the first Dover at Night venue you visit to use as your guide. 
  • You can visit venues in any order, and no advance booking is necessary.
  • There’s a secret symbol to collect at each location, using infra-red goggles or magnifying glasses.
  • Sketch three or more symbols on your trail map, then visit the Maison Dieu to fix the time machine and win a small prize.
  • Prizes may also be collected in the ground floor gallery at Dover Museum, if you finish at that end of town, before 8.45pm.

Refreshments 

Drinks and refreshments are available at St Mary’s Church and cafes around the town, which are staying open especially for this event. See the trail sheet map for details.

Information

  • Dover at Night is a free drop-in event and there is no need to book. Suitable for all ages. All buildings except historic St Edmund’s Chapel are buggy and wheelchair accessible.
  • For further details contact Maison Dieu Engagement Manager Martin Crowther at martin.crowther@dover.gov.uk or phone 07434 588 297.
  • All activities are correct at time of issue but may be subject to change.

Dover at Night is organised by Artswork Dover and the Maison Dieu with a host of local partners. Made possible with generous funding from Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

 

 

                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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