Is it just us, or is Brighton having a mild identity crisis? One minute we’re basking in what feels like bonus summer (hello, T-shirt-in-November energy), the next we’re stomping through crunchy leaves while the city strings up twinkly lights like it’s the North Pole on annual leave. We’re not complaining – if Brighton wants to serve late-season sunshine and full festive sparkle, we’ll happily double-dip.
So, while the evenings are still weirdly warm and the sky’s getting ready to glitter from Friday, here are the best bits to fling yourself into this weekend – from brilliantly bawdy bingo to seagull-baiting suppers, big-name brunching, sparkly new shops, and some damn pretty Christmas lights.
Brighton’s getting lit (literally)
If you’ve spotted a few mysterious twinkles overhead, you’re not hallucinating (unlike Chat GPT) – Brighton’s Christmas lights are being tested ahead of their big switch-on this Friday. The lights, many created by well-known local street artists, such as Mowgli and SinnaOne, may be the same ones as the last few years, but you can’t argue with the festive glow they bring to the city. Two lights on North Street are running fashionably late thanks to a power glitch, but we’ve been assured they’ll be sparkling by the end of the month.
If you want to see more lights, Shelter Hall already got its glow on on Thursday night with its official Xmas light switch-on, and we’ve got some save-the-dates coming up too.
Mark your diaries for Thursday 27th November – The Grand’s annual (and our favourite) light switch-on featuring carols, mince pies, mulled wine and more festive sparkle than you can shake a bag of tinsel at, all in aid of local charities (5pm; free, no ticket required).
And while you’re at it, save the Saturday 6th December, when Brilliant Brighton’s Festive Afternoon brings live performances, window-dressing competitions and general merriment to the city centre. Guaranteed festive stirrings by the end of this little lot. Right, that’s enough twinkle talk, let’s get quiffy.
READ ALSO: Win a Christmas tree and cocktail combo
Let’s get quiffy
Boogaloo Stu’s Big Quiffy Bingo is hitting Brighton twice this weekend – on Friday at the historic British Engineerium (expect bawdy camp cabaret, flash-mob dances and wonderfully weird prizes). Then Stu brings his trademark infectious energy to the Saltdean Lido ballroom on Saturday with special guests like Lorraine Bowen (aka the Crumble Song lady), and more boisterous bingo mayhem. It’s so much more than just bingo – and way (way) filthier. You can read our review from his Fringe outing here.
Fri; 7.30pm; £16.96; The British Engineerium
Sat; 7.30pm; from £17.50; Saltdean Lido Ballroom
Love music, hate racism
The quirky Hotel Pelirocco is throwing open its doors this Sunday for a proper feel-good day of unity, soul, and wall-to-wall good vibes – all in aid of Love Music Hate Racism. From 2pm –10pm, it’s a full Brighton takeover with Grammy-nominated house DJ Booker T on the decks, live vocals from Lifford, Soulcadelic spinning up a storm, and more. There’ll also be guest speakers and merch/info stands from Brighton Stand Up To Racism, so you can top up your activism between dance-floor moments. It’s totally free to attend, but donations are very welcome.
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Festive fancies
12 Meeting House Lane’s getting a dose of festive sparkle as Dowse Design has opened a Christmas shop in the old Phohm space, filling it with artisan pantry goods, indie gifts and enough twinkly decor to make your baubles blush.
A short hop away, the one-woman art hurricane that is Haus of Lucy has taken over Gallery 40 for her four-week Festive Pop-Up Shop (Wed – Sun till Fri 6th Dec), packed with original affordable art, jewellery, and gloriously kitsch and subversive pieces from her, plus artist friends Dave Pop, Broken Hartist, Little Papa Doll House, a secret Santa, Sandra’s (not a typo) grotto, and more.
Screen queens and drama fiends
That’s history
Or is it? This improv troupe are rewriting history… very badly, totally on purpose. Watch the History-onics take audience suggestions and mangle key moments from humanity’s storied past into something gloriously nonsensical. Fri; 7.30pm; £7.
Reel good
Popcorn at the ready as it’s the last weekend of the CineCity film festival, featuring a whole host of must-see movies, from edgy indies to special premieres with something for everyone from hardcore cinephiles to those just looking for something a bit different. Until Sun.
Excellent eats (and drinks)
Festive fancies
Bayon Bakery’s gone full elf mode and we’re absolutely here for it. Their festive drop lands on Friday and, honestly, it’s giving North Pole pâtisserie. We’re talking After Eight doughnuts stuffed with peppermint cream, gingerbread-man-topped Nordic gingerbread buns, mince pies, sticky toffee cruffins, turkey-and-camembert lattices, and a Terry’s Chocolate Orange pain suisse that should probably come with a warning label. And that’s just for starters. Basically, if Christmas was a bakery, this would be it. From Fri.
Get a pizza this
The Italian gang behind seriously tasty New York-style Pommy’s Pizza are opening up their second joint – in Hove. Head to George Street for the Saturday launch and score yourself free pizza slices between midday and 1pm. Be prepared for the long (long) queues.
Seagull-baiting brilliance
East London’s Whyte’s is on a bit of a world tour after its closure and next stop: Brighton. Yep, chef Whyte Rushen (you’re right, it’s the pop-up king’s nom de plume) is bringing a beautiful menu to Fatboy Slim’s Big Beach Cafe at Hove Lagoon for this weekend only – and we’re already salivating. We’re talking oysters with trout roe caviar, scallop-bacon-black-pudding rolls, Spam nuggets, beer-battered cod with triple-cooked chips, veal-battered sausage, and a chip butty with seaweed butter that’s definitely going to have the seagulls eyeing you up. Finish up with spotted dick with mushroom caramel and orange custard. Gorgeous. Sat & Sun; 4pm – 9pm; walk-ins only.
When brunch gets boozy
The Canopy in Seven Dials is teaming up with Bloody Bens and Sipello for a weekend of boozy brunch alchemy: Bloody Marys, signature cocktails, and specials drenched in the good stuff. It’s the kind of brunch that accidentally becomes a whole day out – especially when you’ve got live jazz drifting through on Sunday from 11.30am to 1.30pm. Sat & Sun from 9am – 4pm.
Night moves
The (break)beat goes on
Bring a spare T-shirt because you will sweat. Breakbeat legends Stanton Warriors are back for a four-hour sonic battering at Patterns, dropping chunky basslines and old-school chaos like it’s 2002. Sat; 4pm –10pm; from £11.55
The art of noise
Ever wanted to attend a gig/art exhibition inside a former church? Now’s your chance: Basics has teamed up with Brighton Art Space for an evening of immersive sound and roaming gallery vibes. Three bands will take over Fabrica this Saturday evening (from 7.15pm; £14.30) with local soul singer Kymara headlining with a 12-piece ensemble, plus support from globe-trotting blues crew Stone Jets and violin-toting genre-twister Theo Warrington. Think soaring ambient acoustics and that rare feeling of something kind of magical.
Emo vamps, assemble
It’s been 20 years since the world collectively lost its mind over sparkly vampires, so obviously Brighton is celebrating by throwing an emo-soaked Twilight rave. Welcome to a night of nostalgia bangers, moody lighting and at least one person ironically dressed as Jacob. Oh, and if your birthday falls between 8th and 22nd November, you’ll get in free. Sat; 11pm; from £8.
Make and move
Wax on
Candle-making with cocktails – a combo so good we’re annoyed we didn’t think of it. Mix scents, pour wax, decorate your tapers and leave with a candle that smells like your higher self. Plus a banging soundtrack and cosy feels galore. (Read our review from when we had a go.) Sun; 2pm; £45
Oh, balls
Finally, baubles that match your vibe: fun, deeply personalised and maybe a bit sweary (your choice). Paint, doodle and decorate your own festive orbs while pretending you’re the kind of adult who plans Christmas early. Sun; 4pm – 6pm; £49.46.
Shake your pom-poms
Crafting, but with absolutely no pressure to be good at it. Finger-knit your way into winter with a chunky, wiggly scarf with pom-poms. Perfect for people like us whose attention span is held together by flat whites. Sun; 6pm – 9pm; £22.38.
Wander Women
Women Who Walk, Brighton’s friendliest girl-gang-on-the-move is back this Sunday, and they’re trading lie-ins for leg-stretches with a 5 – 6km wander through Stanmer Park. Meet at Circa at the Park for a 10am coffee-and-chat before the 10.30am stomp. It’s a brilliant one if you’re flying solo or trying to ease yourself gently into being a person who “does walks”. Waterproofs and comfy shoes highly encouraged (there may be a drizzle cameo), but a big chunk of the route is undercover so you’ll survive. No booking needed, just turn up and away you go.
The spend is nigh
Thrill of the thrift
Preloved meets perfectly styled as The Preloved Atelier teams up with Hove’s Sutherland & Sadler for a two-day winter pop-up. Expect rails of premium preloved womenswear, cosy layers, and a sprinkle of early Christmas sparkle inside the dreamy homeware store. Ideal for guilt-free shopping and smug sustainable vibes. Fri & Sat; 10am – 5pm; free;154 Portland Road, Hove
New home (sweet home)
Mimo are throwing open the doors to their brand-new North Laine den this Friday and you’re invited to come sniff that fresh-paint smell and ogle a whole new line-up of indie creatives. After weeks of graft they’ve finally settled into their permanent home at 46 Sydney Street, and they’re marking the moment with drinks, snacks and a breezy little party from 5pm – 8pm. You’ll find colour, prints, ceramics, and more gorgeousness than should legally be allowed in one shop.
Born to be Kind(ly)
Zero-waste heroes Kindly are turning six, and they’re celebrating in the best possible way – with free drinks, treats and mega discounts. Head to their York Place store this Saturday (from 2pm) for local tastings, goodie bags, a spin-the-wheel prize game and 50 percent off Pick & Mix (because self-control is overrated).
Glow and behold
Charlotte Tilbury (the shop, not the woman) is serving up a very extra Sunday: a Brunch & Beauty session with mimosas, make-up tips and a goody bag to sweeten the deal. You’ll get a one-hour demo on how to nail that signature Tilbury glow, plus your £35 ticket is fully redeemable on products – which is basically permission to shop. Sun (& 16, 23, 30/11 and 14/12); 10am – 11.30am; £35.
Get outta town
And all that jazz
Midhurst in West Sussex (around an hour’s drive from Brighton) is well worth a visit any time for its indie shops and medieval market square, but there’s another reason to head there this weekend: they’ve got a brand-new festival. Imagine candle-lit gigs, a town alive with blues and tango, and plates inspired by the great jazz clubs of New York, Chicago, Paris and Buenos Aires. That’s what the inaugural Midhurst Jazz, Food & Blues Festival is serving up. Expect speakeasy vibes, intimate jam sessions in pubs, a town-wide dining experience curated by Argentine Embassy chef Santiago Polo, classic cars lining the streets like it’s 1955, and shops and streets turned into musical stages for everything from Parisian piano to big-band swing and gypsy-jazz masterclasses. It’s golden-age glamour meets small-town charm – with a side of blues and cocktails. Fri – Sun; various times, venues and prices
Fair’s fair
Get yourself to a day of serious making over in lovely Lewes this weekend at the 80-plus-stall makers fair where you can bye-bye High Street mass-made crap and hello one-of-a-kind handcrafted gems. Explore personality-packed ceramics, joyous hand-painted leatherwork pieces, woodworks that whisper “buy me” and heaps more. Plus feast on African food and sup cocktails from as-seen-on-TV drinks expert Tom Surgey. It’s art, it’s craft, and yes, it might slightly bankrupt you but you’ll be ok with it. Make a day of it exploring Lewes’ cobbled nooks and crannies and finish with dinner at excellent pasta restaurant Squisito. Fair: Fri, 6pm – 8.30pm and Sat, 10am – 5pm; from free; Lewes Town Hall.
