Thursday, 24th September 2026
Big news this week: The HD Loop now has its own What's On page, with events across the whole District on one map. We found scrolling events/whats on challenging… so we decided to fix it. It's early days, so it'll fill up week by week.
Check here to check it out.
Elsewhere, Vegan Fest makes a one-off move to West Street on Saturday, the Jobs & Skills Fair is back at the Drill Hall on Wednesday evening, and Highwood has a brand new playground. On the council side, proposed parish boundary changes go to next week's Governance Committee.
Weather-wise, it's mild and mostly dry, with Friday the pick of the week at 24°C before a few showers arrive on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Enjoy the week. 🌿
Local News
🛝 New Playground and Games Area Open at Highwood. The Highwood Riverside Play Area and Multi-Use Ball Court are now open, with a fort, climbing frame, zipwire and basket swing for under-11s, plus a ball court for all ages. Funded through Section 106 money from developer Berkeley Homes, it's the first part of a wider community hub planned for the site, including a hall, football pitches and changing rooms. Read more
🗺️ Parish Boundary Changes Proposed Across the District. Following two six-week consultations and nearly 2,500 responses, the Council has put forward proposals including a single parish for Kilnwood Vale, a unified Horsham parish council to replace the Town and North Horsham councils, and boundary changes affecting Small Dole, Bramber Brooks, Broadbridge Heath and Southwater. The findings go to the Governance Committee on 28 September, ahead of Full Council in October. Read more
⭐Weekly spotlight
Every week I cut dozens of good events to fit this email. Not any more. The HD Loop now has a What's On page with everything happening across the District: markets, walks, gigs, kids' days out and village events.
Pick a day, filter for free things or kids' stuff, or pop in your postcode to see what's near you. It's all on a map, and you can add anything to your calendar in one tap.
It’s light right now, but will begin to fill up soon!
Running something? Add your event for free. I check every listing before it goes up.
🔝This week's top 3
🥕 Vegan Fest Horsham (West Street, Horsham): The monthly plant-based market makes a one-off move to the pedestrian walkway at the bottom of West Street for this edition. Free entry. Sat 26 Sep, 9:30am. Read more
🎷 Lancing Brass (Carfax Bandstand): Live brass band music in the heart of town — bring a chair and make a morning of it. Free. Sat 26 Sep, 11am–1pm. Read more
💼 Horsham District Jobs & Skills Fair (Drill Hall, Denne Road): Dozens of local employers and training providers under one roof, moved to an evening slot this year to make it easier to attend after work. Free, just turn up. Wed 30 Sep, 3:30–7:30pm. Read more
⭐Also worth noting
🎸 John Doe + The Cadavers (The Brolly Fermentarium): Live music at the taproom. Fri 25 Sep, evening.
🏃 Horsham parkrun & Junior parkrun (Horsham Park): Free, timed 5k every Saturday, plus Junior parkrun for under-14s. Free. Sat 26 Sep, 9am.
🍸 Handbags at Dusk (Love you, Bye): An adults-only night out to close out the week. Wed 30 Sep, evening.
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🗓️ The full week, day by day
Events are subject to change. Please confirm details with the host.
Thursday 24 September
Friday 25 September
🛒 Friday Market — Carfax, Horsham. 9am. Read more
🎸 John Doe + The Cadavers — The Brolly Fermentarium, Horsham. Evening.
🎵 Live Music — The Kings Arms, Horsham. Evening.
Saturday 26 September
🥕 Vegan Fest Horsham (one-off West Street location) — West Street, Horsham. 9:30am. Read more
🏃 Horsham parkrun & Junior parkrun — Horsham Park. 9am. Read more
🎷 Lancing Brass — Carfax Bandstand, Horsham. 11am–1pm. Read more
⚽ Horsham FC away at Chelmsford City — National League South. 3pm.
🎶 Live music — Blunter Brothers (The Holbrook Club), Alice McKenna (Firebird Brewing Co) and Whiskey Over Ice (The Coot). Evening.
Sunday 27 September
🏃 Run Barns Green — Barns Green. Morning. Read more
🎵 Live Music Sundays — The Wheatsheaf, Horsham. Afternoon.
🎵 Live Music — The Kings Arms, Horsham. Evening.
Tuesday 29 September
🌱 Haven Green Gardening Group — Henfield Haven, Hewitts, Henfield. 9:30–11:30am. Read more
Wednesday 30 September
🚶 Talk & Walk — Horsham Park, 10am. Free, no booking.
🛍️ Wednesday Market — West Street, 9am. Free entry.
💼 Horsham District Jobs & Skills Fair — The Drill Hall, Denne Road. 3:30–7:30pm. Read more
🍸 Handbags at Dusk — Love you, Bye, evening.
Always check with venues directly before heading out, as details can change. Know of an event we've missed? Get in touch to have it included next week! Share it with us.
🏡 Local favourite
Southwater Country Park Café
Tucked beside the lake in Southwater Country Park, this is the reward stop after a walk, a bike ride, or the winter home of Horsham parkrun. Fresh food and cakes, a proper range of teas, and both indoor and outdoor seating, on a sunny day the lakeside tables are hard to beat.
📍 Southwater Country Park, Worthing Road, Southwater, RH13 9EH 🔗 Read more
🧠 Horsham Trivia
Horsham's own name is Anglo-Saxon in origin, made up of two Old English words. What do they mean, and what does "Horsham" translate to?
Hit reply with your guess. We'll print the answer, and whoever got it, in next week's edition.
Last week's answer: the Romans, who prized Horsham Stone for how easily it split into thin roofing tiles, you can still see it on rooftops along the Causeway and at Roman sites like Bignor and Fishbourne
🍽️ Where to eat
The Chef Thai Cuisine, Billingshurst
A small, family-run Thai restaurant tucked just off the high street, with a chef who's spent 25 years cooking in Thailand's top hotels. Organic Thai herbs, a fully licensed bar, and a loyal local following, the crispy chilli duck and massaman curry get mentioned again and again in reviews.
📍 9 Jengers Mead, Billingshurst, RH14 9PB 🔗 Visit the website
🏠 House of the week - guess the price
Hillhouse Lane, Rudgwick, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12
A characterful home believed to date back to the 1600s, sympathetically extended over the years, on the edge of the village of Rusper.
What is the price of this property?
🌤️ Weather
This Week's Weather: Horsham District
A mild, mostly dry week that turns a touch showery by Tuesday and Wednesday — worth one more check against the Met Office closer to Thursday morning.
Day | High | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
Thursday 24 September | 20°C | 🌤️ Sunny intervals |
Friday 25 September | 24°C | ☀️ Sunny |
Saturday 26 September | 19°C | 🌤️ Sunny intervals |
Sunday 27 September | 20°C | ☁️ Cloudy intervals |
Monday 28 September | 20°C | ☁️ Cloudy intervals |
Tuesday 29 September | 23°C | 🌦️ Chance of a shower |
Wednesday 30 September | 21°C | 🌦️ Chance of a shower |
As always, have a suggestion? Please hit reply to this email or say hello at [email protected]
Have a great week exploring Horsham District!
David
