Hastings Week promises a packed programme of events

The curtain goes up on Hastings Week this Saturday (October 7) as the town marks the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings with events ranging from classic car shows and exhibitions to the spectacular bonfire celebrations.
By Andy Hemsley
Published 3rd Oct 2023, 12:24 GMT
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The opening ceremony takes place on Saturday (October 7) at Winkle Island in the Old Town, when the Hastings Day Flag will be raised. This will be followed by a Classic Car Show on the Stade from 10am – 3pm.

The car show is also taking place on Sunday at the same time. Look out for the Hastings trolley bus Happy Harold, which will be out over the weekend offering people rides.

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The Edith Festival returns as part of Hastings Week for the second time with a full programme of events. The festival is named for Edith Swan neck, wife of King Harold, who died at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The festival has been expanded over three days with an event at Hasting Museum on Friday October 6 and a day long series of talks at the Kino, Norman Road, St Leonards, on Saturday 7. This culminates with an evening appearance from film maker Andrew Kotting and writer Iain Sinclair, who worked on the film Edith Walks, which described a journey on foot from Waltham Abbey, where Harold is buried, to Hastings. On Sunday October 8 at 11am, there will be a gathering at the statue of Harold and Edith at Grosvener Gardens, St Leonards, when Friends of Edith founder Ian Jarman will give a talk on Edith’s story.

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Hastings Bonfire 2022. Photo by Frank Copper.Hastings Bonfire 2022. Photo by Frank Copper.
Hastings Bonfire 2022. Photo by Frank Copper.

Other key dates during the week include The Maureen Charlesworth Chess Challenge that takes place at the White Rock Hotel on Monday 9, and a Winkle Tossing challenge at Winkle Island at 6pm on Tuesday October 12.

Tractors will be taking over the Stade Open Space on Tuesday for the annual Tractor Fish and Chip Run. People will be able to view vintage commercial vehicles on the Stade on Sunday October 15 for the Sprat and Winkle Run.

The highlight of the week is the town’s big bonfire celebrations on Saturday October 14 with a procession of flaming torches along the seafront and through the street of the Old Town, followed by a huge bonfire and fireworks display on the beach at Pelham Place. Bonfire Societies from all over Sussex will be in Hastings to take part in the celebrations.

The full programme can be viewed on the Hastings Week website.

Related topics:HastingsOld Town