The UK’s first major city trail running event is coming to Brighton & Hove this summer.
Councillors have given the go ahead for Grounded events, the team behind the Brighton Marathon Weekend, to stage Brighton Trail Weekend on 25 and 26 June.
Trail Marathon
The event will incorporate a Trail Marathon, along with 10k and Mini Miles events taking place in Stanmer Park. The Trail Marathon will start on Madeira Drive, in the same place as the Brighton Marathon, but will finish in Stanmer Park.
The Trail Weekend is one of a range of events proposed for the year ahead, which were agreed by councillors at a meeting of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture committee last week.
Boosting the economy
Councillors granted landlord’s consent for a wide range of events in the city’s parks and open spaces and on Madeira Drive, which will attract visitors and boost the economy.
Last year, the Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating effect on the city’s outdoor events programme, with only a handful of events able to take place.
This year, residents and visitors will enjoy a wide range of events, with council officers working with organisers to meet covid safe requirements in accordance with national guidelines.
New events
The 2022 proposed programme includes regular events, such as Pride, the city’s biggest event, Brighton Marathon, now established as one of the leading marathons in the country, and Brighton Festival and Fringe events.
New events range from ‘This is the Modern World,’ an exhibition which comes to St Peter’s Square in August, featuring a vast collection of memorabilia fashion, vinyl and imagery from one of the most iconic UK singers of all time - Paul Weller, and ‘Footprint +,’ an outdoor property conference promoting a zero-carbon future.
Pub in the park
Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge will bring ‘Pub in the Park’, a three-day food and music festival celebrating gastropub dining, to Preston Park in September.
July 3 will see the Brighton Velocity/Tour of Sussex, arrive in the city - a new seafront cycling festival combining the Tour of Sussex with an inclusive festival of cycling and cycle sport. The Brighton Velocity event will focus on promoting cycling as a green way to travel, a great way to get fit and a fantastic and exciting sport.
Women's EUROs
Later that month, Valley Gardens will host the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Fan Zone, bringing a range of football related activities and entertainment to the city. The Fan Zone will welcome visitors on the three match days and on weekends.
There will also be a roadshow event on Hove Lawns in June to promote ticket sales for the matches at the Brighton & Hove Community Stadium.
Ambitious plans
Other events proposed for parks and open spaces include a Classic Car Show, Brighton Kite Festival, International Circus, Paddle Round the Pier, Luna Outdoor Cinema, a Thai Festival and the popular winter Burning of the Clocks event.
The Brighton & Hove Half Marathon and Brighton Marathon will both return this year, along with other popular events, including the Speed Trials, London to Brighton Bike Ride, Ace Café Reunion and Veteran Car Run.
Brighton Carnival (previously Kemptown Carnival) will also be moving to Madeira Drive after permission was granted last year, but the event was later postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Exciting and diverse
Councillor Martin Osborne, co-chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture committee said: “The Covid pandemic has had a devastating effect on the tourism and events industry, so we are pleased to have approved this exciting and diverse programme of outdoor events for the year ahead.
“The return of Pride, Brighton Marathon and a full Brighton Festival programme will be particularly welcome in attracting visitors, boosting the local economy and providing valuable publicity.
New events
“Summer highlights will include the arrival of UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 which sees three matches played at Brighton & Hove Community Stadium and we expect the Fanzone to attract fans and people new to women’s football.
“We are also delighted to welcome new trailrunning and cycling events which will help to strengthen Brighton & Hove’s reputation as a major sporting city.”
Officers will ensure that all events taking place on council land will comply with the city's Outdoor Events Strategy, which includes signing up to the new Events Charter.
An emphasis will be put on event organisers adopting high sustainability standards and minimising their impact on the environment, their surroundings and the land they are using.
