October Unpacked marked a bold new chapter for Brighton & Hove, led by the Brighton & Hove Tourism Alliance with Discover Brighton providing vital support through our free digital listing’s platform and printed programme. Audiences embraced the guide, circling events and mapping out cultural adventures.

The pilot festival brought the city to life throughout October with a vibrant mix of pop ups, performances, and food led experiences. Highlights included the Brighton Italian Festival, Shelter Hall’s OktoberFest, “Taste Trails,” zero waste cooking demos, hidden supper clubs, immersive theatre, cabaret, late night comedy, acoustic sets, themed club nights, and candlelit jazz. Independent businesses contributed through craft markets, storefront promotions, competitions, and showcases like Made in Brighton, while community workshops offered space to connect and create.

As a season extending pilot, some venues reported strong engagement while others found it challenging to stand out, yet the appetite for an autumn citywide celebration was clear. Discover Brighton welcomed nearly 7,000 new users and over 39,000 page views between August and October, demonstrating demand for accessible listings and cultural discovery and will continue to offer free event listings online.

Reflecting on the initiative, Julia Weeks of the Brighton & Hove Tourism Alliance said: “It’s been an exceptionally busy summer, with two major projects delivered in a very short time: October Unpacked and establishing a Visitor Information Hub at Brighton i360. Neither could have happened without collaboration — it really is the key. The support we received from Discover, Visit Brighton, Culture Calling, Brilliant Brighton, Restaurants Brighton, Connected Brighton, BITE Sussex, Brighton i360 and all participating businesses was instrumental in getting these projects off the ground.

Both October Unpacked and the Visitor Information Hub were only possible thanks to widespread collaboration. Special thanks go to Lynnie at Discover, Lena at Laine Marketing, Becca at Culture Calling, Ben at Brighton i360, and my trusty longstanding Tourism Alliance colleagues Steve Darby and Nick Mosley, who continually stepped up to smooth the bumps along the way.

As 2025 concludes, the launch of the Sussex Tourism Alliance at the Grand Hotel drawing over 600 guests, signals exciting possibilities for 2026. 

Registration for October Unpacked 2026 will open soon…