Hastings Fat Tuesday

Timed to coincide with the run-up to Lent, this five-day event turns the pubs, bars and small venues of the old town and seafront into a network of stages, most of them free to walk into. The programme runs wide, taking in folk, jazz, reggae, funk, soul, punk, indie and more, often with several acts playing within a few minutes' walk of one another. A brass-led Mardi Gras parade brings colour to the streets mid-festival, and the ticketed Le Grand Mardi Gras Ball offers a dressier, 18-plus night out. Much of the appeal lies in wandering between rooms, following the noise and stumbling on bands you would never have sought out. It suits people who like exploring a town on foot, prefer small sweaty venues to big fields, and enjoy following music wherever it happens to lead.