Pirate Day 2017 - Sunday 16th July...

OK, there's always plenty happening in Hastings every weekend, but this weekend, events are likely to be dominated by Pirate Day on Sunday and, despite it not being a year needed to count the pirates in town (yet again, as Penzance still hasn't caught up with the Hastings' record of 14,231 achieved in 2012), Roger Crouch returns as organiser to ensure that much pirate fun will be there for young and old; see website.

And it's not just another event dominated by the 'old town' as plenty is going on from the end of Rock-a-Nore Road at the Blue Reef Aquarium, all the way to Grosvenor Gardens and the Bo Peep Inn, where I've been told pirate flags are flying already! The old town will see mermaids, shanty songs and drums; Hastings Lifeboat has an exercise launch at 09.00am and Pirate Day Refreshments from 11.00am; Pelham Beach will see free-fall parachuting and flags; the town centre and Priory Meadow will see music and workshops; the Pier and White Rock Theatre will see a treasure hunt and children's entertainment; then there will be 'Treasure Island' at St Leonards Warrior Square... Not to mention the procession, Punch & Judy, sword fighting, pirate films, and much more, and, of course much rum me 'arties!

Have piratical fun! 💀 

Weekend Fun in Hastings:

Cinema on the Pier returns this evening with Back to the Future, Titanic tomorrow, and Mamma Mia on Sunday. Tomorrow and Sunday, there are Zooquarium Music Festival auditions for 14-24 year-olds; on Sunday and Monday there are Punch & Judy shows at 11.00, 1.30 and 3.00 pm; and from Monday there are Half-term Family Workshops each day; see website for further details. Of course, there is still Fishing from the Pier, go to Paul's Tackle shop, 38 White Rock, for further details and permits.

Music is your first love? OK, plenty on... this evening (Friday), music at the Carlisle, Royal Standard, Whistle Trago, Black Cat, Dolphin Inn, Marina Fountain, Jenny Lind, and Rufus Stone at the Palace. Tomorrow evening (Saturday) sees Sam Calver & Friends (unique line-up, the drummer tells me!) at the Dolphin Inn, and music at the Palace, Printworks, Black Cat, Brass Monkey, Marina Fountain, Standard, and "Stars from the Commitments" at the White Rock Theatre. Mostly earlier starts on Sunday with music at the Black Cat, Marina Fountain, White Rock Theatre, Jenny Lind, Albion, Brass Monkey, and Cushty at the Standard from 5pm. Enough for you? 😉

Of course, you may just want to explore the old town, or walk along the seafront, indeed, promenade on Hastings Pier, explore Alexandra Park, or relax in St Leonards Gardens, or just sit back outside a seafront bar, or on the Pier, watching the world go by... Or visit the Fishermen's Museum or Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, or Castle and Smugglers' Adventure, or Monsters' Week at the Blue Reef Aquarium, from tomorrow to the 4th of June (website).

Whatever you do, slap on the factor 50, and enjoy your weekend!

Things to do & Hastings Pride this weekend...

Always plenty to do in Hastings... the beach, pubs, clubs, gardens, shops and arcades, museums, the castle, and the aquarium, but even more this weekend, eg at the Pier...

Of course, the usual stuff, shops, food, drink, the vintage funfair, which continues for another week, and the circus, that continues until Monday inclusive. There's live Punch & Judy on today at 11am, a Fitness Rave this evening at 8pm, more fitness tomorrow with Paul McCleery PT from 8.15am, and an open audition for the Academy of Circus Arts 2017 from 9am tomorrow (Saturday - see website for more details).

And, for Stade Saturdays tomorrow, we have, from 11am, so at the Stade, more Workshops in Basic Circus Skills, and Le Cirque du Platzak Present Kermiz, a kind of post-modern take on the circus peppered with folk music from this collective of 12! See website for more details as it's not easy to explain... 

Then, on Sunday 28th August, from noon in the town centre, in-between Debenhams and the General Havelock, there will be a party to celebrate the launch of Hastings Pride (see website). Hastings Mayor Judy Rogers will officially launch the event, with guest speakers and plenty of music throughout the day too! It is intended that this begins the continued use of August Bank Holiday Sundays as a calendar regular for Hastings Pride.

I'll write more on Bank Holiday Monday over the weekend, have fun!

Carnival Friday plus a CIRCUS on the Pier!

Yep, from this afternoon at 3pm, Zippos Circus will be open on the Pier until, and including the 29th of August 2016 (website).

And, of course, Hastings Old Town Carnival Week continues to entertain too, including exhibitions and walks a plenty; the Stade Walk from 11am (meet at the Fishermen's Museum) and Twilight Smugglers Walk from 6.45pm (meet at the Shipwreck Museum). Punch & Judy with real people (!?!), Cheese & Wine Lunch at the History House 12-2.30pm  (I'd imagine there will be plenty available!), a Local Country Market at All Saints Hall from 10am, Presentation of a cheque by the High Street Traders for £1066 to the Hastings Lifeboat at 6.30pm at Reeves Corner, and much much more, see the website for full details, and enjoy the day!