Uncategorised

By the Kent Event Centre Events Team. Written from the Kent Showground in Detling, Maidstone, where we host trade exhibitions, consumer shows and conferences alongside more than 30 large public events every year, including the Kent County Show and the Kent Construction Expo. Quick answer An exhibition venue in Kent needs three things a normal … Continue reading →

The short answer An Asian wedding venue in Kent needs three things above all else: enough capacity to seat 150 to 600 or more guests at round tables, the freedom to bring in your own specialist Asian caterer, and plenty of parking and easy access for a large guest list. Blank canvas venues that hire … Continue reading →

By the Kent Event Centre Events Team. Written from the Kent Showground in Detling, Maidstone, where we host corporate away days, team building sessions and conferences alongside more than 30 large public events every year. Quick answer A team building venue in Kent is the space your day happens in. An activity provider is the … Continue reading →

Trying to pin down conference venue hire cost in Kent is harder than it should be. Most venues hide their prices behind an enquiry form. You end up guessing while you build a budget. This guide gives you real numbers instead. You will learn what a Kent conference costs in 2026. You will see day … Continue reading →

Your London conference quote just landed, and the number stings. Before you sign, compare a conference venue in Kent vs London properly. This guide breaks down the real gap in cost, travel and space. By the end, you will know what London truly costs once parking and road charges are added. You will also see … Continue reading →

Finding a conference venue in Kent that fits 50 delegates and 1,500 delegates with equal ease is rare. Most venues force you to compromise on capacity, AV, parking or logistics. This guide shows you exactly what Kent Event Centre offers, how much it costs, what is included, and how it compares for corporate planners across … Continue reading →

By the Kent Event Centre Events Team. Written with input from event planners who deliver over 30 large public events and dozens of private conferences, exhibitions and corporate away days every year from the Kent Showground in Detling, Maidstone. Booking a large event venue in Kent comes down to seven things: capacity and layout flexibility, … Continue reading →

Quick answer The 9 best corporate event venues in Kent for 2026 are Kent Event Centre, Mercure Maidstone Great Danes, Ashford International Hotel & Spa, Leeds Castle, Brands Hatch MotorSport Vision Centre, The Hop Farm, Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa, Hever Castle, and Delta Hotels by Marriott Tudor Park. Shortlisted on capacity, flexibility, transport links, … Continue reading →

Wondering what’s on in Kent this weekend? You’re not the only one. Every week, thousands of people across the county search for something worth doing on a Saturday or Sunday. Detling Showground is Kent’s largest event venue. It hosts over 30 public events every year, from antiques fairs and car shows to garden exhibitions and … Continue reading →

When you host an event, your main goal is to capture and hold your audience’s attention. Attendee engagement is critical for conferences because it transforms passive listeners into active participants. An engaging conference environment combines interactive experiences, a comfortable venue, and opportunities for networking to keep attendees interested and involved. In this guide, we will … Continue reading →

Finding the right exhibition space hire in Kent can feel like a proper headache. You know you need a venue that ticks all the boxes: size, location, parking, loading access, budget. But most listings just throw a photo and a capacity number at you and call it a day. This guide is different. Whether you … Continue reading →

When planning corporate events, many businesses automatically choose a hotel. It seems convenient because hotels often provide both event space and accommodation. Hotels are familiar and easy, but they can fall short when it comes to creating a smooth, impressive event experience. While a hotel might work for a small meeting, a professional event venue … Continue reading →

Meeting room hire in Kent typically costs between £25 and £60 per hour, with day delegate rates ranging from £30 to £60 per person. Kent venues offer significant savings over London, with most including Wi-Fi, AV equipment, and free parking as standard. Whether you need a small boardroom for eight people or a conference space … Continue reading →

Choosing the right venue is one of the most important decisions when planning a conference. A good venue helps the event run smoothly and keeps attendees comfortable and focused throughout the day. So, what makes a venue ideal for hosting conferences? Key Features of an Ideal Conference Venue These features help turn a normal space … Continue reading →

Choosing the right corporate event venue starts with asking the right questions. Before you book, you need to check capacity, pricing, catering, technology, accessibility, cancellation terms, setup times, on-site support, parking, and sustainability credentials. These ten questions will help you avoid costly mistakes and find a venue that works for your business event. Explore our … Continue reading →

QUICK OVERVIEW Choosing an event venue in Kent comes down to five key factors: location, capacity, budget, facilities, and flexibility. Start by defining your event type and guest numbers, then shortlist venues that match your requirements. Always visit in person before booking, and aim to secure your date 4 to 6 months in advance for … Continue reading →

5 Reasons Kent Event Centre Offers Top-Rated Corporate Event Spaces with Flexible Seating Arrangements Top-rated corporate event spaces with flexible seating arrangements give you the freedom to adapt your venue to any business need. Kent Event Centre delivers exactly this with 12 versatile rooms across 7,000 square metres, accommodating 2 to 350 delegates. You get … Continue reading →

7 Reasons Why Kent Event Centre Is the Best Corporate Venue Hire in Kent Updated in November 2025 Corporate event venues available for hire in Kent offer businesses flexible spaces for conferences, meetings, and celebrations, but finding the right one matters. Kent Event Centre stands out as the largest and most adaptable corporate venue in … Continue reading →

Updated in November 2025 Why the Kent Event Centre is the Ultimate Christmas Party Venue in Kent 2025 Christmas party venues in Kent are in high demand every year, but very few can host large groups, offer full flexibility, and provide easy parking and transport links. The Kent Event Centre stands out because it can … Continue reading →

Searching for the ideal venue for your upcoming conference can be a minefield! With so many venue features to consider in the planning phase, from capacity to budget, location to facilities, it’s easy to overlook some key features which can help to provide a first class experience for your delegates. Whether you’re a seasoned event … Continue reading →

Saturday 6 December 2025 – Kent Showground, Maidstone, ME14 3JF Kent will sparkle this Christmas as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Drone Light Show lands at the Kent Showground on Saturday 6th December – marking the county’s very first-ever drone light show. Produced by Lumina Drones, the pioneers behind the acclaimed Space Safari drone series, … Continue reading →

Whether you’re looking for the perfect location for your upcoming outdoor event, searching for a venue for regular outdoor activities or even on the hunt for easy-to-access communal car parking for a park and ride event, the 200+ acres of outdoor space at the Kent Event Centre can cater to your needs! Conveniently situated on … Continue reading →

‘Build it Live’ returns to the Kent Event Centre in Maidstone on 22 and 23 February 2025. ‘Build It Live’ is where you can find everything you need for a self build or renovation project all under one roof.  As well as the Land Zone to find the perfect building plot, invaluable free advice is … Continue reading →

The Kent Event Centre has secured the much sought-after AIM Secure accreditation from the Meetings Industry Association (MIA). The Kent Event Centre has achieved the accreditation from the UK’s nationally recognised standard for service providers in the meetings, conferences and events industry, after the venue was scrutinised against a robust checklist of criteria. The process … Continue reading →

For over a decade, the Kent Construction Expo has been the largest event of its kind and the go-to event for ambitious construction professionals in the South East. Produced by the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and staged by Revolution Events. The Kent Construction Expo features multiple conference streams, a dynamic exhibition and prime networking. … Continue reading →

The Maidstone Tattoo Extravaganza has been coming to the Kent Event Centre since 2017, totalling an amazing 7 shows.  The Maidstone Tattoo Extravaganza is an independent tattoo show, showcasing the best of artists and traders.  Over the weekend, the show uses both the Maidstone Hall and John Hendry Pavilion.  Fraser and Samantha, Event Organisers have … Continue reading →

Eventbrite has released its annual trend forecasting guide and here’s what we have found out for trends that eventgoers are going crazy for! The year of adventure Eventgoers desire an adventurous experience where they can try new things, explore new ventures and places as well as meet new people. With this sense of adventure, 62% … Continue reading →

Planning an event can be a very rewarding experience when everything comes together. However, the process can be somewhat challenging at points. So here at the Kent Event Centre, we have thought of our 5 best tips to help your process go as smoothly as possible. This might seem like a silly starting point, however, … Continue reading →

This year we are extremely proud sponsors of the Shaun the Sheep in the Heart of Kent trail brought to you by the Heart of Kent Hospice and Wild in Art. Shaun the Sheep in the Heart of Kent is an exciting free art trail that will boast 50 large individually decorated Shaun the Sheep … Continue reading →

Despite a busy winter at the Kent Event Centre, our hard-working Groundsteam have managed to fit in a lot of maintenance work around the showground over recent months, working to improve the site for all our current and future events. We are excited to announce that the John Hendry Pavilion has had new flooring and … Continue reading →

It is an exciting time for the Kent Events Centre as we have made it to the Beautiful South Tourism Awards finals.

Did you know that, before it became home to the Kent Showground, our site was part of the Detling airfield?

Learn more about the history of our site through both World Wars here!

On the 29th of November Kent Events Centre is a proud host and sponsor, alongside MHA of Kent Business Awards. With all new awards dedicated to Agriculture! With the Awards now in their tenth year in Kent, it keeps going from strength to strength.

The Unmissable Christmas Party!

Unexpected problems during your event? Here is how to resolve them

Production for new murder mystery series, Whitstable Pearl, based on novels by Julie Wassmer, was filmed at The Kent Event Centre.

With the imminent easing of lockdown and the successful rollout of the vaccine, this article explores how conferences will be able to continue in 2021.

The Kent Event Centre is home to over 200 acres of land and we’ve recently made some interesting discoveries in Stockings Wood.

The Online event world has sprung into action with new technology but can it be sustainable?

One of the favourite times of the year at the Kent Event Centre is April when our Murrain Wood bursts into life with a carpet of Bluebells.

Fifteen members of our event team took part in Dementia Friends training to understand dementia and find out what it is like living with the condition on a daily basis.

At the Kent Event Centre, we have recently diversified our offering to attract more association events to the venue.

Kent Event Centre has diversified its offering to attract more association events.

Deputy Event Centre Manager, Ellie Nicholl reflects on hosting the Kent Event Centre’s largest ever single date concert.

Good customer service is imperative in business. We all know it, but sadly some businesses aren’t very good at fulfilling it.

Alison Wallington of Kent Event Centre says it can be too easy to rush through life without paying attention to the present.

Alison Wallington of Kent Event Centre looks at how corporate social responsibility can make great business sense.