Welcome to September! That was a bit of a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it summer, but if the forecasts are to be believed (we feel they’re not), we’re in for a sunny weekend and week ahead. The Brighton Speed Trials, aka the world’s longest-running motoring event, take place this weekend, so if watching over 200 cars and bikes pelting it down Madeira Drive in a bid to be the fastest sounds good to you, you can get the £12 tickets here.
And if you’re out and about on Friday evening, you’ll see the Royal Pavilion lit up in blue and white. It’s to celebrate the fact that Brighton & Hove Albion football club qualified for the Europa League for the first time ever (the draw was done today). Go, Seagulls!
One word of warning if you’re planning on heading down Madeira Drive to go to Sea Lanes (rather than the speed trials), it’s worth noting that the road will be closed on Friday, September 1 (until 6pm) and all day Saturday and Sunday, and the Sea Lanes site, including Fika and Bison Beach Bar, will be closed all day on Saturday. Public information announcement over, read on for the best of what’s going on this weekend…
1. Have a sound bath in the steam of a sauna
Diving into a sauna on a Friday at the end of a long week sounds pretty dreamy. Add a sound bath into the equation and you’ve got some sensory gorgeousness right there. That’s just what the Sauna Corner, the new sauna at Saltdean Lido, are kicking off this Friday – weekly sonic sauna sessions. Led by two sauna masters, the first immersive experience features the sound of a range of relaxing instruments, with some aromatherapy and light leaf-whisking (weird but lovely) to up the relaxation ante. Your ticket also includes access to the cold plunge pools, as well as refreshments and tasty teas. And relaaax.
Friday 1st September; 6pm – 7.30pm; £20
Sauna Corner, Saltdean Lido, The Oval Park, Saltdean Park Rd, Saltdean, Brighton BN2 8SP
thesaunacorner.com
2. Visit the Piña Colada van (and maybe get a free cocktail)
Cocktail-in-a-can specialists Moth have transformed an old-school ice-cream van into a bright yellow cocktail-slinging machine and they’re bringing it down to the coast on Friday. They’ll be serving up their new Piña Colada cans and bringing that all-inclusive-holiday nostalgia, complete with deckchairs, summer vibes and, yes, THAT song at their pop-up bar by the i360. And, if you’re one of the first 50 people down there on the Friday, you’ll get your hands on their new drink for free (head to our Insta for your chance to win a couple of cases). Just pray for sun.
Friday 1st September – Sunday 3rd September; midday – 9pm; from free
Under the i360 on the promenade, Lower Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2LN
mothdrinks.com
3. Go to a super-intimate festival in the Sussex countryside
Yep, festival season isn’t over just yet. But if the thought of spending time with thousands of people makes you want to lock yourself in a dark room, then not-for-profit festival Neon in Nature might be for you. This festival evolved from a house party, so they’re keeping the capacity small – just 250 people – ensuring an intimate, good-vibes-only community atmosphere. As well as DJs and live music (indie singer-songwriter Nick Mulvey and Afrobeat musician Dele Sosimi are headlining), you’ll find talks on eco-activism and sustainability, sound healing, yoga and massage workshops, and a wealth of sustainable local food and drink options (Casa Azul and Nostos will be there for starters) to feast on in the gorgeous Sussex countryside. Plus, the festival is run by volunteers, so 100 percent of proceeds go to support climate and community projects in Malawi, Turkey, Ukraine, Brazil and Nepal.
Friday 1st September, 6pm – Sunday 3rd September, 11.30pm; from £54.88
Great Ote Hall, Janes Lane, Burgess Hill, RH15 0SR
Book tickets
4. Visit this gin brand in their new home
Brighton Gin have only gone and got themselves a pub! Yes, the BOTI faves have taken over the lovely Bottom’s Rest in Hove. We’d highly recommend getting yourselves over there for some fun and games and a tasty tipple or three (as well as gin, there’s craft beer a-plenty from the likes of Tiny Rebel Brew and Harvey’s 1790). And there’s the added incentive of helping keep a local gem going strong – it’s apparently been a pub since 1890 – save our local boozers!
From Friday 1st September; from midday
16 Lower Market Street, Hove BN3 1AT
brightongin.com
5. Get your hands on some free beer
More booze and epic vehicles incoming. As we said in the intro, this weekend’s speed trials along Madeira Drive have meant the road and many of the businesses along it are closed on Saturday (Sea Lanes, Bison Beach Bar, Fika, all our faves). But the Bison Beer gang won’t let a little road closure stop them, so they’re transporting the beach bar vibes over to their Hove site (think tunes, tacos and more). And they’ve got their hands on a sunshine yellow 1976 Ford Cortina pick-up to bring their new beer – the Beach Rider NEIPA, the IPA’s juicier New England-style cousin – to the people. Spot them on Saturday and fancy a nice cold one? Just flag them down! At 5pm, they’ll be parking the vintage ride up outside their Hove site to sell the brews. And if you need to save some pennies, make sure you get down there early as the first 50 cans off the back of the truck will be free!
Saturday 2nd September; from 5pm; from free
Bison Beer Hove, 57 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2BD
bisonbeer.co.uk
6. Enjoy some Shakespeare al fresco
It’s the last weekend of One Fell Swoop Project’s Shakespeare micro-festival. Here’s the deal: the actors have got just 24 hours to rehearse and stage one of three of the Bard’s most well-known plays before performing it to an audience at the St Nicholas Rest Garden. They’ll have no idea which play they’ll be doing until they get the script and you, the audience, won’t know what you’ll be watching until the play begins. They’ll have scripts in hand, but the production will be fully costumed and staged. It’s a great afternoon out in a really lovely setting.
Sunday 3rd September; 2pm (doors open at 1pm); from £5.42
St Nicholas Garden, 41 Dyke Road, Brighton, BN1 3FG
Book tickets
7. Head to a makers market
We’re spoilt for choice with makers, creators, craft and foodie markets this weekend. Paper Daisy are back at the Brighthelm Centre (make sure you pop in to the brilliant Afrori Books while you’re there). As ever, their makers’ market (Saturday; 11am – 4pm; free) features a diverse showcase of talented makers, artists and designers with a treasure trove of goodies from local indie businesses. The Black Brighton Market is also back at the Actors (Saturday; 11am – 6pm; from £4) with an eclectic range of one-of-a-kind products, plus entry to a raffle and a range of performances in the afternoon. And it’s the monthly outing for the art, craft and makers market at the Liberation Art Gallery in the Lanes (Saturday; 11am – 4pm; free). Finally, for a selection of plant-based goodies, head to the monthly vegan market at the Open Market this Saturday (Saturday; 10 – 4pm; free). Phew!
Various times and locations
8. Keep the Pride party going at DIY Pride
This weekend sees the postponed DIY Pride event from August (it got pushed back for safety reasons due to the ridiculously bad weather over Pride weekend) and with the weather looking a lot friendlier this weekend, it should be lots of fun. There’ll be acoustic open mic sessions, talks from organisations like Queer Periods, a quiz, face-painting, crafting and zine-making workshops. And, above all, you’ll find a chilled, friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Bring a picnic!
Sunday 3rd September; 2pm – 6pm; free
Saunders Park, Hollingdean Road, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 4NH
DIY Pride
9. Don’t miss your last chance to see this immersive exhibition
For a different kind of immersion, if you haven’t yet made it over to Van Gogh Alive, you’ve only got 10 days left to go. More multi-sensory experience than traditional art exhibition, with cinema-quality surround sound and more than 3,000 images transforming each surface, the level of detail you get to appreciate is truly amazing. Think life-sized installations, such as the artist’s Bedroom of Arles painting, aromas of Provence and a fully immersive mirrored sunflower room featuring hundreds of the sunny blooms. If you’re planning on going, enter LASTCHANCE10 at the checkout for a cheeky 10 percent off your tickets.
Until Sunday 10th September; various times;
Brighton Dome, Church Street and New Road, Brighton, BN1 1UE
vangoghalive.co.uk
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