The 1066 Country festival programme spans the whole year. Bexhil After Dark lights up the streets in January with illuminated displays and performances. From February, Hastings is centre stage with Hastings Fat Tuesday – the UK's biggest Mardi Gras celebration – and the International Piano Concerto Festival.
As spring arrives, Pashley Manor goes all out for its Tulip Festival, with more than 35,000 coming into bloom in late April.
The May bank holiday weekend sees Hastings deck itself in ribbons, leaves and green facepaint for the Jack in the Green festival, culminating on the Monday when the town's population chase a giant tree up the West Hill and slay him to release the spirit of summer. Simultaneously – and perhaps incongruously – thousands of motorbikes roar into Hastings at the end of the Mayday Run, and congregate on the seafront.
In June the Cycling Festival takes place in Bexhill and Hastings, with a series of fun cycling activities. There's also the Midsummer Fish Festival in Hastings, a weekend of delicious fish dishes, workshops and live music.
July hosts Pirate Day, where thousands of bloodthirsty pirates descend upon Hastings, which currently holds the Guinness World Record for 'largest gathering of pirates in one place'. The St Leonards Festival brings together homegrown talent and international artists with street arts, festival markets, live music and theatrical performances, whilst Battle and Bexhill are full of life with the Streets of Rother festivals.
Carnival season begins in July in Bexhill, with a week of events including a party in the park and a shop fancy dress competition. Over in Battle, the Scarecrow Festival is in full swing. Then the Hastings Old Town Carnival Week follows in August, including open houses and gardens, the famous Pram Race, Seaboot Race and Bike Race, and ending with the carnival procession.
Rye hosts its International Jazz Festival in August, with a packed programme of headline concerts, free outdoor music stage and fringe events spanning jazz, blues, RnB, soul, Latin, Cuban and funk.
In September the Coastal Currentsart festival sees a wide range of art exhibitions, performances and events throughout Hastings and St Leonards, and surrounding areas. You can also keep things contemporary with Journeys Dance Festival.
The Rye Arts Festival spans two weeks in September, a feast of cultural activities from literary talks to concerts and immersive theatre, whilst Hastings Literary Festival is now firmly established. These are followed by the month-long Battle Festival of arts and music and the Hastings Storytelling Festival in October.
Hastings Week commemmorates the anniversary of the famous battle on 14 October 1066, and includes a Classic Car Show, National Town Criers Championship, Battle of Hastings Re-enactment and the grand finale of the Hastings Bonfire Torchlight Procession.
In 1066 Country we like to start the bonfire season early, the Hastings events is mid- October, whilst Battle, Rye and Robertsbridge's celebration take place on weekends through November.
