This May Brighton can undoubtedly hold the mutha of trophies for the city that most brilliantly entertains her people, as she closes the Brighton Festival Fringe, this weekend, with a decadent three day love affair with music, arts and mayhem, in a festival, smack bang in the middle of the gardens of The Old Steine.
Words > Lyssa Rutherford

‘The Hanging Gardens of Brighton’ is the name this week on everybody’s sun-kissed lips, brought to us by Babylon Festivals, they promise to serve up their ‘utopian’ and ‘hedonistic’ offerings of Jamie Catto (co-founder of Faithless) The Go! Team (Brighton’s very own 6-pack of feel good school yard indie rock hip hop), plus, Molotov Jukebox, Alabama 3, Ska Cubano, Gabby Young & Other Animals, The Dub Pistols – just a few fantastic names set to headline the weekend, within the 50 or so line-up. Could this be the actual start of the 2012 summer we’ve all been aching for? Damn straight!

When it comes to garden parties the Chelsea Flower Show ain’t got nothing on this. Three beautiful days of gardened musical immersion and fresh sea sunshine, gently contained in a walled and semi marqueed exotic wonderland. Smash that with circus, cabaret, fancy dress and art, from the weirdest and most wonderful, and all the refreshments you could need from the ‘Bars of Babel’ – whether you are in Brighton this weekend or have plans elsewhere, this is one party I recommend you not miss out on. At a 1500 daily capacity, you won’t lose yourself too much, and five minutes from your house – or the train station – can you really afford not to allow yourself this pre-summer treat?

Enter Brighton’s Babylon through the ‘Gate of Ishtar’ for just £25 for a day ticket on Friday (gate opens 4pm til 1.30am), £30 for the Saturday (12.30pm til 1.30am) £25 for Sunday (12.30 til 11pm) or £69 for the weekend. Tickets can be bought through their website www.babylonfestivals.com and from the Brighton Fringe Box Office, tel 01273 917272, or from its three ticket outlets across the city