Picks for the weekend

With the region’s children getting ready for another year at school, East have picked some very family friendly events from this weekend to cheer them up. We’ve also picked some very family unfriendly ones too, just so the adults don’t feel left out.

ASTRONOMY FESTIVAL, OBSERVATORY SCIENCE CENTRE, HERSTMONCEUX. Fri 3 – Sun 5. £30

First up, a late chance for a few days away, as the famous observatory at Herstmonceux invites visitors to stay for a weekend of camping and educational fun. There’s plenty of family activities and planetarium shows, as well as the chance to take a look at the stars through the observatory’s telescopes (so long as the weather continues to stay fine).

DAY @ THE PARK, ALEXANDRA PARK, HASTINGS. Sat 4. Free

Tomorrow (Saturday) then brings a family Day at the Park in Hastings’ beautiful Alexandra Park. As well as traditional village fete entertainment, including tug o’ war, welly wanging, Punch & Judy and old fashioned fair rides, there’s the chance to ‘Sponge a Politician’, with many of Hastings’ great and good getting in the stocks for a soaking. Top live music comes from The Rufus Stone Band, The Cosmic Riders of Tomorrow and Sand Rabbit, with headliner Dr Savage rounding things off with his New Orleans sound.

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH RECORDS TOUR, VOLKS CLUB, BRIGHTON. Fri 3. £10

Right, that’s enough for the kids, here’s something for the grown ups. American DJ Lenny Dee founded Industrial Strength Records way back in 1991, making it arguably the world’s first hardcore techno label. ISR have released some seriously fast and deranged club music over the years, and they’re back in the UK for a long-awaited tour. Set back under the arches off Madeira Drive, only the Volks has walls thick enough to withstand tonight’s pounding gabba mayhem.

WALL INTO PIECES, PHOENIX GALLERY, BRIGHTON. Sat 4. £6

A little more highbrow, but potentially no less bonkers, The Phoenix Gallery hosts another of its occasional late night Factory multimedia happenings tomorrow (Saturday), with live music from The Elastic Band, Animal Magic Tricks, Laboratoro and Max & the Swing Commanders, alongside dozens of performance artists, video installations and interactive wall painting. Organisers Boca2Mouth will be producing a magazine from scratch about the unfolding events, available at the end of the night.

PUNK NIGHT, THE EAGLE, EASTBOURNE. Fri 3. Free.

Finally, for something a little more down to earth, Eastbourne’s unassuming Eagle pub continues to improve its live entertainment with a trio of loud & fast street punk bands  tonight (Friday). Brighton’s sensitively named ASBO Retards make the trip along the coast, to be joined by Eastbourne’s own Brutal Regime and fellow Sussex lads The Barracks. They ain’t been to no music school, you know.