Hastings Day, Week and Beer!

Hastings Week begins today and, as ever, is based around the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings on the 14th of October 1066, beginning with the opening ceremony at 10.30 today (Saturday 7th) on Winkle Island, Rock a Nore Road, and culminating with Hastings Day itself, and the torchlit procession from the America Ground along the seafront and around the Old Town, and back to Pelham Beach for the bonfire and fireworks; all weather permitting! For more details of these and other events for the next week plus, go to the website.

And beer? Well. this weekend sees a beer festival across 16 venues from the Marina Fountain, West St Leonards, to the Crown in the Old Town, that is, Hastings Tap Takeover 2023 (website). Each of the venues has its beer taps taken over by beers from different independent breweries from around the country, for example, I've already enjoyed drinking Scottish brewery Newbarns' beers at the Prince Albert, Cornwallis Street, in the town centre, and more of that soon... 

Enjoy the weekend, indeed, enjoy the week!

It's Hastings Day!

Indeed, it is Hastings Day, today being the 956th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings (English Heritage), and, as usual, Hastings Week has been set up around this anniversary. For details of the Hastings Week events today, including walks, talks and Order of 1066 Award, go to the website. Yet more to come this weekend! 🎆

Hastings Week 2022 has commenced!

Indeed, Hastings Week 2022 (8-16 October) has already began, and as most will be aware, it is always organised around Hastings Day (14th October), the date of the Battle of Hastings. The week kicked off this morning with the opening ceremony by Hastings Fishermen's Museum at 10.30am. Events can be seen at the website, including today and tomorrow the annual Jewellery Sale at Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Station (10.00am-3.00pm) and the Classic Car Show on the Stade opposite the Lifeboat Station (also 10.00am-3.00pm), plus there are many guided walks!

And there's a 'beer festival' on too, see blog!

Enjoy!

Happy Hastings Day!

Indeed, Happy Hastings Day, today being the 955th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings (English Heritage), and it's in the middle of Hastings Week... For details of the events still to come, including the procession, bonfire and fireworks on Saturday, go to the website. But do be careful and enjoy Hastings Week folks!

 

What a weekend/week to come!

This weekend sees another Tap Takeover at 17 venues in Hastings, and some excellent breweries involved, not to mention 17 great pubs/bars to visit too, for details go to this website and enjoy drinking quality ales across Hastings, cheers m'dears!

And, as we approach the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, that is the 14th of October (1066, by the way 😉), Hastings Week returns too, from the 9th to the 17th October 2021, a long week indeed; for details of events go to the website. 

Gradually getting back to normal, fingers crossed, stay safe! 

Today's Seafront Walk & Exercise, and Best Wishes for 2021!

I left home about 07.00 this morning, to get out for my daily exercise before it became too crowded, as it was yesterday, I was later informed by Judy at the Stade loos, as I was wishing her 'all the best' for 2021. I also saw Paul (Street Hygiene) working down towards the end of Rock-a-Nore Road, and wished him 'all the best' too!

Then I started my return to the West, passing RX134 the Stacey Marie (blog), and gave my best wishes to Johnny Swann at The Net Shop opposite.

I see at least 4 pubs in this photograph, sadly closed still, even at lunchtime, and at least 1 other building that used to be a pub, and the moon... 😢

No Ted's Planet Hastings Seasonal Sprouting competition (blog) at the Adventure Golf Course this year, sadly, no need to explain why the courses are closed... 😢 

The Sculpture on the Beach of a Norman lifeboat (which I like even more every time I see it!) has been sited here since it was part of the Route 1066 arts festival in the year of the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings (blog).

Bottle Alley, which co-starred in the film Byzantium (blog); the Bottle Alley Festive Light Show is every night until January the 4th, so you have a few nights left to see it, whilst taking your daily evening exercise, obviously! Shows are at 7.30 pm and 9.30 pm.

Warrior Square Gardens, the statue of Queen Victoria, honest, you can see it in the middle there, and Marine Court (blog) in the background. 

And Bulverhythe, where I turned around to return home, and which I discuss in my 'virtual' Hastings to Pevensey Bay Walk, along with other local landmarks and history, blog written earlier this year during the never ending COVID-19 Crisis.

A peaceful walk earlier, before the return journey anyway, and it only leaves me to wish you the very best for the year 2021, let's hope things improve very soon folks!

Be safe! 👍

Coastal Currents Art Festival 2020?

This very interesting sculpture is on the beach close by the excellent Norman Longboat sculpture (blog) which was placed on the beach for the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. It says quite a bit about it on a notice board, and I'm presuming it's something to do with the (quiet this year, understandably) Coastal Currents Art Festival 2020 (facebook), but I may be wrong, anyway, worth a gander!

Hastings Week 2019

Hastings Week, which always envelopes the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings on the 14th Ocober, kicks off this weekend with the Hastings Tap Takeover at 12 local venues, as previously described in a Steve the Beermeister blog, from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th October. For details of other events, with the week culminating with Hastings Borough Bonfire Society's torch-lit procession, fireworks and bonfire on Saturday 19th October, go to the website. Enjoy!

The Bonfire and Fireworks: a few photographs...

Borrowed from facebook, consequently, shared all over the place, so I can't be sure who posted them, but many thanks to the individuals concerned. Anyway, the Longboat above.

Fireworks, and there were a lot! 

The end of the Longboat!

Nearly cleared up! (My image)

950 Years Celebrations: photographs earlier today...

The bonfire pile on the beach earlier this morning, and Saxon and Norman figures present, but why is there a St George's Cross there?

I did suggest a Longboat...

FILO bar: putting up the beers

2 Special beers from FILO Brewing Company for the anniversary, Harold's Ale and the darker, spicy William's Wallop (4.5%), a very tasty beer with hints of mace and ginger.

The paler golden Harold's Ale (4.2%) tastes much stronger than the suggested ABV, with plenty of body, a grapefruit citrus flavour and a nice dry bitter finish.

Oh yes, and the Saxons had arrived!

A bit later, and it had brightened up, with a pretty decent band over there on the stage!

And this looks even more like a longboat, we'll see what goes on top of it!

950th Anniversary: Today's the Day!

So, today is the day, but the main celebrations are coming tomorrow folks (today, in Battle), ie mixed up with the Bonfire parade and fireworks, etc... However, today and tomorrow see the last OHPS free guided walks of the year (website for more details):

At 11.00 each day are the Stade Walks, meeting at Hastings Fishermen's Museum, and...

At 14.30 are the Old Town Walks, meeting up at the West Hill Lift. The Old Hastings Preservation Society (OHPS) is a charity and provides for these walks freely, but a donation to the Fishermen's Museum or the OHPS would be welcome, many thanks! 

Indeed Jim!

I still can't work out how to comment on my own blogs, sorry about that, but, regarding your comment on my previous blog, indeed, yes, Jim! 

Battle of Hastings 50p piece...

The Royal Mint have started minting 4 million, or so, of these coins, and I was sure they'd already been some in distribution (did I dream it?!? No, I posted similar at the beginning of the year, see my blog of 2nd January!). Anyway, if you want a spanking bright new uncirculated one of these coins, direct from the Mint, together with a "detailed booklet", go to the website of the Royal Mint, it'll only cost you £10! 

Or you could wait for a slightly used one for 50p.

The Saxons are still on the way! Photographs...

Resting 

In London 

Camping in Hyde Park

Hastings Weeks kicks off this weekend!

Hastings Week 2016 (8th to the 16th October) kicks off on Saturday with its opening ceremony up at the Castle; marching units meet at West Hill Cafe at 10.30, and the parade commences at 10.50 for the short distance to the Castle, starting a week commemorating the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings! There will be walks, talks, tea and coffee and, well take a look at their website if you haven't already procured a copy of the free programme (try pubs, shops, the tourist centre if lacking said programme).

And, if you weren't aware, Saturday the 8th is also World Octopus Day, which, of course, will be celebrated at the Blue Reef Aquarium, towards the end of Rock-a-Nore Road (website). At noon there will be a talk and demonstration of feeding the aquarium's resident Giant Pacific Octopus, Count Oswald, and younger visitors can join the Octo-trail and create designs relating to Octopus Day.

Of course there is much more to do and visit, eg the Pier, Hastings Fishermens Museum and the Shipwreck Museum, both close by the aquarium, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery in Bohemia Road, Parks and Miniature Railway, Fair, etc etc... Have fun!

The Saxons are coming!

With thanks to English Heritage, the Saxons are heading down from York, on horseback and on foot, to join in the 950th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Hastings, aiming to arrive at the battlefield, conveniently in Battle, on Hastings Day, presumably, to join in the rest of the re-enactment fun after re-enacting Harold's army's trek.

My money is on them losing the battle again! 

Sculpture on the Beach.

Very early today I noticed that this sculpture of a Norman Long Boat is already on display on the beach as part of the Route 1066 arts festival, which celebrates the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, but, for some reason, I had the idea it was to be at St Leonards, but no, I was wrong! 

It's very much east of the Pier! See website, and this photograph...

Also, have I ever reported that the Normans were actually the descendants of Vikings? Well, they were! See this website for further information.

Arts Festivals: Coastal Currents Does Root 1066!

To celebrate this October's 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, Coastal Currents does Root 1066, and this photograph, taken yesterday morning in Bottle Alley suggests the beginning of this 3rd September to 16th October joint cultural exercise; sadly damaged, whether by philistines or weather conditions I cannot guess, though I have my suspicions! Actually, Coastal Currents finishes 2 weeks earlier, and, as there is so much going on, please click to this link for full details of events.

For further details of the events of the full, 2 weeks longer, Root 1066, please click on this link. Of course, Stade Saturdays also links into the whole event, with, this evenings free event at the Stade Open Space, at 7.30pm, Azzur, "respected professionals from the Nice arts scene, specialising in jazz, improvised music and visual art." See Hastings Borough Council's website for further details.

Enjoy the weekend, and the next 6 or 7 weeks!