Happy weekend! As we roll into the third week of the Fringe (already!), don’t forget to check out our reviews and top picks. There are more artists’ open houses to enjoy (we particularly love Sarah Arnett’s Little Picture Palace, No1 Rigden Road, Joel Sydenham x Brighton Black Market and Amber Elise’s studio with colourful artists Amber and Amy Isles Freeman); we’ve added some new terraces to our list and, of course, it’s the Great Escape music festival! But don’t worry if you haven’t got tickets, Jubilee Square’s a good place to hang out for free street music, Pink Moon have got an epic free line-up every day up to and including Saturday, and pretty much every pub that’s not taking part in the official fun is hosting alternative – read: free – TGE musical mayhem.
Head to market
Preston Park Food market is back after a very successful first week last weekend. You’ll find the new weekly market next to the park’s fragrant rose garden. It’s packed with stalls from loads of local artisanal traders – think fresh cut flowers, hot sauce, Hungarian acacia honey, coffee blends, fruity gins, small-batch English wines, Italian and Cypriot deli goods, French cheese, breads, ceramics and textiles, and more. Plus there’ll be plenty of street food to get stuck into while you’re there, such as Neapolitan-style pizza, vegan Mexican dishes, smash burgers, and crepes. Arrive hungry.
Every Sunday; 10am – 3pm; free
Preston Park Market
Soak up the rays on a sunny terrace
Another bout of deliciously summer-like weather is forecast for this weekend, so a terrace hang is a must. These are the ones we’re loving right now. New restaurant Winkle has opened on the old Drifter site, right on the seafront, and co-owners Owen and PJ have created a spot that captures and celebrates the spirit of Brighton – creative, welcoming, and a bit special without being exclusive – in everything from the food and drink to the warm hospitality. Grab one of the tables on the patio – or a window table on the first floor – to indulge in brunch, dinner, or drinks and nibbles over great views. The crab mac and cheese bites have got our name on. The new Hove venue from the Bison Beer gang, Babble, is open again this weekend as part of its soft launch, so head down for some triple-terrace action with beers, brunch, BBQ, sunrise yoga (starts on Saturday, 7am) and killer sea views. Read more about it here. Pearly Cow recently launched its terrace and it’s a goodie. Perched directly opposite the West Pier with the i360 to the right, it’s the perfect spot for a long lazy lunch or for settling in to watch the sun go down with an excellent cocktail, some oysters or a pizzette fresh out of the outdoor pizza oven. Over past the pier, we’re still loving the newly democratised Cecconi’s for northern Italian dishes, decent wines and wide-ranging sea views from under those scalloped umbrellas, the gorgeous Reading Room – now with umbrellas! – for breakfast, brunch and weekend supper clubs, and old favourite Bison Beach Bar at Sea Lanes for a livelier vibe with a side of seaview action. And you can’t beat The Setting Sun from near the top of hilly Hanover for a spot of, no surprises here, sunset-watching.
Catch a Fringe show
Part of the joy of the Fringe is being able to see a show impulsively, without too much forethought. It gives you the chance to discover things that you might not normally gravitate towards, but which can end up being ridiculously fun. Despite our conviction that can be an excellent way to Fringe, here’s some of our to-see list for this third Fringe weekend: female-led circus company Lavrak are bringing Re/Sista – a joyous feminist cabaret with breathtaking circus acts – to The Circus Yard on Saturday and Sunday (feature pic). For something more hard-hitting, we’d recommend Sitting (in Silence), which tells the story of the powerful bond a daughter has with her father. Or how about a selection of mini-plays over breakfast? And if you love potatoes as much as we do, then you can’t go wrong with potato-based cabaret spudtacular, Moulin Bouge (Friday to Sunday).
brightonfringe.org
Discover Kemptown’s no-longer-so-secret garden
We love it when we uncover somewhere that’s been right under our nose but we’ve somehow missed. This Kemptown slice of heaven in garden form is exactly that. Only it’s not so secret any more. Run by the Antony Dale Trust (Dale founded Brighton’s Regency Society), the beautifully planted walled garden holds temporary exhibitions. This year, they’re hosting a new exhibition of sculptures by German-born, Sussex-based sculptor Almuth Tebbenhoff and they’ve been open since the Easter bank holiday weekend. Brighton caterers Table are also in situ to cater for foodie needs (big up the wild garlic and Cheddar scones), serving up supremely tasty sweet and savoury homemade treats. Perfect for enjoying in this little dog-friendly oasis of calm, a welcome world away from the frenzy of nearby Eastern Road.
Open Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays; 11am – 5pm; free
Bristol Gardens, Kemp Town, Brighton BN2 5JE
secretgardenkemptown.co.uk
What else?
Eurovision your thing? Head to Bar Broadway on Saturday from 8pm for a live Eurovision watch party with the always-fabulous special guest Snow White Trash. Yes, there will be singalongs, sass and sparkles galore. In the collab we didn’t know we needed, bar-of-the-moment Voya has got together with hair salon Whip Brighton to bring the city a record fair on Sunday (11am – 5pm) – think rare vinyl tracks from Brighton-based record labels, collectors and DJs, a pop-up bar, DJs on rotation all day and chilled Sunday vibes. For some foodie fun, don’t miss Dill Wennard (chef at Med) who’s bringing a small-plates menu to Vine Street Tap on Sunday from midday. Goat tacos, fennel sausage and natural wines? Yes, please. Phoenix Art Space has its open studios on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, giving you access to the workspaces of over 100 pro artists and makers. Or head over to Block A, Lyon Close in Hove to see the unveiling of artist Kerry Lemon’s new starling-inspired railing artwork on Sunday at 2pm. Starling expert Steve Geliot will be there too, taking people on a guided walk to the Booth Museum, taking in key spots to watch Brighton’s famous murmurations.
Picture credit: Sian Herbert
