Gravesend Riverside Festival will be held on Saturday 4 July 2026, with lots of live music and family fun activities.
Visitors to Gravesend’s much loved Riverside Festival can look forward to an unforgettable day of entertainment on Saturday 4 July, with this year’s headline act bringing a huge dose of nostalgia, humour and high energy party vibes.
Headline Act: Leigh Francis’ Record Club
This year’s headliner is none other than Leigh Francis, the multi‑talented entertainer known for iconic comedic creations including Avid Merrion and the hit series Bo’ Selecta!
Through his alterego Keith Lemon, Leigh has fronted a host of popular television programmes such as Lemon La Vida Loca, The Keith Lemon Sketch Show, Sing If You Can, Keith & Paddy’s Film Bit, and the long running panel favourite Celebrity Juice. He has also appeared in Rocketman, starred in the film Keith Lemon: The Film, and even won The Great Celebrity Bake Off.
His Record Club is a high energy, crowd pleasing party experience like no other. Blending classic hits from the 80s through to the 00s with comedy, audience interaction, and appearances from some of Leigh's much loved characters. Expect fun, nostalgia, and plenty of surprises.
Event line-up main stage
This year's event will be hosted live by Dan Snelgrove hosting from the main stage.
There will be a full afternoon of live music kicks off at 11:45am, featuring local talent and top tribute acts before the headline set.
| Act Name Act | Performance Time Time |
|---|---|
| Sneaker (Local band) | 11:45am |
| Sweet and Sour (Olivia Rodrigo & Sabrina Carpenter Tributes) | 1:15pm |
| The Police Academy (The Police Tribute) | 2:45pm |
| Lewish Capaldi (Lewis Capaldi Tribute) | 4:15pm |
| Let There B/DC (AC/DC Tribute) | 5:45pm |
| Leigh Francis’ Record Club (Headline) | 7:00pm |
Free Family Fun at Fort Gardens
Fort Gardens is once again transforming into a vibrant hub of free activities and entertainment for our younger visitors and their families between 11:00am to 5:00pm
Whether you’re looking to run away with the circus or get creative in the sun, there is something for every little adventurer to enjoy. Join us for a jam-packed schedule including:
- The Big Top Circus: Step inside for spectacular circus shows and hands-on skills workshops with Circus Sensible.
- The Bandstand: Will host high-energy fun, games, and music.
- Creative Hub: Dive into craft workshops and classic garden games.
- And much more!
Hertitage highlights
Opening Times: 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Step back in time at two of Gravesend’s most iconic historic sites.
- Milton Chantry: Visit The oldest building in Gravesend. It has served as a hospital, Tudor chantry chapel, public house, and Georgian barracks.
- New Tavern Fort: Discover the artillery fort built to defend the Thames and brave the atmospheric underground tunnels.
Active Area
Get ready to move! Between 11:00am to 5:00pm the Active Area is packed with high-energy fun, and the best part is these activities are completely free to join:
- Test your endurance: Our event sponsor, GCLL will be running the Hang Tough Challenge with a prize for the person who can hang on the longest.
- Ready, Aim, Fire: It’s Reds vs Blues in a Laser Tag battle
- Reach new heights: Tackle the Climbing wall or keep it chill with a round of Crazy golf.
- Pure fun: Let loose on the Bouncy castle and discover even more surprises on the day!
Getting there and parking
The Riverside Leisure area is accessible by foot. Parking officers will be patrolling to ensure people do not block the roads.
Are you driving? Milton Place and Ordnance Road car parks will have very limited spaces. Please use other town centre car parks. The next nearest public car parks would be:
- Parrock Street Car Park
- Gurdwara Car Park
On street parking restrictions will be in place as usual and will be enforced.
Please Park considerately.
With thanks to Our Sponsors
This event would not be possible without the support of GCLL, operators of Cascades and Cygnet Leisure Centres, and our other partners.