Let's hope the weather's going to be kind to us tomorrow night for Brighton and Hove's fantastic pagan festival of light, the Burning of the Clocks. So far the BBC weather site says eleven degrees, dry and cloudy, which is just about perfect!
Tomorrow night, the 21st December, is the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, after which the days slowly but surely get a little longer and lighter. For those of us who can't bear the long winter dirge of dark, grey days the solstice deserves serious celebration.
Here's what you can expect from this year's spectacular parade and firework display.
- the Brighton and Hove Burning of the Clocks event kicks off at 6pm and it's completely free
- enjoy a parade of beautiful, fragile paper lanterns created by hand in magical and mythical designs, weaving through the streets of the city - North Street, Ship Street, Bartholomews, East Street and Madeira Drive
- the burning of the lanterns takes place on on Brighton beach, symbolising the end of the old and the beginning of the new, heralding the faint, joyous promise of spring
- the event ends with a fantastic firework display to usher in the lighter, brighter, warmer times to come
Obviously the town centre's going to be packed. Luckily our city has enough restaurants, pubs, cafes and eateries to feed and water a large army of revellers! If there's no room at the city centre inn, why not try a local pub out of the immadiate town centre? Here's some ideas:
- head for the North Laine, home to excellent pubs like The Eagle, The Basketmakers and The Office
- hit Hanover's steep little streets and discover great pubs like The Geese Have Flown Over the Water, The Greys and The Constant Service
- explore Kemptown for stylish off-piste drinking and eating venues, several miniscule 'proper' locals and a wealth of superb, lively, vibrant gay bars
- take a bus to deepest Hove and enjoy a huge choice of great bars and gastro pubs a little way off the beaten track
- give London Road's pubs a go. The Hobgoblin is fab!
(Thanks to the Brighton and Hove Evening Argus / Simon Dack for the image.)