The highly anticipated Easter weekend (hello, four-day break) is right around the corner, and we’ve got a bunny load of egg-citing ideas to help you make the most out of your mini (egg)-break. And no, it’s not just about chocolate (although we’ve got lots of that too). Come on, let’s hop to it.
Fair’s fair
The annual Palmeira Square fair and Easter egg hunt is fast becoming a bit of a local tradition. And by supporting it, you’ll be helping raise funds to look after the gorgeous public gardens there and on Adelaide Crescent. As well as the egg hunt (entry by £2 prize tombola ticket), there will be around 30 stalls from indie businesses, such as artists and jewellers, Oui Creperie will be in situ serving up their tasty crepes and galettes from their little blue van, and there’s a play area for the kids. It’s supposed to be (famous last words) lovely on Sunday, so perfect for making a day of it.
Sunday 9th April; 10am – 4pm; from free
Palmeira Square, Hove, BN3 2JP
pagfund.org
Pineapples and pints
With said lovely weather (now we’ve done it) on our radar, it’s the perfect weekend for chilling out in a beer garden. Luckily, we’re pretty spoilt for choice for great ones locally. Over in East Brighton is Brighton Bier’s lively taproom, which aside from serving up banging beers, is looking even more appealing this Easter weekend with the start of Lucky Pineapple’s residency. They’ll be conjuring up their seriously tasty cocktails from their beautiful golden pineapple van, while Casa Azul will be slinging their traditional Mexican food. Saturdays sorted.
Thursdays and Fridays, 5pm – 10pm; Saturdays, 1pm – 10pm
Unit 10, Bell Tower Industrial Estate, Roedean Road, Brighton, BN2 5RU
brightonbier.com
Easter brews and clues
Discover Brighton’s hidden-gem pubs with Unbarred Brewery’s ultimate Easter Beer Trail. Featuring 10 local boozers, this trail invites you to get your drinking gear around Unbarred’s tasty beer at every stop, collecting stamps stamps as you go, for the chance to win some incredible prizes. And if you fancy putting your brain as well as your mouth to work, you can take on their Anagram Challenge for the chance to win a year’s supply of beer. You can pick up a trail card from any participating pub, Unbarred’s Taproom, or online, and embark on a refreshing week-long journey filled with fantastic beer and amazing rewards. Bon voyage!
Tuesday 4th – Monday 10th April; download the beer trail card here
Locations are on the beer trail card and UnBarred’s website
unbarredbrewery.com
All that jazz
One of our favourite Hove pubs (yes, we have a lot of faves) The Brunswick is back with its big band night this Easter Sunday. This month it’s the Brighton Jazz Mafia taking to the stage and you can expect to hear them play the likes of big band greats, such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Need another reason to go? They’ve got one of the best beer gardens in the city and Humble Plates’ food is seriously good, including their tasty Sunday roasts, which have three meaty and two veggie options.
Sunday 9th April; 7.30pm; entry by donation – £5 suggested
1 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JF
brunswickpub.co.uk
READ ALSO: Five ridiculously scenic walks on your doorstep
Swim when you’re winning
It’s that time again! Kick off your Easter weekend with ethical swimwear brand Ruby Moon Swim and Yoga in the Lanes for an extra-special full-moon swim, paddle, yoga and dance event. It’s a pink moon this month (although it won’t look pink, sadly), so they’re inviting everyone to get in on the pink and sparkly theme, ready to get down with Cara Sparkles (remember her lockdown dances?) who’s bringing all the dance vibes. Don’t forget warm clothes!
Thursday 6th April; meet on the beach in front of Hove Lawns Cafe at 7pm (look for the Ruby Moon banner); free
The Lawns Cafe, Hove Promenade, Kingsway, Brighton
rubymoon.org.uk
Life is a cabaret
Or is life Cabaret? On Thursday nights it is, courtesy of a new musical theatre dance fitness class! Get your razzle dazzle on with teacher Georgina who’ll take you through some easy-to-follow choreo to some of the all-time musical greats, from Chicago to Hairspray. And to celebrate it being the very first class, if you enter ‘BROADWAYBABY’ at checkout, you’ll get this class completely gratis. Is that the West End calling?
Thursday 6th April; 7.30pm – 8.15pm; from free
Bhasvic College, Dyke Road, Hove
chichi-fit.co.uk
(Preston) Park life
We love Preston Park for its gorgeous wide open spaces – all 63 acres of them, beautiful planting (particularly lovely right now) and great cakes. And we love a good Easter-themed activity. Got little ones (or keen big ones) and feel the same? Then you might want to get yourselves down there on Sunday for the park’s Easter quiz, which is open to all ages and based on different areas around the park. If you complete the full thing, there’s a small prize up for grabs, too! (Please let it be chocolate.) There’s also an Easter-themed drawing comp and a face-painting team to get kids – or you – on theme.
Sunday 9th April; 11am – 1.30pm; from free
Near the Chalet Cafe, Preston Park, Preston Road, Brighton, BN1 6SD
Joust for fun
Slightly further afield, but well worth the trip, is the Medieval Festival at the beautiful Arundel Castle. The festival brings history to life (minus the stinkiness), transporting you back to heady 13th century England when King John and his loyal followers quashed a rebellion and fended off French invaders. But it’s not just one for war game reenactment enthusiasts – as well as combat and archery demos, you’ll find leather work and pewter casting, as well as medieval-inspired dishes, fire-eaters and live music. Don’t miss the chance to wander around the pretty market town with its brilliant arts and antique shops while you’re there. And, if you fancy a(nother)food or drink pit-stop, we’re big fans of the Black Rabbit on the River Arun, Sussex sparkling wine fine cellar Digby’s, and indie taproom The Brewhouse Project just over the river.
Friday 7th – Monday 10th April; from £11
Arundel, BN18 9AB
arundelcastle.org
Wine us up
Have you been to Kinsbrook Vineyard yet? Here’s why you should go exploring: The progressive young winery is in a gorgeous part of West Sussex that’s studded with great vineyards and stunning views. Kinsbrook recently opened a farmhouse, comprising a superbly stocked farm shop (cheese counter, baked goods, butchery, Easter goodies, the works) and an upstairs eatery overlooking their glorious vines. This Easter Saturday and Sunday they’re bringing back their lockdown horsebox for some outdoor grill sessions (midday – 3pm), or you can dive into some of the delicious dishes on their brunch or deli menu (and then buy some to take home from the shop). Perfect over a glass of something sparkling, or try their chilled red, the eminently drinkable Chough au Vin, the first from their cool new Kith brand. If you’re free on Sunday, it’s worth making a day of it, there’s an egg hunt in the morning (9 – 11am) and live music in the afternoon (2 – 4pm). Oh, and did we mention it’s dog-friendly? Cheers to that!
Open daily; 9am – 5pm
West Chiltington Road, Thakeham, RH20 2RZ
kinsbrookvineyard.com
Crack the case
Put your detective skills to the test with Oeuf Cafe’s Golden Egg Hunt in Hove. Kicking off on 3rd April, a shiny Golden Egg will be hidden somewhere in the area, and if you’re the lucky one to find it, you’ll win a delicious brunch for four. But don’t worry, you won’t be completely in the dark, Oeuf will be posting daily clues on their Instagram to help you on your quest. So grab your detective hats and get ready to crack the case (see what we did there?)
From Monday 3rd April
oeuf.cafe
It’s a secret, can you keep it?
Our favourite (no-longer-quite-so-secret) secret garden is back! Yep, Kemptown’s Secret Garden is opening for its summer season this Friday, so you can expect walled garden tranquillity, seriously good food from Table Brighton – here’s hoping their wild garlic and cheese scones make a return – and seriously large sculptures from David Breuer-Weil.
Friday 7th – Sunday 9th April (then weekends until 4th June); 11am – 5pm; free but donations welcomed
Bristol Gardens, Brighton BN2 5JE (opposite Bennett Road)
secretgardenkemptown.co.uk
Egg-citing street art
This is not your average Easter egg-decorating event. Join Sarah Gillings, an award-winning inclusive arts practitioner, at the Conclave Gallery in Brighton for a street art-inspired workshop. You’re invited to get creative and make five edgy graffiti-inspired egg decorations, each with their own hanging strings. But that’s not all, you’ll also have the opportunity to paint a vinyl record with nature-inspired stencils and freehand layers. And don’t forget to bring a white or light-coloured T-shirt for you to customise with some cool designs.
Thursday 6th April; 1pm – 3pm and 3:30pm – 5:30pm; £22.38
Conclave, 9 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3WA
conclave-brighton.co.uk
Bricks are brilliant
Are you a Lego lover and an adventure seeker looking for something fun and quirky to do this Easter? Then you’re in luck as the Brilliant Brighton Lego trail is back for its fourth edition. It’s a great opportunity to explore Brighton and its shops in a completely different way, all while hunting down the 58 elusive Lego mini-figures hidden in 42 local businesses. If you manage to track down all the mini-figures AND correctly identify them, you’ll be in with a chance of winning one of three fantastic prizes, from gift cards to a £90 Lego kit. You can find exactly where to start looking here.
Saturday 1st – Sunday 30th April; free
brilliantbrighton.com
(Caba)rave on
If you’d rather let loose and party this Easter, hop on over to Cabarave’s first event of 2023. You’ll be treated to electrifying beats, captivating cabaret acts, and puns that will crack you up (and yes, that pun was intended). And don’t forget to bring your A-game with your costume, as there’s an epic competition with some great prizes up for grabs for the best-dressed. So whether you opt to be a good egg or a bad bunny, it’s time to get creative. There are no limits here either – think everything from flowers and farmyard animals to Faberge eggs and Alice In Wonderland.
Friday 7th April; 11pm – 7am; £15.65
Volks, 3 Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1PS
volksclub.co.uk
Vineyard eggs-ploration
Albourne is hosting a Golden Easter Egg Hunt at their vineyard to mark the Easter weekend. Take a leisurely stroll through the stunning vineyard and unravel the mysteries of Albourne Estate while searching for those eggs. If you find one, you’ll receive a complimentary glass of their seriously good wine when you get back to their Tasting Room, which, for wine enthusiasts like ourselves, is just as desirable a reward as any chocolate egg!
Saturday 8th – Sunday 9th April; 11am – 6pm; free
Albourne Farm, Shaves Wood Lane, Albourne, Hassocks, BN6 9DX
albourneestate.co.uk
This is the (Cherry) Bomb
Wanna spice up your weekend brunch plans? Look no further than the Drag Bus! Starting at 11am, buckle up for a wild two-hour ride around Brighton and Hove on a London Routemaster bus. You’ll be entertained by the fabulous Cherry Bomb, one of the city’s premier drag queens, while getting stuck in to a light brunch and half a bottle of prosecco (or two gin and tonics). This trip also includes a unique Easter hunt, the details of which are being kept firmly under wraps for now!
Saturday 8th April; 11am – 1pm; £49
Pick-up at Brighton Train Station, Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XP
Dragbus.co.uk
BBQ and bands
Kick off your Easter celebrations by heading over to Platf9rm in Hove this Saturday. As part of Bison Beer’s partnership with the coworking space, Slam BBQ will be there cooking up a storm with a sizzling spread of both meaty and veggie dishes. But that’s not all – the afternoon will also be filled with awesome live music, courtesy of talented students from Waterbear College of Music and some incredible local bands with the brilliantly named Django Chutney headlining. It’s the perfect excuse to gather your squad, soak up some good vibes, and enjoy some delicious food.
Saturday 8th April; from 12pm; free
Hove Town Hall, Church Rd, Hove, BN3 2AF
platf9rm.com
Seaside forage frenzy
If you’re after a more relaxing and educational experience this Easter, join Urban Forage for a sunrise coastal foraging walk. Their expert guide will introduce you to a handful of local plants that are safe (and delicious) to pick and eat. Then, you’ll venture to the clifftops for a sea vegetable and herb forage, where you’ll get up close and personal with some of the best wild herbs and veggies around. Be prepared to get a little wet and, who knows, maybe even spot a crab or two along the way! They’re also running an Easter Sunday forage that finishes with a fabulous lunch from all your foraged goodies.
Saturday 8th April; 7am – 9am; £35
Valet Car Wash, Asda Brighton Marina, Brighton, BN2 5UW
urbanforage.me
By Beth Musselwhite
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