The Best Brighton Summer Events to Look Forward to in 2026

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About the author: Hi! I'm Shiqin Ong, the UniHomes Brighton Content Ambassador and a Geography and Anthropology student at the University of Sussex in Brighton. I love travelling, hiking, and music alongside writing! I'm also involved in uni sports including rugby, as well as the Photography Society and the student newspaper :)

You can definitely feel a change in the air in Brighton when the sun hits and the weather gets warm, and the plethora of seasonal festivals, markets, events, concerts and celebrations give you endless options of what to do whilst soaking up the sun.

From the iconic Brighton Pride to wandering into live music events in the Lanes, Kemptown or Hove, summer here can be whatever you want it to be, whether it's reading books on the beach or going to Collage Club followed by live jazz.

Here are some of the top Brighton summer events and things to do in 2026.

Upcoming 2026 events in Brighton

On The Beach

Summer is festival season here in the UK, and Brighton is just one of the country's many cities taking part.

On The Beach literally takes place on Brighton's famous beachfront over two weekends in July (16th July-19th July and 23rd July-26th July), and headliners this year include British icons Fatboy Slim, The Maccabees, and Madness.

In the mood for even more festivals this year? Check out our blog post on the best festivals for students in 2026.

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Fortune of War

A pub that's open year round, Fortune of War is a classic venue for students and other residents alike.

Whilst this isn't exactly an event per se, Fortune of War is located right on the seafront and truly lights up in the summer sun with its variety of live music, dj sets, and events throughout the summer.

Collage Club Brighton

Not necessarily a summer-exclusive event, Collage Club Brighton is hosted by Cult Milk and offers free collage sessions for anyone needing a creative output. This first-come, first-served event offers a few consistent gatherings and the occasional special event at different pubs across Brighton.

Whether you’re a confident crafter or not, Collage Club provides the perfect evening activity to enjoy accompanied by a late sunset and drink.

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Brighton & South Downs Ale and Cider Trail

Every year, CAMRA curates the Brighton Summer Ale Trail (as well as national Good Beer Guide), providing a perfect side quest for you to discover new areas in the Greater Brighton area and to find a new pub instead of just going to the local.

Pride

It truly wouldn’t be a classically-Brightonian summer if not for Pride. Held annually on the first weekend of August, Brighton Pride hosts Pride in the Park (a ticketed festival featuring LGBTQ+ artists and collectives), as well as the annual Pride Parade which winds itself through town.

The free parade showcases local charities, community groups, and businesses. Usually headlined by pretty-big stars, last year's included the Sugababes and Mariah Carey. This year, RAYE will be very-excitingly headlining the event that has highlighted Brighton’s spirit and community love for years.

If you want to make the most of Pride this year, Trans Pride (the biggest Trans Pride event outside of the US!) is also returning to Brighton on 18th July.

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2027 summer events to look out for in Brighton

South Downs Beer and Cider Festival

Every June, ale and cider fans head to Lewes to celebrate local breweries and businesses at the Beer and Cider Festival that's hosted by CAMRA.

Lewes itself is an easy trip from Brighton either by bus or train (both of which offer student discounts), and the annual festival provides a perfect excuse to go explore new areas of Brighton.

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Bark in the Park

Bark in the Park is one of Brighton's most beloved community events, a fun dog show that brings together four-legged locals and their owners for a day of cute doggos and good-natured competition.

The show features a range of categories where dog-owners can showcase their dogs best qualities, and is the perfect way to spend a day out in one of Brighton's most beautiful parks while saying as many hellos to local furry friends as possible :)

This year's Bark in the Park took place on 6th June, but watch out for next year's some time in early summer!

Spiegeltent Festival Brighton

Spiegeltent has been an iconic herald of the start of summer for years. The pop-up venue (hosted in central Brighton) is usually held throughout the month of May, with club evenings, afternoon dancing events and family friendly shows. This year's event included cabaret, circus shows, dance shows and multiple bars, including a Spritz House and Aperol van.

Spiegeltent is also home to some Brighton Fringe events, but free-entry Spiegeltent itself feels like a pop-up pub garden for everyone to enjoy.

Keep your eyes peeled for next year's Spiegeltent in May 2027.

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With a good mix of year-round happenings that really pop in the summer, to seasonal events and the opportunity to sit on the beach with a book or wander into a café for an iced drink, Brighton in the summer never fails to keep you busy.

Celebrate summer in your new Brighton student house

Still need to find student accommodation in Brighton for next year? UniHomes works with letting agents across Britain's favourite seaside city to bring you a wide variety of Brighton student houses and flats, all with bills included.

Check out our Brighton student accommodation here – or if you've already found your dream home but still need to sort your student bill, get a quote for UniHomes' utilities packages here.

This post is part of the UniHomes Content Ambassador programme, where current students across the UK share tips about student life in their city to help you make the most of your time at uni. Like these guides? Add UniHomes as a preferred source in Google with just one click by checking the box to see more expert content from our student writers!

Whilst you’re out having fun in your new uni city, remember that UniHomes promotes responsible drinking, and any alcohol products featured within this article are for ages 18+.

The views and opinions expressed in these blogs are those of the UniHomes Content Ambassadors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UniHomes. UniHomes accepts no liability for the content of these Student Blogs.