May is always Brighton’s month. The city gets louder, more crowded, more alive — and in 2026, it has delivered something genuinely special. Brighton Festival celebrates its 60th edition this year, running until 25 May, with over 100 events spanning dance, theatre, circus, music, comedy and visual art from artists across the globe. That milestone alone makes this one of the most significant cultural moments the city has hosted in recent memory. If you’ve been on the fence about going, stop hesitating.
Brighton Festival at 60
This year’s Festival opened with the world premiere of Kohlhaas — the first original work ever produced in-house by Brighton Festival, an atmospheric thriller directed by Omar Elerian and starring Arinzé Kene. Still running through 25 May, highlights include NoFit State Circus’s world premiere, Akram Khan Company at Brighton Dome Concert Hall (23–24 May), and the Clod Ensemble and Nu Civilisation Orchestra (16–17 May). Over 25 events are completely free, with a further 60 performances priced at £15 or under — so budget really isn’t an excuse.
The Great Escape
Running alongside the Festival, The Great Escape showcases 450 emerging artists from around the world across 30+ walkable venues throughout the city and a pop-up site on Brighton Beach. It is one of the best weekends on the British music calendar — the kind of event where you wander into a pub and accidentally see someone you’ll be talking about for a decade. Visit Brighton
Brighton Fringe
Brighton Fringe, the largest open-access arts festival in England, runs through early June, bringing a month of comedy, dance, music and more. Check what’s on at Artista Cafe and Gallery for some of the city’s most intimate fringe comedy. For residents, the real joy of May isn’t any single event — it’s the cumulative effect. The seafront terraces fill up, the Lanes get busier, and the city remembers what it actually is.
Brighton & Hove Albion host Manchester United at the Amex on 24 May — a Bank Holiday Sunday fixture that will make the whole city feel it.
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