Good morning, Brighton. Hope the ladies out there are all felling positive on the back of International Women’s Day / Weekend celebrations. There were parties across town. 🙌

In today’s Brighton Scoop:

- Phil Reynolds

🍜 Back for its 21st birthday, food lovers, music fans and families can enjoy three days of food, live music and activities when Foodies Festival returns to Preston Park, Brighton, from 2–4 May 2026. The festival promises its biggest year yet with new attractions, headline acts, star chefs and strong local talent. Visitors can see live cooking and baking demos from TV and local chefs, plus take part in tastings, kids’ cookery, wellbeing activities and dog-friendly fun. Evening music on the main stage features touring headliners Scouting for Girls, Boyzlife (Brian McFadden and Keith Duffy) and B*Witched (remember them :), alongside local bands and choirs. Tickets Available Here. It was a fun afternoon in the sun last year so why not check it out.

🍩 Brighton i360 has marked its first year under hospitality group Nightcap PLC with a celebratory event on 8 March, coinciding with International Women’s Day. Guests, partners and local press enjoyed a relaxed gathering in the glass pod, complete with sparkling wine, panoramic views and a bespoke cake by Brighton pâtissier Julien Plumart. Nightcap CEO Sarah Willingham spoke about women in business and outlined ambitions for the i360’s future.

Since Nightcap’s takeover in early 2024, the seafront tower has evolved from a simple viewing platform into a more versatile venue, expanding its offer to include private hires, dining experiences, wellness sessions and events. This shift positions the i360 as both a landmark attraction and an increasingly dynamic hospitality and events space. Great to see things turning around for the i360 and remember if you live in BN1, BN2, BN3 or BN41 you’re entitled to the £5 locals ticket (£2.50 for kids), so take your friends and support the donut. Locals Discount

💃🏻 Priscilla Queen of the Desert, based on the 1994 Oscar-winning film, comes to Theatre Royal Brighton from June 16–20. The musical follows three friends travelling across the Australian outback on a battered bus named Priscilla, as they aim to deliver the performance of a lifetime. Featuring Kevin Clifton (Strictly Come Dancing) and Adèle Anderson (Fascinating Aïda), the UK and Ireland tour showcases dazzling costumes by Vicky Gill, famed for her work on Strictly.

Packed with 80s and 90s disco anthems such as Hot Stuff, It’s Raining Men, I Will Survive, and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, the show blends humour, heart, and flamboyant choreography. At its core, it celebrates self-acceptance, diversity, and friendship, inviting audiences into an inclusive world where authenticity and unity triumph. Tickets and tour details are available at priscillauktour.com. One not to be missed this summer!

🚁 The Royal Sussex County Hospital’s rooftop helipad, eight years behind schedule, is finally ready to receive patients after extensive safety upgrades to the Thomas Kemp tower. Recent successful test flights, including a full patient simulation, mean air ambulances can now land directly on the hospital, speeding up care for major trauma, cardiac, and stroke patients as part of the Sussex Major Trauma Network.

Hospital chief executive Dr Andy Heeps praised the complex, multidisciplinary effort involved. Air Ambulance Charity KSS said the helipad will significantly improve survival chances by cutting critical minutes from transfer times. The £1.9 million HELP Appeal donation funded much of the project, including a Deck Integrated Fire Fighting System that can extinguish fires within 15 seconds. The helipad is now one of only eight in the country with this advanced safety technology. Well done all involved!

🌤️ | 📈 15 | 📉 8 | ☔️ 20% | 🌬️ 5mph SE | 🌊 <1ft

🌤️ | 📈 12 | 📉 8 | ☔️ 10% | 🌬️ 9mph SW | 🌊 <1ft

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Brighton has endless festivals, conventions and get-togethers year round for everything from coffee, music & trees, to animation, food, Pride and of course the might fringe. Be sure to scan over this each week to see what’s’ on the beautiful horizon.

Great to have you follow the Scoop today. If you liked it, do share us with a friend. There’s a beer on me if you spot me in town.