Rochester

Rochester's annual Sweeps Festival recreates the joy and laughter enjoyed by the chimney sweeps at their traditional holiday: the one time of the year the sweeps could leave the soot behind and have some fun. The sweeps’ holiday was traditionally held on 1 May each year. Locally, they used to mark the occasion by staging a procession through the streets of Rochester.

It takes a special kind of event to last more than a quarter of a century. Medway's Sweeps Festival, with its incredible selection of musical entertainment, an ever-expanding range of activities and worldwide popularity, goes from strength to strength each year.

This year's Sweep Festival is being held on 30 April, 1 and 2 May.

Festival highlights include:

* more than 50 Morris dancing sides;
* free music in pubs and bars;
* fun children’s activities;
* Jack-in-the-Green and much more.