Feeling the heat at yet another sunny Herne Bay Cartoon Festival
August 9, 2018 in General
You might argue that in this record summer the sun was always going to shine on the 2018 Herne Bay Cartoon Festival. But at the time of writing it is chucking it down with rain, so the festival still seems to be somewhat blessed. Perhaps the gods of weather are all fans of funny and clever live cartooning.
Photos © Kasia Kowalska unless otherwise stated

We’ve arrived: The Herne Bay town crier announces this year’s cartoonists
The cartoonists who took part on Sunday (5 August) were: Nathan Ariss, Andrew Birch, Dave Brown, Des Buckley, Chris Burke, Pete Dredge, Clive Goddard, Alex Hallatt, Tim Harries, Alex Hughes, Kathryn Lamb, Glenn Marshall, Lou McKeever, Rob Murray, Royston Robertson, Martin Rowson, Cathy Simpson, Rich Skipworth, The Surreal McCoy and Steve Way.

Watch this space: Alex Hallatt, visiting from New Zealand, begins. Cartoonists battled the heat to produce 6ft big board and peep board cartoons

Nice day for it: Nathan Ariss at work in his board, left. Martin Rowson’s Brexit board appears to be finished. Photo © Fiona Hayes

Saucy stuff: Clive Goddard and Amy Amani-Goddard paint a board that pays tribute to Donald McGill, king of the seaside postcard

Here’s looking at you: Caricatures are always popular, with neverending queues. Alex Hughes and the team worked tirelessly. Photo © Gerard Whyman

Cathy Simpson and Pete Dredge caricaturing on the stage. It was a little cooler there, which may explain the expression on the face of shorts-wearing Pete

Karol Steele and family, who attend every year, are happy customers once more

Strike a pose: Cartoonists Alex Hallatt, Kathryn Lamb, Cathy Simpson, The Surreal McCoy and Lou “Bluelou” McKeever

Different strokes: Rich Skipworth tackles plastic in the oceans while Kathryn Lamb draws a compilation of gag cartoons on #MeToo and #TimesUp

Snakes on a pier: Andrew Birch adds detail to his Perseus and Medusa peep board. Photo © Gerard Whyman

Cover up: Tim Harries finds the weather a bit much. He is from South Wales

A different picture: Steve Way presents his landscape peep board on the controversial World Cup video assistant referee. Photo © Fiona Hayes

Big draw: The public board, for kids young and old, is also a key part of the festival. This year it was run by Lou McKeever. Photo © Gerard Whyman

Lou brought along her remote control Trump hair, which was a big hit

As usual Glenn Marshall painted a backdrop for his own unique art happening. Photo © Gerard Whyman. Then there was a swift costume change …

… to become Mystic Marshall, reader of minds and fortunes. Possibly

Animal magic: The Surreal McCoy takes a look at some endangered species. Photo © Karol Steele

We two: Royston Robertson’s Judy tells Mr Punch that #TimesUp, while Des Buckley wilts in the heat. Photo right © Gerard Whyman

Canute’s you: Chris Burke’s Sir David Attenborough attempts to hold back the wave of plastic in the oceans

Rob Murray took a collage approach to the same topical theme, sticking plastic bottles to his cartoon. Photo © Gerard Whyman

Pointed satire: Finished board by Guardian political cartoonist Martin Rowson

Bigly board: It wouldn’t be Herne Bay Cartoon Festival without a cartoon from the Independent’s Dave Brown

What goes round: As has become traditional, the day ended with a carousel ride. Left to right, big kids Nathan Ariss, Steve Way and Des Buckley
You can see more by visiting @HBCartoonFest on Twitter or Facebook.com/ HBCartoonFest.
Herne Bay Cartoon Festival is sponsored by the Professional Cartoonists Organisation and supported using public funding by Arts Council England.