Just when you think the dismal winter days are fully behind us, Brighton decides to throw a brief, totally unexpected snow flurry into the mix. Still, it’s officially spring, there’s light at the end of the day as well as the tunnel and it’s the weekend. So whether you’re easing in in short sleeves and good intentions or still trying to recover from last weekend’s mayhem, we’ve got a suitably eclectic mix of new club nights, music, food and fun headed your way. Come join us?
Get stuck into a beach clean that comes with a treat
If you fancy planning a virtuous end to your weekend from the get-go, Leave No Trace Brighton are kicking off their beach clean series with a Sea Lanes collab on Sunday. You turn up, help clear the beach, feel like a good person for a bit – and then get rewarded with a free ice-cream, which is how we reckon all volunteering should work. There’s also a year’s swim membership at Sea Lanes up for grabs at the end of the season – the more you keep showing up, the more entries you’ll get in the draw.
Sun; 9.30am – 11.30am; free
Leave No Trace
Immerse yourself in music culture at the cinema
At the other end of the spectrum (indoors, sitting down), Doc’n Roll are taking over Duke’s at Komedia for a double screening that goes from near-silent Japanese listening cafés to full-blown UK rave culture. A Century in Sound (Sat; 3.30pm) is all about the ritual side of music in Japanese ongaku kissa – proper reverence, no talking, plus a director Q&A led by Sound Affects Night’s Jak Hutchcraft – before Rave Culture: A New Era (Sat; 6.10pm) throws you straight into late-80s Britain and the kind of parties that definitely didn’t have licences. Stay on for the post-film Q&A with seminal electronic duo Orbital.
picturehouses.com
Hang out and make new friends at a sober social space
If your idea of a Friday night is more ‘books and good people’ than ‘stacking up the cocktails at a bar’, Lark & Bloom Library Lates at One Church might be for you. The community library and café space hosts these end-of-month evenings with a mix of books, crafts, board games, decaf hot drinks and general low-key hanging out – the kind of thing that feels social but with zero pressure to be ‘on’. It’s a softer start (or alternative) to the night, with a crowd that’s more chat, browse and make things than shout over music.
Fri; 7pm – 9.30pm; free
Lark & Bloom Library Lates
Get crafty
If you’re planning on a Saturday wander around town, we’d recommend slotting this one in. Co-working spot the Werks are hosting a craft market at their Middle Street home, bringing together a bunch of small, emerging makers alongside a line-up of hands-on workshops. Browse or get stuck in to things like monoprinting, visible mending and even meditation and tea-pairing. The Open Market’s Bayit Bagels will be on hand to keep you fuelled up.
Sat; midday – 4pm; free (workshops £5, pay on the day)
Werks
Go to the (night) market
On Saturday, The Night Fair’s back at Fabrica, which, despite the name, is very much in broad daylight. Expect gothic everything: jewellery, art, oddities, candles, taxidermy, fashion and more across over 50 stalls. It’s all artist-led, so you’re buying directly from the people making it, which is always a good thing.
Sat; midday – 6pm; free
The Night Fair
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Check out the first edition of this new club night
If your Saturday night needs a bit more music and movement, this is one we’re pretty excited about: Brighton-based (and BOTI-loved) Offie Mag are launching a monthly club night at buzzy music-first venue Alphabet – come on in, The Offie Mag Social. The long-running music and culture mag’s known for putting on great events, but this is the first time it’s put down roots with a regular residency. Offie Mag DJs, friends and special guests will be bringing great tunes to dance to for a crowd that’s there for the music rather than just being out.
Sat; 10.30pm – 2am; £11.50 (or £13.80 with a copy of their latest issue)
Book tickets
Let the train take the strain as Volk’s reopens
And then there’s the official sign that Brighton is back open for business: Volk’s Railway reopening for the season. The world’s oldest operating electric railway is starting up again along the seafront, with Nicholas Owen – former BBC newsreader and long-time supporter – driving the first train out. After that it’s back to normal service, ferrying people between Sea Life and Black Rock and reminding everyone that yes, this is still weirdly exciting every single year.
Sat; from 10.15am
volksrailway.org
Get your dance on at the beach
For something a bit more high-energy, there’s a sunset silent disco happening at the seafront over in Saltdean – headphones on, multiple channels, everyone dancing to something slightly different, a fabulous start to the evening. It might look a bit odd from the outside but it’s very fun from the inside. Ideally it would coincide with an actual sunset and a spectacular low tide rather than the all-too-frequent Brighton grey, but hey, this is England.
Fri; 6pm; £11
Book tickets
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Celebrate Sussex film in Lewes
If you’re up for a short hop out of Brighton, Made in Sussex is taking over Lewes Depot for a three-day film festival celebrating local filmmaking in all its forms. Expect a mix of student work, short films, documentaries and full features – all made in or around Sussex – and a wonderful community cinema-style atmosphere. You’ll find everything from emerging filmmakers getting their moment to bigger screenings and awards, so you can dip in for a single film or accidentally spend half your weekend there. Properly local, properly worth it. Plus pretty Lewes is always a good idea (check out Italian restaurant Squisito while you’re there).
Fri – Sun; various times
Book tickets
Fill your face at pop-ups and new openings
And we’ve got a few solid reasons to prioritise eating this weekend too (as if we’re never NOT prioritising it). It’s the last chance to catch Sylvia’s Deli at Patio before it wraps – the NY-inspired pop-up has been quietly doing delightful things with fresh fish, pickles and generally very good-looking plates (until Sat, then it’s gone). Slightly out of town, but worth it: Med are in residence at Bakkus taproom in Lancing for the weekend, bringing some of their classic plates, like ceviche, burrata and chipotle pork tacos with them. Back in Brighton, Kitgum are taking over the kitchen at Curio for a one-weekend-only collab – that means big flavours, excellent wines and great tunes. If the sweet stuff is calling, Bayon Bakery are killing it treat-wise: Kinder Bueno-stuffed chocolate hot cross buns on Saturday (get there early) plus Rafaello croissants across the weekend, which feels like a good enough reason to leave the house. And if you want to feel vaguely sophisticated (but minus the pretension), Hove’s Fourth & Church are doing a ‘Spring into Beaujolais’ try-before-you-buy tasting on Sunday – three pours for a tenner. We tried a very easy-drinking, strawberry-ish Beaujolais-Villages that went down dangerously well earlier this week. And, finally, we mentioned them last week, but this Friday sees the grand opening of Brighton’s newest restaurant, Tofu Vegan – the London favourite known for its punchy, plant-based Chinese dishes.
Immerse yourself in an egg hunt for all ages
And if you’re after some proper escapism, there’s an immersive Alice in Wonderland egg hunt taking over Stanmer House. Get ready for plenty of characters, clues, games and challenges, photo boots and healthy egg-citement. It’s officially family-friendly, but realistically just as entertaining for adults who get competitive about these things (that would be us then).
Sat & Sun; various slots 11am – 4pm; from £11.55
Book tickets
Feel your spirits lift at a joyful choir concert
Finally, if you just want to stand somewhere and feel something, Soul of the City Choir are performing in Brighton with a full set of soul, gospel and big, big vocals. The kind of thing that gives you goosebumps and makes your brain think you’ll sign up to a choir as soon as you get home before you remember you probably won’t get round to it.
Sat; 6pm and 8.30pm; £12.50
Book tickets
