Brighton can truly claim the title of the UK’s Festival City... and pretty much every weekend there’s a whole lot of fun and games to be head. Whether you’re a culture vulture, an adrenalin junky, a foodie or simply want to party like it’s, well 2009 (or, indeed, 2010!), then you can be sure we’ve got a day out for you!
Brighton’ goes Carnival Crazy!
If there’s one thing this city knows what to do well, it’s have a good time! And this year’s Brighton Carnival had us whooping and hollering like good ‘uns! The best ever carnival parade danced, sang and partied its way through the city centre followed by a fun filled party on the Kemp Town seafront. We reckon this was by far the most impressive major event this year - a great big well-done to all those who took part... see you in 2010!
Find out more about the Brighton Carnival at www.brightoncarnival.co.uk
Alice & her friends take a spin at the Kemp Town Village Family Carnival
St George’s Road in Kemp Town Village, Brighton, turned into a family wonderland on Saturday 18 July when the whole village went Madhatter crazy. Cafés held giant tea parties - well done to Delicia for winning the Best Dressed Café award, presented by our lovely Brighton Mayor Ann Norman.
There were kiddies rides, stalls, live jazz music, Baby Loves Disco Beachdown special, craft workshops and story telling at St George’s Church, Orb360 demos, costumed characters from Brighton Marina (see above for how to get a free Brighton Marina passport!) and lots of tasty food and drink for grown-ups. Big thanks go out to Frank and Jacqui from Fiery Foods for all their help in making this event possible!
Brunswick Festival 2009
We had a lovely afternoon courtesy of the good people of Brunswick, Hove, at this years Brunswick Festival. Featuring a live music stage, beer tent, food stalls (my, what a big paella!) and all manner of stalls trading everything from screenprint posters and antiques to holistic healing and windcharms. The Brunswick Festival is a perfect example of how the many residents of, and visitors to, Brighton & Hove can party in relaxed harmony. A big well done to all those involved in organising this super event!
Mermaid Market
Every Saturday & Sunday 10am - 5pm
Every weekend at Brighton Marina you'll find over 50 great stalls including arts and crafts, alternative gifts and local food producers. Our fave fishmonger – Jems of Newhaven – serve up the freshest, locally caught seafood (they're up at 5am every morning so you get the best from shore to door!)
Churchill Square Farmers Market
Every Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Head to Brighton Marina every Wednesday to pick up the very best of local and organic produce, alongside the occasional craft stall. There are cheese stalls, homemade jams to die for, the freshest bread from Real Patisserie, yummy olives and sun-dried tomatoes from Med Foods, the hottest chilli in the world over at the Fiery Foods stall, locally grown fruit and vegetables, freshly caught fish from Jems fish – you should see the huge lobsters and whopper crabs –, cakes and pastries that you'll be swooning over and a Sussex butchers. Get your weekly shop and be happy in the knowledge that it's the best Sussex has to offer, the proof will be in the tasting!
Brighton Boot Fair
Every Sunday 7am - noon
Every Sunday down at the Marina on Level 9 Car park you'll find over 200 stalls selling all manner of goodies. Have a rummage and unearth that vintage goodie you've been looking for, or simply browse through the many arts and crafts and antiques that can be found. Tip - arrive early as this is when the dealers from London scour the market for bargains.
Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival
For all foodie lovers, this annual event is not to be missed. For the whole month of September you'll find all manner of events, debates, markets and tastings across the city. In 2009 two new additions to this festival have been gone down a storm - 'The Chocolate Trail' was an absolute delight for the chocoholics who sampled 6 different tasters in 6 different venues around central Brighton, whilst 'Open House Dining’ was another storming success with budding chefs opening their homes to host dinner parties for complete strangers. Make sure you add this to your calender for next year! We’ll see you there!
Photo courtesy Brighton Carnival/Mel Klein
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Didn’t we have a brilliant time at White Night Brighton & Hove 2009...
Brighton partied from dusk on Saturday 24 October until dawn on Sunday 25 October, the clocks went back and a fair few beers did too. We checked out skating on the Level, a flash-back to the 80s with art and music installations at Phoenix, Brighton Early Music Festival performances on New Road, A-MAZ-ING new street art at the Prescription Art gallery, remote drawing at Fabrica, tinkling the old ivories on pianos throughout the city centre, a few glasses of vino at Bottle, dancing in the Dome’s theatre follow-spot in Pavilion Gardens... and we have the pleasure of announcing we won the Food Partnership’s ‘Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin’ competition. 12.45kg, so there!
Brighton Festival Fringe
Saturday 1 - Sunday 23 May
3 weeks... 702 events... 240 venues... Brighton Festival Fringe is one of the largest and fastest-growing open access arts festival in the world and the largest in England. It sets out to stimulate, educate and entertain a wide audience by providing a showcase for diverse art forms. No artistic judgment or selection criteria are imposed on participants, enabling the development of both new and established work to attract fresh audiences, press and promoters.
Artist Open Houses
Weekends throughout May
The very talented artists, crafts people, designers, sculptures and photographers of Brighton & Hove regularly throw open the doors to their homes and studios to show you their wares. The next opportunity to visit will be weekends throughout the May arts festival.
Brighton Festival
Saturday 1 - Sunday 23 May
This is the big daddy of Brighton’s creative year. The 44th Brighton Festival will be guest artistic directed by Brian Eno. Eno highlights include the constantly evolving sound and image-scape 77 Million Paintings, an exclusively commissioned sound installation set into the fabric of the city and Icebreaker performing Eno's soundtrack to the film of the Apollo moon landing.
Armed Forces Day
Saturday 3 July
This new event honours the outstanding contribution made by current member’s of the UK’s Armed Forces.
Sussex County Cricket Club on Eaton Road, Hove, hosts the day which will feature displays, a parachute jump, family activities and a special cricket match between Sussex and Bangladesh.
Brighton Pride
Late July - early August (dates TBC)
Brighton simply wouldn’t be Brighton without the fabulous Brighton Pride. The Pride committee are currently planning the format of 2010’s Pride week and party - we’ll bring you more as we hear it!
Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival
Throughout September
September is the tastiest month of the Brighton festival calendar. The whole city goes into a food (and drink!) frenzy with markets, special restaurant events and menus, wine events, Open House Dining and food trails.
Magners Brighton Comedy Festival
Thursday 7 - Saturday 23 October
The finest comedy talent in Britain descends on Brighton for a fortnight of fun. Expect big names including the likes of Frankie Boyle, Sarah Millican and Mark Watson.
Sussex Beacon Brighton Half Marathon
Sunday 21 February
Meanwhile on Sunday 21 February 2010, the Sussex Beacon, a Brighton based clinical care centre for men and women living with HIV/ Aids, celebrates 20 years of its half marathon in 2010. This event attracts a wide spectrum of runners from the local area and further afield. Taking in many of the key sites of the city, it’s a super way to support a very worthy charity.
Brighton Science Festival
Friday 12 - Sunday 28 February
Come to one of the many Brighton Science Festival events and listen, debate, argue, discover the past and prepare for the future. Much of the science will be happening in a pub near you. This is science for non-scientists, and for all ages from tots to grandparents. It is incredible, but don't take our word for it; try for yourself. Nothing is expensive, and nearly half is free.
The Quaker Tapestry comes to Brighton
Saturday 30 January - Saturday 27 February 2010
The Quaker Tapestry is a celebration of over 350 years of Quaker insights and experiences, embroidered onto panels of specially woven wool cloth. 39 panels from this unique collection will be on display in Brighton throughout February, 2010. The exhibition will include personal audio guides, an introductory film, children's activities, the Quaker Tapestry Gift Shop and embroiderers working on the stitches.
Entry to the Roadshow is free. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-4.30pm.
Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton BN1 1AF • www.quaker-tapestry.co.uk • www.brightonquakers.co.uk
Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival ‘Spring Harvest’
Friday 12 - Sunday 21 March
Great news for lovers of good food and drink: the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival is rolling out events throughout 2010 so as well as the whole month of September you can also tuck into all manner of deliciousness in March and May with more dates to be announced. Saturday 13 - Sunday 21 March will see a two day Big Sussex Market celebrating the best of local produce, a Chocolate Festival, special menus and events at restaurants, cafés and food retailers, the return of Open House Dining, a fine dining Murder Mystery Night and even a Whisky Festival. Click back to Brighton Visitor in 2010 for more details!
Starting Over Show returns to Brighton in 2010
Sunday 28 March 2010
A relationship break up can be the perfect time to make positive changes whether that’s starting up the business you always dreamed of, getting your pension sorted, or losing weight and taking more care of your health.
The Starting Over Show is the first UK event to help people bounce back from relationship break ups and life crises. Returning to the Brighton Centre on Sunday 28 March 2010, they create a safe haven in which you can take professional advice to build the confidence and skills you need to go it alone.
Sussex Beer & Cider Festival
Thursday 11 - Saturday 13 March 2010
Sussex CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) has announced that the 20th Sussex Beer and Cider Festival will be held at Hove Centre from 11-13 March 2010. Sales of real ale are increasing so to cope with the expected big demand, a record number of beers, well over 220, will be available this year plus a large selection of ciders, perries, country wines and British and foreign bottled beers.
Pup Aid 2010
Sunday 19 September
A family (and doggy!) friendly event at Stanmer House to raise awareness of the cruelty of puppy farming. Local bands, stalls, food and lots of activities for your four-legged friends!
Brighton & Hove Festival of Shopping
Thursday 1 - April 2010
A major new festival comes to Brighton & Hove this April – say ‘hola’ to the Festival a Shopping, a month-long celebration of the fantastic shopping to be had across the city. Spanning areas from Brighton Marina via the city centre, North Laine, Churchill Square, right through to Hove, the festival will be taking in every kind of store and retailer from small independents to major high street brands. Featuring competitions for all the family, discounts, styling events, street promotions and more, with the Festival of Shopping this April Brighton will be going wild in the aisles!
Hove Champagne Festival
Friday 4 - Saturday 5 June
A sensational day out discovering more about champagne with over 50 to try from some of the best champagne houses and suppliers. You will also have the chance to try signature dishes from two of Brighton and Hove's top restaurants whilst enjoying fine live music. The festival takes place on the beautiful Hove seafront between the sparkling English Channel and the stunning Regency buildings.
Brighton Frocks Fashion Week
Wednesday 9 - Sunday 13 June
Now in its sixth year, Brighton Fashion Week is the South’s leading fashion event and has won plaudits in the past from fashion heavyweights such as Grazia, Vogue and The Independent. This year promises to be the year for Brighton Fashion Week, with bigger shows, better headline names and, of course, oodles of glamour.
World Naked Bike Ride
Sunday 13 June
Get yer kit off! Yep, the annual Naked Bike Ride returns to the steamy streets of Brighton. As well as being somewhat of an eye-opener, the World Naked Bike Ride also has a serious side as it raises awareness against car culture and oil dependency.
Garden Gadabout
Saturday 26 - Sunday 27 June
& Saturday 3 - Sunday 4 July
The annual Garden Gadabout is a great way to either show off your garden, or have a good old nosey at someone else’s. Keen gardeners and growers across the city will be opening their gates to raise money for Sussex Beacon.
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Friday 2 - Sunday 4 July
The Festival of Speed is the largest motoring garden party in the world – a unique summer weekend that brings together an impossibly heady mix of cars, stars and motor sport ‘royalty’ to create the largest car culture event in the world. Held in the immaculate grounds of Goodwood House, this annual hill-climb event is a true celebration of motor sport and all things automotive.
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Friday 2 - Sunday 4 July
The Festival of Speed is the largest motoring garden party in the world – a unique summer weekend that brings together an impossibly heady mix of cars, stars and motor sport ‘royalty’ to create the largest car culture event in the world. Held in the immaculate grounds of Goodwood House, this annual hill-climb event is a true celebration of motor sport and all things automotive.
Brighton Early Music Festival
Friday 22 October - Sunday 7 November
Courtship and marriage, religion and customs, living, dying and remembering, eating, drinking, revelry and the seasons - celebrated in music from antiquity to the present. Artists include: Emma Kirkby, Red Priest, The Sixteen, Joglaresa, Horses Brawl, Passacaglia, Musica Secreta, the BREMF Players with Alison Bury, our 400th anniversary performance of the Monteverdi 1610 Vespers and singers coming together across the city for the Big Sing weekend.
