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Brighton Bear Weekend from June 13-16 set for record attendances

With Brighton’s popular Bear Weekend just a few weeks away now, the team are busy putting the final preparations to what is looking likely to be the busiest gathering of bears and their admirers in Brighton so far!

NOW in its 9th year, the weekend continues to grow, attracting people from Brighton and the south coast, London, across the UK and Ireland! They’ve even sold tickets in Germany!

“Tickets for the BeefMince club night only went on sale at the end of March, but we’ve already sold over one-third of the online allocation for BeefMince”, says Matt Brooks, BBW Digital Manager. “The Rialto is a really special venue”, continues Matt. “Following in the great traditions of night clubs in theatres – think Studio 54 in New York, The Fridge in Brixton or the Moulin Rouge in Paris, theatres provide a really great space for parties and the Rialto is no exception”.  

BeefMince, the legendary London club night takes a trip to the seaside from its legendary home, The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, to fill The Rialto with its usual crowd full of hotties, beards, cubs, bears and lovers of a good party! Talking of hotties, the full BBW 2019 Committee will be there to make sure the evening lives up to its reputation for raunch, high quality dance music and a whole lot of fun!

The evening will be a sell out, so don’t leave it until the last-minute to try to get tickets.

To buy tickets online, click here: 

£200 Prize announced for Mr Brighton Bear 2019
This year, Brighton Bear Weekend will host the first ever Mr Brighton Bear competition, which will take place at Subline on Friday, June 14. With a first prize of £200 in cash, get your entries in now – more details and online supplication can be found on the Brighton Bear Weekend website.

Spotlight on Hotels 
For those travelling from outside of Brighton, the team have negotiated some great deals with a few of our favourite hotels and guest houses in town. You can find these on their website. One of their favourites is the Red Brighton Blue hotel, situated in the heart of the ‘gay village’. Peter and Steve completely renovated the hotel in 2016 and now offer 11 en suite deluxe rooms, less than 5 minuets walk from the bars and Dorset Gardens, where the Saturday Garden Party is staged. Get 10% off two night bookings, and 20% off three/four night bookings, when you book direct by phone or email at least seven days in advance and quote BRIGHTON BEAR WEEKEND.

For details of how to book and obtain your BBW 2019 discounts, click here:

BBW 2019 Committee:  L – R:  Andy Tull; Matt Brooks; Jon Stone; Graham Munday; Alan Flack; Robin Tyler; Chris Sarson; David Broadbent and Mark Barbeary.

Meet the Team – Join the Team!
As anyone who has ever organised an event will know, there never a dull moment and attention to details really matters.

Everyone who helps create and run Brighton Bear Weekend is a volunteer, with all surpluses from the event being donated to the Brighton Rainbow Fund, the umbrella charity that supports numerous LGBT+ and HIV organisations across the city.

Chris Gull
Chris Gull

Chris Gull, who Chairs the Brighton Rainbow Fund, says; “The funds raised over the weekend are the result of months of planning, and really hard work from the volunteers – we’re so grateful for that, and so are the hundreds in our communities that benefit. It’s also fun – I’m determined to be in the winning team in the quiz this year, and I always enjoy the Saturday event in Dorset Gardens – such a great atmosphere.”

The organising team are always looking for volunteers to help on the weekend – volunteering can be great fun and you get to meet lots of likeminded people as well as ‘giving back’ to your community.

To apply to be a BBW volunteer, click here:

TONIGHT – Brighton fundraiser for Peter Tatchell Foundation

Peter Tatchell is the special guest speaker at a special fundraising night for the Peter Tatchell Foundation – A Night Of 21st Century Folk Music tonight, April 26 at 7pm at the Unitarian Church, New Road, Brighton.

THE Peter Tatchell Foundation promote equality and diversity for the public benefit in Britain and internationally by researching, educating, advocating and lobbying for the elimination of exclusion and discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, race, gender, disability, religion, belief, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic, social, cultural or refugee status.

Bands playing will include:

Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds are Brighton based BBC Radio Folk Award nominees singing Appalachian songs of English & Scottish origin.“Naomi is the best singer of Appalachian ballads that I know”….. Shirley Collins

Lisa Knapp – is an English Folk Singer and BBC Radio Folk Award winner. “fearless original talent”….. fRoots

Robb Johnson “creator of some of the most potent songs of the last decade”….. fRoots

♦  Sarah Clarke Kent, Sue Tyhurst and Michele Allardyce give it some welly with searing vocals and groovy rhythms. A mixture of folk, blues and indie music.

Bird in the Belly – Brighton based folk group ***** “folk album of the year”…..  Sunday Express


Event: A night of 21st century folk music

Where: Unitarian Church, New Road, Brighton

When: Friday, April 26

Time: 7pm

Cost: £16 available from Resident Records in Brighton and Union Music Record Store in Lewes (no booking fee from Union Music Store) also available via WeGotTickets.

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