Old Town Festival and Carnival
This year's Festival takes place between Saturday 31 July and Sunday 08 August 2010.
This fortnight of festivities celebrates with everything from a free beach concert to a spectacular carnival.
Saturday 31 July
10.30am: Inter pub tug-o-war outside Lifeboat Station followed by disco at Fishermens Institute at 3pm Ladies and Mens teams of 8. £13.50 entry per team. Entries close and money to be paid by 17 July. Further info from Fishermens Institute, 97 All Saints Street.
Free Beach Concert
1pm to 8.30pm: The 22nd free Beach Concert for RNLI 2010. A fundraising concert for Hastings Lifeboat showcasing some of the top musicians and bands to be found on the Hastings music circuit. Free entry but donations welcomed.
Line up for Saturday:
Tangled Web
Rob Ramsden
Dirty Scarlet
The Lost Boys
Geoff Everett Band
Arivmia
Blair
Mobile bar on the beach, with part of the profit going to RNLI. No BBQs permitted within the beach concert site.
Sunday 01 August:
1pm: Lunchtime Haunted Pub Tour (over 18s only) meet at Swan Gardens.
Free Beach Concert
1pm to 7pm: a free Beach Concert next to the Lifeboat Station. A fundraising concert for Hastings Lifeboat showcasing some of the top musicians and bands to be found on the Hastings music circuit. Free entry but donations welcomed.
Line up for Sunday:
Sambalanca
Lumpy and The Lumpettes
RX53
No Exit
Colonel Mustard
Slam
Mobile bar on the beach, with part of the profit going to RNLI. No BBQs permitted within the beach concert site.
Hastings Guided Walk
2pm: The Earliest Hastings Guided Walk - Top of East Hill Lift. Discover the earliest history of Hastings, and how the town came to be where it is today in a talk and guided walk around the hill by local historian Steve Peak, chairman of the Friends of the Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve. Fee £2 (£1 going to the Old Hastings Preservation Society). Not suitable for toddlers or wheelchairs.
Old Town Criers Competition
4pm: Old Town Criers Competition at St Clements Churchyard Steps, High Street. The annual Old Town Criers competition. Come and watch or have a go yourself and try to beat our reigning champions. Mens and ladies competitions and trophies for each winner. Prize for best men's entry donated by Mike Bigg from the FILO. Costumes preferred. Just turn up. Free bottle of wine for every entrant. An OHPS event.
Monday 02 August
Seaboot Race
5.30pm: Seaboot Race, Courthouse Street in memory of Peter Trickett. Sponsored by John Bray Estate Agent, High Street and Whites Seafood and Steak House, George Street. Fastest runner wearing seaboots along the length of Courthouse Street, round the lobster pot and back. Timed certificates to all entrants. The winner is presented with Peter Trickett's walking stick, to be held for one year.
Old Town Treasure Trail
6.30pm: Old Town Treasure Trail, The Lord Nelson, Rock a Nore Road. Register at Winkle Island by 6.30pm Fancy dress a must! The idea is to find answers to questions but all the answers are in local pubs! Part of the tradition of Old Town Week. Raising funds for St Michaels Hospice.
Tuesday 03 August
Bike Race
5.30pm to dusk: Bike Race at Crown Lane for the Jimmy Read Memorial Trophy Pedal power alone! All welcome, just turn up and pay a donation to the starter. The timekeepers, flagman and all other helpers turn up year after year to make the event happen. It is not advisable to bring dogs to this event and young children should be under the supervision of adults. Tush and Pat's famous Fishermens Rolls available at the Bike Race.
Blessing of the Animals
6pm: Blessing of the Animals at All Saints Church, All Saints Street. A celebration of 'All Creatures Great and Small'. Well behaved pets warmly welcomed. Wheelchair access.
Wednesday 04 August
Putting Knockout
Tee off 6pm: Putting Knockout at Crazy Golf Course on the Stade. Organised by Hastings Winkle Club. Entrance fee set by Stade Crazy Golf at reduced rate for competitors. A family event open to all with trophies and prizes for the lowest round men and women plus Junior cups for boys and girls. Proceeds will go to local good causes.
Pram Race
7.30pm: Pram Race - register at The Cutter Pub, on the seafront opposite boating lake. Get your team together for a great night (with decorated pram, of course!). Lots of money is raised for local charities by teams that enter in this pub crawl. All teams must be entered by midday on Wednesday 04 August at The Cutter Pub. Teams must arrive by 7pm for judging, race starts between 7.30 and 8pm. Telephone 01424 423449 for further information.
Thursday 05 August
Children's Pirate Fancy Dress Competition
5.30pm: Children's Pirate Fancy Dress Competition at St Clements Church, High Street. Two classes: under 7 and 7 and over. Judging from 6.15pm. Entry £1 per child if booked in advance from Old Town Carnival Week office or £1.50 on the night. Trophies for winners and runners up. A High Street Traders event.
Street Party
7pm to 11pm: Street Party in the High Street. All the usual fun at the High Street Traders Street Party with continuous entertainment of live bands, children's rides and sideshows, Belly Dancing, street dancing, food court with ethnic foods, traditional British barbecue and Tush Hamilton's famous fish rolls. Extensive Street Market. A High Street Traders event, raising funds for local good causes.
Friday 06 August
Pirate Day in the Old Town
The pirates return to Hastings for a day of colourful and spectacular action! Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Barbosa meet again as the Old Town goes back in time with swashbuckling action and music as Pirates converge on Hastings once again. Come dressed as a pirate and be in their crew as Hastings Town becomes Pirate Town!
Join them for the Guinness Book of Records attempt at the greatest number of pirates in one place. The current record is held by Portland, Oregan, USA, with 1,670 pirates. Let's make Hastings 'The Biggest Pirate Day in the World'!
Entertainment from 10.30am with childrens entertainment to nautical music, hair braiding, face painting, treasure hunt and musicians. Treasure Hunt forms from Old Town Carnival Week office, on the seafront.
1pm: Follow the drums onto the beach to await the arrival of the Pirates. Expect the unexpected!!
2pm: Pirate Procession - join Jack Sparrow, Barbosa, Will Turner, Elizabeth Turner and scores of drummers as one of the largest colourful Pirate processions ever sets off to march through Hastings Town Centre and back into the Old Town.
3.30pm: Scenes from Pirates of Penzance performed in Butlers Gap. Meet the Pirates and have your photo taken with them.
5pm to 7.30pm: Piratical Barbecue at Hastings Motor Boat and Yacht Club, Rock a Nore. Ahoy there me hearties! All swords must remain sheathed, and pistols shall not be cocked. Pieces of eight or coins of the realm accepted. Well behaved parrots and children welcome. Heave away and haul away with special guests, Hastings Sea Shanty Crew, on board from 6pm to lead the singing of lusty songs of the sea and rousing sea shanties. Proceeds from the barbecue to Hastings Borough Bonfire Society.
8pm: Pirate Songs and Sea Shanties at the Stag, All Saints Street. If you know any sea shanties or seafaring songs, come and join us for a piratical sing song.
Saturday 07 August
Strongest Man and Woman competition
10am to 5.30pm: The Battle for Hastings' Strongest Man and Woman 2010 on the beach adjacent to the Lifeboat Station
Grand Carnival Procession
5pm: From Rock a Nore Car Park along the seafront to the fountain at Pelham Crescent, back east along seafront, up High Street, across The Bourne and down All Saints Street and back to Rock a Nore.
1.30pm: Assembly at Rock-a-Nore Car Park
2.45pm: All entrants should be registered by now
3pm: Judging starts (arrivals after 3pm must register but will not be judged and can join the procession)
5pm: Parade starts
9pm: Fireworks from the Castle
Sunday 08 August
Trolley Bus Pull
11am: Trolley Bus Pull outside Lifeboat House. Teams of 6 men or 8 women attempt to pull the Hastings 1928 trolley bus, Happy Harold. Cup for the winners. Entry £10 per team. Collecting boxes on behalf of Prostate Cancer Charity.
Website:
Old Town Carnival organisers' website
Further Information: