Hello, Brighton & Hove!

What a brilliant weekend we are heading into! 🌟

If you're a four-legged owner, you're in for a treat this week with two separate dog events taking over town to spoil your pooch. Plus, the Duke of York’s is celebrating its "Sweet 116" birthday and burying a community time capsule deep inside the cinema. You can submit your own letters, photos, and old ticket stubs -anything really. Just send a photo of your item, along with a short description of what it is and why you want it in the time capsule, to [email protected]

Our city is serving up open-air comic opera, a modern quilting revival featuring more than 100 designs, and tinned Portuguese sardine tastings in Hove. You'll also find talks on the heavy metal subculture and interactive true-crime profiling sessions lined up across town.

Let's dive in!

Here is what’s squawking this week:

🔍 Profiling serial killers with simulated autopsies.
⛵ Family watersports, comedy, and live music at Hove Lagoon.
🪡 Over 100 modern designs on display at the large-scale quilt show.
🕺 30th-anniversary tour of the global Irish dance phenomenon.
🐟 Tinned Portuguese sardine pairings and wine in Hove.

🪴 Between Two Thorns

I have a real soft spot for this place, mostly because it avoids all the pretentious fluff you usually get with urban plant shops. Founded in 2017 by Alys Dobbie, it began as a humble street market stall selling cut flowers before evolving into a passion for houseplants. Today, their spacious two-floor shop is a genuine green sanctuary.

Beyond stocking everything from easy-care favourites to rare collector finds, they run popular hands-on workshops teaching everything from building closed terrariums to crafting living succulent wreaths. They even offer an in-store repotting service to save your struggling plants at home. It’s a proper, unpretentious community hub where you can get your hands dirty, and their team recently took home Best Exhibit in the Festival of Houseplants at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival.

What I love most is their straightforward philosophy: “All we want to do here is provide a damn good service to damn fine people.” Whether you need expert advice on a tricky cutting or want to book a weekend workshop, pop in and give one of our finest local independents the love they deserve.

📍 91 Trafalgar Street, BN1 4ER, Brighton
🕒 Mon to Sat: 10am–5:30pm, Sun: 11am–5pm
💰 Houseplants, terrarium kits, repotting services, and classes
🔗 Book A Workshop Or Shop Online

🍺 The Setting Sun

If you are willing to brave the steep climb up on the edge of Hanover, you will be rewarded with what is easily the best pub view in the entire city. Perched right on the edge of the hill on Windmill Street, this independent neighbourhood gem offers a front-row seat to the most spectacular, panoramic sunsets over the Brighton rooftops and down to the sparkly sea.

Inside, it effortlessly captures that wonderfully laid-back Hanover community feel without a shred of pretentiousness. They serve up fantastic food, brilliantly kept drinks, and host board game afternoons that make you want to hunker down and stay all day. But the real magic happens out on their rear terrace as dusk approaches. Snagging a bench out back on a clear evening with a cold pint in hand while watching the sky turn pink is an absolute rite of passage for any true local.

📍 1 Windmill Street, Brighton, BN2 0GN
🕒 Mon 5pm-10pm, Tue - Thur 3pm-11pm, Fri 3pm-12am, Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 12pm-11pm
🔗 Visit their website

Fri

🔍 Can You Catch a Serial Killer? | 7:30pm, Fri @ Ironworks Studios
An interactive true-crime experience where you analyse dramatised crime scenes, forensic evidence, and simulated autopsies to step into the shoes of a criminal profiler. More Info

🎷 Water From An Ancient Well | 5:30pm, Fri @ St Andrew's Church
A stellar jazz sextet delivers a soulful musical tribute celebrating the iconic style and South African rhythms of legendary pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. More Info

🎧 Immersion - WHAT IS LOST WILL RETURN launch interview | 5pm, Fri @ The Actors Pub-Malka Spigel and Colin Newman (Wire) discuss their new album with broadcaster David Quantick, interspersed with full album playback inside the Slack City studio. More Info

🎛️ Indigaura presents: Sakr x KLSR - 360º Live AV | 6:30pm, Fri @ The Old Market-An immersive audio-visual showcase surrounding the audience with cutting-edge electronic beats and 360-degree digital projections. More Info

🎭 The Maydays: Confessions! & Guest Improv Superstars | 7:30pm, Fri @ Komedia-Brighton’s premier improv troupe takes real, anonymous audience secrets written before the show and spins them into spontaneous songs, sketches, and hilarious tales. More Info

🎷 New Opening! Deep Dive Jazz & Blues Bar| 7pm, Fri @ Deep Dive Jazz & Blues Bar-Brighton’s new dedicated jazz & blues bar celebrates its opening night with an eclectic set of groovy blues, jazz, hip hop, and funk spun by Italian DJ Piccola Kohsee. More Info

Sat

🚢 All Aboard - An Evening With Pearl & Dean And Very Special Guests | 7:30pm, Sat @ Komedia-Brighton Fringe favourites Pearl & Dean return with an unmissable night in the Lavender Lounge packed with musical comedy, special guests, and camp showbiz mayhem. More Info

🎨 Brighton's Makers Market | 10:30am, Sat @ Jubilee Square
Paper Daisy Events hosts an open-air seasonal pop-up marketplace in the North Laine, showcasing local independent artisans, craft makers, and creative small businesses. More Info

🏴‍☠️ The Pirates of Penzance | 7pm, Sat @ Brighton Open Air Theatre
Illyria presents Gilbert & Sullivan's classic comic opera, featuring a six-strong cast, orchestrations, and beloved tunes such as "The Modern Major General," in an open-air production. More Info

📻 Lewes Record Fair | 10am, Sat @ Lewes Con Club
A staple five-hour crate-digging event in Lewes featuring vinyl, CDs, and music memorabilia from various sellers, with cheap all-day parking nearby. More Info

Sun

🎹 The Carpenters Experience | 2pm, Sun @ Brighton Open Air Theatre
An outdoor musical tribute celebrating the timeless pop classics and signature harmonies of Karen and Richard Carpenter. More Info

🔥 Woodland Raku Pottery Workshop | 11am, Sun @ East Sussex Woodland (near Lewes)-An immersive, full-day outdoor pottery session where you'll glaze and fire ceramics using traditional, high-heat raku techniques in a woodland setting. More Info

🐟 Sardine Sunday with Portuguese Wines | 12pm, Sun @ BeerBelly Micropub
A relaxed tasting pairing premium tinned sardines with a selected glass of Portuguese wine at Hove's local micropub. More Info

🤘 Sound Affects: Heavy Metal Special | 7pm, Sun @ Nightingale Room
An evening of subculture talks featuring Dan Franklin's Slipknot book launch, Myroslava Halushka on HR Giger, a VICE goth-Christian documentary screening, and occult puppet appearances. More Info

✨ FLUX | 7:30pm, Sun @ The Old Market
An immersive 360° audio-visual experience featuring 3D spatial sound, live harp, organic electronic music from kiskadee, and real-time motion-captured visual artwork. More Info

🐰 Down the Hatch | 7pm, Sun @ Komedia
A monthly alternative comedy club in the Basement space, serving up a delightfully off-the-wall mix of unconventional stand-up, drag, and inclusive performance art. More Info

👑 The Princess Proms | 1:30pm & 4:30pm, Sun @ Theatre Royal
A magical family concert celebrating iconic soundtrack hits from Frozen, Moana, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid, performed live on stage. More Info

Live Music

Hannah Sherlock & Tim Walker | Fri @ Fortune of War
Jamolations Launch Party | Fri @ Quarters
Brighton Psych Fest 2026 | Fri @ Patterns
FEMME FOLK/COUNTRY/ROCK | Fri @ The Brunswick
Matinee: The Howl & The Hum | Fri @ Folklore Rooms
Matilda Mann: Live + Signing | Fri @ Resident
ROCK ANTHEM PARTY (FREE!) | Fri @ Caroline of Brunswick
Brighton Beach Boys: Herbie Flowers | Fri @ The Brunswick
K, maybe + Weather Happy + Revenge Dress | Fri @ Prince Albert
BRIGHTON PSYCH FEST 2026 | Fri @ Alphabet
KRAPEOKE V'S GUITAR HERO | Fri @ Daltons
Pizzatramp Grail Guard | Fri @ The Pipeline
Brighton Psych Fest | Fri @ Komedia
Širom + Athina B | Fri @ Rose Hill
Shades – A Decade Later | Fri @ Rossi Bar
GRASSROOTS - FREE Fridays - Disco, Funk & House | Fri @ Patterns
The Howl & The Hum | Fri @ Folklore Rooms
The Molotovs | Fri @ Chalk
Brighton Psych Fest 2026 | Fri @ Hope & Ruin
Jimmy | Fri @ Green Door Store
INDIGAURA PRESENTS SAKR x KLSR X AM SIN: 360º Live AV | Fri @ The Old Market

Friends in low places - Raising money for CALM | Sat @ Daltons
Tenderhooks + Rainbow and the Rhythms live at The Brunswick | Sat @ The Brunswick
MATINEE! Safehouse presents: John Edwards, Alex Ward and Mike Gennaro | Sat @ Rose Hill
B2B The Movement | Sat @ Quarters
Salter Cane + The Self Help Group + Figure In The Half Light | Sat @ Prince Albert
Arab Strap: Live + Signing | Sat @ Resident
Just Lust | Sat @ Rossi Bar
Ben GC with special guest Nick the Record | Sat @ Fortune of War
Bee & Jackrabbit | Sat @ Folklore Rooms
Kirollus All Day Long | Sat @ Concorde 2
Mindframe | Sat @ Green Door Store
Downward | Sat @ Hope & Ruin
30 years of C.I.A. - Total Science, T>I , Serpnt, Fokus | Sat @ Volks

Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks | Sun @ Brighton Dome
Clarion | Sun @ Patterns
Brighton Sundae w/ Matthew Herbert (DJ set) | Sun @ Patterns
The Original Five | Sun @ The Brunswick
SUNSET SOUNDS (FREE!) | Sun @ Caroline of Brunswick
Tagore Chayne | Sun @ Folklore Rooms
MoonPunx Sunday Matinee #18 Family of Strangers, Vampyra, Temper Tantrum | Sun @ The Pipeline
HI JINX PROMTIONS PRESENTS FREE ENTRY | Sun @ Daltons
Flux | Sun @ The Old Market
RUSTORM + SCAPHIST + WINDOWHEAD + HALVEKSIA | Sun @ Prince Albert
LOUD WOMEN Brighton: Bullshit Boy + Lilith Left the Garden + Playing Alice + Second Idol + WREX | Sun @ Prince Albert
THE COURETTES | Sun @ Daltons
TEN56 | Sun @ Chalk
Melancholy Fest | Sun @ Green Door Store