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🐦 Paws, Pints, and Punchlines

🐦 Paws, Pints, and Punchlines

Matt Forde’s triumphant return, Tom Rosenthal, and a weekend-long indoor dog show.

Ben Watkins
February 06, 2026

Happy Friday, Brighton & Hove!

We’ve got buckets of rain, but just as much comedy this weekend with lots of options to keep warm, dry and entertained across Brighton and beyond, whether it’s a dog show, a kinky market or a big screen to watch the Super Bowl. We’ve also got a new co-working space with as many cats as people (and unlimited coffee), and a trendy spot in Hove that’s a cross between a cocktail bar, a pub and a small plates restaurant that’s perfect for any occasion.

Here’s what’s squawking this week:

🐱 A neurodivergent-friendly co-working sanctuary home to permanent rescue cats
🍸 Refined small plates and house cocktails at Hove’s newest corner pub
🎤 Satire and stand-up from Matt Forde, Tom Rosenthal, and Amy Matthews
🏮 Lunar New Year galas, national dog shows, and Super Bowl screenings

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6/2/26 - 8/2/26

🎭 Amy Matthews: Work In Progress

⏰ Saturday, 3:00pm
📍 Ironworks Studios

The acclaimed stand-up returns to Brighton to develop her latest hour of sharp-witted material and observational humour. It is a rare chance to see a five-star comedian refining her craft in an intimate studio setting.

🎟️ Tickets & More Info

🐕 The Indoor National Dog Show

⏰ Saturday & Sunday, 10:00am
📍 South of England Showground

This massive indoor event near Haywards Heath is a haven for canine lovers, featuring everything from agility trials to charity fun dog shows. With over 20 classes and training demonstrations, it provides a packed weekend of entertainment for both four-legged friends and their owners.

🎟️ Tickets & More Info

🏮 Chinese Spring Festival Gala

⏰ Saturday, 1:30pm
📍 North Road, BN1 1YD

This community celebration welcomes the Lunar New Year with a variety of traditional music and cultural performances. Attendees can explore Chinese heritage through festive activities designed for all ages in the heart of the city.

🎟️ Tickets & More Info

🎻 Transatlantic Sessions

⏰ Saturday, 7:30pm
📍 Brighton Dome

This prestigious collaborative project brings together a star-studded lineup of Celtic and Americana musicians to celebrate their shared musical heritage. Renowned artists like Kathy Mattea and Karine Polwart join a world-class house band for an unforgettable evening of folk and bluegrass.

🎟️ Tickets & More Info

😅 Matt Forde: Defying Calamity

⏰ Saturday, 8:00pm
📍 Brighton Dome

The leading political satirist makes a triumphant return to the stage following a significant health battle and major surgery. His new show delivers his trademark blend of sharp political insight and personal resilience with plenty of laughs.

🎟️ Tickets & More Info

🎭 Tom Rosenthal: Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Am

⏰ Sunday, 7:30pm
📍 Komedia

Best known for his roles in Friday Night Dinner and Plebs, the comedian brings his big new show to the Komedia stage. He explores fame and identity with the same quirky observational style that has made him a household name.

🎟️ Tickets & More Info

🏈 Super Bowl LX Screening Party

⏰ Sunday, 7:00pm
📍 American Express Stadium

Fans can watch the biggest game of the year in American football on giant screens with surround sound and a high-energy stadium atmosphere. The night includes eating challenges, beer pong, and giveaways to keep the excitement going until the final whistle.

🎟️ Tickets & More Info

⛓️ Brighton Kink Market

⏰ Saturday, 12:00pm
📍 Werks Central

This welcoming community market showcases a diverse range of specialist makers selling high-quality collars, candles, and niche accessories. It offers a friendly environment for exploration and discovery within a safe, inclusive central space.

🎟️ Tickets & More Info

🐱 Purrfect Space

This brand-new opening in the Imperial Arcade is the UK’s first dedicated blend of professional coworking, restorative wellbeing events, and a permanent sanctuary for rescue cats. Founded by the team behind Munchies Craft Cat Café, the space provides a sensory-aware environment specifically tailored to support neurodivergent and sensory-sensitive guests.

The layout is designed to facilitate focus and quiet for those working remotely or people working from home who just fancy a change in environment. The venue serves as a forever home for cats with complex needs, including those rescued from Turkey, while also fostering UK cats awaiting rehoming through partner charities. The atmosphere is intended to be home-like, offering unlimited tea and coffee to visitors while ensuring feline companionship is based on the animals' choice to approach guests.

Beyond the desks and high-speed Wi-Fi, Purrfect Space functions as a creative community centre hosting regular low-pressure workshops. The schedule includes activities such as cat yoga and mindful art sessions, alongside a retail shop that supports local artists and animal advocacy. You can get your pass for a half day or full day online, as well as browse their range of cat-focussed art prints from local artists and book in one of their events on their website.

Events this month

🧘 Cat Yoga | Purrfect Space | Sat 21/2 & 28/2 | 60 mins of gentle, neurodivergent-affirming yoga followed by relaxation with the cats.

🎨 Love & Cats Art | Purrfect Space | Sat 14/2 | A two-hour creative collage workshop celebrating feline moods and whimsical illustration.

📍 11 Imperial Arcade
⏰ 9am-5:30pm, Mon-Fri (Co-working)
🧑‍💻 Website, Bookings & Events

🍴 Tapestry

Occupying a prominent corner of Victoria Grove, Tapestry is a polished addition to the Hove area, arriving early last year, it’s somewhere between a cocktail bar and a refined old school pub, with the menus to match. The interior is a mix of dark and moody colours, a stylish environment that is a step up from your average gastro-pub that feels just right for anything from a date night to after-work drinks to a Sunday roast.

The kitchen focuses on the popular small-plates with tapas-like options, like cornflake fried chicken bites and beef shin croquettes, as well as traditional ‘big plates’ such as beer battered cod, braised beef macaroni cheese and the pub classic of four different pies to pick from. On Sundays, Tapestry competes for the best roast in Hove, served from midday to 6pm, only it’s already a favourite for regulars, with vegans and veggies having the option of an incredible roast squash and sage wellington.

The bar serves a huge variety of tipples, from house-signature cocktails like the Thai Tanic and spicy margarita to changing seasonal options, like the current Irish Espresso Martini made with locally sourced Trading Post coffee. The progressive wine list features local Sussex sparkling from Ridgeview alongside wines from the old world and new, while the draught selection includes two favourites of mine in Birra Moretti Sal di Mare and Beavertown Neck Oil. Overall, Tapestry is a must-try for Hove locals and fits the bill for every kind of occasion and time of the week.

📍 10 Victoria Grove, Hove
⏰ 4pm-11pm (Tue-Thu); 12-12 (Fri) 10am-12am (Sat) 10-10pm (Sun)
🧑‍💻 Website, Menus Bookings

6/2/2026 - 8/2/2026

General Events

✨ The Brighton Bellesque Experience
7:00 PM @ Horizon Nightclub
An immersive, body-positive celebration of movement and confidence featuring sensual performance and playful interaction. More Info

🤫 The Maydays: Confessions!
7:30 PM @ Komedia
Award-winning improvisers turn audience secrets into a hilarious and entirely unscripted performance based on anonymous confessions. More Info

🏳️‍🌈 A Queer Night at the Museum
7:00 PM @ Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
A special late-night event to celebrate the opening of the groundbreaking new 'Gender Stories' exhibition with tours and performers. More Info

🔍 Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Saturday, 2:30pm & 7:30pm @ Theatre Royal Brighton
DCI Barnaby investigates a suspicious death in a picturesque village, uncovering a web of hidden passions and long-held secrets. More Info

🎹 Turbulence and Passion
Saturday, 6:00pm @ St Mary's Church
The Kelleth Piano Trio performs dramatic arrangements of Brahms and the Schumanns in the historic setting of St Mary's Church. More Info

🤣 Dane Baptiste Headlines The Secret Comedy Club
Saturday, 7:00pm @ Artista
One of the country's most talented comedians headlines an intimate and friendly stand-up showcase in Hove. More Info

💘 Speed Dating for The Flirty Over 50's
Saturday, 7:00pm @ Hearth Cafe and Garden
Single over-50s can enjoy an evening of old-school flirting and socialising in a cosy neighbourhood café setting. More Info

🧶 Meet Fred
Saturday, 7:15pm @ The Old Market
This acclaimed production follows a two-foot-tall cloth puppet as he fights for his place in a challenging world. More Info

👻 Brighton Ghostwalk Of The Lanes
Saturday, 7:30pm @ Outside the Druids Head
The city's longest-running supernatural tour returns for the 2026 season with chilling tales of Brighton's haunted past. More Info

😂 Forge Comedy Club
Saturday, 8:00pm @ The Forge Comedy Club
Brighton's award-winning venue presents a high-calibre line-up of stand-up talent for a Saturday night showcase. More Info

🎤 Robin Morgan: Let’s Overshare!
Saturday, 8:00pm @ Komedia
The Mock The Week star shares hilariously honest stories about the virtues and pitfalls of oversharing in modern life. More Info

📖 Community Immersive Storytelling Project
Sunday, 11:00am @ Alcampo Lounge
Learn how to get involved in an immersive volunteer-run theatre project ahead of this year's Brighton Fringe. More info

🎤 Aurie Styla: Now We’re Cookin!
Sunday, 6:00pm @ The Forge Comedy Club
The high-energy comedian blends freestyle crowd work with new material in this experimental evening of stand-up. More Info

Family Events

🐮 Stories with Skip – On the Farm
Saturday, 10:15am & 11:30am @ Theatre Royal Brighton
Little ones are invited to a perfect introduction to the theatre featuring interactive storytelling set on a farm. More Info

🎵 Go Kid Music Club
Saturday, 2:00pm @ The Brunswick Pub
Singer-songwriter Al Start leads a myth-themed monthly musical adventure for primary school children and their families. More Info

🤣 Comedy Club 4 Kids
Saturday, 2:00pm @ Komedia
Top circuit comedians perform their best clean material for an audience that is notoriously hard to please. More Info

Ongoing

⚧️ Gender Stories Exhibition
Ongoing @ Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
This new exhibition examines the fluid and multifaceted world of gender across different cultures, eras, and personal lived experiences. More Info

🌊 Serena Sussex Back Catalogue Exhibition
Ongoing @ Pretty Neat Gallery
A curated collection of atmospheric, light-filled paintings inspired by nature and the Sussex landscape showing at the Marina. More Info

👞 The Sussex Lancers: Tailor-made Leather Lovers
Ongoing @ Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
A fascinating display tracing the history of Bond Street’s 'Filk’n Casuals' and their role in producing bold menswear since the 60s. More Info

✨ Jim Sanders Presents: Spirit House No.14
Saturday & Sunday, 2:00pm @ Spirit House
Explore the extraordinary home studio of a local artist during this immersive experience celebrating the early promise of spring. More Info

Live Music