This past weekend saw Rochester host tens of thousands of literary tourists from across Kent, the UK and beyond to celebrate another successful Dickens Festival.
Charles Dickens lived in Medway for almost 20 years, absorbing the area's architecture, character and colour and bringing it to fictional life in some of his best-known works. For over three decades we have celebrated our proud association with Dickens and this year we are delighted to present a family festival packed with Dickensian delight and Victorian intrigue.
This year, I was lucky enough to join the huge numbers who descended upon a sun-drenched Rochester on Sunday to commemorate and celebrate the life of Charles Dickens, one of our area’s most notable former residents.
Having lived here my whole life, this twice-a-year event has long been close to my heart and is one of many local assets that makes me proud of Medway. Histories such as Dickens, alongside the Dockyards and military sites, are what has helped make the place we call home today.
As with every other year, it is fantastic that many from our community come together for this event and once again many donned their finest Dickens era costumes. Similarly, there were local groups, such as Medway-based theatre company Play on Words, performing whirlwind performances from some of the author’s most famous works.
Speaking to many people on Sunday, the Festival was once again a resounding success from attendees young and old. I will therefore be looking forward to this December for the second Festival of the year to celebrate one of our greatest local cultures.