A brand new fish festival; the third annual Stade Saturdays programme of free live entertainment; a knitted fishing boat; the grand finale of the nationwide 'Follow The Herring' tour. However it is styled, whether “Shoreditch on Sea” or “the most musical town in the UK” the truth is that if you love music, food and performance, Hastings is the place to be this summer.

The venue for all of these events is the Stade Open Space, in the heart of HastingsOldTown, nestling beside the award-winning JerwoodArtGallery, the traditional beach-launched fishing fleet and our iconic 'net shops'.

While regular annual events like the Hastings Shanty Festival and the Gilded Hand Buskers' Fair return, the Stade Saturdays* programme of weekly (free) evening events also offers a rich blend of cultural goodies from dance to new circus, from folk to classical and from Latin to African.

In celebration of the longest day of the year, the new Hastings Midsummer Fish Fest** takes place on the Stade Open Space during the weekend of the 21 & 22 June. Stalls selling seasonal fish dishes and local produce will trade until 10pm on the Saturday evening and visitors to the fest will be entertained by a lantern procession and firework display. The Stade Saturdays programme kicks off on 21 June too with French singer/songwriter Louis Aguilar and the Crocodile Tears, so there will be plenty to eat, drink and enjoy, all in the one place!

And finally, after setting out from Mussleburgh on 8 May, the 'Follow the Herring Tour'*** winds up in Hastings at the beginning of August. Through performance, song and visual arts this is the story of the 'herring lassies' who would follow the herring fishing fleets down the east coast of the UK; a remarkable tale of endurance, survival and courage of the herring fishing communities, of which Hastings was one.

This is the chance for members of those present day communities to create and participate in a piece of theatre alongside a professional production team. Be this as a member of the local 'Follow the Herring' community choir or as a knitter of the sea scape around the life sized knitted touring coble boat, made by the North East Maritime Trust and The 'Materialistics', designed by acclaimed textile artist Ingrid Wagner.

'Follow the Herring' takes place in Hastings Thursday 31 July and Friday 1 August 2014.  

For further information on any of the above, please contact: Jane Ellis, Tourism Marketing, jmellis@hastings.gov.uk

Notes to editor:

*Stade Saturdays take place at Stade Open Space, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, TN34 3FJ and runs from Saturday 21 June – Saturday 18 October. For a taste of what's to come see:

www.visit1066country.com/events/seasonal-highlights/stade-saturdays

Overall artistic direction and season production for Stade Saturdays is by Parrabbola and Hastings Borough Council.

Stade Saturdays is supported financially by Hastings Borough Council and Arts Council England's Grants for the Arts scheme.

**Hastings Midsummer Fish fest will take place at the Stade Open Space, Rock a Nore, Hastings 11am to 10pm on Saturday 21 June and 11am to 5pm on Sunday 22 June. www.visit1066country.com/fishfest

*** Follow the Herring Tour is a co production by The Customs House and Guild of Lillians. Hastings is the 13th and final port of call on the tour, and workshops and performances take place on Thurs 31 July and Friday 1 August. http://www.customshouse.co.uk/followtheherring