"I was dreamin' when I wrote this, so sue me if I go to fast…read moreBut life is just a party and parties weren't meant to last" Wow, just Wow!! Had an amazing time at the Hop Farm festival this weekend, with Prince being the icing on the cake. What a showman, he really knows how to rock a festival!! Hop Farm Festival is now in its 4th year and for the first time was extended to three days. Organised by the legendary Vince Power this festival looks set to grow and grow. The acts range from new bands to old legends, including The Eagles, Morrissey, Carl Barat, Newton Faulkner, Aloe Black, Ocean Colour Scene, Tim Booth, Imelda May, Frankie and The Heartstrings and many more. The festival has three stages, and and comedy night once the music has finished. The facilities were fantastic - the toilets were clean and 9 times out of 10 had loo roll and hand sanitiser (i know, at a festival!). The bars were numerous and well staffed meaning that you never had to queue for longer than a couple of minutes for a drink. For beer or cider you had to pay a £3 deposit for a plastic cup which was then refundable at the end of the night - a great idea to keep waste levels down. On this note, the area was cleaned on a regular basis which was fantastic. The food stands were numerous and a little hit and miss. Great hog roast, burritos and churros but the paella and Jimmy's Farm burger were a little disappointing. Camping facilities were good and not to far away from the arena. Could have done with a few more showers but at least they were hot. This is a fairly civilised festival which seems to appeal to people of all ages. A great starter if you don't feel quite ready for the madness of the likes of Glastonbury or Reading!!

The Burning of The Clocks is a Brighton tradition that has been going on for nearly two decades. It…read morecelebrates the winter solstice and ushers in the new sun. It's typical of Brighton that this event can attract a vast variety of people, from hippies, to students, families with young kiddies, to the elderly. The event starts with a lantern parade which commences in the centre of town and finishes on the beach, just to the east of the pier. Good viewing spots can be found on Madeira Drive and Marine Parade, but do get there early as it gets pretty busy. There is plenty of music and dancing to keep the crowds entertained until the procession arrives, at which point a large bonfire is lit on the beach, and the homemade lanterns, filled symbolically with hopes and dreams, are placed on the fire to "burn the clocks" and welcome the new sun. All this takes places to the sounds on banging drums creating an evocative atmosphere. The grand finale is a huge fireworks display, lighting the sky, sea and all of beautiful Brighton. This is such a unique event, it's worth popping along to experinence it. It's a little quirky, but yet again makes me happy to live in the eclectic, if slightly crazy, Brighton!

Love box Festival isn't just a music festival, It's much more than that…read more It's an escape with all it's beery, sweaty glory. In the midsummer Victoria Park played host to a crowd of beery, sweaty, joyous, feeling the love group of people, coming to take in hours upon hours of great music performed live by some of the greatest artists and DJ''s around. A sweltering dustbowl of Victoria park was full of vivid colours, four stage, fun fair, food Stalls, merchandise. As we groove to the first tent heavy dancing and beats session was to tantalising to miss. Once that was finished, we tucked into a delicious Ostrich burger. Then stroll toward the fairground rides and after recovering from the rides and my organs had settled down from the ordeal we dancing our way into another tent where we bump into random people and started up a dancing frenzy and left.... hehehe....! Bopped over to the Main Stage in between, were Alunageogre D,anglo and Plan. B performed. Overall magnificent.

Pretty decent weekend offering in surprisingly lovely surroundings of Victoria Park, Hackney, East…read moreLondon. It pretty easy to get here (if you know the way from the station!!), just 20 minutes from Camden Road on the overground service, and only 1 pound! We had lots of fun on Saturday watching Manu Chao, Groove Armada, Lethal Bizzle, and possible Wiley! Can't give it 5 stars because of the really stupidly long bar queues, but the rest of the setup is pretty pleasant, and the atmosphere is chilled, no trouble at all.

I like fire. Flaming sticks, exploding crackers, fireworks, rolling bins aflame! Sweet, I say…read more As an American living in London, I know about Bonfire night, but I did not know about Lewes' celebrations until this year. Glad I had the opportunity to go. The mix of parades, drumming, and fire was intoxicating. The town is beautiful too, so be sure to walk around before finding your viewing spot. I particularly enjoyed observing all of the different costumes of the marchers, which aren't limited to the traditional striped sweaters but also included everything from Day of the Dead/Tim Burton-esque styles to Rococo dresses. There are plenty of places to eat and drink, including stalls set up on the sidewalks selling beer, roasted pig, hot dogs, and all sorts of other snacks. Just bring a coat because it's chilly when you're not standing next to a wheelbarrow full or fire!

Bonfire night is a particular tradition in Sussex, and no more so than the county town of Lewes…read more This is the big one. Always held on November 5th, the seven bonfire societies from Lewes, plus many more from all the local towns and villages (plus a couple all the way from Germany), congregate here to celebrate this most Pagan of all festivals. Where else is it socially acceptable to shout "Burn the Pope" at the top of your voice while trying to avoid the blazing fire torches and the bangers exploding in the street?! The event marks not only the the date of the uncovering of the gunpowder plot when Guy Fawkes famously tried to burn down the Houses of Parliament, but also commemorates the memory of the seventeen Protestant martyrs from the town burnt at the stake for their faith during the Marian Persecutions. Be warned, health and safety does not apply to this one night in Lewes, and for this I love it all the more. However, I have to say that it wasn't quite as manic as I was expecting. We stood at the top of School Hill and had a great view. I think it may be a bit more manic at the bottom of town, around Cliffe High Street, but we found a great spot. You will need to be in Lewes before 3pm as they close off all the roads around the town. The trains are also manic and it may take you three hours to make the 20 minute journey back to Brighton. Luckily, I stayed with a friend in town after a 7 mile hike over the Downs to get there. The parade itself starts around 6.30pm and continues most of the night. Participants range from 6 month old babies in prams to ladies in their 80s, and everyone in between. I'm so glad that this tradition is being kept alive and so many youngsters take part, it really celebrates so many parts of British history. Costumes and themes in the parade range from Tudors to Cavaliers to voodoo tribes to Smurfs! There are a multitude of bands, from brass to samba, and the noise and fire create such an evocative atmosphere. It really is like nothing else you will see in this country. After the main parade has finished, all of the societies put on bonfires and firework displays. There is a large public display at the bottom of town, but on this occasion we had tickets (at the bargain price of a fiver) for the cliff society bonfire. They had built a massive bonfire with a viking longship on top which they then set alight by throwing on the burning torches that have been carried around town. All the societies also burn topical effigies, this years included Guy Fawkes, the Pope and Colonel Gaddafi! The fireworks were pretty impressive, but a bit stuttering in places, maybe a technical fault? If you get the chance to visit you really must, just for the complete surrealness of it all! Just remember that you go at your own risk, but enjoy the freedom that this brings in our ever so tightly controlled society. The website quotes "volenti non fit injuria", a nice way of saying they accept no responsibility for injury or damage!

Delicious cheese Mouthwatering bread…read moreKick-ass coffee Fruity jams Moreish marinades Fantastic fish Sizzling sausages Majestic burgers Soul food sauces Sensational fruit and veg Incredible olive oil Beautiful balsamic vinegar Cheeky chilli chocolates Sticky puddings Cute cupcakes Hearty beers & Smooth wines As you might have guessed, I'm a bit of a fan of the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival. A month long festival that takes place every September, it sets out to champion the best local food producers, farmers, market traders, chefs, bakers, cooks and restaurants in the South East. Aside from the Big Sussex Market where you can sample and buy food directly from the producers, there's free tasting sessions and demonstrations from top chefs, themed events and one off collaborations. Leading restaurants like Terre A Terre, Drakes and Due South usually offer special one-off menus too. The only downside of the whole festival is you might need to invest in a pair of elasticated pants. How else are you gonna enjoy all the gourmet treats on offer?!

The Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival runs fantastic foodie events throughout the year. The…read moretwo main events are the Spring Harvest (a 10 day festival in April) and the Autumn Festival which runs throughout the month of September. As well as huge food markets specialising in local producers and supplies, the festival host events such as Restaurant Week, live food shows and various other specialist events , working closely with local restaurants. This year, they have put on Christmas mini markets at the train station over the first three weekends on December. Unfortunately, these do appear to be a little too mini - does four stalls really count as a food market?! That said, large or small, I always seem to spend a small fortune at these events, but I do come home with a great selection of artisan food products.

Held the last weekend every August, the Brunswick Square Festival has been going strong since the…read more1970s. Started by local residents, it has grown from a bit of a village fete into a micro-festival. Local businesses set up temporary bars and hot and cold food stands whilst there's usually farmers / traders selling fresh organic vegetables, fruit, herbs, plants and produce. To create a festival feeling, there's a stage at the bottom of the square with live music from local bands playing everything from rock, pop and hip hop to dub. There's also dancers and about two dozen stalls selling everything from secondhand furniture, clothes, books, records and bric-a-brac. Last year, there was even a spiritual tent where people could enjoy massages and reiki. The whole event is free and locals are encouraged to take their own blankets, sit on the grass and make an afternoon of it.

I lived in Brunswick Square for 3 months and didn't hear about this festival, until one Saturday I…read morewalked out and the entire square had been converted into a fun little festival. If you're within walking distance, it's a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon; there's music, fun things to buy, fun things to eat, and a lot of interesting people to meet!

Situated next to and over The Dome cinema. The downstairs front cafe offers a very tasty menu and a…read morelovely smiling staff, (my niece is one of them)!!! Their coffee is good, as well as the stunning looking savouries and cakes. Have used this place often in between trips. Upstairs overlooks the the sea and promenade and is a great venue for evening events. Great lighting, great balcony and inside is a great bar.

Disclaimer: Living within a mile of this cinema for the majority of my life may alter my review due…read moreto uncontrollable childhood attachment, or nostalgia. Good Movies, Excellent Aesthetic, Excellent Price, Good Staff, Modest little gem!!! This ancient independent cinema is like your 90 year old grandfather, to some he may seem like a waist of space but if you are willing to look beyond your cineworld unlimited membership and IMAX bollocks you will find something amazing which deserves your respect. Firstly the seats are a bit uncomfortable, the toilets are a bit wiffy and the blasted buses block it's view 90% of the time, I have no qualms other than that. Potentially it's greatest asset is that it is more than a cinema with a gorgeous cinema historia bar, welcoming café and art gallery all in one building on the seafront. Other nice stuff is that the staff all seem to be pretty relaxed and approachable, student tickets are £3.50, and it is worth our admiration, respect and support due to its unimaginable longevity.

Chocolate truffles Chocolate bars…read moreChocolate churros Chocolate cake Chocolake fudge Chocolate bread Chocolate pastries Chocolate fountain Chocolate cocktails Chocolate pancakes & chocolate making kits With all of the above, it's no wonder the recent Chocolate Festival in Brighton was such a success. Alongside dozens of food stalls selling chocolate related products, there was chocolate demonstrations and masterclasses. My favourite bit however, had to be eating all the free samples and discovering wonderful new chocolatiers like William Curley and Damien Allsop. Keep your eyes peeled to the website to check out when the next festival will be.

If you have a free time go and visit the German Market, you may find some good ideas for Christmas…read morepresents.Also there is delicious food and drinks.