Our guide to the best events in and around Sussex

Bing and Flop - 2 June

Drusillas Park, Alfriston, East Sussex

Round the corner, not far away, Bing and Flop are at Drusillas today! Bring little Bingsters to meet the adorable duo at intervals during the day in the events arena.

www.drusillas.co.uk

Festival of Flowers 2016 - 2-4 June

Chichester Cathedral

The majestic 900-year-old cathedral will be transformed with more than 80 stunning arrangements all following the theme of The Artist’s Palette. The theme will reflect artists represented in the cathedral, Sussex artists and other well-known artists.

www.chichestercathedral.org.uk

Triple Bill of Plays for Summer - 2-4 June

The Southwick Players, The Barn Theatre, Southwick

7.30pm. Three one-act plays, three different directors and one evening of superb theatre.

Gosforth’s Fete, a hilarious comedy by Alan Ayckbourn and Easy Stages, a subtle and amusing parody of the backstage goings-on of an amateur dramatics company, written by Nick Warburton, feature Barn favourites and some newcomers to the company. They are joined by Southwick Players Youth, a talented group of 13-16 year olds who will stage the National Youth Theatre-commissioned play Sparkleshark by Philip Ridley. Tickets £10.

www.southwickplayers.org.uk

Three Friday Nights - 3, 10 and 17 June

Goodwood Racecourse, near Chichester

Former Faithless DJ Sister Bliss, electronic duo Basement Jaxx and BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra DJ Mistajam each take centre stage at Goodwood Racecourse to perform as part of Three Friday Nights; a vibrant combination of racing, music and dancing.

After dark, dancing shoes will replace horseshoes as the parade ring transforms into a music arena for thousands of race-goers after an afternoon of racing. Gordon Enclosure tickets start at £35 and Richmond Enclosure at £4.

www.goodwood.com/3fn

Rufus Wainwright - 4 June

Brighton Dome Concert Hall: 01273 709709

7.30pm. American-Canadian singer-songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright returns to Brighton Dome. He is one of the great male vocalists and songwriters of his generation and has collaborated with artists ranging from Elton John, David Byrne, Mark Ronson, Joni Mitchell to Burt Bacharach.

Tickets: £57.50, £47.50

The Floral Fringe Fair - 4-5 June

Knepp Castle, Shipley, Nr Horsham

10.30am-5pm.The quirky and eclectic fair has a wildlife theme with a vintage twist. The fair specialises in quality stalls from Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Hampshire.

Entry £6.50, Children under 14 £1, Children under four free. There are many picnic spots by the beautiful lake or eat in the fabulous pop-up tearoom. Well-behaved dogs on leads welcomed.

www.floralfringefair.co.uk

The Adur Festival - 4-19 June

The annual celebration of all things arts, community and Adur, is designed to whet the cultural appetite and stimulate artistic senses.

This year’s theme is Place, with events including film, workshops, music, comedy and more across the 16 days.

www.adurfestival.co.uk

The People’s Pavilion: Our First 80 Years

De La Warr Pavilion, Marina, Bexhill

To celebrate the De La Warr Pavilion’s first 80 years, this exhibition will show how the Pavilion has been used and shaped by visitors since its opening in 1935. It will contain material gathered from Bexhill Museum and the Bexhill Observer archives as well as objects, images and stories collected from the public as part of the De La Warr’s volunteer-run Heritage Research Project, which includes building a digital archive.

Share memories, photographs and artefacts during collection sessions during the exhibition. Contact the De La Warr Pavilion by emailing mydlwp@dlwp.com.

www.dlwp.com

Waterloo Bonfire Society: Night Before Music Extravaganza and Fete - 4-5 June

The Night Before is a live music extravaganza at The Paddock, Lewes from 6pm on Saturday 4 June, featuring a Harveys beer tent and barbecue plus side show games. The 37th annual fete takes over on Sunday 5 June with local stallholders, traditional fair ground, arena events, Harveys beer tent, live music and more.

Contact Amanda French 07949 836644 or email: amanda@waterloobonfire.co.uk

Brideshead Revisited - 7-11 June

Theatre Royal Brighton, New Road: 0844 871 7650

7.45pm. It’s 1943. Finding himself in familiar territory within the English countryside, Charles Ryder confronts memories of his first youthful encounter with Brideshead Castle and its assortment of eccentric inhabitants.

In this elegant, evocative and vivid adaptation of the much-loved story, past and present blur as Charles recalls those heady days with Lord and Lady Marchmain along with their offspring Julia, Cordelia and Sebastian Flyte.

Thur and Sat matinees 2.30pm. Tickets: £16.90-£37.90

Legally Blond the Musical - 8-12 June

Brighton Theatre Group, Brighton Dome Corn Exchange

7.30pm. Elle Woods is a girl who loves to be pampered and shops for all the latest pink outfits with matching handbags. But, when her boyfriend dumps her for someone “more serious”, Elle is determined to revamp her image and joins Harvard Law School with her cute sidekick Bruiser the dog. Matinees Sat 11 and Sun 12 June 2.30pm.

www.brightonticketshop.com

Teddy Bear’s Picnic - 8 June

Sompting Abbotts School, Church Lane, Sompting, BN15 OAZ

Come and play in the beautiful walled garden with afternoon tea, story telling and music.

RSVP: office@somptingabbotts.com

South of England Show - 9-11 June

South of England Showground, Ardingly

9am-6.30pm. For three glorious days, the South of England Agricultural Society presents displays of the best of British agriculture, equestrianism, countryside learning, country crafts and sports, as well as great music, delicious food and drink and superb shopping. This year’s theme is Year of Sheep featuring special displays including sheep-shearing and fleece competitions.

Tickets: £20, senior citizens and students £18, under 16s go free if accompanied by a paying adult.

www.seas.org.uk

ABC Animal Sanctuary Open Day - 12 June

Farthings, Southlands Lane, West Chiltington, Pulborough

10am-4pm. A right royal Queen’s 90th celebration at the ABC Animal Sanctuary Open Day. A fun-packed day for the whole family to enjoy, with sanctuary visits to meet all the animals and enjoy lots of stalls, games for the children and enjoy refreshments in the beautiful surroundings of the sanctuary.

Free parking, entry £4.95, free for children under 13 accompanied by an adult.

www.abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk

Sussex Country Show - 18-19 June

Parham Park, Pulborough

Sussex Country Show boasts a comprehensive itinerary for the whole family, including gundog handling, clay shooting, archery, fishing, falconry and ferreting. There is also a crammed main arena schedule, children’s entertainment, food festival, craft and antiques fairs and live music.

Advance two-day adult pass £24, full price ticket £15 at the gate. Accompanied children aged 15 and under free of charge.

www.sussexcountryshow.co.uk

Aegon Eastbourne International (WTA Women’s International Tennis)

Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, Eastbourne

The Aegon Eastbourne International is back for another adrenalin-filled week of tennis. It always attracts many of the top 10 international players from the world of women’s tennis, as they come to Eastbourne – the hometown of current British number one, Johanna Konta – to battle it out for the ultimate, pre-Wimbledon trophy.

www.visiteastbourne.com/tennis

Father’s Day with the National Trust in Sussex - 19 June

This Father’s Day, treat dad to a day out he will really love, such as a family walk in the countryside, jazz on the lawn washed down by some local beers, or re-living his childhood by creating a den.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/southeast

Jaeger-Lecoultre Gold Cup- 21 June - 17 July

Cowdray Park Polo Club

• 21 June: Opening of Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship

• 26 June: Midhurst Town Cup

• 3 July: Argentine Ambassadors Cup

• 9/10 July: Quarter finals of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup

• 13 July: Semi finals of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup

• 17 July: Final of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship

www.cowdraypolo.co.uk

Yoga – 21 June

Hastings Pier

6-30pm to 9.30pm. 108 Sun Salutations - A yoga sequence consisting of 12 yoga postures each giving homage to the sun for giving light and sustaining our life on earth. Hannah Caney, Rebecca Gildea, Nina Manning, Lisa Powell and Monika Mathieu have planned this event to take place on the Pier with the emphasis on health and wellbeing. The cost of £10 includes a donation to the Hastings Pier Charity.

yogaonthepier@gmail.com | facebook.com/yogapier

Goodwood Festvial of Speed - 23-26 June

Goodwood, near Chichester

The theme for the 2016 Festival of Speed will be Full Throttle – The Endless Pursuit of Power, celebrating the most powerful competition cars and motorcycles from the history of motor sport, and the heroic drivers and riders who tamed them.

The event will open with the Moving Motor Show, on Thursday, 23 June, featuring many of the world’s largest manufacturers showcasing their latest models.

www.goodwood.com

The Equestrian.com Hickstead Derby Meeting - 23-26 June

All England Jumping Course, Hickstead

The Equestrian.com Hickstead Derby Meeting has been a showjumping institution for more than five decades. On Sunday 26 June, the 55th Equestrian.com Derby will see top riders face the iconic course that includes the Devil’s Dyke, the double of ditches, one of the widest open water jumps in the world and the fearsome 10ft 6in slope of the Derby Bank.

www.hickstead.co.uk

Joy Festival 2016 - 25 and 26 June

A summer celebration with an amazing collection of exhibitors who are rarely found together in Sussex, a perfect blend of boutique catering, live bands & dancing, delicious street food and some amazing outdoors, homewares & country lifestyle stands, creating the perfect setting for a weekend of top quality products and innovative design in a great atmosphere.

www.firleandcountry.co.uk/joy-festival-2016

Follers Manor garden to open for charity - 26 June

11am to 4pm. Follers Manor Gardens near Alfriston will be open to the public in aid of local children’s hospice, Chestnut Tree, who provide specialist palliative care services to children and young people with life-shortening conditions in East Sussex.

Owners Anne and Geoff Shaw, and gardeners Steve and Julia, are keen to share their love and knowledge of the gardens with visitors on the day. Entrance is £5 per person and children are free. There will also be refreshments and a raffle, plants for sale and other stalls.

For further information about Follers Manor please visit their website www.follersmanor.co.uk and find out more about Chestnut Tree in East Sussex by visiting www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/handsup

Sussex Prairie Garden Open Day - 26 June

Near Henfield, West Sussex

1pm-5pm. The renowned Sussex Prairie Garden is well worth a visit with its spectacular floral displays, nursery and teashop. The open day will see the launch of a stunning new book by Anne Kelly – Textile Nature – an inspirational guide to using nature in textile art. Signed copies and refreshments will be available.

Sussex Prairie Garden will be donating proceeds from their raffle, which will include an original piece of textile artwork by Anne Kelly, to support the work of the Sussex Wildlife Trust.

The naturalistic planting at the gardens is a fine example of gardening with wildlife in mind and attracts a host of wildlife including bees, butterflies, hedgehogs and toads.

www.sussexprairies.co.uk

Lancing College events

• 9 June: A Summer Soiree Song - A relaxed evening of songs and duets to while away a summer’s evening.

• 14 and 16 June: Afternoon Tea Concert - An opportunity to hear some young musicians perform towards the end of the school year.

• 19 June: Sussex Flutes is a group of local professional flute players and educators who have been working together since 2009.

• 20 June: A festival of organ music played entirely by young and promising musicians.

www.lancingcollege.co.uk