April brings longer days, spring sunshine and warmer weather (hopefully!) – the perfect time to get out and about and see what’s on near you.
Here are a few of our favourite activities and events taking place across the county next month.
Camber Community Beach Clean, Camber Sands, Tuesday, 1 April
Join the next Community Beach Clean on Camber Sands on April 1 and help keep this beautiful beach clean, tidy and safe for wildlife and visitors.
This event is open to all, and The Gallivant hotel will be be offering free tea or coffee and cake after the beach clean. It’s free to join, but please RSVP so the team can ensure they have enough equipment and food for everyone.
Drawing Life, Hastings Contemporary, Hastings, Wednesday, 3 April
Drawing Life invites carers and those they care for to free art classes at Hastings Contemporary.
Take part in relaxed, informal, fun art classes led by artists. Each session will be a bit different, taking inspiration from the exhibitions. No experience is necessary and all materials are provided – including tea and biscuits!
Easter Wreath Workshop, The Relais Cooden Beach, Bexhill-on-Sea, Thursday, 10 April
Enjoy a creative and festive evening at this Easter Wreath Making Workshop, set against a stunning coastal backdrop.
Begin your evening with a glass of bubbles on arrival, then enjoy a live demonstration by the talented La Collina florist team, who will guide you through the art of creating a beautiful Easter wreath. Once inspired, it’s time to get hands-on and craft your own unique wreath to take home.
Hastings Rocks International Film Festival, Hastings, Friday 11 to Saturday, 13 April
The fourth edition of the Hastings Rocks film festival will take place at the Printworks, a unique arts space in the town, housed inside a Victorian-Venetian-Gothic style building.
The festival is home to independent films that push boundaries across all genres, fiction or non-fiction. Hastings Rocks 2024 screened 80 short films and five feature films. Expect more of the same this year, with comedies, dramas, sci-fi and horrors all showing.
Craig Revel Horwood – Revelations – Songs Boys Don’t Sing, Congress Theatre, Eastbourne, Thursday, 17 April
Craig Revel Horwood is a national treasure. The longest-serving judge on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing is the master of the Glitter Ball. After starting as a dancer, he worked on the nation’s biggest musicals and became a choreographer, director, and best-selling author.
Craig’s also a remarkable singer, and to celebrate the release of his debut solo album, Revelations, he’ll reveal his own, hidden talent during a Fab-U-Lous night of big songs, tall tales, and glamour.
The Garden Show at Firle Place, Firle, Nr Lewes, Friday 18 to Sunday 20 April
The Garden Show at Firle Place is an annual springtime event set in the beautiful surroundings of Firle Estate, in the heart of the South Downs National Park.
Set over three days, it features specialist growers, garden related goods, artisan designs, homeware products, fashion accessories and delicious country foods. There are daily talks, activities for young and old, expert advice and a variety of music and entertainment.
Tulip Festival at Pashley Manor Gardens, Ticehurst, Near Wadhurst, Monday 21 April to Monday 5 May
In late April and early May, Pashley Manor is carpeted with over 40,000 tulips, creating stunning scenes for visitors to enjoy.
A hundred varieties of spectacular tulip are planted in colour themed garden ‘rooms’ throughout the grounds and in pot displays.
Visitors can wander from elegant displays of white lily flowered and palest cream classic tulips planted around an old brick terrace, to sweeping herbaceous borders covered in a riot of reds and oranges.
On-Yer-Bike Cycle Challenge, The Stade, Hastings, Sunday, 27 April
Join the annual On-Yer-Bike Cycle Challenge and help raise money for St Michael’s Hospice, Hastings RNLI, and other local good causes. There are three marshalled routes of 25 miles, 40 miles and 75 miles to choose from and they are suitable for family rides.
Organised by the Rotary Club of Senlac St Leonards, the ride has raised nearly £350,000 in the event’s 30 plus year history.
For more ideas about places to visit in East Sussex, check out our What’s On articles from February and March.
And if you know of an event or special place we haven’t included, please let us know in the comments below.
Image: The Garden Show
