things to do this weekend: 19th – 21st october

Well, here we are again, it’s another wonderful weekend! And in our weekly weather update, we’re getting some proper autumnal feels now as the air’s getting crisper and the ground’s deliciously crunchy with russet leaves. But it’s still sunny and we’re quite excited. More importantly, thought, we’re excited to tell you about our top picks. We’ve already shouted loud about the wonderful HorrorFest that kicked off earlier this week, the joys of life in the affirmative with Yestival weekend (it’s not too late to get tickets), plus you’ve got until Sunday to eat your way through OctoberBest restaurant offers. So what else?


(Snails)pace yourself

We’ve been loving the arty gastropods that have graced our city streets since mid-September to raise money for Martlets Hospice, who provide care for local people living through a terminal illness. And, today, in honour of #BeMoreSnailDay, and to up the fundraising ante, Fatboy Slim will be undertaking a walking snailathon: he’ll be walking 26 miles and visiting all 50 snails in Brighton and Hove in one day. So if you’re out and about in the city, see if you can spot him and don’t forget to donate! He’s expected at Art+Believe’s Inca Snail at Brighton Pavilion at around 6pm, if you want a sure-fire spot. You can donate online or by texting SLOW18 £5 to 70070.
Friday 19th October, all day
Various locations around the city
snailspacebrighton.co.uk

pumpkin-tulleys-brighton

Alright, pumpkin?
You know it’s properly autumn when the pumpkins and squashes are lining shop window displays and if you want to create the same thing at home, feast on pumpkin pie, and have a perfectly autumnal day out, then check out Tulley’s Farm. They’re renowned for their spooktacular Shocktober Halloween event, but this is the first year they’ve opened their mammoth 12-acre pumpkin fields to pick-your-own enthusiasts. With around 75,000 differently shaped pumpkins, gourds and squashes, it’s an autumn lover’s dream. Secateurs a must!
Saturday 20th – Sunday 28th October, 10.00am – 5.00pm; free
400 yards from farm main entrance, Tulleys Farm, Turners Hill Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4PE
tulleysspookfest.co.uk

ghost-story-writing-regency-town-house-brighton-hove

We ain’t afraid of no ghosts
Hell, no, we even want to write about them. So where better to get your spook on than at a ghost story writing workshop at the atmospheric Regency Town House? And no, we’re not scared of rhetorical questions, either. Suitable for beginners, the three-hour workshop led by writer Bridget Whelan and artist Jill Vigus will teach you how to use tension, pace and jeopardy to create a spine-chilling yarn that will make your Halloween tales even spookier and your readers trembling for more. You’ll work on poems, micro-fiction, collages of images and ideas and will leave with everything you need to write your own chilling narratives. The workshop also includes a tour of the 1820s’ basement annexe at number 10, giving you a fascinating insight into how life was once lived above and below stairs. Oh, and did we mention you get tea and cake (possibly from a Regency recipe), too? If those aren’t a writer’s perfect accompaniments, we don’t know what are. (Although, we wouldn’t necessarily say no to coffee and booze, either.) ,
Saturday 20th October, 2.00pm – 5.00pm; £26.79
The Regency Town House, 13 Brunswick Square, Hove BN3 1EH
rth.org.uk

neil-hilborn-brighton
Word up

Poetry and spoken word fans, you need this. Neil Hilborn, the most-watched poet out there with over 100 million online views, is bringing his stirring slam poetry to The Haunt on Sunday. He’s best known for his poems ‘Joey‘ and ‘OCD‘, but, to be honest, we love them all for the way he gets in our heads and perfectly articulates just what we’re thinking. His carefully chosen words run the gamut of emotions, from pain to passion, and you can’t fail to be touched. He’ll be ably supported Sabrina Benaim and Rudy Francisco, two other friends of American spoken word provider Button Poetry who broadcast some of the best poetry coming out of the US.
Sunday 21st October, doors 7.00pm, starts at 7.30pm;  £17.60
The Haunt, 10 Pool Valley, Brighton BN1 1NJ
seetickets.com