Hundreds of Kate Bush-alikes will descend on Folkestone as The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever returns to the town this summer

Dressed in vibrant red, throngs of people moving in rhythmic patterns… no, it isn’t the latest series of Squid Game, it is of course The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever (@mostwutheringheightsdayfolke).

And if you don’t know why there are 300 people, many in wigs and playsuits, heading down to the Folkestone waterfront, then shame on you - but also welcome to an experience like no other.

Started in 2013 by Brighton-based performance group Shambush, The Ultimate Kate Bush Experience was an attempt to set a world record of having the most people dressed as legendary musician Kate Bush in one location.

A decade on and the event has stretched across the world, with Kate Bush-themed events popping up in July across cities from Austin in Texas to Sydney in Australia, with many more (Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin and Tel Aviv, to name but a few) between.

But one of the most successful has been one right here in Kent, down in Folkestone. And with Kate Bush being Kent-born (Bexleyheath), it’s only right that ours is the biggest and the best. “But what is it?” I hear you cry. Well, it’s a choreographed dance to the 1978 smash hit Wuthering Heights, performed by anyone who wants to come and take part.

“I’m seeing a lot of pent-up goodwill towards this event and people really up for doing it again”

— Toby Cotton - Co-founder

The Folkestone contingent took to the Harbour Arm for the first time in 2018 with some trepidation, but with hundreds turning up to honour the star, a marker was set down and the attendance was doubled when it was recreated in 2019.

Having had a Covid hiatus, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever returns on July 30th 2023 due to popular demand.

“I was getting approached by quite a lot of people asking about it,” says Toby Cotton, one of the founder members of the Folkestone event. Having been one of the heads of choreography leading the pack in their dance moves, Cotton has become one of the go-to information points and is now leading the project this year.

“I was a little bit, like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if we’ll do this again’. But, like I say, after lots of people recognising me from doing it before, rather than carrying on fielding the questions, I felt as though we might as well!”

With last year’s resurgence of Bush’s 1985 hit Running Up That Hill thanks to its placement on the Stranger Things soundtrack - it went back into the singles charts across the world, including reaching No 4 in the US and No 6 in the UK - there’s added spice, and maybe added interest, in this year’s event.

“Yeah, I think there may be some of that related to the enthusiasm to do it again,” says Cotton. “On Twitter a little while ago, the original video of people doing it in Folkestone got picked up and went sort of semi-viral for a moment. And I think that was related to the Stranger Things stuff.”

The post-event video that was created in 2018 has been shared and reposted on several platforms and at last count was close to 100,000 views.

“I’m seeing a lot of pent-up goodwill towards this event and people really up for doing it again.”

Bush is said to have been inspired to write the famous song after watching the 1967 BBC adaptation of Emily Bronte’s 1847 Wuthering Heights novel, producing the lyrics from the perspective of heroine Catherine Earnshaw.

For those who don’t know already it (the vast majority of people, I’m guessing), there will be a bit of optional dance practising in the run-up to the event in July for those wanting to nail the moves.

“There will definitely be people around on the day who know the dance quite well to signpost to others how to do it and we’ll have a practice immediately before the event,” says Cotton. “But having said all of this, there’s no qualification criteria - you’re perfectly welcome to rock up and make up as you go along, frankly.”

While the dance itself is quite short - lasting only the length of the song - the group will run through it a few times for videoing purposes. We want it to look good, people!

“People are welcome to stay on after to meet the other Kate Bushes and have a nice time.”

The aim this year is to beat the 300 Bush-alikes mark, which, by the interest already being shown, looks entirely possible.

Cotton says: “I just think it’s a lot of fun. It’s obviously got quite a lot of humour about it. And I also think it sort of suits Folkestone in some ways, something that connects with the town.”

Famously media-shy, it’s perhaps not likely that Kate makes it down to Folkestone seafront on July 30th herself. But we could always ask…

“I worry a bit that she might be a bit embarrassed by it,” says Cotton. “If indeed she is aware of it at all.

“For now, just keep that Sunday pencilled into your diary. Don’t plan anything else instead.”

DETAILS

“We are delighted to be able to confirm the details for the upcoming Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever on Sunday 30th July.
The Goods Yard will be open from 9:30am with a mass warm-up and teaching session taking place at 10am
Our big wave of Red Dresses will then make its way from The Goods Yard to The Harbour Arm for the performance that will take place at approx 11am.”