Old Town Carnival Week 2018 Starts Today!

This sign is a sign of things to come, and very soon! The 2018 Old Town Carnival starts today (website), ostensibly with the Old Town Criers competition at Reeves Corner, 7pm for a 7.30pm start, but...

The official opening ceremony will be at the Fishermen's Museum in Rock-a-Nore Road at 12 noon tomorrow (Saturday 28th July), but personally I always think it really starts with the Tug o War, at 10.30am tomorrow (28th) in-between the Lifeboat Station and Sea Angling Club, but watch out for the railway too (website)!

There's lots more to come this week, plus!





Carnival Tuesday

Hastings Old Town Carnival keeps on... The weather doesn't look so good early doors, with rain forecast until about 10am, then overcast for the rest of the day (as we all know, probably a few showers too!), but it should be decent enough for the cyclists who will undertake the Jimmy Read Memorial Bike Race in Crown Lane that starts at 5.30pm...

Other of the events today include Entertainment at Reeves Corner from 10am, exhibitions at the Fishermen's Museum, the Stables Theatre and at Hastings History House in Courthouse Street, tours of All Saints Church bell tower, and walks galore, the Architecture of Hill Street and the Croft, Stade Guided Walk, the Twittens and Cat Creeps, Old Town Walk, Foyles Walk and Ghost Walks; see website for full details of these and other events.

And, not to be missed, there is an Open Day at Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Station from 11am until 2pm, enjoy your day, but beware the weather!

Carnival Monday

This Monday, there is plenty of fun to be had, and things to see and join in with, notably around Courthouse Street, including a Street Market from 10.00 onwards, a Cheese & Wine Extravaganza from 12 noon, which I took full advantage of last year, very nice thank you very much, and all day entertainment, on the stage at Reeves Corner; see website for full details of these and other events.

Other events include, of course, the Seaboot Race from 6pm (above), Organic Cream Tea at 106 High Street, Coffee Morning with Stalls at the Crypt, St Mary Star of the Sea Church, walks as described recently, including the Stade Walk, and competitive Winkle Tossing down at Winkle Island, Rock-a-Nore Road, 2pm to 4.30pm!

1st weekend of Carnival Week!

Having written very little over the past few days, I feel I may be overawed by how much there is to write in this coming week plus! Hastings Old Town Carnival officially starts tomorrow morning, but there's stuff on today too, and runs until Sunday week (website). Today, from 5.30pm, the windows of All Saints Street will be judged as to which is the "best dressed" and, from 6.30pm on the stage at Reeves Corner in the High Street, will be the Old Town Criers Competition, oh yez! 

Carnival Week, as usual, kicks off proper with the Tug of War competition, weather permitting, in front of the RNLI Lifeboat Station at the Stade at 10.30am tomorrow morning, between teams from various pubs and bars of the Old Town, male and female...

And there's so much more happening, look to the website for full details of the many events to come, including, on Saturday, the Coronation of the Carnival Queen at the Stade Open Space at 12.30pm, a Summer Fete at Old Hastings House, and the Carnival Procession, starting at Winkle Island, Rock-a-Nore Road, from 1.20pm. On Sunday, events include a Car Boot Sale in the Stables Theatre car park from 10am to 1pm, an hour with DJ Wendy May at the Stade Open Space from 1pm, and there will be Children's Entertainment at the Stade Open Space between 12 noon and 2pm on Saturday, and between 12 noon and 1pm on Sunday.

And music... The "Nearly" on the Beach Concert runs from 2pm to 8pm on Saturday, and from 2pm to 7pm on Sunday, and was considered a greater success than was envisioned by many last year, following it's moving off the pebbles... Also, all day on both days, there will be entertainment on the stage at Reeves Corner, High Street, not to mention the many pubs and bars with music laid on Saturday evening!

The Carnival is organised by Old Hastings Preservation Society and the Hastings Old Town Carnival Association, and plenty is happening at Hastings History House in Courthouse Street all week, from Saturday including exhibitions of Sixty Years of Carnival and Lost Roads of Hastings & St Leonards, plus numerous walks...

Indeed, walks include a Twilight Smugglers Walk, Foyle's Walk, Ghost Walks, and the Stade Walk I often mention, except not just on Saturday this week, but on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, not to forget next Saturday and Sunday too, though I may just remind you! For the Stade walks, meet at the Fishermen's Museum, Rock-a-Nore Road at 11am each day; remembering these walks are organised by the charity, so donations to the Fishermen's Museum would be much appreciated, many thanks. More details of these, and many other walks, can be seen at the website too.

Not forgetting that the Carnival isn't the only thing happening in Hastings this coming week, though you may be forgiven for thinking so, but, for example, on Hastings Pier there will not only be the usual facilities, but Wilde's Punch and Judy Show will be held on Saturday and Sunday at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm (see website).

Whatever you do, and wherever you go, enjoy your weekend!