It’s been a weird old week weather-wise, hasn’t it? One minute we’re in summer going on winter, the next we’re back in the throes of a heatwave. Even if the weather has no idea what’s going on, you can be sure that we do (how’s that for a terrible segue), so read on for our pick of the best of what’s happening this weekend, from concerts to (free ice-cream) cones, not forgetting the famous annual world pea-throwing championships, the opening of Brighton’s rudest restaurant and the Free the Nipple protest.
1. Get your party on with Bison Beer
Bison Beer is back with another round of their infamous Block Party. Delayed by a couple of weeks because of that pesky summer (ha!) weather, they’ll be back at the Hove Platf9rm space with another round of tasty Bison beers and BBQ food from roast chicken kings Alberta’s, served with a generous helping of DJs and live music from local bands. They’ll also have a two-for-one deal on cocktails and any little ones you’ve got along for the ride will be kept busy by the kids craft station.
Saturday 12th August; midday – 9pm; free
Hove Town Hall, Church Road, Hove BN3 2AF
bisonbeer.co.uk
2. Celebrate the 140th anniversary of our favourite electric train
Choo choo, all aboard! Volk’s Electric Railway, the oldest working electric railway in the world, has been going for a whopping 140 years and they’ve organised a weekend full of events to celebrate. There’s a morning full of speeches and ceremonial processions on Saturday morning and an extra-special twilight service in the evening, with the train illuminated until 9pm that day. And on the Sunday, you’ll be able to tour the workshop and the depot and see some of the trains on display (call 07970 049921 to book these).
Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th August; various times
Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1PS
volksrailway.org.uk
3. Celebrate great coffee as this coffee festival returns
If you’re going to throw a coffee festival, then Brighton is definitely the place to do it – Brightonians spend more on a cup of Joe than anywhere else in the UK. Perhaps not that surprising given we have some of the best coffee in the country with heaps of indie roasters brewing up heaps of caffeinated goodness. And this festival celebrates the best of the local and British speciality coffee scene with over 50 exhibitors, panel discussions, latte art comps, free tasters, and of course loads of other gorgeous brews, plus food to go with them. Advance tickets are sold out now, but there may be tickets on the door – check their socials to be sure before you head over. This year they’re at the accessible All Saints church in Hove and dogs on a lead are welcome.
Saturday 12th August; 9am – 6pm; from £15
All Saints Church, The Drive, Hove, BN3 3QE
brightoncoffeefest.com
4. Head to the coffee fest after-party
Whether you made it (in) to the main festival or not, you can still go to the unofficial after-party at 17 Grams’ beautiful rose-hued roastery. A collab between 17 Grams, VA coffee machines and Minor Figures milk, you can expect an evening of drinks, DJs and, probably, heavily caffeinated socialising.
Saturday 12th August; 7pm – 10pm; free
12D Meeting House Lane, Brighton, BN1 1HB
Register for your free ticket
5. Check out the glorious interior of the old Hippodrome for one day only
If you missed the last opportunity to see inside Brighton’s Grade II-listed Hippodrome, which has been out of action since 2007, you’ve got another opportunity this Saturday morning. It’s been everything from a circus to an ice rink over its 124-year history, and happily, much of the original elaborate interior is still intact, including its Rococo-style mouldings, with the magnificent ceiling stealing the show following recent renovations. Don’t forget to sign the petition to support its return while you’re there – incredibly, city planners have declared this beautiful building ‘nil use’.
Saturday 12th August; 9am – midday; free
52 Middle Street, Brighton, BN1 1AL
Save Our Hippodrome
6. Go and watch Brighton’s famous singing barber in concert
You might not get Romeo serenading you from a balcony in Verona, but instead you’ve got the infinitely better (and ultimately less fatal) prospect of singing barber, Peter Joannou, performing for you from the window above his Brighton shop. He’ll be crooning the music of legends, such as Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Elvis and Frank Sinatra. Grab a pint from the pub and enjoy!
Saturday 12th August; 6pm – 7pm; free
40 Middle Street, Brighton, BN1 1AL
peterjoannou.co.uk
7. Go to a gig in a secret location
We’ve been long-time fans of Sofar Sounds. Live gigs have an added frisson when you don’t know where you’re going to be heading until the last minute, with everyday spaces like people’s homes and art galleries turned into intimate, immersive concert venues, putting the music itself back in the spotlight. This Saturday’s gig takes place in an accessible commercial property in the North Laine and you can bring your own booze. That’s all they’re giving away until 36 hours beforehand, but you can usually expect to see three acts.
Saturday 12th August; 7.15pm; £17
Location revealed 36 hours beforehand
sofarsounds.com
8. Get your hands on some free ice-cream
Sundays scream ice-cream to us, and guess what, you can get stuck into some for free this weekend, courtesy of Oatly. They’ll be serving up their new plant-based soft serve at the Milk Shed roastery. It’s all about celebrating plant-based goodness this weekend, so you can choose from a selection of homemade baked toppings from the Flour Pot Bakery to finish off your ice. The Golden Pineapple bar will also be on site giving away some mighty fine cocktails mixed with Oatly’s plant-based milk and you can also expect a whole load of merch, fun and games (there’s the infamous Oatly carton toss, for starters), a barista battle at 1pm (you don’t actually need to be a barista to take part), and music, too. Register for your free tix below to make sure you get to scoop the scoop.
Sunday 13th August; 10am – 3pm; free
The Milk Shed Coffee Roasters, 9 Prince’s Street, Brighton, BN2 1RD
Get free tickets
9. Shop at these makers’ markets
Lucky us, there are two excellent makers’ markets on this weekend. First up, the Black Brighton Market at the Actors, where “black people and people of colour have the opportunity to sell their art, goods, services and perform to the general public”. Each ticket includes a raffle entry to win a prize from one of the stallholders, which include tarot, artwork, tees, quirky candles, badges and eye-catching hand-made goodies that you won’t see elsewhere. Your ticket also gets you entry to the afternoon’s entertainment, kicked off at 3.30pm by vocal artist Adriana Lord who’ll be performing soulful Latinx, West African and Caribbean songs, with an open mic session afterwards. And secondly, the Makers Fair is holding its summer fair on the lawns of the gorgeous free-to-access One Garden in Stanmer Park. They’ll have an eclectic range of over 70 stalls, from jewellery and ceramics to original art and textiles, as well as art demos and live music.
Black Brighton Market: Saturday 12th August; 11am – 6pm; from £4
The Actors, 4 Prince’s Street, Brighton, BN2 1RD
jadehylton.com
Makers Fair: Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th August; 11am – 5pm; free
One Garden Brighton, Stanmer Park, Lewes Road, Brighton, BN1 9SE
themakersfair.com
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