Escape the hubbub and heat this August by chilling out at a community event or festival. Here are just a few suggestions where you can meet old friends, make new ones or keep a low profile with a beer in theshade…
Rural Day at St Ann’s Well Gardens (Sunday 12th August) is a fun day out with a focus on the environment. Enter your pooch in ‘Scruffs’ Dog Show, or try your hand (and those of your kids) at creative and nature activities and arts and crafts. There will be puppets, charity stalls, home-made conserves, conservation campaigners, strolling players, plus a brass band.
Meanwhile, further afield, on August 11thand 12th, Firle Vintage Fair takes over the grounds of a picturesque Sussex country manor house for a weekend of stalls, shows, performances, workshops and activities, all inspired by the past.
The following weekend is my idea of a treat. Brunswick Festival is a super-laid-back, lush event in the midst of one of our most iconic squares. From noon until 8pm on 18th and 19th August, you will find a wealth of wondrous home cooking, art stalls, music and everything from bric to brac - and back again. There are also trees where you can branch out to escape the sun’s mighty glare…
Eastbourne Air Show is nearly upon us – and it’s worth planning ahead and getting there early to avoid the crush at this iconic Sussex event. Those magnificent men will be taking off from 16th to 19th August across our skies, but nowhere is there a better view of everything from Chinooks to Red Arrows than from Eastbourne beach. And best of all, it is absolutely free.
While we’re on the subject of flying – each year everyone talks about the International Bognor Birdman competition – a Sussex quirk if ever there was one, where crowds gather to see human beings powering a weird and wonderful selection of home-made contraptions to get airborne either for a cash prize of charity.
The sad news is that this year’s event has been cancelled due to a lack of funding. That said, there will be an event on Sunday 12th August 2018 to raise funds for aspiring birdmen in 2019. Do go along to help resurrect this iconic fun day out!
So don’t get trapped indoors this August – spread your own wings and take off across our lovely county for the very best of Brighton and Hove – and, appropriately, in the words of Buzz Lightyear, beyond!
