On 20 July 1950 representatives from several local organisations met to discuss the possibility of holding a competitive Festival in Sevenoaks. After a huge amount of discussion and organisation the first Sevenoaks Three Arts Festival was held in November 1951. Because of the Queen's Coronation and other festivities there was no Festival in 1953, but it has been held every year since, including video festivals during the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Several different schools in and around Sevenoaks were used and since 2005 it has been held at Walthamstow Hall Senior School.

Numerous changes have taken place over the years. The Dance Section was discontinued in 1985; however, in 2003 the Accordion Section was added joining classes in Speech and Drama, Vocal, Piano, Strings and Woodwind.

Well-known and popular with Adjudicators and competitors as friendly and enthusiastic, the Festival draws entries from all over the South-east. Many have gone on to become successful professionals and some are now entering their pupils in the Festival, knowing the benefits and experience they can gain and the sheer enjoyment of performing in front of an audience.

The past 50-plus years have seen many changes in committee members who have coped nobly with the enormous task of running the Festival, notably Jill Hargreaves-Browne (whose mother was one of the founders) who worked tirelessly as Secretary for 25 years!  We are pleased to have Robert Sackville-West, Lord Sackville, as our President.

We do however congratulate ourselves on the biggest landmark in the Festival's history, namely the launching of the Sevenoaks Young Musician of the Year Competition. It was the brainchild in 1995 of June Clements, a long-standing member of the Festival's Executive Committee, and has grown in stature and prestige, moving in 1998 from its beginnings at Bradbourne School as part of the June Festival to its present venue at Walthamstow Hall, as a stand alone event. The standard of the fifteen or so competitors each year has been astounding, and the difficult task by the excellent adjudicators of picking a winner has resulted in some truly outstanding young musicians receiving the first prize, currently - £1,000 plus the chance to play a concerto with the Lydian Orchestra, also founded by June Clements. Sadly June died in November 1996, but the Sevenoaks Young Musician of the Year Competition remains as a thriving memorial.

The Festival is affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech. Over the years much needed financial help has been given by SDAC and the Town Council, and there were times when without this the future of the Festival would have been in doubt.