Hastings Runners 5 Mile Road Race Returns

Hastings Runners 5 Mile Road Race returns to the town on Sunday 15th May 2022, and it will be its 15th anniversary (visit1066country). The race starts (from 09.30) and finishes at the Queens Road Town Hall/Registry Office. For more information about Hastings Runners go to their website. Welcome back! 

Not Just Jack this Weekend!

Today (Friday 29th of April) sees the Hastings leg of the Normandy Food Tour 2022, where Norman food and drink producers will be available, a stage with demonstrations, and music! More details can be found at the Normandy Food Tour website, or just pop to The Stade down near the seafront and Lifeboat Station in Hastings old town.

{This paragraph was added later: The RNLI Lifeboat Station a few metres away from The Stade and the Normandy Food Tour, is well worth the visit too, if not today, over the weekend; open day on Monday. And, adding on to what I said above, there are many other places to visit and things to do this weekend: Hastings Pier, the Blue Reef Aquarium, Fishermen's Museum, Shipwreck Museum, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, Hastings Castle, the award winning Parks, pubs, bars and restaurants galore, and fish and chips galore!!}

For more information regarding the weekend see the visit1066country website, or just wander around, and remember, as I've already intimated, Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green is back (blog), and I shall provide further details of Monday's Procession before the day, I promise.

Enjoy your weekend!

St George's Day, Art in the Park & This Weekend

I took this photograph (above) whilst walking through Alexandra Park yesterday morning, and thought it an appropriate time to mention this excellent use of the old bowling green and pavilion to provide help for mental health in Hastings through Art for Wellbeing (website). Hastings Borough Council advertised its new use as Art in the Park on its website in March, and photographs of last weekend's successful activities and fete can be seen at the Sussex Express website. Nice one!

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

And Happy St George's Day! The day that William Shakespeare was coincidentally born on (at least his birth is celebrated on the 23rd of April... he was baptised on the 26th of April 1564), and died on, the 23rd of April 1616.

So, apart from the sharing of St George's Day cards aplenty, what else is happening this weekend? Well, music, beer and cheer are still available this weekend on Hastings Pier (see earlier blog), and the weather appears to be staying fine (Met Office), so that's nice. Other events can be found online (eg visit1066country), or just walk along the seafront, or in the parks, and enjoy your weekend, have fun!

Hastings Herring Fair 23-24 November 2019

Once again, the Hastings Herring Fair organisers invite you to celebrate the 'silver darlings of the sea' at this free fish, food, drink and music festival at the Stade Open Space this weekend; 11am to 4pm both days. Meet the fishermen and learn traditional skills. With many food and drink traders, a bar run by Lewes brewery Harvey's, live music (see at bottom of blog), cooking demonstrations, and plenty of entertainment for children, indeed there's plenty for everyone. See visit1066country website.

Herring are small tasty silver coloured fish that can be fried, smoked or cured, and they are full of healthy oils and, because they have existed in abundance, they were so named; the word herring comes from the Old German for “multitude”. The Atlantic Herring (Clupea Harengus), is caught around the British coast, though in the biggest numbers in the North Sea, and can reach up to 16 inches in length, but we usually see them at about 8 inches. There is locally caught herring in Hastings this year, so nice and fresh from our local fishing industry, nice one.

The Weekend Music

The Fair is free, so do visit The Stade Open Space in Hastings 'old town' and sample the local fare, not to mention wine, cider and beer, and much local music too, enjoy!

Hastings Halloween!

OK, it may seem a little early, but there are already Halloween events happening in Hastings, including a special Halloween Quiz Night tonight at the Dolphin Inn, Rock-a-Nore Road (website). The Dolphin's Quiz Night is held every Thursday, starts at 8.30pm, has cash prizes, and is free to enter!

Already on up on the West Hill at Smugglers Adventure is a Ghostly Quiz Trail and at Hastings Castle there's Halloween Fun (website), and there's Halloween Fun at the Blue Reef Aquarium too (website), in Rock-a-Nore Road! If you know of other Halloween events please feel free to add a comment, and Visit 1066 Country suggests quite a few alternative Halloween events as well (website).

Don't be too scared, just be very wary...