Brighton has officially entered its frozen-toes era. One sharp temperature drop (and a very brief flurry of actual snow) and suddenly we’re all stomping around like we’ve been cast in a Scandi noir. The wind is vicious and the sea’s laughing at us, but obviously the seagulls are as unbothered and thriving as ever. Luckily, the weekend ahead is doing the absolute most to warm us up. We’ve got fire-lit feasts, neon-soaked cinema nights, festive markets, drag-fuelled theatre, wine tastings, cosy pub roasts and indie gigs. Layer up, grab something hot, and dive in – Brighton’s winter glow-up is in full swing.
BOTI’S BEST BITS
The Woman in Black is back – and she’s still got it
If it’s chills you’re after (literal and theatrical), then the revamp of The Woman in Black at the Theatre Royal has got your number. Running until Saturday, this expertly crafted two-hander ghost story uses minimal set, maximum tension and THAT uncanny feeling you might brush past something while walking out of the theatre. Meet a lawyer haunted by his own past, a causeway only open at low tide – and the kind of creeping dread that settles in your spine. Featuring masterful performances and classic storytellihg at its finest, The Woman in Black is as chilling, elegant and unsettling as ever. Want something to give you goosebumps? This is it. Read our full review here. Until Saturday; various times from £15
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A new star rises in Brighton
Brighton’s newest pub comes with proper purpose: The North Star, which opened this week, runs as a training hub for young people with learning disabilities or autism, thanks to the brilliant team at Team Domenica. The cosy central spot is just by the Pavilion, serving up great food (including roasts!) and drinks while giving trainees real-world hospitality experience. It’s the kind of place Brighton does best – community-powered, joyful, and somewhere you actually want to spend an afternoon.
Hove’s Capsule Records opens listening room
Capsule Records is opening the doors to its brand-new downstairs Listening Room this Saturday – a cosy, super-sonic hideout built for anyone who wants to actually hear music rather than just skim it on Spotify. Drop in any time to see the set-up in action and test-drive the seriously lush Audio Note system they’ve installed (think hand-built components, valve amps, and speakers that make your bones hum). (Have a coffee while you’re there – it’s very good.) The idea was to create a space where you can sink into an album properly, away from the bustle upstairs. The gang will be running monthly late-night sessions too – they’ll pick an LP to feature, dim the lights, pour some drinks, and you can listen all the way through with fellow music fiends. It’s intimate, analogue and we love it. Opens Saturday; from noon
The Royal Pavilion gets an Austen makeover
The Royal Pavilion is going full Regency fantasy from Saturday with A Very Austen Christmas. Expect dancing shadows, themed trees in every room, gossip tucked into diary extracts and a whole cast of Austen favourites popping up as you wander – yes, Mr Darcy included (sadly not the lake-soaked Colin Firth version). You start with a little token that decides Jane’s fate – love, money, or nope-not-today – then follow a trail of characters, clues and Christmas sparkle through Brighton’s most gloriously over-the-top palace. Along the way you’ll bump into the Bennet sisters, Emma Woodhouse, Marianne Dashwood, Mr Knightley and even Lady Bertram’s pug, all wrapped up in twinkly lights and Regency drama. From Saturday; included with Pavilion entry, members free
SCREEN QUEENS AND DRAMA FIENDS
Strip and flip (your opinions)
Brighton’s only genuinely indie movie theatre White Wall Cinema is serving pure camp this Friday with a 30th-anniversary 4K screening of Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls. Expect big hair, bigger attitude and the cult classic in all its uncut, neon-soaked glory. If you’ve always dismissed it as trashy, now’s the time for a second look at Verhoeven’s deliberate ‘disasterpiece’. Fri; 7.20pm; £10.50
READ ALSO: SIX OF THE BEST FESTIVE LIGHT TRAILS IN AND AROUND BRIGHTON
Love’s labour, slayed
Missed it during Brighton Fringe? Romiet is back for a one-night-only comeback at the Lantern Theatre on Saturday. This brilliantly bonkers reimagining asks what happens if Romeo and Juliet don’t die – and Romeo returns as a drag queen. Expect love, ego, fabulous outfits and the eternal question: can these two possibly make it work in the modern age? Sat; 7pm; from £10
EXCELLENT EATS (AND DRINKS)
Sip-mas comes early
Butler’s Wine Cellar is back at St Mary’s in Kemptown on Friday with its Christmas Wine Festival – a festive wander where you can try over 50 wines, catch a choir performance and maybe win the charity raffle. Taste, pick your favourites and get them delivered after. ‘Tis the season and all that. Fri; 6.30pm – 8.30pm; £18.50
Beaujol-yay
Missed Beaujo Nouveau day itself on Thursday? No problem, just head to Hove’s The Stirling Arms who are rolling out the joyously jammy newness until Saturday, complete with a one-off French menu. Walk-ins welcome, but you’re best off booking if you want a spot to park your vin rouge. Until Sat
Sunday feasting
Rustic Italian feast pros Arno are taking over the cosy Brusco Bar this Sunday for a one-off feasting sesh packed with produce-led plates and good vibes. Don’t miss Brusco’s seriously special Negronis. It’s the perfect cure for the Sunday scaries. Sun; various sittings from 1pm; £35
Roast boast
Rockwater Hove has given the classic ‘local’ a glow-up with The Pub at Rockwater – cosy Sunday vibes, retro crisps, footie on the screens and a roast that more than earns its £25 price tag. The 30-day aged sirloin is the star: tender, great gravy, crisp potatoes and dangerously good cauliflower cheese. Kids are sorted with pizzas and sundaes, service is warm and on it, and the cocktails (including virgin ones) hit the spot. A great shout for a stylish Sunday by the sea. Read our full review here.
READ ALSO: THE PUB AT ROCKWATER | SUNDAY ROAST REVIEW
NIGHT MOVES
Stein of the times
Brighton’s getting its après-ski mood on with the arrival of Barbara’s Bier Haus this Friday. It’s bringing steins, shot-skis, cocktail towers, late-night hours, live music and serious Alpine party shenanigans to the heart of, um, West Street. Stay with us – if you’ve been waiting for a party disguised as a bar, complete with free karaoke, singalongs, and all the après energy minus the freezing toes, then this is it. If not, you know what to do. Fri; from 4pm; from £4
Yard party-starters
Creative duo Tune-Yards are back in Brighton on Friday with their new album Better Dreaming in tow – expect quirky beats, socially conscious pop and a live show that bangs as hard as it matters. Indie-pop trio LuxJury are supporting. Fri; 8pm; from £21
Shock, shock, horror, horror
The Horrors hit Chalk on Sunday, rolling in with a new line-up and a fresh sonic shift ahead of their 20th anniversary. Their new album, Night Life, leans into shadowy late-night thoughts, big atmosphere and that raw early-days instinct they do so well. Sun; 6pm; from £28.18
THE SPEND IS NIGH
Ain’t no party like a preloved party
Got party season looming but your wardrobe’s giving tumbleweed? Hit Brighton Fashion Collective’s winter party clothes swap at The Rose Hill on Saturday. Rock up with your pre-loved sparkles, trade them for something new-ish and fabulous, and strut out with an outfit that didn’t cost the planet (or your wallet). Sat; hour-long slots from 1pm – 4pm; £2
There’s an art to it
The Art Yard Sale is going online this weekend – now’s your chance to snap up limited-edition prints, original artworks and one-off pieces from over 40 indie artists from across the UK without breaking the bank. And if you’d rather see them in person first before dropping your cash (and get some Unbarred brews on arrival), book yourself into the private view at their pop-up gallery on Dukes Lane on Friday. Over the course of the weekend, expect timed drops, sudden releases and a serious chance to bag something collectable. Fri 9am – midnight Sun; pv Fri; 6pm – 8pm; free
WIN A LUXURY STAY AT MODA HOVE AND DINNER FOR TWO
Full steam ahead
If your festive shopping currently consists of pretending it’s not happening, Paper Daisy’s Winter Makers & Art Fair at the British Engineerium might be just what you need For one weekend only, the old steampunk palace fills up with over 120 indie makers, artists and food folk slinging genuinely good gifts – the kind you can pretend you “just stumbled across”. You can even get stuck into a festive wreath workshop. Sat & Sun; various times; from free
Deck the halls… with local art
Pretty Neat Gallery has teamed up with Laughing Dog cafe at the Marina for a full weekend of festive indie goodness. Expect handmade gems, local art, and all the tasty treats. Go for the one-off gifts, stay for the food (the Hallouminati bap‘s our favourite). Sat & Sun; free
Shop it like it’s hot
The Big Gay Market is back on Saturday, serving Brighton’s favourite mix of queer makers, cute crafts and gloriously extra vibes – all raising funds for the Find a Friend Project. Expect art, gifts and plenty of rainbow-fuelled joy at Dalton’s on the beach. Sat; 10am – 4pm
Vinyl countdown
Hove Record Fair is back at The Brunswick on Sunday, and it’s bigger, louder and far more flippable than before. Expect stacks of vinyl, even more sellers, better lighting (praise be), and an all-day DJ set from JD O’Kill to keep your crate-digging pace up. Sun; 11am – 4pm; free
GET OUTTA TOWN
Food, fire and fairytale feels
Woodfire Camping is bringing winter feasting to a secret location on the outskirts of Firle and it’s pure woodland magic: long sharing tables under big Sussex skies, fire-cooked dishes drifting through the air, and that golden-hour glow you only get when you leave the city buzz. Indulge in six courses of flame-kissed seasonal Sussex plates, meet lovely people, and bask in candlelight – and owners Stella and Griff’s trademark warmth. Sat; from 4pm; £85 (other dates also available)
