No need for boredom to set in during this year’s summer holidays

With local schools due to break up for the summer holidays in the next few days it’s good to know there’s a whole summer’s worth of fantastic free activities on offer across the town.

Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is offering at least two free events every week of the summer holidays.

Although the summer is a peak time for holiday visitors, local people are well catered for throughout July and August, HBC leader Peter Chowney says: “There’s something here for everyone – it’s good to see such a range of free activities on offer. The council can put these events on because we’ve won substantial external funding to make them possible.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the many volunteers from the community who organise and help with so many events around the town. Without them, such a comprehensive programme would not be possible.”

For young children, there are Play Days at Alexandra Park beginning at the end of July. Street Bites is aimed at 11 to 16 year olds and includes a free lunch and offers sport and craft activities, twice weekly throughout August.

hastings
There’s a summer’s worth of free events going on across the town.

There is a free football tournament at Horntye at the end of August, and the free summer streets sessions with football, multi sports and craft activities available five days a week .  For more information about summer sport and play visit the website at   www.hastings.gov.uk/sport_play_summer_season

At The Source Park there’s a free BMX session to those new to BMX biking, that will run every Tuesday afternoon.

For children Hastings museum and art gallery is offering free storytelling from around the world, inspired by pieces from the museum collection. That will run on Wednesdays, and there is a free open air theatre to celebrate dinosaur day.

Don’t miss the very special exhibition called ‘Collect’ which opens in July at the museum. Local artists were set the challenge of responding to either particular objects or the idea of ‘collecting’ in whatever way they chose. From fossils to Samurai armour and seaside souvenirs to the American Plains, inspiration has come from every corner of the museum, resulting in some impressive and intriguing paintings, textiles and mixed media works. Admission is free.

For an afternoon walk with a difference, visit the temporary resident dinosaur on the seafront in St Leonards. For those 16 and under, there is a name the dinosaur competition and full information is on the HBC Facebook page.

You can take a walk around Hastings old town, this year’s winner of the best walking neighbourhood award, while Hastings award winning parks and nature reserves offer fabulous places to go for walk, picnic, and play.

There are hidden gems in the area such as the Filsham reed beds in St Leonards, the ancient woodland of Church wood or spend a day exploring the coastal cliffs and ancient woods of Hastings Country Park.

Bottle Alley lights up every evening at 10pm for a seven minute light show, extended to 30 minutes on Fridays. Take a stroll along the seafront from the pier to Warrior Square to enjoy the amazing state of the art light show, and have a wonderful summer!

Mr Chowney says: “I would like to thank Freedom Leisure, Big Local North East Hastings, Optivo and Orbit Housing associations, Hastings Area Opportunities Fund, the Source Park, 18 Hours, Coasters, and the Arts Council, all of whom have funded or organised summer events.”

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