It just wouldn’t be Christmas in Brighton without the wonderful Hanover Advent Street Calendar. If you’re not familiar, participating streets in the hilly neighbourhood are each allocated a day in December, right up to Christmas Eve. Street by street, the houses decorate and light up their front windows each evening, creating a living calendar that culminates in a massive street display on 24th December when all the houses are illuminated.
With lots of artists living in the area, you can always be sure of some pretty special displays, like the brilliant window display from a house on Grove Street a couple of years ago (we particularly love the nod to #TileGate).
It’s a great opportunity to get stuck into some Christmas and community spirit and explore the neighbourhood (and its many pubs), especially as many of the streets hold friendly get-togethers on their days.
Plus, it’s all for a good cause: there are traditionally collections for Clock Tower Sanctuary (or you can donate at this link), a Brighton-based charity that works with young homeless people to give them space, support and stability.
Speaking of those pubs, it’s the perfect opportunity to check them out. Here’s a few to get you started: there’s Village at the Coleman Street/Islingword Road junction for great mulled wine and North African food, The Greys (great beers and tasty roasts) and The Geese (sausage and mash kings) at the other end of Coleman Street; the fabulous beer selection from Brighton Bier’s Haus on The Hill (top of Southover Street); The Howard, the Constant Service further up Islingword Road, The Independent (featuring great beer and wine), The Dover Castle, The Sir Charles Napier and, over Albion Hill way, the Setting Sun (the place to go for epic sunset-spotting). Take your pick!
Here’s the run-down of the street order before the big finish on the 24th.
1st December: Toronto Terrace
2nd December: Holland Road
4th December: Quebec Street
5th December: Bentham Road, Howard Road, Jersey Street
6th December: Southover Street, Albion Hill, Islingword Road
7th December: Hanover Street, Luther Street, Lynton Street
8th December: Ewart Street, Hampden Road
10th December: Grove Street
11th December: Arnold Street
12th December: Baxter Street, Islingword Place, Sussex Terrace
13th December: Whichelo Place
14th December: Franklin Street, Picton Street
15th December: Stanley Street, St Lukes Road
16th December: Bonchurch Road
17th December: Hartington Terrace
18th December: Islingword Street, Washington Street, Southampton Street
19th December: Bernard Road, Coleman Street, Scotland Street
20th December: Newark Place
21st December: Windmill Street (head to The Setting Sun for carols at 6pm, plus mulled wine and mince pies)
22nd December: Beaufort Terrace, Queens Park Rise
1st December – 24th December, windows are lit up from around dusk
Various streets in Hanover, Brighton BN2
Photo credit: Robert Ashby
