Margate the ideal spring break

Margate is in the news as a recommended seaside get away.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/feb/26/spring-break-hotel-margate-devon

Escape to the seaside

When the Turner Contemporary gallery (turnercontemporary.org) opens in Margate on 16 April, it's set to do almost as much for the down-at-heel seaside resort as Tracey Emin has. After checking out the exhibitions, take a wind-blown stroll along the pier for a beer at the cafe at the end, then delve into the town's idiosyncratic attractions, such as the Shell Grotto (shellgrotto.co.uk) and the Mad Hatter's Tea Rooms(01843 232626). Book a night in one of the area's fabulous new boutique B&Bs, such as The Reading Rooms (01843 225 166,thereadingroomsmargate.co.uk, doubles from £135) with elegant white rooms in a Georgian townhouse, or stay along the coast in Whitstable at the gorgeous little Front Rooms (01227 282132, thefrontrooms.co.uk, with doubles from £99).

Camera Obscura events come to Margate - Candlelit tours of the Shell Grotto

How exciting. A lovely series of events to come to Margate. As part of the international Obscura Day on the 9th of April, two Margate venues will be holding special events. Billed as:

"A day of expeditions, backroom tours, and hidden treasures in your hometown"

There will be events on at Substation:

"

On Obscura Day Limbo Arts will be opening its project space, housed in one of the first electrical substations to provide domestic power, for a one-day exhibition of photographs documenting locations in which extra-terrestrial and unexplained activity has been said to occur. This exhibition will be a pre-curser to Limbo’s upcoming program, "Art Lands On Alien Landscape".

The project space at the Substation appears to be in transition – gallery lighting and whitened walls with the imposing industrial structure of the room contrast with the transformers, rectifiers, and switchgear once stood. Taking our cue from this sense of transition we wish to use the space to explore liminality."

And The Shell Grotto:

Explore the mysterious Shell Grotto of Margate by candlelight.

The Shell Grotto is one of the world’s most mysterious places: a series of underground rooms and passageways covered by 2000sqft of exquisite shell mosaic. Discovered in 1835, nobody yet knows who created it, although there are many theories surrounding its origins. Is it a pagan temple? A meeting place for some secret cult? Since its accidental discovery visitors from all over the world have been intrigued by the beautiful mosaic and the unsolved mystery.

On Obscura Day come and explore the grottos mysteries by candlelight on four small group tours

More info:

http://atlasobscura.com/obscura-day

http://www.shellgrotto.co.uk/

http://www.limboarts.co.uk/

Celebrate Grotto Day!

I just got this in from the Friends of the Shell Grotto:

Dear Friend

Let’s celebrate Grotto Day!
Saturday 25 July at the Shell Grotto, 12pm onwards

Join us to mark the traditional feast day of St James, with a host of free activities for children and adults alike. We are continuing the custom of 'shell grotter' building with free shell panel making for children. Meanwhile, Sandwich storyteller Tony Cooper will be making a welcome return to the Grotto after his spine-chilling performances at our Halloween event. And Grotto historian Gretchen Cornwall will be offering guided tours.

The Day’s activities:
12pm on – Shell Panel making for children with artist Jan Cooper
12-1pm – Storytelling in the Grotto with Tony Cooper
1pm on – Guided tours with Gretchen Cornwall

Plus free refreshments for Friends and, of course, free entry. Please remember to bring your membership card!

Full details are here:

http://www.shellgrottofriends.org/events.html

There's lots going on in Margate this weekend, so you can combine your visit to us with a close encounter with the Margate Shell Ladies (their first outing around town this year) or experience some first-rate music at the Margate Big Sky Jazz Festival, with acts including BBC Jazz Awards 'Best Vocalist' Christine Tobin performing live on the Piazza.

The weather forecast is good. There's lots to do. It's all free. So we hope to see you in Margate on Saturday!

Halloween at the shell grotto

There will be an evening of ghoulish folkloric story telling at the Shell Grotto on the 31st of October Halloween. Too scary for kids apparantly!

"For the first time ever the Shell Grotto will be hosting an event on the night of Halloween. And the mysterious temple is the perfect venue for spooky goings on!

Down in the eerie depths of the Grotto, the Theatre of the Small will present Devil Tales; a puppet show based on early European folk tales, portraying how the Devil tricks mankind and mankind tricks the Devil. Meanwhile, Sandwich storyteller and honorary King of Fools Tony Cooper will spin sinister tales and gruesome stories by candlelight - enter if you dare!"