The longest day of the year is here this Sunday, bringing more than 16 hours of daylight and the best excuse to spend as much of it as possible outdoors.
Whether you’re up for a sunrise swim, fancy dancing around a maypole, or just need an excuse (ha!) for a sunset pint, here’s how to make the most of the summer solstice in Brighton and beyond this weekend.
Start with a sunrise swim
If you’re going to celebrate the longest day of the year, you may as well enjoy all those extra hours. Pells Pool is marking the solstice with a special quiet sunrise swim at the historic freshwater lido in Lewes. If you’re not averse to a super-early start – it’s at 5am – then get ready for golden light on the water and a considerably more peaceful experience than your average morning dip. Closer to home, you could just have a sea dip or plunge into the waters at Sea Lanes, of course.
Sun; 5am; from £5
pellspool.org.uk
Dance on the beach
RubyMoon Swim (of full moon party fame) are putting on a Midsummer Fest fundraiser on Saturday over at the Beach Box Spa on Madeira Drive. Immerse yourself in an evening of cacao ceremonies, breathwork sessions, soundbaths, sea swims, yoga, and a dance party as the sun goes down. It’s one of the bigger solstice gatherings happening locally and feels like the perfect fit for anyone who wants a dose of festival energy without leaving Brighton.
Sat; from 5pm; from £13.50
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Try a little Swedish midsummer
If you’ve ever wondered what Scandinavians get up to in midsummer, now’s your chance to find out. The Swedish School of Society in Brighton is bringing a little slice of Sweden to Portslade with traditional maypole dancing, flower crowns, and singing, plus coffee and baked goods from Nord and Libbee’s. It’s a popular event with Brighton’s Nordic community but you absolutely don’t need to be Swedish to get involved. Get on theme though and stock up with picnicky bits from Fika Bakery’s new shop.
Sat; 11am; £8.50
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Swap the city for the South Downs
The Wellderness gang are heading into the Sussex countryside for an evening of summer solstice connection, sounds baths, storytelling and nature at Wild Heart Hill in Findon, just outside Worthing. Think rolling Downland views, time outdoors and a chance to mark the changing season somewhere that feels more than a little removed from emails, notifications and endless doomscrolling. Bring a picnic or a dish to share.
Sun; from 5pm; £13.70
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Get your midsummer folk fix
If you prefer folklore and traditional songs, head to the Green Door Store on Sunday for a night of folk music with Welsh outfit Cara Elin, all-female ensemble Babette and Brighton harpist Alice Brightman.
Sun; 7pm; £8
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Take a deep breath
If the first half of 2026 has left you feeling slightly fried, a summer solstice breathwork session at St Augustine’s might be the calmer alternative to dancing on the beach you need. Set inside one of Brighton’s most impressive churches, the session uses guided breathwork to gently reset your system and mark the turning point of the year.
Sun; 1.30pm; £23
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Make something, do good
Combine creativity with a good cause at this solstice craft fundraiser for Refugee Week. You’ll learn all about cyanotype printing – a photographic process that uses sunlight to create striking blue-and-white prints – while helping raise funds as part of Refugee Week celebrations. There are also mobile and banner workshops later in the day,
Sun; from 2pm; from £6.13
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Find your people
Head to the Unitarian Church for the solstice edition of the Seaside Siblinghood Holistic craft fair, a market full of indie makers, holistic practitioners, readers, artists and wellbeing businesses. That means crystals, handmade goods, reiki, colourful tarot and plenty of Brighton’s alternative community under one roof.
Sat; 11am – 5pm; free
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Celebrate with a bit of folk tradition
Long before wellness influencers discovered the solstice, Morris dancers were marking the changing seasons. Sompting Village Morris are continuing that tradition this year, bringing bells, sticks and centuries-old folk customs into the modern world. Slightly eccentric? Yes, absolutely. But that’s all part of the charm. They’re starting at the Spotted Cow, over in pretty Angmering village west of Brighton. Soak it up, then head over to nearby East Preston beach for low-tide magic and the final hours of light.
Sun; 7pm; free
somptingvillagemorris.org.uk
Maximise your midsummer energy
The summer solstice has long been associated with reflection, renewal and taking a moment to breathe before the year races on. Brighton coach and author Lulu Minns is marking it with an online Summer Solstice Empowerment Circle featuring meditation, oracle cards and journaling exercises designed to help participants pause, reset and think about what’s next. Consider it a quieter way to celebrate the longest day of the year and set you up for the second half.
Mon; 8.15pm; online
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Watch the sun go down in a gorgeous spot
You don’t actually need a ticket to celebrate the solstice (shocker). If you’d just like to soak up all that sunlight and get some of the best sunset views around, grab a blanket and head up to Ditchling Beacon, where you can watch the sun sink over the South Downs. If you’d rather stay in town, there’s something pleasingly appropriate about spending the longest evening of the year outside The Setting Sun on the edge of Hanover. Over in Hove, the seafront terraces at Babble, Drift and Pearly Cow offer front-row seats to one of Brighton’s greatest summer pleasures: a cold drink, a warm evening and a sky that gradually turns every shade of orange, pink and gold.
Whenever you want; from free
