The free Christmas switch-on 14 November, Santa's House from 28 November, Cinderella from 12 December and 32 more dated events to 19 December, checked 7 Nov.

The next six weeks in Dartford run from bonfire night to the last Saturday before Christmas. Dartford Lions Club’s bonfire and fireworks are in Central Park on Saturday 7 November, and the parade and service for Remembrance Sunday follow on 8 November. The Christmas lights go on in Brewery Square on Saturday 14 November, the same evening as Longfield’s free fireworks. Santa’s House opens at Acacia on 28 November, though most of its December sessions have already sold, and the Orchard reopens with Cinderella on 12 December.

Everything below comes from the organisers’ own listings and booking pages, rechecked on 7 November 2026, with the link beside each entry so you can check before you set off. The Orchard Theatre is still closed for RAAC removal until the pantomime, so its November events are at Acacia Sports Hall on the High Street. For places that are open whatever the month, see our guide to things to do in Dartford.

This week

  • The Ice Rink at Bluewater, open every day except Christmas Day until Sunday 3 January, outside The Village at Bluewater, DA9 9ST. 45-minute sessions with skate hire. Off-peak £15 adult, £13 child, peak £17 and £15, when booked a day ahead. Times, session types and prices are on our Bluewater ice rink page (Bluewater Ice Rink).
  • Winterland at Bluewater, from Saturday 7 November, 12pm to 9pm, outside The Village at Bluewater. The festive funfair is open at weekends through November, 12pm to 9pm. From 5 December it opens daily: weekdays 7 to 18 December 4pm to 9pm, weekends and 19 December to 3 January 12pm to 9pm, plus 9 and 10 January; closed Christmas Day. Entry £3, ride tokens £1.20 each or 25 for £20 online; more on our Winterland page (Winterland Bluewater).
  • Orchard Theatre Community Fair, Saturday 7 November, 10am to 2pm, Acacia Sports Hall, DA1 1DJ. Free, no ticket needed (Orchard Theatre Dartford).
  • Dartford FC v Eastbourne Borough, Saturday 7 November, 3pm, Princes Park, DA1 1RT (Dartford FC).
  • The Magic of the Nutcracker, Saturday 7 November, 4.30pm and 7pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. Jennifer Wilkins School of Dance’s show based on the ballet, in a mix of dance styles. £14 to £20 with the booking fee. On the morning of 7 November the 7pm show was sold out and three tickets were left for 4.30pm (TicketSource, 4.30pm; 7pm).
  • Dartford Lions Club Bonfire and Fireworks, Saturday 7 November, Central Park, DA1. Gates and funfair 5pm, bonfire 7.15pm, fireworks 8pm. The club’s online shop listed no tickets on 7 November, so pay on the gate: £9 adults, £6 children aged 5 to 15, under 5s free. No parking in Cranford Road or Ingram Road. Full detail on our fireworks page (Dartford Lions Club).
  • Dartford Remembrance Sunday service, Sunday 8 November, 10.30am to 11.30am, Memorial Gardens, Dartford War Memorial, Market Street, DA1 1EU. Free. Veteran, cadet and community groups parade through Market Street into the gardens, followed by the service, a two-minute silence and wreath laying. Our Remembrance Sunday page has the road closures and Swanscombe’s services (Dartford Borough Council).
  • Bhangra Night Live 2026, Friday 13 November, 6.30pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. £21.50 with the booking fee. Classics and hits from names on the UK Bhangra scene (TicketSource).

Next week

  • Dartford Big Christmas Switch On, Saturday 14 November, Brewery Square, Market Street, DA1 1EY. Free, no ticket. High Street entertainment from 10am at One Bell Corner, main stage from 2pm, lights on at about 5pm, and a market on the High Street until 8pm. Pantomime stars including Joe Pasquale and Abbie Budden, Milkshake’s David Ribi, and tributes to Michael Buble, Freddie Mercury and Taylor Swift; see our switch-on page for the road closures (Dartford Borough Council).
  • Dartford FC v AFC Totton, Saturday 14 November, 3pm, Princes Park, DA1 1RT (Dartford FC).
  • Longfield Community Fireworks, Saturday 14 November, refreshments 6.30pm, fireworks 7pm, Longfield Community Park, Long Valley Hall. Free entry (Longfield and New Barn Parish Council).
  • Dartford FC v Three Bridges, Tuesday 17 November, 7.45pm, Princes Park, DA1 1RT (Dartford FC).
  • Dartford Library at 110, Friday 20 November, 7pm for 7.30pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. Free, donations welcome, no need to book. An illustrated talk by Christoph Bull, the library’s former reference librarian and chief librarian, on the Carnegie library’s history, ghosts and stories from behind the counter, for Dartford Historical & Antiquarian Society (Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council listing).

Later in November

  • Dartford FC v Leatherhead, Saturday 21 November, 3pm, Princes Park, DA1 1RT (Dartford FC).
  • Dartford FC v Hanwell Town, London Senior Cup, Tuesday 24 November, 7.45pm, Princes Park, DA1 1RT (Dartford FC).
  • Craft Club, Wednesday 25 November, doors 7pm for 7.15pm to 9.15pm, Acacia Sports Hall, DA1 1DJ. £14.50, ages 16 and over (Orchard Theatre Dartford).
  • Santa’s House, Saturdays and Sundays from Saturday 28 November to Saturday 19 December, Acacia Mansion House, High Street, DA1 1DJ. £5 a child. On 7 November the council’s booking form listed just 30 sessions: 12 on 28 November, 16 on 29 November and one each at 4.15pm on 5 and 6 December, with 12, 13 and 19 December gone. More on our Santa in Dartford page (Dartford Borough Council).
  • Dartford FC v Cray Wanderers, Saturday 28 November, 3pm, Princes Park, DA1 1RT (Dartford FC).
  • Christmas Wreath Making Workshop, Swanscombe, Saturday 28 November, 3.30pm to 6.30pm, Town Council Community Hall, The Grove, Swanscombe, DA10 0AD. £40 (Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council).
  • Dartford Township Choir: Sing Soul Live with Mike King, Sunday 29 November, 7.30pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. £16.50 with the booking fee. The choir sings Mike King’s arrangements of contemporary songs after six weeks of workshops with him, with Damien Nolan and the Mike King Collective (TicketSource).

December

  • The Christmas Comedy Quarter, Friday 4 December, 8pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. £10, or £11.50 with the booking fee. The centre’s comedy club, run with Mirth Control, with MC Howard Smith and guests (TicketSource).
  • Christmas Wreath Workshop, Saturday 5 December, 2pm to 4pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. £65 a person, or a £30 deposit, including materials, tools, tuition and a drink. Run by Flowers by Marion; a second date is Saturday 12 December (The Mick Jagger Centre).
  • Children’s Christmas Party, Swanscombe, Saturday 5 December, 2pm to 4pm, Heritage Community Hall, 22 Craylands Lane, Swanscombe, DA10 0LP. £10. The town council’s calendar lists it with no further detail (Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council).
  • Santa on Tour, Sunday 6, Sunday 13, Tuesday 15, Sunday 20 and Monday 21 December. Free. Santa visits 19 stops round the borough on a vintage red fire engine, with giveaways; every stop and time is on our Santa page (Dartford Borough Council).
  • Nicky Trix: Comedy Christmas Cracker, Sunday 6 December, 4.30pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. £15 with the booking fee, or £55 for a group ticket. A family comedy magic show with Nicky Trix and Nambu the elephant (TicketSource).
  • Dartford Carol Concert, Wednesday 9 December, 6.30pm to 7.30pm, Central Park Outdoor Theatre, DA1 1DJ. Free. Dartford Concert Band, Tilly Pantlin and Fleet2 Signing Choir, with hot chocolate; parking at Acacia car park. Tickets were not yet listed on the council’s booking form on 7 November; see our carol concert page (Dartford Borough Council).
  • Cinderella, from Saturday 12 December to Sunday 3 January, The Orchard Theatre. Joe Pasquale’s pantomime reopens the theatre, with seats from £21.50; every show and price is on our pantomime page (Orchard Theatre Dartford).
  • Dartford FC v Burgess Hill Town, Saturday 12 December, 3pm, Princes Park, DA1 1RT (Dartford FC).
  • Dartford Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert, Saturday 12 December, 7pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. Conducted by Liz Worth, with Sutton at Hone Primary School Choir, Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride, White Christmas and the Toy Symphony. Seats can be reserved and paid for on the door (Dartford Symphony Orchestra).
  • Baby Broadway Christmas, Saturday 19 December, 11.15am, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. A 45-minute sing and dance along concert of show tunes and Christmas film songs from West End singers, for newborns up to grandparents. £16.50 for one adult and one child with the booking fee (TicketSource).
  • Belvedere Concert Band: The Magic of Christmas, Saturday 19 December, 7pm to 9.30pm, doors 6.30pm, The Mick Jagger Centre, DA1 2JZ. Adults £15, under 13s £8. Festive favourites, classical pieces and music from stage and screen, with singer Natasha Kissane (Ticket Tailor).

Regular events

  • Dartford parkrun, every Saturday at 9am, Central Park, DA1 1JP. A free 5k to walk, jog or run; register once before your first visit and bring your barcode (Dartford parkrun).
  • Dartford Saturday Market, every Saturday, 9am to 5pm, Dartford High Street (Dartford Borough Council).
  • Dartford Thursday Market, every Thursday, Dartford High Street. The council does not publish its hours (Dartford Borough Council).
  • Free weekly health walk, Greenhithe, every Wednesday, 10.30am to 11.30am, from Greenhithe Community Centre (Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council).

Getting there

Princes Park, the Mick Jagger Centre and Central Park are all within walking distance of Dartford station, and Acacia Hall is on the High Street at the other end of Central Park. Council car parks and tariffs are on our parking in Dartford page, and for road and rail disruption before a trip see Dartford roadworks and travel.

This page is rewritten as organisers confirm new dates. Every listing was read from the organiser’s own page between 3 October and 7 November 2026, and all were rechecked on 7 November. Dates can still change, so use the links before you travel. More in our What’s On section.

Send us your event

Running something in Dartford, Swanscombe, Greenhithe or the villages? Email the date, time, venue, price and a photo to hello@dartfordonline.co.uk. Listings are free of charge, and the event goes on this page and in the diary on our front page.

Sources