We’re going to spare you our weather ramblings this week and launch straight into things. Whether you fancy getting into the Oktoberfest or the OctoberBest spirit (or even another one of our favourites, the OctoberNest, i.e. binge-watching all the autumn releases with a blanket on the sofa), there’s a lot to love about this month. And let’s not forget the pumpkin-picking and Coast is Queer lit fest fun on this weekend. If none of that quite does it for you, there’s art, shopping and music, too.
Raise a Stein at an Oktoberfest celebration
Forget pints, it’s Stein time! So Brighton might not exactly be Munich and Shelter Hall isn’t the Theresienwiese, but if you’re looking for another taste of Oktoberfest without actually going to Bavaria this weekend, then this German-style event is worth checking out. On over three October weekends, it’s ticking a lot of the boxes: the main hall’s being turned into a beer tent with local breweries, including Gun, Beak, Abyss, Only With Love and Unbarred serving up the pints, a lively oompah band, themed games, and the resident kitchens serving up Bavarian-style dishes, plus more Lederhosen and Dirndl than you can throw a sausage at. Even better, your first beer’s included in the ticket price. And over at our friends at Unbarred Brewery, there’s more Oktoberfest fun to be had. The tap room off London Road is celebrating all week with different styles of lager, including their own brews and guest beers from Budvar and more. And, on Friday and Saturday, Beelzebab will be popping up with their vegan hot dogs and loaded fries. Oh, and if you don a pair of Lederhosen for the occasion, you’ll get 20 percent off your drinks! Prosit!
Shelter Hall: Friday 11th and Saturday 12th October (and 18th and 19th October); 6.30pm – 9pm and 9.15pm – 11.45pm; from £15
Kings Road Arches, Shelter Hall, Brighton, BN1 1NB
shelterhall.co.uk
Unbarred: Until Sunday 13th October; midday – 11pm (10pm on Sunday); free entry
19 – 23 Elder Place, Brighton, BN1 4GF
unbarredbrewery.com
Dive into the best of Brighton at OctoberBest
Affordable foodie festival OctoberBest kicks off on Saturday and, yes, loads of the offers sold out in super quick time, but there are still plenty of goodies available (at the time of writing) and more being released all the time. Here’s just a few for starters (or mains, or puds): There are a few tables up for grabs for the £25 street food feast at BOTI fave Kitgum this Saturday lunchtime. Med also has a few spots available for their £30 menu on Friday and Saturday (their crispy potatoes are insane) and, unusually, will take walk-ins if there’s a free table at the time you turn up. Wonderful neighbourhood bistro Wild Flor also have spaces for their £25 four-course feast on Saturday lunchtime. You can see the full list of the 38 participating restaurants here.
From Saturday 12th October; from £25; various venues
octoberbest.uk
Snag a goodie bag at a new store opening
There’s a(nother) new shop opening in town! Yep, Scamp and Dude, the purpose-driven purveyor of joy-bringing vibrant clothing, is opening on North Street, on the site of the old Oliver Bonas store, on Saturday. And while the Friday launch party for the B corp sold out before this guide was even a twinkle in our eye, you’ve still got chance to nab a goodie-filled bag on Saturday. The first 50 people in the queue when the store opens at 9.30am will get lucky!
18 North Street, Brighton, BN1 1EB
scampanddude.com
Explore exhibitions around town
Photo Fringe, the six-week festival of photography exhibitions, workshops and talks across Brighton, Hove, Newhaven and Portsmouth, is in full swing with many of the exhibiting artists’ responding to this year’s theme of ‘Common Ground’ in their work. The Phoenix Art Space is a great first port of call, featuring eight different groups of photographers, including Brighton Queer Photographers Collective and MAP6. Other exhibitions include social documentary photographer Tish Murtha’s work, which captures the lives of working class communities in north-east England (3, Duke’s Lane) and a portrait series of celebrated artists by Richard Boll (The Regency Town House). There’s heaps more going on, too: on Saturday, for example, there’s a free workshop around family recipes, food memories and photography at Casa Azul and a meet-the-artist and social viewing party for Rob Trendy’s Hot Glue exhibition at Brighton Rocks which explores Brighton’s alternative creators. And there are themed cocktails (free, but booking required)!
Various dates, locations and times until 27th November; free
photofringe.org
What else?
The Sandwich Sessions (a free gig and a sarnie – genius) are back on Friday at excellent record shop Bella Union Vinyl. This week, indie-folk five-piece Bryony Dunn and The Forest are playing at the bijou store at 1pm. If you’re (very) quick, you might be able to nab the last few tickets to Palmito‘s supper club at Brighton Community Kitchen on Saturday (£49.99); Bloody Bens are teaming up with Curio for a Bloody Good brunch on Sunday from midday (Bloody Marys, Bloody Marias and Bloody good sandwich specials); there’s a huge antiques and vintage fair (175+ stalls) at Brighton Racecourse on Sunday (£5; dogs allowed); Bottom’s Rest pub in Hove have got some post-roast (we’ve heard great things, so you’ll need to book!) drag cabaret in store on Sunday with Snow White Trash performing at 5pm. There’s another makers’ fair this weekend – Rainbow Craft Events are hosting the free event on Saturday; on Friday, the Ironworks Studios have a dedicated night to the poetic brilliance of singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell (£12.60); and New Orleans band Video Page are bringing their breezy and timeless pop to The Hope and Ruin on Saturday (£13.50).
What’s coming up next week
Video Affects are back with another night of chat about all things film on Thursday. This month features informal talks from three guest speakers, including a fine art professor and filmmaker, a documentary and travel director, and a documentary filmmaker and author (best known for his docus on Andrew Tate, (which by the way, are well worth a watch). Multi-award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen lands at the Theatre Royal in Brighton next week, and Bison Beer will be celebrating the full moon at their beach bar on Friday.
We’d love to know what you think about the weekend guide: is it too long? Too short? Needs more sugar? Less food? More food? Would you like to see it published on a different day? Earlier in the week? Are you more interested in what you’re having for dinner than these questions (we get it, we would be too, extra well done for getting to this bit)? Any and all answers, comments, jokes, are very welcome (hello@brightontheinside.co.uk). Thanks for reading!
Photo credits: Brighton Queer Photographers’ Collective
