Battle Festival 2026
Battle's two-week arts and music festival fills the abbey town's churches and venues with classical, jazz, theatre and a curtain-raising Scarecrow Festival, now in its seventeenth year.
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What's On in Rye and East Sussex
Rye, Hastings, Battle and the wider East Sussex coast keep a busy calendar of festivals, fairs and one-offs — many of them generations old.
Come for the one event you've been meaning to catch, or stitch a few into a long weekend. Stay at The River Haven Hotel and you're in the heart of historic Rye, with the town's events an easy walk from the door. Hastings, Battle and the rest are a short drive — and with a large car park on site, coming and going is straightforward.
July 2026
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Bexhill Carnival 2026
Bexhill's eight-day carnival closes with a town-wide procession on the final Saturday — themed 'Movies' for 2026, with Party in the Park at The Polegrove and floats touring the seafront.
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Hastings Pirate Day 2026
A free July weekender of pirate parades, sea shanties and family entertainment across Hastings Old Town and the Stade.
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Winchelsea's Secret Gardens 2026
Thirteen private gardens hidden behind Winchelsea's medieval and Georgian house fronts open on one National Garden Scheme ticket for a single Saturday each July.
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New Romney Country Fayre 2026
Romney Marsh's largest free summer event — a carnival parade, two entertainment arenas and 100+ stalls visit New Romney on the last Saturday in July.
August 2026
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Hastings Old Town Carnival Week 2026
Nine days of pram races, open houses, walking tours and street parties through Hastings Old Town, ending in the Grand Procession. The 2026 theme: 100 Years of Television.
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Rye Summer Running Series 2026
A flat and fast 5k and 10k race series on Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, five Friday evenings from May to September, with a Junior Run for the kids.
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Rye Pirates & Smugglers Day 2026
A pirate procession, sea shanties, the Smugglers' Market on The Strand and best-dressed competitions take over Rye for one Saturday each August.
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Eastbourne Airbourne 2026
Four days of free flying displays over Eastbourne's seafront — the Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and a two-mile display line above the Channel.
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Rye & District Country Show 2026
A traditional one-day country show on a farm between Rye and Hastings — horse and dog shows, classic cars and an open-air fair of stallholders, all for St Michael's Hospice.
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Rye Flower & Veg Show 2026
A traditional summer horticultural show with vegetables, fruit, flowers, baked goods, handicrafts and photography — all judged at the Rye Community Centre.
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Rye International Jazz & Blues Festival 2026
Five days of jazz, blues, soul, roots and Latin music across pubs, halls and street stages in Rye for the August bank holiday weekend.
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Herstmonceux Astronomy Festival 2026
Three nights of stargazing, guest speakers and planetarium shows among the green telescope domes of the former Royal Greenwich Observatory — the festival's 22nd year.
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Dymchurch Day of Syn 2026
Romney Marsh's biennial homage to Doctor Syn, with smugglers vs redcoats, costumed parades and a beacon-lit weekend over August bank holiday.
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Bexhill 100 Classic & Custom Car Show 2026
Five hundred classics, customs, American cars and motorcycles fill the Polegrove on August bank holiday Monday — the Bexhill 100 Motoring Club's annual fundraiser.
September 2026
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Rye Summer Running Series 2026
A flat and fast 5k and 10k race series on Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, five Friday evenings from May to September, with a Junior Run for the kids.
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Pashley Manor Dahlia Days 2026
Nine-day late-summer celebration of 70+ dahlia varieties through Pashley Manor's eleven-acre garden rooms, with the herbaceous borders at their peak hot-red and burgundy display.
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Rye Arts Festival 2026
Eighteen days of classical music, author talks, drama and film across Rye's churches, theatres and historic venues each September.
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Hastings Seafood, Wine & Music Festival 2026
A weekend of fresh-off-the-boat seafood, Sussex and Kent wines and live music on the Stade — the working fishing beach in Hastings Old Town.
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Bewl Marathon 2026
Hermes Running's twin Bewl Water race days bring 10km, half marathon, marathon and 50km ultra distances to scenic woodland paths and lakeside trails in the High Weald.
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Rye Harvest Wine & Food Fair 2026
Two days of regional wine, beer, spirits and food producers on the Salts in Rye each September.
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Rye Ancient Trails 2026
A true steeplechase race across the breathtaking scenery of the ancient trails surrounding the medieval town of Rye in East Sussex.
October 2026
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The Battle of Hastings Re-enactment 2026
Over 500 re-enactors recreate the 1066 clash on the original battlefield, with Norman and Saxon encampments, falconry, a medieval market and a full staged battle.
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Hastings Bonfire Night 2026
Hastings Borough Bonfire Society's mid-October torchlit procession through the Old Town, ending with a beach bonfire and fireworks.
November 2026
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Rye Bonfire Night 2026
Rye Bonfire Society's torchlit procession through the cobbled streets, with a beach bonfire and fireworks display over the Salts.
April 2027
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Hastings Jack in the Green 2027
Morris dancers, drummers and giant green figures fill Hastings Old Town for May Day weekend, ending with the slaying of the Jack on West Hill.
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