Somehow, it’s still not *officially* summer, but let’s be honest, it kinda is. Hopefully, you’ve recovered from the weekend’s heatwave and have nursed your sunburn/hangover/did-too-much exhaustion (delete as appropriate), because it’s time to do it all again. Are you ready?
1. Get yourself down to Saltdean Lido’s Big Weekend
A dip and a party? Sounds like weekend perfection with this ideal get-in-the-water weather. Art deco pool Saltdean Lido is holding a mammoth weekend fundraising party to celebrate its gorgeous restoration and its 85th anniversary year. There’ll be live 80s, 90s and 00s hits from Technicolour on the Friday while 50s rock n’ roll band The Bluejays will be headlining the Saturday party in the lido’s poolside marquee, plus a bar selling local beers and wines, hot food from Fumar Cozinha and Mr Raclette. As an extra bonus, tickets also include an evening swim in the floodlit pool. They’ll also be lighting up the facade to mark the celebrations!
Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June; 7pm – 11pm; from £15
The Oval Park, Saltdean Park Road, Saltdean, Brighton BN2 8SP
saltdeanlido.org
2. Head to Hove for free doughnuts and beer
If you haven’t been to new-ish steak restaurant Carne in Hove yet (here’s why you should), they’re throwing a terrace party this Friday, so now’s the perfect opportunity to give them a try. Birra Murano will be there with free beers and Carne will be giving away their epic BBQ beef doughnuts and mushroom duxelles-stuffed doughnuts. They served these up at last weekend’s Hove Food Fest and they went down a storm, so you’re in for a treat. They’ll also be running a cash-only raffle for a bottle of Agnes Arber Gin to raise money for Table Talk Foundation, which supports food education. No need to book!
Friday 16th June; 2pm – 6pm; free
Carne Hove, 141 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2AE
carne-hove.co.uk
3. Don’t miss this preloved clothes pop-up
We’re really spoilt in Brighton when it comes to preloved goodies and this weekend is no exception. Beautifully curated preloved resale site Curate & Rotate are holding a pop-up at the equally aesthetically pleasing Workshop this weekend and it’s high on our must-visit list. If you’re a fan of minimalist pieces from a mixture of vintage, contemporary and up-and-coming brands (we’ve spotted Reformation, Tibi, Mother of Pearl, Reformation, Project AJ177 and Toteme, for starters), you’ll want to check it out, too.
Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June; 11am – 6pm (Fri) and 10am – 6pm (Sat); free
Workshop, The Space, 13A Prince Albert Street, Brighton, BN1 1HE
curateandrotate.co.uk
4. Parade your pooch this Saturday
Calling all dog fans! Annual event Bark in the Park is back at Queens Park this weekend. If you too are a firm fan of your, or someone else’s, four-legged bestie (NB we’re not advocating dog-napping here), then the event is a great opportunity to make new furry friends. You can enter your pup in the fun dog show, too – with categories from cutest puppy to best sausage-catcher, there’s something for every dog (lover). Organised by the Friends of Queens Park, all proceeds from show entries go towards keeping the park a lovely space for everyone.
Saturday 17th June; 11am – 3.30pm (show starts at midday); free to watch, £2 for show class entry
1 West Drive, Brighton, BN2 0QU
fqpbrighton.net
5. Celebrate six months of Flow State studio with a summer party
Gorgeous wellness studio in Hove, Flow State, is having a bit of a shindig this Friday to celebrate a whole six months since it threw its doors open and the line-up is looking pretty good. Think DJs curated by friends of BOTI Capsule Records, a pizza truck, drinks from the brilliant Mama’s Cocktails, tattoo artists offering live hand-poked tattoos, plus face-painting and balloons to keep little ones amused. Oh, and of course, guaranteed fun and summer vibes. Pop in to the Studio 50 shop next door (open til 5pm) while you’re there for a treasure trove of sustainable fashion, art, ceramics and flowers.
Friday 16th June; 4pm – 9pm
48 Brunswick Street West, Hove BN3 1EL
flowstate-hove.co.uk
6. Try a refreshing new summer seafood dish
Tonkotsu recently debuted a summer seafood ramen dish that we tried this week and while we’ve never really associated ramen with the word ‘refreshing’, that’s exactly what it was. King prawns, mussels and squid sit on a bed of chilled classic Tonkotsu noodles in a fresh homemade gazpacho. Just the thing for a summer supper. We’d also recommend ordering their chicken kara-age and their top-notch margaritas (we had the nori chilli and smoked hibiscus margs). If you’re after a bit of a deal, if you head down between 5pm and 7pm Sunday to Thursday, you’ll get two cocktails for £12. Cheers to that.
Tonkotsu Brighton, 20 New Road, Brighton BN1 1UF
tonkotsu.co.uk
7. Check out this new Sunday sharing menu
We know, we’re always eating, but here’s another recommendation to whet your appetite this weekend. We got a sneak peak of Tutto‘s new Sunday sharing menu and, safe to say, we’ll be back to try everything we couldn’t manage this time around. We particularly enjoyed the salumi and salted ricotta, the tagliatelle frutti di mare, the hearty aubergine parmigiana and the incredibly moreish truffle lasagne crocchette. Don’t miss the puddings, either – we opted for the tiramisu ice-cream sundae, but we’ll be back for the seriously decadent-looking strawberry lemon meringue tart that’s only available on Sundays. Each generous dish is intended for two people to share, but let’s just say you might want to keep it all for yourself! Launching this Sunday, it’s really fairly priced, too, starting at £27 for antipasti and a main dish (tables available at the time of writing).
The sharing menu is served on Sundays only
20 – 22 Marlborough Place, Brighton BN1 1UB
tutto-restaurant.co.uk
8. Go to the world’s largest free festival in Lewes (sort of)
You deserve a slice of culture with all that food, so how about heading to theatre company Something Underground‘s open-air stage show The Spirit of Woodstock this Saturday (with a picnic, obvs). Expect to be transported back to the era of the ‘mother of all free festivals’ in this interactive rollercoaster ride of a show that immerses you in everything from the politics and the anti-war protesters to the music and personalities of the groovy sixties via a whopping 65 characters. Tie-dye optional. The company are also showing their 70s sequel Children of the Revolution the same day. Groovy, baby.
Saturday 17th June; 3pm and 7pm
The Paddock Field, The Avenue, Lewes, BN7 1TW
somethingunderground.co.uk
9. Sink some pints at a beer festival in the Downs
And if you’re going to go to Lewes, you may as well make a day of it (it’s a lovely walk there from Brighton across the Downs), so get yourselves over to Beak Brewery’s These Hills beer festival. Set in the rolling hills of the Downs (the clue’s in the name) but just a short walk from the station, your ticket will get you access to limited-edition beer, wine and cider from 35 top producers, as well as live music (Brighton’s Carnival Collective will be one of the bands playing), DJs and plenty of tasty street food. You’ll also get a free These Hills glass and tote bag and a drink.
Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June; 5pm – 11pm (Fri), 11.30am – 4.30pm and 6pm – 11.30pm (Sat); from £24.75
Party Field, Cockshut Road, Lewes, BN7 3PR
beakbrewery.com
10. Get ready for Brighton Book Festival with a morning of bookish family fun
The long-awaited return of Brighton Book Festival kicks off next week but, in the meantime, you can get yourself in the mood this Saturday. Get stuck into a creative session with the Afrori Books craft team, an author reading and Q&A with local children’s and YA author Patrice Lawrence and storytime and song with Annemarie Anang around her children’s book I am Nefertiti. There’s also take-away lunch, competitions, giveaways and prizes. Tickets are free, but there’s limited capacity at the venue, so make sure you register if you’re planning to attend.
Saturday 17th June; 10am – midday; free
East Brighton Trust, Westergate Road, Brighton, BN2 4QN
Book here
11. Free your inner dancing queen at a candlelight concert
There’s something very special about candlelight concerts. Hundreds of candles glowing while musicians perform some of your favourite tunes. Add in a spectacular building like the Royal Pavilion as a backdrop and you’ve got yourself a real treat. This Saturday, Candlelight Concerts are bringing the magic of Abba to King George IV’s seaside palace – a string quartet will be performing some of their best-known tracks, from ‘Mamma Mia’ to ‘SOS’. Gimme Gimme Gimme (some tickets).
Saturday 17th June; 9pm; from £25
Royal Pavilion, 4/5 Pavilion Buildings, Brighton, BN1 1EE
feverup.com
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