🎙️ Richard Ayoade to share ‘colossal notions’ from his latest book

Good evening, and welcome to On The Town, your weekly guide to what’s on in Folkestone, brought to you by the Dispatch. With so much happening locally, there’s always the danger that if you blink, you’ll miss it. Happened to us this week, as the event we had planned to feature as our lead item today managed to sell out before we even had the chance to tell you all about it. Clearly they didn’t actually need our help with promotion for that one! But if you have an event coming up that you want to tell the world about, do get in touch with all the details and we’ll include it in a future edition. But perhaps it’s best to get that info to us before it goes on sale, just in case…

BAFTA-winning actor, comedian, director and writer Richard Ayoade is coming to the Leas Cliff Hall in November, offering his audience an “evening of reflections” as he shares insights from his latest book, Afterthoughts: or Some Pistachios Won’t Open.

The deadpan comic, who recently appeared on Amazon Prime hit Last One Laughing, promises to ponder some of the biggest questions, like where is the box to tick if you ARE a robot? That is just one of more than 500 of his “colossal notions” weighed up in his book and on this latest tour.

According to the promo for the show: “Afterthoughts goes beyond rumination, past pondering, probing further than ever before. Drawing from a deeply private pool of questions—a reservoir so refreshing you may never need to think again.”

BOOK NOW: Richard Ayoade will be performing at the Leas Cliff Hall on Thursday, November 26, and the last remaining tickets can be snapped up here.

Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the On The Town? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!

Promote your event

🎤 Stadium-sized anthems and razor-sharp choreography are promised when the K-Pop All-Stars show comes to the Leas Cliff Hall on Sunday, August 9. Featuring hits from Blackpink, NewJeans, Katseye, BTS, Itzy, Stray Kids, Twice and Jung Kook, there will be two performances, one at 3pm and one at 7pm. Tickets on sale here.

📽️ The team behind the Folkestone Film Festival are staging a Mystery Sci-Fi Film Screening on Thursday evening, August 6, at the Customs House at the harbour. The organisers are keeping the title strictly under wraps until the projector whirrs to life after the doors open at 6.30pm. Get you tickets here.

🇹🇭 Soho-based Northern Thai barbecue restaurant Khao Bird will be staging a one-day pop-up at the John Dory wine bar in Sandgate on Saturday, August 8. The restaurant’s chef and co-owner Luke Larsson will be cooking dishes inspired by his travels in Thailand, with wines paired by the John Dory team. To make a reservation for either lunch or dinner, email johndorywine@gmail.com.

🎞️ Films showing at Silver Screen Cinema this week include Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Moana and The Odyssey. Full details of all this week’s screenings can be found here.

🎵 Love singing but don’t want the commitment of joining a choir? Folkestone Singing Club at the Music Workshop is a relaxed weekly singing session where you can simply turn up, sing, and enjoy making music together. It happens every Tuesday between 10am and 11.30am. More info here.

🎞️ Steven Spielberg thriller Jaws will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, August 7, as part of this year’s free cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.

🧵 The Beer Shop hosts its monthly Sewing Social, organised by Verity from Miss Gingers Fabric Shop on the Old High Street, on Wednesday, August 5. It is not a workshop, just an opportunity to socialise and get creative with other like-minded crafters over a drink or two. Sewing, knitting, embroidery, crochet—if you can do it on your lap or at the table then bring it along. You can find out about this and other events at The Beer Shop here.

🚶 Leas Lift Summer Heritage Walks are taking place this month, including one tomorrow morning, August 4. These guided walks give you the chance to learn more about the history of the Leas Lift, Folkestone’s coastal heritage and the stories behind one of the town’s best-loved landmarks. Walks start at the Leas Lift lower station at 11am, and you can book your place for free here.

💫 Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Leas Cliff Hall pantomime Cinderella—and if you book before the end of August you can save £10 per ticket on selected seats. The panto will run from December 16 to December 31. You can buy your tickets here.

🎭 Jim Cartwright play Two is being staged at the Tower Theatre in September. Played by just two actors, the drama shines a light on the lives and loves of 14 characters. Tickets for the three performances, which are being staged in the venue’s Blue Room, are on sale here.

If you want us to tell the people of Folkestone about your forthcoming event, please drop an email with all the details to rhys@folkestonedispatch.com. Your regular weekly Dispatch will be with you on Wednesday morning.

What's On

🥁 ‘We can be Kent’s home of independent music’

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Jul 27

Good evening, and welcome to On The Town, your weekly guide to what’s on in Folkestone. Now, it has been clear for some time that the live music scene across the country is under threat, with the charity Music Venue Trust reporting the loss of 30 venues nationwide in 2025. Beyond the immediate impact of livelihoods lost and fewer places for a night out,…