For those of you staying on campus or in Brighton over the winter break, here are some fun and festive events and activities that are happening in the local area that you can enjoy!

Hove beach hut festive open day, 14 December

An annual tradition since 2021, dozens of beach huts in Hove open their doors and decorate for the festive season.

Grab a hot chocolate and take a walk along the promenade, from Hove Lawns down as far as Hove Lagoon, and get into the festive spirit with the twinkly lights and tinsel!

Brighton Winter Fayre

Taking place in St Peter's Square from 19-22 December – the all-new Brighton Winter Fayre is free to attend!

Highlights include covered entertainment areas and workshops, a vibrant central hub with delicious local food vendors, bars, hot drinks, sweet treats, and free entertainment for all. There’s also a packed schedule of ticketed events, workshops, a makers’ market, and an enchanting grotto.

Find out more on their website.

Burning the Clocks, 21 December

Burning the Clocks is a unique community event held on 21 December, that brings the whole city together to mark the shortest day of the year.

Local people make their own paper and willow lanterns, and after parading through the city, they pass them into a blazing bonfire on Brighton beach, as a token of the year’s end.

The annual event brings the city together to celebrate the shortest day of the year and provide an antidote to the excesses of Christmas with a different theme every year.

It’s free to attend, the parade runs from 6-7.30pm, finishing at Kemptown beach. Fireworks and a bonfire go on until around 8.30pm.

Find out more about Burning the Clocks.

Brighton Lights

From 12-22 December, explore a light trail at One Garden Brighton in Stanmer Park, beyond the walled garden, through Stanmer’s famous orchard, and for the first time you can walk through the beautifully illuminated Palm House.

You’ll also find festive street food, mulled wine, hot chocolate, and more.

Find out more and book tickets.

Wrap up and go to the beach to witness the starling murmurations

During the winter months and into the early spring, large numbers of starlings group together and take on incredible shapes in the sky, creating beautiful patterns that are fantastic to watch.

Starlings do these spectacles all across Sussex but the murmurations that take place between the Palace Pier and the West Pier in Brighton are some of the most famous in the county.

The best time to see the displays is in the early evening, just before dusk, so it is well worth wrapping up warm on a winter afternoon and taking a moment to enjoy the spectacle.

Ice skating at Brighton Royal Pavilion

Open until 5 January 2025, the iconic Brighton Royal Pavilion ice rink is a beautiful setting for a festive skate – and the ice is powered entirely by green energy!

Find out more and book tickets online.

New Year’s Eve fireworks

Brighton’s New Year’s Eve fireworks at the Palace Pier are an annual tradition at midnight, so if you want to stay up for the New Year countdown, why not wrap up warm and find a spot on the beach to view the spectacular display!