Hailsham Festival

17/09/2026

This looks a real festive treat! It's opening night for our friends Hailsham Theatres in their production of A Christmas Carol by
The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Towns women's Guild Dramatic Society.

Good luck to cast & crew for this Christmas calamity of a show!

Opening tonight, Friday and Saturday with evening performances starting at 7.30pm and a matinee performance on Saturday at 2.30pm.

Tickets available to book at www.ticketsource.com/hailsham-theatres

17/09/2026

17/09/2026

🎭It's opening night for Hailsham Theatres this evening!🎭

The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society presents: A Christmas Carol.

At Summerheath Hall
17–19 September
For further information and tickets tonight visit: https://hailshamfestival.co.uk/event/copy-of-hailsham-theatres-annual-festival-play/

Hailsham Theatres invites audiences to witness what happens when a group of enthusiastic amateur thespians decide to tackle one of the greatest Christmas stories ever told — Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

What could possibly go wrong?

Pretty much everything.

Forget traditional festive theatre. Forget solemn Victorian drama. Forget everything you think you know about A Christmas Carol.
The Farndales are taking charge.
And frankly, Christmas doesn't stand a chance.

16/09/2026

It was a creatively busy afternoon across Hailsham today with a number of workshops and events including the acrylic landscape painting workshop at Gallery North - Hailsham with artist Gilly Toft.

The second part of the Cyanotype workshop took place at the Pumpkin Patch, and our annual Creative Writing Awards featured poetry and short story recitals from our worthy winners.

Our Art category this year has been sponsored by Knockhatch Adventure Park 💜💛

16/09/2026

Coming up today...
👺THE MAGIC OF PANTOMIME With Ian Gledhill👺

16th Sept
7.30pm - 9pm
Charles Hunt Centre
£5pp

Pantomime is an enduring and peculiarly British institution, yet its beginnings go back a very long way and are in fact anything but British!

Join Ian Gledhill for a fascinating talk this evening about the origins of Pantomime and explore many of the traditions (and superstitions) that have become attached to it over the years interspersed with Ian’s personal anecdotes from years of working and appearing in pantomime.

15/09/2026

📚💜Plans for Literary Lovers this weekend! 📚💜

Following the success of the 2025 Book and Author Fair we are repeating the event for 2026. A range of authors will display and talk about their work with book signings and children's storytelling at 11am. The Lions Bookshop will also be attending.

🎫Free entry & refreshments available
📆Join us on Saturday 19th September from 10am to 1pm
🏟At the Charles Hunt Centre

This year, our authors include:

Emer Rohan
Steve Scarlett
Cheryl Simmons
Michelle Pollard
Ian Dowding
Alf Newman
Bonx Trigwell
Peter Everett
Lyn Funnell
Scout Wheeler
Caitlyn Callery

15/09/2026

Only one week to go before this incredible Choir sings once more as part of The Hailsham Festival. Come and join us for an evening of singing, dancing and raising funds for medical aid to Ukraine.

14/09/2026

14/09/2026

💜💛What's on over the next few days? 💜💛

15th Sept - Musical Nights Windchime Fused Glass Workshop with Jazz Dixon Dippy doodahs
Enquire with Dippy Doodah's cafe for further details. £15pp

15th Sept - Death by Chocolate 'Talking History' at Pavilion - Cinema and Theatre Book here: https://hailshamfestival.co.uk/event/death-by-chocolate/ £10pp

16th Sept, 7.30pm - 9.30pm at the Charles Hunt Centre - The Magic of Panto with Ian Gledhill. Book here: https://hailshamfestival.co.uk/event/the-magic-of-pantomime/ £5pp

17th Sept - Make Fun Food Ceramic figures with Belle's Pottery Hailsham from 4pm - 5.30pm. A great after school treat for the youngsters. Call 01323 400320 to buy your ticket or pop into the studio. £10pp

13/09/2026

Coming up later this week is our free Cuckoo Trail ID Walk with James Duncan - Wilder Communities Officer at Sussex Wildlife Trust.

Join James from Sussex Wildlife Trust Trust for a nature themed wander along a small section of Sussex’s 14 mile Cuckoo Trail. With a wide variety of carefully managed habitats to explore, James will point out the assortment of species to be seen and heard along the trail.

September is very much a transitional month in the wildlife calendar – many migrant birds and insects are getting ready to depart from UK shores, whilst others are just arriving or emerging.

Come along on the day to learn more about the fascinating wildlife on your doorstep.

Please make sure to bring suitable clothing and footwear, water, sunscreen and binoculars if you have them. The walk will be undertaken at a slow pace, with much time for stopping and will be between 1-2 miles in total.

Meeting (and returning) point - the Artists' Bridge at Eastwell Place footbridge.
17th Sept from 10am - 12pm (approx).