After one of the best bank holiday weekends of the year last weekend and a lovely short week, the weekend has certainly come around a lot quicker than usual. We like this a lot. The sun is also looking like it will be coming back out to play, so we’re here to add even more fun to your weekend. We’ve got beer, booty shaking and a bucket (and spade) load of beachside gin.
Ain’t no party like a three-day party
We’ve spoken to the beer expert and we’ve told you about some of the Brighton & Hove Beer Week events we’ll be jumping right into, so it seems only right to have a grand finale, right? Well, beer lovers unite, as the city’s first beer fesival just so happens to coincide with Burning Sky’s 5th birthday party so they’ve decided to celebrate with a three-day party at the Prince Albert pub. And why the hell not? In short, the party will be a mini beer festival with free entry and lots of great beer. To make sure there’s enough beer for everyone, they’ll even be adding pop-up bars to their two back rooms and another upstairs, too. Get there early and get your tokens from the main bar so you can save time to explore their keg beers. The pub is open all day, but their party times vary across the weekend, including Sunday’s midday-until-they-run-out-of-beer rule!
Friday 31st August, 5.00pm until close, Saturday 1st September, 3.00pm until close, Sunday 2nd September, midday until they run out of beer, or the pub closes; free
The Prince Albert, 48 Trafalgar St, Brighton BN1 4ED
burningskybeer.com
Speedy Saturday
If fast cars do it for you, then get yourself down to Madeira Drive, as the Brighton & Hove Motor Club are following in the footsteps of last week’s Mod Weekender and hitting the seaside. The Brighton National Speed Trials are the original and first motoring event to have started in Madeira Drive back in 1905, so you’ll be witnessing a piece of history… as well as some very fast tricks that will have you on the edge of the promenade. They expect a whopping 200 cars and 75 motorcycles to take part during the day, with some dating back to the 1920s. We’ll be keeping our eye out for those bad boys.
Saturday 1st September, 7.00am – 6.00pm; £12 or £15 on the gate
Madeira Drive, Brighton BN2 1PS
brightonandhovemotorclub.co.uk
Introducing, Gin Fest!
Oh yes, the gin-tastic festival is hitting Brighton Promenade next to the i360 on Saturday and Sunday, bringing a massive range of locally distilled Sussex gins, tasty hot and cold food and all sorts of gin-based demos. Now, this is a festival we like the sound of. Local gin producers include some of our favourites, too, as Brighton Gin (obviously), Tomcat Gin (have you tried the mango gin though?!) and Slake (made by the lovely Tom in Shoreham) will be there all weekend, plus plenty of others that you’ll just have to try. You can even do a spot of shopping while you’re down there at the cute boutiques under the arches. Or if you’re looking for something a little more substantial on the food side of things, why not make the most of the (predicted) sunshine and nab a spot outside Murmur or the newest addition to the Flour Pot family and watch the world go by through your gin-tinted glasses. Festival goers will get a Bramble Cocktail on arrival and there will be live entertainment, too, so what’s not to love?
Saturday 1st September 6.00pm – 9.00pm (only session still available), Sunday 2nd September 11.00am – 2.00pm, 3.00pm – 6.00pm; £15 or £20 to include a flight on the i360
Next to the i360, Lower Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2LN
sussexginfest.com
And if you need a second fix…
…Then scooch on over to Pharmacie Coffee Roasters on Saturday night, as Good Spirits is back for another gin-tasting event to help raise funds for the Dunkirk Refugee Women’s Centre. Join them in Hove where you’ll tuck into a cocktail on arrival and discover six delicious gins while you’re at it. What a way to spend a Saturday night, eh? We’re told there’s more to gin than just a G&T, so spirits writer and educator Kristiane Sherry (how apt!) will make sure you leave with a fountain of gin-tasting knowledge (but hopefully no hangover).
Saturday 1st September, 7.00pm – 10.00pm; £30
Pharmacie Coffee Roasters, 18 Cambridge Grove, Hove BN3 3ED
Good Spirits tickets
Follow the Hidden Herd
If you’re more into music than gin, then we’ve got another kind of festival for you, as Hidden Herd festival hits The Green Door Store from 2.00pm on Saturday. The online indy music mag has a great line up planned too, with The Ninth Wave, Another Sky and Pelicandy (pictured) taking prime stage spots to keep your dancing into the evening. Dirty Vegan will be filling the space with the smell of vegan dogs too, keeping rock and rollers well fed throughout the day. Not sure what to expect? Check out their festival playlist and decide for yourself. It’s going to be a good one…
Saturday 1st September, 2.00pm until late; £10 in advance
The Green Door Store, 3 Trafalgar Street, Brighton BN1 4FQ
Sunday Funday
If you’re after something a little more family friendly to top your weekend off, then Brighton Racecourse is calling! Sunday sees the last race meet of the summer, so their Sunday Social event brings a whole load of entertainment for all the family. Head up to Brighton’s historic racecourse for some lush views across the city, while the kids enjoy some hand-picked entertainment, a fairground and face paints. Don’t worry, big kids can get involved too. You’ll have access to their picnic area if you fancy bringing your own spread, but you’ll find the Long Bar and Cafe on site as well. Most importantly, there’ll be live music, horse racing and kids go free!
Sunday 2nd September, midday – 5.00pm; £10, kids free
Brighton Racecourse, Freshfield Rd, Brighton BN2 9XZ
brighton-racecourse.co.uk
Big lemon walk
The Big Lemon team are back to brighten up your Sunday, as they head off on their twelfth Big Lemon Sunday Walk of the year. All aboard! Hop onto the environmentally sustainable bus service (it’s solar powered!) from the Old Steine and you’ll be whisked off to Arlington Reservoir to start the 7.2-mile walk to explore the stunning area. You’ll finish up at The Plough in Upper Dicker, where you can tuck into a rewarding pub lunch.
Sunday 2nd September, 10.30am; from £6 (save £1 if you pre-book)
Departs from Old Steine (South) Stop S, Brighton BN1 1NT
thebiglemon.myshopify.com
Reggae Reggae Sunday (featured image)
Who doesn’t love a skank or a dutty wine kind of Sunday? If getting down and dirty to some of the best reggae performers sounds like your kind of thing, then get yourself down to Concorde 2 for their Reggae all-dayer. King of Dancehall Johnny Osbourne is making his first appearance in Brighton, so it’s going to be one hell of a party as he belts out some of his popular Jamaican reggae and dancehall hits from the 70s and 80s, when he first rose to success. Roots reggae legend Johnny Clarke will also be performing, mixing some of his 70s hits with his more recent work following his return to the scene with new music in 1992. We are ready for some real reggae! Also in the main room, you can expect to shake your stuff to live performances from Earl 16, Brother Culture, Sir Coxsone Outernational and Brighton’s own Samsara Collective. You’ll be able to tuck into some authentic Caribbean food to keep your skanking energy levels up, too. Sounds fun!
Sunday 2nd September, 4.00pm – 11.00pm; £20
Concorde 2, Madeira Drive, Brighton BN2 1EN
concorde2.co.uk
Photo credits: Global Beats Agency (Reggae Reggae Sunday featured image), Don Blandford (Follow the Hidden Herd),
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