People’s Day: Power to the people

Brighton & Hove celebrates its People’s Day power with free activities & events for all

Brighton and Hove’s annual one day free festival, People’s Day, is taking place on Saturday 15 June, from 11am to 5pm, in the heart of the city’s cultural quarter: across New Road, Jubilee Street and Jubilee Square, Church Street, Pelham Street, and within the Corn Exchange, City College and the Brighthelm Centre.


Organised by Brighton & Hove City Council to celebrate the diverse communities that inhabit the city and define its inclusive nature, the event will have activities and entertainment for all ages. The programme is spread across ten different themed zones and features live music and dance, health and wellbeing, sport, fashion, crafts, and an array of global food stalls.

Among the community groups and volunteers taking part this year are the Gay Elderly Men’s Society (GEMS), local female acapella choir We-Bop, social enterprise company Able and Willing, Healthwatch Brighton & Hove, and the Silver Sounds Samba Band.

As well as uncovering some of the city’s amazing stories, art and culture, there will be opportunities to take part in a wealth of activities from African drumming to Chinese brush painting, street dance, hoola hooping and juggling. City College will bring a spot of nostalgia to the North Laine by hosting a country fayre complete with hay bales, Morris dancing and a mini farm while other highlights of the day include up-and-coming local band, High Tyde, talented Arabic-style belly dancer, Morgana and vocal performances from the ‘Actually Gay Men’s Chorus.

Last year, People’s Day attracted around 15,000 visitors and this year numbers are expected to be further boosted as the event is one of several taking place in the city, over the same weekend..

The Eco Technology Show (www.ecotechnologyshow.co.uk) is at the Brighton Centre from 14–15 June and will serve as the Eco Zone on People’s Day, showcasing low carbon products and services, self-build and renovation, transport and technology.

The Eco Open Houses event (www.ecoopenhouses.org) which allows the public free access into eco homes over two weekends– 15-16 and 21-22 June – will give an insight into how eco initiatives work in practice to save energy and money.

And Brighton Fashion Week (www.brightonfashionweek.com), from 13–16 June – will showcase local designers’ creations with a myriad of themes, from sustainable fashion to wickedly wild costume, in a series of fashion shows at St Bartholomew’s Church, Brighton.

“Our city has a diverse mix of communities and our free-thinking attitude and spirit is something to celebrate,” says Council leader Jason Kitcat. “Last year’s People’s Day was a great success and we’re hoping to get even more people to join in and enjoy the great array of food and entertainment on offer. The fact that there are so many other events taking place over the same weekend is not untypical for Brighton but gives even more of an incentive to get out and about and be reminded of why the city is such an interesting and inspiring place to be.”

People’s Day 2013 is funded by the council and supported by partners including: Guide2Brighton.com, Micarmo Portuguese Food & Drink, Joogleberry Acts, Vision Brothers Productions Ltd , Brighton Fashion Week, The Eco Technology Show, City College Brighton & Hove, Peyton Events, and The Ethical Property Company Limited.
People’s Day, Saturday 15 June, 11am–5pm, free, Brighton city centre,
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/peoplesday
The Eco Technology Show, The Brighton Centre, Friday 14 June, 9am–5pm and Saturday 15 June 10am–5pm, £5/children under 16 go free.