Hastings Midsummer Fish Festival Returns this Weekend!

This weekend sees the return of the Hastings Midsummer Fish Festival (25-26 June 2022) at the Stade Open Space down near the seafront/Lifeboat Station in the Old Town (visit1066country); 11.00am to 6.00pm both days, weekend wristbands cost £2 in advance from Hastings Visitor Information Centre in front of Hastings Railway Station/by the College, Station Approach (website), or £3 on the gate, under 18s free. The Visitor Information Centre is open 10.00am to 12.30pm and 1.15pm to 4.00pm today and tomorrow, 10.00am to 2.00pm at the weekend.

There will be locally sourced fish (of course!), food, wines and beers, live music (11.30am to 6.00pm), children's activities (11.30am to 5.00pm), and cooking and preparation of seafood demonstrations in the Stade Hall Classroom on the Coast (from noon). For more details please go to website.

Welcome back to our festivals, and enjoy! 

Classroom on the Coast Workshops

A team from Billingsgate Seafood School are coming to Hastings today to provide workshops at Classroom on the Coast, The Stade. A Box of Seafood will be the best of the local catch of the week, and may be dabs, gurnard, whiting, plaice, mackerel, cuttlefish, whatever is caught.  Get a feel for the seasonality of seafood and support local fishermen at the same time. Attendees will learn about the respective species and how to prepare and cook them. There are 2 workshops today, and also more to come on 11th February and 25th March; fee £32 for cost of ingredients, recipes etc (see website). 

Box of Seafood Workshops, Saturday 14th January 2017 

Times: 09.30 to 11.30 and 12.15 to 14.15

Seafood & Wine Festival 17th-18th September 2016

Following the opening Ska music this evening (see my last blog), the weekend sees the annual Hastings Seafood & Wine Festival at The Stade, 17-18 September (see website for more details). Because it is the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings this year, there will be a 1066 theme, indeed, come dressed as a Saxon or Norman and claim a free festival glass! Of course, there is much to do and see: locally caught fish, wines and other local produce, FILO bar with locally brewed real ales, seafood cooking sessions in the Classroom on the Coast, guided walks, and much music and merry making!

This all continues on Sunday, but with the added bonus of a very reasonably priced Jazz Breakfast with local, and internationally acclaimed, jazz musician and singer Liane Carroll in the morning; £15 for adults and £10 for children, I'd hate to think what you'd need to pay to see her in Ronnie Scotts or elsewhere in London! 

The price includes a free wristband for the rest of the festival, otherwise, admission is by wristband on the day costing £2, or £1 if bought in advance at the Tourist Information Centre in Breeds Place opposite the fountain, where tickets for the Jazz Breakfast can also be bought, though only limited tickets for that event, so good luck!

Fish Cookery School at the Stade

I may be trying to teach grandmothers to suck eggs, but, these courses look like a good thing! See website.   

1066 Wine & Food Festival starts today!

Well well, following on from this weekend's Midsummer Fish Festival, is the first 1066 Wine & Food Festival! That is, this new festival starts at 6pm this evening, at St Mary in the Castle, with a talk about English sparkling wine, delivered by Jilly Goolden at 7pm, and music from Liane Carroll from 8pm. The festival carries on throughout the week with participating businesses offering special deals and other events (see website), through to next weekend, where, on Saturday and Sunday, there will be a wine fair at Stade Hall, and professional tutored wine tastings next door at Classroom on the Coast.  

To properly take advantage of the festival and its special offers, discounts and events, Festival Cards are available for just £5 from the Hastings Midsummer Fish Festival (above), all participating businesses, and tourist information centres; the Festival Card also gives 3 months free membership of the Hastings Card, with its own special offers and reductions at shops and attractions.    

Indeed, it's always good to see inside the gorgeous St Mary in the Castle, but for further information, see the 1066 Wine & Food Festival website.

Admission to this evening's opening event is free to Festival Card holders, though, probably, it would be best to check on availability and book at their website as, obviously, space is limited, enjoy the week! 

Assault behind the fish market last night!

At about midnight last night, a local man walking his dog was attacked and physically assaulted by 3 young men (late teens or 20s) dressed in the standard muggers' gear, 'hoodies' up over their heads; never trust someone with a hoodie up is a motto I believe in! This happened behind the fish market in the old town, and the Police suspect it was an attempt to steal from the man, but they may not have noticed the dog...    

The police are studying cctv footage, locally, and going along the seafront towards the centre of town, where the attackers ran towards. It is believed one of the assailants may have a dog bite on his leg and another may have a head or facial injury, obviously, if you have any information please contact the police. In addition, even the local fishing industry area isn't always a safe place to be, so be alert, especially when alone anywhere. 

Oh yes, walking nearby, I met a friend earlier, who informed me that a stolen motorcycle was set ablaze between 2 beach huts (damaging them also) on Monday night, near where the old lido was situated at West St Leonards, any information etc etc... Neither of these incidents are on the Sussex Police website yet, and the force is looking to make further cuts in the numbers of police officers as I have previously written, tut tut...

On that jolly note, I'm looking forward to the public meeting this evening! 

Don't forget the Greenpeace meeting this evening!

The Greenpeace public meeting, in support of local and sustainable fishing, is being held at the East Hastings Sea Angling Association, above 'Classroom on the Coast', at the Stade (opposite the RNLI lifeboat station), starting at 6pm this evening (website). 

I'm not sure if entry will be via the doors here, or from the Association doors at the end of the building right opposite the RNLI. The information isn't clear, so be prepared for either. Whatever, I'm looking forward to this evening!