A Busy Hastings Weekend!

As I write, the weekly St Leonards Farmers Market is being held at Tommy's Yard, 28 Norman Road TN38 0EJ, as it is every Friday, 10.00-1.00pm (website).

Tomorrow, Saturday 1st October, sees Hastings Oktoberfest with music, beer and bratwurst promised to entertain you indoors from 2.00 to 10.00pm at Horntye Park TN34 1EX! Lots of brass band and oompah promised too, tickets are  £15; more details, how to buy the tickets, at their website. Prost!

Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd also sees the Pop Up Emporium return to The Stade Hall, close by Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Station, an indoor market for local businesses and crafts to exhibit their wares at; 11.00 to 4.00pm both days (visit1066country).

Then, on Sunday, 2nd October, the Bohemia Creative Quarter (BCQ) regular first Sunday of the month event is held. The event will be from 11.00am to 4.00pm in the Bohemia/London/Tower Roads triangle, an area consisting of 80 or so businesses.

There is a facebook page for the group and, as the image above suggests, expect creative workshops, live performances, wellness and beauty, affordable art, home decor, music, antiques, bric-a-brac, street food, fancy dress and vintage stalls. You are invited to visit and explore the Bohemia area of Hastings & St Leonards...

Also, for the week commencing tomorrow, for 8 days actually, 1-8 October, at the Observer Building, 53 Cambridge Road TN34 1DT, is the People of Hastings Exhibition, an event created by the Digital Arts Hub (facebook). The event will feature a digital 3D portrait of Hastings and its people and culture, following a 4 months long project; all those people scanned for the XR22 project will be represented by 3D models, see if you recognised anyone! It will be open daily 1.00-6.00pm, except on the 8th, when the closing event will be 6.00-8.00pm.

Enjoy your weekend folks! 👌

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! 

Here comes the Weekend!

There will be a Pop Up Market at the Stade Hall close by to the RNLI Lifeboat Station (always well worth a visit too!) on Saturday and Sunday 11.00 am to 4.00 pm (2-3 October- website), featuring the work of creative 'makers' and small businesses.

And plenty of music up at the Oval with UKG By the Sea on Saturday 2nd October from midday to 11.00 pm; to purchase tickets please go to this website.

Indeed, here comes the weekend (YouTube), enjoy it, but stay safe!

Weekend 7th/8th December 2019

There is plenty to do this weekend, aside from traditional Christmas shopping, visiting museums, pubs and restaurants, or promenading, including the Hastings Lifeboat Station Christmas at the Boathouse from 11.00 to 15.00 on Saturday, with tea and cake, gifts, tombola, Guess the weight of the Christmas cake, and more, not to mention visiting the lifeboat and the RNLI shop (facebook); the Blue Bee Christmas Market at 25 Courthouse Street in the old town from 10.00 to 20.00 on Saturday, with gift and stocking filler ideas from local artists (facebook); the Winter Art Fair at the Dirty Old Gallery, 31A West Street, TN34 3AN, from 12.00 to 18.00 both days, with locally made arts and crafts (website); and on Sunday from 11.00 to 16.00 at The Stade Hall, The Pop Up Emporium, again supporting local arts and businesses (facebook).

Whatever, enjoy your weekend, with a not so bad weather forecast too (Met Office).

SoCo RX19 Exhibition

From today until the 24th of November an art exhibition inspired by Hastings Fishermen's Museum and the local fishing community, SoCo RX19 is being held at the Stade Hall, with some 'small artworks' integrated into the Hastings Fishermen's Museum too (Katherine Reekie). To find our more about SoCo Artists, who are based in East Sussex, go to their website.

A quieter Weekend...

The weather isn't going to be too bad this weekend (forecast), although Sunday morning doesn't look great, and there isn't much obvious going on event-wise (eg no Stade Saturdays this week), except that the Coastal Currents Arts Festival 2019 is very near to its end, and so a last opportunity to investigate the venues (website). For example, visit the Big Green Fair to be held on Sunday (29th) 11.00 to 16.00 hours at the Stade Hall, Stade Open Space and Shipwreck Museum (facebook).

Since first writing this I have learned from Licy Clayden, many thanks, that the inclement weather the marquee could not be erected, consequently indoor events only for the Big Green Fair, I trust no-one was too disappointed... 

Plus the regular things to do in Hastings, of course, gigs in pubs, museums to visit, parks, castle, aquarium, promenade, beach, food and drink etc., have a look at visit1066country website, whatever you do, have a good weekend!

Weekend and Christmas Events already!

Until Christmas Eve Santa's New Grotto is at Priory Square, Priory Meadow (see website for more details). Today, there is a Christmas Curiosity Bazaar at East Sussex College (10.30-6pm, free entry, more details on website); a Christmas Flea Market at the Isabel Blackman Centre, St Leonards (11-5pm - website); Creative Christmas at Hastings Arts Forum, St Leonards (11-5pm today and tomorrow, free entry, and many more days before Christmas, see website for further details); and St Michael's Hospice Christmas Fayre, St Leonards (10.15-12pm, 50p entrance fee includes cup of teas or coffee and bsicuits, website).

And, as you can see from the image above, at Stade Hall in the old town there will be Hastings Christmas Market tomorrow, Sunday 2nd 11-4pm, see website for details.

Plenty happening, enjoy!

Meet the Police at the Stade Hall...

Haven't seen a police officer for a while? Now's your chance! This Thursday (4th October) at the Stade Hall @ 6pm, and there's a public meeting with representatives of the Police and Hastings Borough Council concerning 'Drugs & Anti-Social Behaviour' in the Old Town; your chance to ask the questions you may have been dying to ask!

Hastings Vegan Fayre today.

This August Bank Holiday Monday (today) sees the annual Hastings Vegan Fayre at the Stade Hall TN34 3FJ, between 10.30 am and 4.30 pm (website). 

Today should see a much brighter day than yesterday, fingers crossed (Met Office), and so it should be an easier public holiday to enjoy! At the Vegan Fayre will be a wide range of stalls with gift choices, food, cruelty-free products, speakers, music and films... 

It's a "Fab day out!"

1066 Energy Day at Stade Hall

The 1066 Energy Day is happening this Saturday 11th March, at Stade Hall, 10am to 4pm; now, I have no idea what this is, but see their website for more details! 😉

Hastings Herring Fair 5-6 November 2016

This weekend sees the fifth Herring Fair at the Stade, 11am to 4pm both days (free entry). There is music, classes and cooking demonstrations, children's activities in the Stade Hall and face painting on Sunday, ales, stalls galore, and, of course, fish, and I hear that some herring has been caught locally very recently! For more details visit the website.

Yesterday morning I saw that the marquee was already fully erected, so no worries about the weather, though the forecast looks clear all weekend it will be colder than recent times, so wrap up appropriately for the temperature, and, no doubt, chilly wind!

Oh yes, and a special Stade Guided Walk returns just for the Saturday morning, meeting up at the Fishermen's Museum in Rock-a-Nore Road at 11.00, bring strong shoes for walking on the uneven pebbles and warm clothing, as above. The guided walk is free (website) and organised by the Old Hastings Preservation Society, but donations to Hastings Fishermen's Museum would be appreciated, many thanks.

Whatever you do, enjoy the weekend!

Hastings Weekend: Pier & Beyond!

After a full weekend with an eclectic mix of music last week, again, areas of the Pier are closed this weekend due to a Pier Jam this Saturday (24th), with 2 outdoor stages and room for 2,500 people to enjoy the DJ talent on display (website); please note that Early Bird tickets are sold out, but Final Release tickets are still available. Also, on the Pier this Sunday, there will be a Wedding Fair from 11.00, and a Wedding Dress Walk, for all those who thought they may never wear their dresses again, starting at 10.00, and in aid of raising funds for St Michael's Hospice (website).

Of course, the Festival of Contemporary Arts, Root 1066, continues with numerous events around town, including The Story of Hastings in 66 Objects at the Museum, I Am A Norman, seven Hastings choirs performing Barefoot Opera/CLASH in the atrium at Sussex Coast College, and the Feast of the Dead at the Stade Hall has its final performance on Sunday evening; see website for full details.

And, if you want to go a bit further afield and partake in some exercise, the annual Sussex Walking Festival starts this weekend, 24th September to 2nd of October 2016, a joint event that is organised by Eastbourne Borough Council and Wealdon District Council. For full details of a wide variety of walks, and variety of difficulty and length, go to the Sussex Walking Festival website.

Whatever you do this weekend, either partaking in these specific events, visiting the beach, castle, aquarium, museums, restaurants, pubs and clubs and music, or whatever, enjoy!

Fun at The Stade yesterday!

Sorry, I missed that there would be a Summer Fair at the Stade Hall yesterday, but quite a few people did appear to be aware, happy to share any feedback, cheers!

This was taken at about 10.45 yesterday morning, during the circus skills 'workshops', though only advertised to commence at 11am! The children appeared to be enjoying their early workshops, so, nice one to the performers for providing more of their time...

I went back to have a look at Le Cirque a couple of hours later, this was taken before the band appeared. Sadly, I had forgotten to bring my camera, and my mobile phone stopped working after this photograph was taken (damn!), thus missing the full ensemble, and as I went further back on the open space, more and more people came to watch (I think the music enticed many!). Consequently, you cannot see just how popular this was, but take my word for it, it was popular, and the European ensemble were pretty funny too, and yes, that is a young man hanging around up there!

Even More! "Feast of the Dead" this evening...

OK, I missed advising about this event at the Stade Hall this Sunday (21st), probably because money is involved, but, then again, so is food and drink! Conjuring the ghosts of those who died 950 years ago at the Battle of Hastings, and experiencing, and participating in, an anarchic interpretation of the views of those who died on the battlefield... Dress up, if you like, whatever, see the website for further details, and enjoy!

Last Day of Art Exhibition at Stade Hall.

Today is the last day of the East Sussex Arts Club Art Exhibition at the Stade Hall; see their website for more information about them and this exhibition.

I didn't make it in the evening!

I didn't make it to the Pier in the evening, though I did take a wander down there in the morning yesterday, and the weather forecast I saw wasn't very good, but Madness were! 

East Sussex Arts Club had their 2016 Exhibition a the Stade, and this continues until Wednesday 25th May (see their website for more details).

A very sad day...

I have friends in Brussels, I have close family born in Brussels, what a very sad start to the day. So sad, I could not bear going to the Memorial Service for John Hodges at the Stade Hall this afternoon, and many did go, consequently Jonathan Mendenhall's moving eulogy was delivered to a large number of John's friends... 

John Hodges R.I.P. 

For the many deceased in Brussels, R.I.P. 

John Hodges Memorial Service Today

This afternoon, at 15.30 for 16.00, at the Stade Hall, a Memorial Service for John R.I.P.

Hastings Registry Office has moved!

Today I discovered that, no doubt due to cuts, from this week, the Registry Office has moved into the Town Hall in Queens Road (website), consequently, marriages will now be held in the Mayor's Parlour or Council Chamber... 

The Council Chamber

So now we have a nomadic Hastings Borough Council, and meetings will be held in various places, as you can see, on the 1st of February, the Cabinet meeting will be held at the Stade Hall, and the following Environment & Safety Committee meeting will be held at Aquila House on the 4th of February. If you want to attend any meetings, be aware! 

Saturday events in Hastings and nearby...

3 weeks to go still, but Christmas influences events! 

At the lifeboat station from 11.00 to 15.00 tomorrow (Saturday 5th December) plenty is happening. including singing, coffee and cakes and biscuits (website). 

Across at the Stade Hall, from 10.30 to 16.30, is the Animal Charities Xmas Fayre.

And up at Sedlescombe is Hastings Handicrafts Big Christmas Arts & Crafts Fair, from 10.00 to 15.00, if you fancy a short trip from Hastings (website). 

Enjoy a good weekend!