bOing! International Family Festival returns for 2025
A free weekend of excitement and adventure for all the family
On August 23rd & 24th 2025, Kent’s biggest family arts festival returns with a packed weekend of innovative and exciting performers, live music, crafty and techie workshops, plus food, drink and plenty of space to sit out in the sunshine.
Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, bOing! remains free to enter, with loads of free activities, plus a maximum ticket price of £6 for indoor theatre performances.
Audiences this summer will be treated to the usual medley of high quality family theatre, energetic outdoor performances, great live music and creative workshops, plus a range of food stands to choose from.
Headlining this year are Spanish company Yllana, whose smash hit show, Trash! Has toured Europe before coming to Canterbury. Trash is a high energy family show, in which four creative workers in a recycling centre have fun, make us laugh and make music using the things we throw away.
bOing! always delvers great entertainment for all ages.
For the smallest visitors, First Light is a beautiful baby and parent shared immersive experience, Early Waves is an introduction to dance and movement for little ones, and Baby Playground bring together music and arts for 0-18 month olds - delivered by skilled specialists.
For older children, the cute tale of Puffling Percy the young puffin afraid to fly and Queen of Serpents, and new spellbinding family musical from 1Degree East, plus workshops from Lego Robotics to drumming.
Everyone can enjoy the bOing! Music Stage, programmed this year by City Sound Project and headlined by Mrs H and the Singalong Band, and of course the Luminarium returns to bOing! for an indescribable sensation of exploring the colourful inflatable maze of rooms, nooks and crannies.
bOing! is a Relaxed Festival, meaning that everyone should be able to join in and feel welcome. The festival offers specialist shows and sessions for neurodiverse audiences, a relaxed cinema screening (lights up and sound levels down), and all bOing! spaces are wheelchair accessible.
bOing! is run by Gulbenkian Arts Centre at the beautiful University of Kent campus in Canterbury. The Festival is free to enter (indoor performances are ticketed at £6 with a £1.25 booking fee) and gives thousands of families from across Kent the chance to experience brilliant theatre, music and dance performance.
Tickets now on sale from www.boingfestival.com.
