Hello, BOTI gang. We weren’t going to mention the weather, because that’s lazy, but seriously, what is going on? Weather vagaries aside, this weekend is as jam-packed as usual. We’ve got free discos, beach cleans, indie festivals and a 17-mile arty walk to Newhaven. The sort of things you probably won’t stumble across unless somebody plugged in (us? hello!) tells you about them. And if you’re looking for our usual helping of foodie goodness, we’ve separated that out into its own guide here.
Treat yourself to some beautiful things
If your wardrobe, home or jewellery box could do with a little refresh, Village BN3’s latest pop-up is worth a nosey. Taking over the neighbourhood space on Richardson Road for three days only, it brings together a handpicked selection of independent makers including The Illustrated Jeweller, FKA Clothing, Soliflore fragrances and Karon Foxwell Flowers. Expect beautifully made things, lovely scents, fresh flowers and plenty of opportunities to part with your money to buy yourself a treat. Consider this your permission slip.
Fri, 11am – 5pm and Sat, 10am –4pm; free
More information
Party into the weekend for free
Fancy dancing with a drink in hand while the sea breeze whips through your hair (admittedly, that’s probably a lot more romantic than the reality)? Then Concorde 2’s Disco On The Terrace is a bit of a no-brainer. Oh, and did we mention it’s free? The music venue’s kicking off their summer terrace series with a party featuring Brighton faves Wildblood & Queenie and Jon Byrne, serving up a feel-good soundtrack of disco, house and summery grooves as the sun goes down over the seafront (we’re taking a leap here, it may be raining). And it’s all over by 10pm, which means you can be home at a sensible hour or think of it as your party-starter for a much bigger night. We know how these things go. (Speaking of bigger nights, if you’re up for carrying on, Quarters have got a free rave later on.)
Fri; 6pm – 10pm; free, but you need to reserve a tioket
Book tickets
Ping pong, pizza and pints
Whether you’ve got a killer backhand or haven’t picked up a paddle since school, Brighton Table Tennis Club’s Bounce & Beats night looks like a lot of fun. Forget school sports hall flashbacks, this is all friendly rallies, good tunes, and hanging out with friends. There’ll be ten tables available for friendly games, a live DJ set, Fatto a Mano pizzas and a fully licensed bar. Better still, every penny raised goes to Brighton Table Tennis Club and Carlton Hill Primary School PTA.
Sat; 8pm – 10pm; £5
Book tickets
Clean up the beach, win gig tickets
Rising indie singer Chloe Slater is swapping the stage for a litter picker on Friday. Before playing an intimate Beach House Sessions gig overlooking the West Pier, she’s teaming up with Leave No Trace Brighton for a flash beach clean on the seafront. The politically minded singer-songwriter got in touch with the local environmental group while she was in town and suggested the collaboration herself. Come along, help make Brighton beach a little cleaner and you might even bag one of four tickets being given away for the gig afterwards. Good deed, good view, good music. (And if you don’t win, you can still snap up tickets – available at the time of writing – for Brighton’s teeniest gig here)
Fri; 5pm – 7pm (gig is at 7pm); free; just turn up
More information here
Tempt fate at Bad Luck Cabaret
Laurie Black’s Bad Luck Cabaret returns to Daltons this Friday with an enviable line-up that brings together powerhouse vocals, spoken word, drag and plenty of theatrical mischief. Joining techno-rock trailblazer Laurie are multi-award-winning cabaret chameleon Cazeleon, Brighton poet and activist Aflo The Poet, and burlesque performer Sirona Thorneycroft. If you’re already missing the Fringe, this one’s got your name on it.
Fri; 7.30pm; £11.55
Book tickets
Laugh under the stars
Brighton Open Air Theatre’s summer comedy festival is in full swing this weekend, with even more stand-up headlined by some of the UK’s sharpest comics. Saturday sees the brilliant actor and comedian Kerry Godliman take the stage, while Sunday belongs to Brighton comedian Seann Walsh. All the shows are hosted by Brighton favourite and Forge comedy club owner Stephen Grant, so even if the sun doesn’t show up, you’re still in with a decent chance of a good evening. Pack a picnic, a cushion (those seats are hard after the first 20 minutes) and some warm/wet-weather gear (you never know).
Fri – Sun; various times; from £18
brightonopenairtheatre.co.uk
READ ALSO: Win tickets to an outdoor film screening (and puppy parade)
POSTPONED BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER: Meet Brighton’s top dogs
Cutest Puppy. Best Fancy Dress. Best Sausage Catcher. You name it, there’s probably a class for it. Yes, Bark in the Park is back at Queen’s Park this Saturday, bringing together Brighton’s most photogenic, talented and treat-motivated dogs (maybe) for an afternoon of friendly competition. There’ll be rosettes, wagging tails and a bar run by the Camelford Arms, making it a pretty decent afternoon out whether you’re enticing your dog to enter the competition or just fancy watching Brighton’s good boys and girls battle it out for Best in Show. Top and tail your day with a brunch at Starfish & Coffee and then get stuck into a mini (or mammoth, you pick) Hanover pub crawl afterwards. Start at The Independent and work your way down the hill.
Sat; 11am – 3.30pm; free entry to spectate, £2 per dog class
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Catch over 25 artists for £16.50
For less than the price of a couple of cocktails, Girls Night Out Fest is packing more than 25 artists, talks, workshops and DJs into three Brighton grassroots venues. Taking over local favourites Pink Moon, The Folklore Rooms and Green Door Store, the one-day festival is showcasing women and non-binary artists from across the local scene, with everything from indie and shoegaze to folk, jazz and alternative music on the bill (full line-up here). There are writer panels, workshops and film screenings too, and every penny raised goes to Brighton Women’s Centre. In an age of £40 gig tickets, £16.50 for all this feels like one hell of a steal.
Sat midday – Sun 2am ; £16.50 (student tickets are £13.75)
Book tickets
Rummage through 1,000 cult films
If your shelves are already groaning under the weight of Blu-rays, look away now. White Wall Cinema is opening up its archive for a massive summer sale this weekend, with more than 1,000 DVDs and Blu-rays up for grabs alongside film posters and artwork. Better still, all profits go towards upgrading the much-loved – and Brighton’s only indie – cinema, so you can feel slightly less guilty about adding another film you’ll definitely get round to watching one day. There’s also a soundtrack-themed beer garden serving drinks and movie tunes while you browse.
Sat, 12pm – 6pm and Sun, 1pm – 5pm; free
whitewallcinema.co.uk
Hunt for vintage treasures
Brighton’s newest monthly flea market lands at Brighton’s Met college this Sunday, bringing together vintage fashion, retro homeware, furniture, collectibles and all manner of second-hand gems under one roof. And if you need some sustenance while you browse, Boella will be slinging pizzas and Easy Life Coffee will be on drinks duty. Sustainable shopping at its finest.
Sun; 10am – 5pm; £3
More information
GET OUTTA TOWN
Walk the coast with Mr Bingo
If you fancy getting out of town, illustrator and artist Mr Bingo (of Hate Mail fame) is leading a 17-mile walk from Eastbourne to Newhaven on Saturday. Why should you join him? Partly for the sea views, partly for the company and partly because everyone who makes it to the end receives a certificate hand-drawn by Mr Bingo himself. Frankly, that alone is almost worth the ticket price. The walk finishes at Newhaven’s Marine Workshops, and gets you into the sold-out Fifty Years of Print talks from Mr Bingo and fellow artists Louise Lockhart, Adrian Johnson, Sarah Boris and Tom Pigeon. Weird, creative and brilliantly silly? Right up our street.
Sat; meet at 8.45am; £54.88
Book tickets
Stop and smell 50,000 flowers
If you’re looking for an(other) excuse to head out of Brighton this weekend, Chichester Cathedral’s Festival of Flowers is quite the sight. More than 50,000 blooms have transformed the cathedral for its 30th anniversary, with over 60 floral installations filling the 950-year-old building as part of this year’s theme, Nature’s Embrace. You’ll also find market stalls tucked away in the medieval cloisters selling everything from plants and flowers to local produce and crafts. It’s colourful, fragrant and considerably more impressive than the sad bunch of supermarket tulips currently sitting on our kitchen table.
Until Sat; from £21
chichestercathedral.org.uk
