Broomfield · Maidstone · Kent ME17 1PL · Summer open-air concerts
Leeds Castle: our own castle
Almost everything else on this site involves leaving Kent. Leeds Castle is twenty-five minutes from Maidstone, and its summer concerts on the lawn, with a picnic and fireworks at the end, are the closest thing we run to a genuinely local evening out.
Which makes this one of the shortest and cheapest evening bookings on the site. Twenty-five minutes from Maidstone, under an hour from most of the county, and nobody needs to drive home across three counties afterwards.
How the evening works
Closer to a garden party than a gig, and the packing list reflects that.
The whole point
Rugs, hampers, chairs and wine. Check the castle's current rules on what is permitted.
Hours before
People arrive to get a spot and settle in for the afternoon.
Usually
Which is when everyone stands up and leaves at the same moment.
Largely
Which means the roads out are full of people going the same way you are.
Across Kent to Leeds Castle
Our shortest concert journeys, and the only ones that never leave the county.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 7 miles | 15–30 min |
| Ashford & Tenterden | 17 miles | 25–45 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 16 miles | 25–45 min |
| Sittingbourne & Faversham | 18 miles | 30–50 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 24 miles | 35–55 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 24 miles | 35–55 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 30 miles | 40–65 min |
| Canterbury & Whitstable | 30 miles | 40–65 min |
| Bromley & Orpington | 32 miles | 45–70 min |
What to bring
More than a normal concert, and it all needs space in the vehicle.
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Rugs and low chairs | Check the castle's rules on chair height, which many venues restrict |
| A hamper or cool box | Which takes more room than the people carrying it |
| Layers for later | A Kent field after dark cools quickly, even in July |
| Something waterproof | It is an outdoor concert in England |
| Bags for the empties | So they come home with you rather than staying on the lawn |
An evening at Leeds Castle
The picnic is what makes it, and what fills the vehicle
Six people with rugs, a hamper, a cool box and folding chairs is a very different load from six people going to an arena. It is the whole character of the evening and it is the thing that most often catches out a group booking on head count alone. Tell us what is coming and we will size for the picnic.
Everyone leaves after the fireworks
Which is the one moment of the evening where a booked vehicle earns its money. Several thousand people stand up at the same time and head for the same car parks and the same Kent roads. We collect at an agreed point where traffic is moving rather than sitting in the queue with everybody else.
It is genuinely local, and that is the appeal
For a Kent group this is the rare big event that involves no motorway, no London and no long drive home in the dark. Twenty-five minutes from Maidstone, under an hour from most of the county, and the fare split between eight people is about as small as it gets on this site.
Check the castle's rules before you pack
Outdoor concert venues typically have conditions on chair height, glass, gazebos and what you may bring in, and these vary by event. Leeds Castle publishes them for each concert. It takes two minutes and it avoids leaving something in the vehicle at the gate.
Leeds Castle concert questions
A local evening on the lawn.
Where is Leeds Castle?
At Broomfield near Maidstone in Kent, ME17, which makes it twenty-five minutes from Maidstone and under an hour from most of the county.
Can we bring a picnic?
Picnics on the lawn are the whole character of these concerts. Check the castle's published rules for your specific event, since conditions on chairs, glass and gazebos vary.
Does the picnic affect the vehicle?
Yes, considerably. Rugs, hampers, cool boxes and chairs take far more room than the people carrying them. Tell us and we will size for it.
What time do gates open?
Hours before the music, and people arrive early to get a spot and settle in for the afternoon. Tell us your plan and we will set the drop.
Are there fireworks?
Usually at the end, which is when everyone stands up and leaves at once. We collect at a point where traffic is moving rather than in the queue.
What should we wear?
Layers for after dark and something waterproof. A Kent field cools quickly in the evening even in July.
Is it a cheap booking?
One of the cheapest evenings on this site, because it never leaves the county. Split between eight people it is very little each.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking including the waiting.
Kent venues and events
The county's own calendar.