It’s the last holiday of the year until Christmas! Whether you’re blessed with the last days of summer or a preview of fall, here’s how to make the most of it.
Pack yourself a free Innocent fruit cone
Feeling fruity? You will be. Smoothie supremos Innocent are heading down to the beach with their ‘ice cream truck with a twist’ this weekend. They’re handing out fresh fruit cones inspired by their smoothie recipes as part of their mission to get more people eating fruits and vegetables. Each paper cone is filled with fresh diced fruit – apparently what you get in three of Innocent’s little smoothies. Britain’s Best Home Chef, Eat well with less and Food: Truth or Fear presenter Chris Bavin and Innocent nutritionist Louisa Handley share items and share fun facts and healthy snack ideas.
Saturday, August 24; 11 a.m. (and until they run out); free
Brighton i360, Lower Kings Road, Brighton, BN21 2LN
Check out this stand-up comedian’s quirky artwork
What do you get when you meet a comedian and an artist? No, not Vic Reeves, but Dylan Moran apparently. We were completely unaware, but Black books The actor and stand-up has been sketching and painting all his life and often uses his pictures as a background for his performances. Along with artists Simon Thompson and Kiki Bond, he’s taking over seaside gallery Two Kats And A Cow for a week from Friday. He presents 250 original works – for the first time his original sketches and paintings are together on display and available for purchase. And Dylan will be in not-so-private views on Saturday as well (from 6 to 9 p.m)!
Saturday, August 24 – Thursday, August 29; free
167 Kings Road, Brighton BN1 1NB
twokatsandacow.co.uk
Party at the Lido
Here’s another joke for you that isn’t a joke: when is a Lido not just a Lido? When it’s also a restaurant and party palace, of course! (We know, we need to work on these.) Saltdean Lido has recently gone from strength to strength with the addition of a Deco restaurant and evening entertainment at the refurbished Grade II listed site. It’s their latest Lido Nights event this Saturday, featuring live 80s music with a twist from Dolly and The Ravens and DJs playing funk, soul and disco. Swim, grab light snacks from the restaurant and a drink from the bar and relax/dance on the pool terrace. Saturday organized.
Saturday, August 24; from 19:00 to 23:30; £15
Saltdean Lido, The Oval Park, Saltdean Park Road, Saltdean, Brighton BN2 8SP
saltdeanlido.co.uk
Get caught up in a Greek feast
Kemptown’s culinary couple behind Arissy Kitchen (Ari and Isy!) will leave their residency at The Kemp on August 30, but they’re going out on a Greek holiday this bank holiday. All known for bringing Med flavors to the table, their epic lunch spread this Monday is no exception. Think pork belly souvlaki, manour, plenty of mezze and BBQ in the sun trap garden (if the sun shines of course). Reservation recommended – particularly!
Monday, August 26; noon – 4 p.m.; food prices from £3
8 St George’s Road, Brighton BN2 1EB
kemp.pub
Help clean up the beach and get free ice cream
It’s not just about drinking beer with the stunning views of Sea Lanes – the site has teamed up with Leave No Trace to organize another beach clean-up this Sunday. As well as the satisfaction of knowing you’re doing your part to make our beaches more enjoyable for everyone, you’ll also get a free £99 ice cream from the lovely Wood & Coal gang if you do a full cleaning shift. And as, weather permitting, most of us are likely to spend a fair amount of this bank holiday at the beach, it only seems right to help stop it from showing up inside a bin at the end of the weekend. See you there?
Sunday, August 25; 9.30; free; meet on the beach in front of Sea Lanes
Sea Lanes Brighton, 300 Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1BX
Leave no trace
Embrace your mod side
Mods, mods, we are mods! Ok, we’re not, but it there is Brighton Mod Weekender this bank holiday so we’re getting into the spirit of things. Organizers New Untouchables have gathered quite a following with their guest club nights, energetic DJ sets and live gigs. Head to Volks during the day (starting at noon), including a market selling records, clothes and memorabilia. In the evening, the party continues at Komedia and Patterns. But of course the scooters and gear make the event. They’re kicking things up a notch (see what we did there?) with a scooter ride on Sunday from 1:30 to 2 p.m., followed by the much-anticipated scooter race from 3 to 4 p.m. outside Volks on Madeira Drive. It’s worth heading there just for the comp; If the last few years are anything to go by, there are some really impressive rides.
Friday 25 – Monday 28 August; at different times; for free
Different places
newuntouchables.com
Check it out at this summer fair
Patcham Duck Fayre is back in 2024 with more stalls (and ducks) than ever. The dog show organized by the RSPCA starts at 12:30 p.m., and registrations are taken from noon. Aren’t you mad about dogs? There’s also everything you’d expect from a traditional summer party (tombola!), plus fairground rides, retro games, numerous dance and music performances (including Marta Scott’s dancers who always bring the party), a family area with free craft and circus skills workshops, face painting and balloon modeling and plenty of refreshments (Belzebab and Cielo Cakery are just a few of the vendors). And yes, there is a duck hunt – look out for the bright yellow cakes hiding in and around the stalls.
Sunday, August 25 from 11:00 to 16:30; free
Patcham High School and Middle School Fields, Women’s Mile Rd, Brighton, BN1 8TA
patchamduckfayre.co.uk
Celebrate LGBTQIA+ winemakers
If you’re an oenophile or just love wine, you should check out the Queer Wine Club, an evening dedicated to celebrating LGBTQIA+ winemakers, tasting their amazing wines and learning all about them. A “recovering restaurant industry die-hard and wine geek,” Alex will host a vin-related panel with Beck of Haar Winery and Kristen of Off The Line Vineyard. They also fund BOBU – Back Off, Back Up, a program that trains hospitality venues as safe spaces for the queer community.
Sunday, August 25; from 18:00 to 20:00; from £15 (includes free table tops)
Arcobaleno, 120 Saint George’s Road, Brighton, BN2 1EA
Get the tickets
Find a seat in this hot ticket bar
One of the most sought after places in town at the moment is Voya in Brighton. This cozy neighborhood bar-restaurant takes over the former Oseta Cafe. It is only open two weekends a month. So as word of mouth continues to spread about its top-notch creative cocktails, food and lively atmosphere, booking a table has become almost as difficult as getting Taylor Swift tickets. Having achieved rare success in combining food, drink and atmosphere, unsurprisingly they’re almost completely sold out for this Friday and Saturday (there’s still room at 10pm and 10.30pm if you’re quick), but luckily for us all, they always keep a few seats in the back for walk-ins . As well as a tight selection of superbly crafted cocktails (the soft, hearty Rum Bread – brown butter-washed Eminent Reserva rum, maple miso and Marsala – is our current favourite) and a short menu of more serious small plates (the mushroom birria and sweetcorn ribs with fermented habanero were both so good we re-ordered them twice ), they also play a carefully curated selection of excellent songs on an equally excellent sound system. Get there early for your best chance of getting inside this hidden gem while you still can!
Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August; from 17:00 to 23:00 (last order to the kitchen at 22:30)
34 North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YB
Come to Brighton
Experience the summer in style at an intimate festival
If you want to make the most of the last days of summer, a trip to a festival is always a good bet. And it doesn’t get much better than Neon in Nature, a boutique wellness and music festival set against the backdrop of the stunning Great Ote Hall, a 13th-century Sussex mansion just 20 minutes from Brighton. The super-intimate festival (maximum capacity is 400) brings together the best of music, wellness and sustainability for a weekend that’s as good as it gets. But this is not your average festival. The volunteer-run event is all about making a difference, with every penny raised going to incredible global causes. Imagine a festival where you can start your day with a yoga class, dive into a cold plunge, relax in a hot tub, and then continue with live and electronic music under the stars. And that’s just the beginning. The hotel also has a pool to dive into, climate and social justice talks to inspire, daily dress-up themes and enough good vibes to keep you buzzing all weekend.
Friday 23 August – Monday 26 August; weekend tickets from £136.14; Day tickets and glamping packages are also available
Great Ote Hall, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill, RH15 0SR
Neon in nature
Exit town: East Preston
Wedged between Worthing and Littlehampton, this lesser-known spot is worth the trip for its beaches alone (there’s plenty of low-tide magic every day), but this weekend it’s also hosting a food and drink festival on the village green. . Stock up on treats from local merchants like Worthing’s Summit Tasty, who will be there with their loaded fries, and Cat Burglar Dough Co, for starters. But don’t miss that trip to the beach or the view of the private roads around the million pound houses. It’s about 40 minutes by car or train (to Angmering, then a 20 minute walk) or if you have an hour and a half to kill, the 700 bus will take you there.
Saturday, August 24; noon – 5 p.m.; free
East Preston Village Green, East Preston, BN16 1NP
More information
Need more?
What else? There is a cake, Book and plant fundraiser for Hanover’s homeless project on Saturday (12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; free), while history fans will want to head to Arundel Castle for a three-day history festival (Saturday – Monday; from £15), which allows you to learn about medieval things from crafts to ancient combat tactics such as ax throwing. For stunning bird’s-eye views of Brighton at sunset, cocktails and a surprisingly intimate experience (much more so than similar high-end events in London), head to Seascape, i360’s theatrical cocktail bar (Friday and Saturday; the ticket price includes a cocktail; 19.30; from £20.50).
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Photo Credits: Dominic Alves (Mods)
