Bands On The Eastbourne Seafront
VENUE : The Bandstand, Grand Parade, Eastbourne
LOCATION : Right on the Seafront, Grand Parade, opposite Devonshire Place.
TIMES : Various. The Sunday bands run from 3pm to 4.30pm, with no half time interval. The midweek bands run at the same time. There are also various evening events which tend to run from 8pm to 9.30pm.
TRANSPORT LINKS : Trains run regularly from Victoria to Eastbourne.
It is possible to do Eastbourne as a day trip, and take in the afternoon band event as part of it.
Be mindful that trains running through Sussex are often split at Haywards Heath, with half of the train going to Littlehampton, and the other half to Eastbourne. Make sure you are in the right half!
COMMENTS : Eastbourne was once the band music capital of the country, and maybe it still is. Having said that, the number of events has been vastly reduced since the halcyon days.
There are bands playing on the Eastbourne Bandstand every Sunday from May through to September, making this one of the longest and most prolific seasons. It is a shame that the bands only play for an hour and a half, although at least this is unbroken. The facility also benefits from having good protection against the weather, meaning that bands will play here when they would not play in other venues.
The military band weeks are highly recommended, especially when the Central Band Of The Royal British Legion is playing here. Here is the chance to book a hotel and just get away from the workaday grind in the best way possible. The bands play every afternoon from Sunday through Friday, and they take part in some of the evening events as well. If you want to take a holiday in the summer, there is no doubt that Eastbourne is the place to do so, nor that the weeks when the military bands are here are the times to do so. No other resort is offering this much quality entertainment in so short a time.
Eastbourne itself retains its seaside atmosphere, despite attempts at “modernizing” the town. The seafront is a joy to stroll along, with around four miles of pathway detached from the road. If you visit in August, be sure to get up at 5am on a clear day, and walk along the front heading eastwards. You will be able to enjoy a spectacular sunrise in England’s premier seaside location.
Eastbourne is one of the very few charged band seasons, and the price varies little between the top class military bands and the local amateurs. There is plenty of seating provided, and a refreshment hut right next to the stand. Eastbourne events do not have half time intervals, so make sure when you sit down you are ready for the whole show.
As a recommendation for a holiday venue, Eastbourne completely annihilates any competition, even if you consider that there is any competition.
MARK : 9/10 – VERY STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
WHAT EASTBOURNE COULD DO TO IMPROVE : Honestly, very little indeed. They are blessed with the finest facility in the country for band music, and the most spectacular of settings. They book military bands of the highest standard, and have them play often throughout a holiday week. They could, of course, book more of them, and return to something like the old days, but the money available and the bands available are simply not what they once were.
On Sundays, Eastbourne is doing exactly the right thing by giving the dates to local brass and wind bands just as the parks do.
THE 2010 SEASON
The fixture list – CLICK HERE