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Margate Meltdown 2026
Thousands of bikers filled the Margate seafront for an unofficial Meltdown gathering on Monday 25 May 2026, after Ace Cafe cancelled the official event.
25 May 2026 (took place) · Margate seafront, the Parade and Turner Contemporary piazza, Kent
Margate Meltdown has run as a bank holiday fixture for years, organised by London's Ace Cafe, closing the seafront road and bringing stalls and live entertainment for the thousands of bikers who ride down from London and beyond. Ace Cafe pulled out of organising the 2026 edition over rising costs, but that didn't stop the bikes turning up. On Monday 25 May 2026, thousands of riders arrived anyway for an unofficial gathering, with machines parked along the seafront, the Parade and around the Turner Contemporary piazza and harbour area.
Whether or not a formal Meltdown returns next year, the informal turnout shows how much pull the event still has. A bank holiday Monday that fills the seafront with visitors, even an unofficial one, is still a demand day worth knowing about for anyone with a property nearby.
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