Tilegate Park, West Sussex
Sussex is ready to welcome you for a year filled with colour, creativity and coast-to-countryside events. Whether you’re drawn to vibrant seaside cities, peaceful gardens, world‑class culture or family‑friendly days out, you’ll find plenty to enjoy across East and West Sussex in every season.
2026 brings an exciting line‑up of celebrations. At Borde Hill, the much‑loved Jay Robin’s Rose Garden marks its 30th anniversary, with more than 750 David Austin roses across 100 varieties taking centre stage. Across the county, the Brighton Festival celebrates its 60th year, bringing theatre, music, dance and visual art to venues and open spaces throughout the city from 2–25 May 2026. East Sussex honours the 100th anniversary of Winnie‑the‑Pooh, with Ashdown Forest hosting themed walks, family activities and exhibitions inspired by the Hundred Acre Wood. Whilst in West Sussex, Chichester Cathedral welcomes visitors back to its spectacular Festival of Flowers, returning from 3rd – 6th June to mark 30 years with more than 50,000 blooms filling the historic nave and cloisters.For foodie fans the tasty Rye Bay Scallops festival is a great way to indulge in this delicious seafood running from 21st February - 1st March 26.
From dramatic coastline and rolling South Downs landscapes to headline festivals, historic re‑enactments and flourishing gardens, Sussex is the perfect place for a short break or longer escape. Start planning your 2026 adventure today — your Sussex experience is waiting.
To find out what's on in Sussex today or this weekend, use the search box above to narrow down your required date, explore the featured list or head to the bottom of the page and explore the list of events in Sussex. If you are on a budget look out for the free events (F) taking place across the county. Sussex means you're never far from an event, a place, or an adventure - guaranteed to keep you entertained and coming back for more.
If you're travelling from outside the area for an event in Sussex, there are numerous hotels and other accommodation options to suit your needs.
>>> Search & Book Sussex Accommodation
Sussex hosts hundreds of exciting events, all year round for residents, day-trippers, and holidaymakers to enjoy. The guide below shows our full calendar of events in Sussex. Find what's happening near you by clicking the Map View button.
Number of results: 165
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Sporting Events
Goudhurst
Enjoy the epic scenery, the race day buzz and delight in every twist and turn of this traffic free trail. Perfect for novices and experienced athletes alike, the course meanders through the narrow trails of this beautiful woodland. If the weather…
Outdoor Event / Activities
Arundel
£23 book online
Experience the delights of the dawn chorus at Arundel Wetland Centre on this guided walk around the reserve at sunrise. Led by our learning team, you will learn how to identify birds from their unique songs, including wetland…
Community
Ardingly
Art in Nature: Wakehurst Community Festival
8–9 May 2026 | Free Event (Booking Essential)
Ignite your creativity at Wakehurst's two‑day Community Festival celebrating Art in Nature. Enjoy a vibrant programme of accessible, hands‑on activities…
Arts
Brighton
About the Event
Everything You Need to Paint a Masterpiece
Join The Paint Club for a relaxed and creative evening of painting! One of our friendly artists will guide you step-by-step from a blank canvas to your very own work of art.
Each artist…
Special Events
Station Road, Tenterden
Mothering Weekend
Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th March
Looking for something truly special this Mother's Day? Treat Mum to a memorable journey by steam train through the glorious Weald of Kent & Sussex. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery—plus the…
Childrens Events
Chichester
'Hop' along to the Gallery and take part in our free drop-in activity!
Inspired by William Nicholson's Velveteen Rabbit children's story, we will be creating our very own Easter bunny framed portrait.
This activity is FREE and supported by members…
Sporting Events
Rye
The Rye Summer Classic Series provides a unique chance to enjoy one of Britain's most treasured conservation sites, covering a mosaic of interlocking shingle ridges, saltmarsh, intertidal grazing, reed-beds and saline lagoons. It can get windy on…
Sporting Events
East Grinstead
This 3 day event commences in East Grinstead on the 2nd of May with a 10 mile race, followed by the Haywards Heath 10 mile the 3rd of May and finishing in Burgess Hill on the 4th of May with a 10k. Combined, these race make up the Mid Sussex…
Arts
Eastbourne
About the Event
Everything You Need to Paint a Masterpiece
Join The Paint Club for a relaxed and creative evening of painting! One of our friendly artists will guide you step-by-step from a blank canvas to your very own work of art.
Each artist…
Arts
Hailsham
Illumination is the art of applying gold to paper or vellum, with the resulting artworks traditionally bound within manuscripts. Medieval illuminated manuscripts were highly prized items created by teams of skilled artisans. Herbals were manuscripts…
Outdoor Event / Activities
Haywards Heath
Join us for a slow, embodied practice designed to help you land, listen, and let go, not by forcing release, but by creating the conditions for it to happen naturally. The practice will take place in the tranquillity of the South Lawn after hours,…
Mother's Day
Amberley
As a thank you, any Mum visiting on Mothers’ Day can enjoy free admission to the Museum. Tickets must be pre-booked online for this event. Make sure to book Mum a complimentary admission ticket!
Arts
Chichester
Acclaimed visual artist Rana Begum RA transforms our historic staircase with No.1367 Mesh, her iconic suspended, colourful mesh clusters, creating a vibrant blend of history and contemporary art.
Arts
Arundel
£48 per person, 18+ only, book online
This full‑day wood carving workshop introduces participants to the craft of wildlife carving under the guidance of the Bentley Wildlife Carvers. Attendees learn the fundamentals of carving as they shape a…
Sporting Events
Grosvenor Crescent, Saint Leonards on Sea
The energy: electric
The crowd support: epic
The course: achievably challenging
The vibes: unmatched
WINNER OF MIDSIZED EVENT OF THE YEAR AT THE 2025 RUNNING INDUSTRY AWARDS!
Join thousands of runners on the start line at the iconic - and…
Outdoor Event / Activities
Haywards Heath
This session will be run by Emily Phillips of The Embodied Beings.
As the season begins to turn and the pace subtly shifts, so do we. As leaves change on the trees, nature reminds us of the beauty found in letting go.
Join us for a one-hour…
Sporting Events
Polegate
This race has sold out every year since its inception five years ago - so it's in high demand! The Rathfinny Run is an exceptionally special running experience. It focuses on reducing it's environmental impact and encourages runners to reduce their…
Music
Chichester
Join us as we celebrate the talent and creativity of young composers and performance students from the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Enjoy this musical performance exploring the wonderful connections that can be made between music and art.…
Other
Haywards Heath
Join award-winning garden photographer Molly Hollman for an inspiring early spring photography workshop. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just starting out, Molly will guide you through the creative techniques needed to help elevate your…
Arts
Chichester
Join us in March for a Thursday Late exploring William Nicholson's connection to the theatre world.
Hear from Jane Pritchard, Curator of Dance, Theatre and Performance at the V&A, in a special talk about how William Nicholson's creative imagination…
© Visit South East England 2026. All Rights Reserved
.png){kind=icon}
