PICTURES: Palestine on the Pier returns to Hastings

The first free Palestine on the Pier cultural event took place last year with music, food, dance, storytelling and craft, attracting a crowd of more than 1,000 people.

It is the first time this heritage collection of ‘thobes’ – some over 150 years old – has been displayed in this country and will form a spectacular catwalk centrepiece of the celebrations.

“These dresses have never been seen before in this country and we’re so excited to be sharing them for the first time on Hastings’ very own pier,” said Katy Colley, one of the festival organisers.

Guests were also able to sample Palestinian cuisine at the food and drink stalls along the lower deck, as well as a marketplace with beautiful handicraft, jewellery, authentic Palestinian keffiyehs, hand-painted ceramics and embroidered bags.

The all-female dance troupe Hawiyya took to the stage to perform traditional ‘dabke’ folk dance combined with contemporary storytelling, and showcased a one-off performance in collaboration with DJ Saliah, a British Lebanese electronic music producer.

DJ Saliah, fresh from playing Glastonbury, DJ’ed with a mix of dabke rhythms and classic Arabic dance music from the nineties and noughties.

Acclaimed Palestinian viola player and composer Samer Rashed flew in from occupied East Jerusalem to showcase his latest album ‘Tales of the Gypsy Jazz’ with his band.

There was also classic Arabic folk music on the oud and percussion from Brighton-based musicians Jamal and Alaa, and Hastings’ own Frank Moon performed with his band The Owlers.