Beach huts in Brighton and Hove, England

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Curtains up by the sea. Brighton Festival

Every May, Brighton trades buckets and spades for beats and parades. The beach stays put, but the city transforms into a giant stage during the Brighton Festival—a three-week celebration where art spills out of theatres, dances down alleyways and occasionally juggles fire on the seafront. Started in 1967, the Brighton Festival has grown into one of England's largest curated multi-arts festivals. This year, the fest is taking place from 3 to 26 May in venues across Brighton, Hove and Sussex, featuring 120 events, exhibitions and installations. Each year, the event hands the creative reins to a guest director, often an artist with something fresh to say. From authors to musicians to activists, these directors shape the theme and vibe of the festival. Grammy-nominated, genre-defying musician, composer, and activist Anoushka Shankar was inspired by the theme of 'New Dawn' for this year's programme.

While the official lineup features big-name artists, international performers and experimental gems, its unofficial sibling, the Brighton Fringe (May 2 - June 1, 2025), makes room for the wonderfully weird and wildly independent. Between the two, you've got a city bursting at the seams with theatre, music, circus, literature, debates and events that defy definition.