Your Weekly Local Newsletter on everything going on in Horsham District
Thursday, 7th May 2026
Hello everyone,
What a week to be in the District. Today is a genuinely historic day, polls are open across Horsham for the very first Horsham Parish Council elections, and by this time tomorrow we'll know who will represent the town's residents for the first time in its history. If you haven't voted yet, stations are open until 10pm tonight.
But beyond the ballot box, this week is shaping up to be one of the best of the year. Saturday brings 21°C, bright skies and the Broadwood Day of Dance filling the town centre with colour, music and Morris sides from across the South, completely free, completely joyful. That same evening, Leonardslee Lates opens its magical outdoor season as the sun sets over the rhododendrons. And if that's not enough, there's a full weekend Sausage and Music Festival at the Shelley Arms, the Horsham 10K on Sunday, Friday Night BBQs launching at Knepp, and the dawn chorus calling from the Steyning Downland.
Scroll down for everything you need. Share it with a friend or neighbour who might want to join you — and we'll see you out there. 🌸
📰Digest
🗳️ Election Day — Today, Thursday 7th May - Polls are open today until 10pm for the West Sussex County Council elections and the inaugural Horsham Parish Council elections. There is also a by-election in the Itchingfield, Slinfold and Warnham ward. Results will be declared tomorrow, Friday 8th May. This is a historic election for Horsham — the 18 councillors elected today will, for the first time, form Horsham Town Council, representing over 22,000 residents. Read more
🌳 Rookwood Golf Course Secured for 25 Years - Good news for green space lovers. Horsham District Council has renewed its lease with British Ensign Golf Group for a further 25 years, securing Rookwood Golf Course as a community leisure facility. Plans to build up to 1,100 homes on the site, which faced strong local opposition, are firmly off the table. Read more
🏛️ New Council Chairman Elected - Councillor Joanne Knowles has been named the new Chairman of Horsham District Council, taking over from Tony Bevis at the end of April, with Nigel Emery appointed Vice-Chairman. A key focus for her year ahead will be encouraging young people not in education, employment or training to volunteer and build confidence and skills. Read more
🏡Local Business Spotlight
Chris Hilliard Windows and Doors
If you're looking for a trusted local tradesman for windows and doors, Chris Hilliard Windows and Doors is well worth a call. We recently had our 20+ year old windows and French doors replaced by Chris, a stellar job, done clean, tidy and with real diligence throughout. With over 15 years of experience in the trade, Chris is Certass registered and backed by an Insurance Backed Guarantee through Homepro, covering everything from uPVC and aluminium windows and doors to bi-folds, sealed unit replacements and general repairs. Highly recommended. View on Checkatrade
🗓️ What’s Happening
Events are subject to change. Please confirm details with the host.
🧘 Free Beginners Yoga Class, Heartspace Yoga 📅 Thu 7 May | ⏰ 6.30pm | 📍 Heartspace Yoga, Horsham | 💷 Free A genuinely free introductory yoga class — no kit, no experience, no commitment required. Perfect if you've been thinking about giving it a go. Read more
💬 Networking Laid Bear, The Bear 📅 Fri 8 May | ⏰ 10am | 📍 The Bear, Horsham | 💷 Free A relaxed local business networking morning, 60 seconds to introduce yourself, then get talking. Run by the community, for the community. If you're growing something local, worth showing up. Read more
🛒 Storrington Weekly Market 📅 Every Friday, including 8 May | 📍 Storrington Village Hall (indoors) | 💷 Free entry An independent co-operative market run entirely by volunteers, every Friday without fail. Local produce, home-made goods and great community spirit. Read more
🏃 Horsham Parkrun, Every Saturday, 9am 📍 Southwater Country Park, Cripplegate Lane, Southwater | 💷 Free. Every Saturday morning at 9am, Horsham Parkrun takes place at Southwater Country Park, a free, timed 5K open to walkers, joggers and runners of all abilities. No entry fee, just register once online and bring your barcode. A post-run coffee at the Country Park café is a well-established ritual. Perfect for this Saturday before the Day of Dance kicks off in town. Read more
🌅 Songs of the Dawn — Steyning Downland 📅 Saturday 9 May | 📍 Steyning Downland Scheme April and May are the peak months for birdsong with the breeding season in full swing. A guided early morning walk to hear the dawn chorus at its finest across the Steyning downland. Magical. Read more
💃 Broadwood Day of Dance, Horsham Town Centre 📅 Saturday 9 May | ⏰ 10.30am–4pm | 📍 West Street & The Carfax, Horsham | 💷 Free Now in its 34th year, this is one of the great free community spectacles in the District. More than 20 Morris sides from across the South will fill the town with sound, colour and dance, starting with a procession from West Street to the Carfax Bandstand at 10.30am, with dancing throughout the town centre until 3pm. The afternoon schedule includes Meet the Morris Q&As at 12pm and 2pm, a Big Barn Dance at 2pm where everyone's invited to join in, and a Farewell Finale at 4pm. A genuinely joyful event, great for all ages. Read more
🏅 Horsham 10K - Sunday 10 May 📍 Horsham Rugby Club, Hammerpond Road | ⏰ Junior race 10am, main race to follow | 💷 Entry required. The biggest running event in the local calendar. Organised by Horsham Joggers, the Horsham 10K is a multi-terrain race covering two laps on roads and trails, starting and finishing at Horsham Rugby Club. There's also a 1.2km junior fun run for under 16s, a great first race for young runners. One of the best-rated community running events in Sussex, and with Saturday's weather looking warm, Sunday should be ideal conditions. Read more
🌺 Rhododendron Season, Leonardslee Gardens 📅 All week (ongoing through June) | 📍 Lower Beeding, Horsham | 💷 Ticketed May remains the peak month at Leonardslee, with rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and bluebells at their most spectacular across the historic 240-acre estate. The gardens were recently featured on BBC Gardeners' World, if you need any extra encouragement. Book ahead. Read more
🛒 Henfield Weekly Market 📅 Monday 12 May | ⏰ 9am–1pm | 📍 Henfield Hall, Henfield A beloved village market with great local food suppliers and a café. Read more
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.
🎵 Live Music & Entertainment
Events are subject to change. Please confirm details with the host.
🍕 Horsham Sessions — Monte Forte 📅 Thu 7 May & Sat 9 May | ⏰ Thu 5pm / Sat 2pm | 📍 Monte Forte, Horsham | 💷 Ticketed 90 minutes of unlimited pizza, wine, beer, prosecco or cocktails, with great tunes and the kind of atmosphere you can't fake. A brilliant reason to round up your people on a Thursday evening or Saturday afternoon. Read more
🎶 Bring Your Own Vinyl — Horsham Brewery Co 📅 Thu 7 May | ⏰ 8pm | 📍 Horsham Brewery Co | 💷 Free Dust off something from your collection, head down and hear what others bring. A lovely, low-key Thursday evening ritual for music lovers. Read more
🔥 Friday Night BBQ — Knepp Wilding Kitchen 📅 Friday 8 May | 📍 Knepp Estate, Worthing Road, Dial Post | 💷 Bookable Friday Night BBQs at Knepp Wilding Kitchen run from May through September — laid-back courtyard evenings with seasonal feasts from the grill, live music, and the glow of the rewilding landscape all around. A genuinely special summer evening venue — and this is the very first one of the 2026 season. Book well ahead. Book now Knepp
🎸 Sausage and Music Festival — The Shelley Arms, Broadbridge Heath 📅 Friday 8 – Sunday 10 May | 📍 The Shelley Arms, Old Guildford Road, Broadbridge Heath A proper weekend festival in the Shelley's sprawling garden, locally produced sausages, West Sussex ciders and ales, and three nights of live music. Fri: Retrotonic. Sat: Eddie Miller and The Hot Dog Rockers. Sun: Pier Pressure. One of the great pub festivals in the District. Read more
🧠 Leonardslee Quiz Night 📅 Fri 8 May | 📍 Leonardslee Gardens, Lower Beeding | 💷 £25 / £22.50 members, A high-energy quiz night hosted by Paul from PJ Quiz, with rounds spanning Mash-Up Music, Cryptic Conundrums, Family Fortunes and the Wipeout Round. Teams of two to six, with an Indian curry buffet included and prizes worth over £650 for the top two teams. A brilliant Friday night out in a stunning setting. Read more
🎶 Big Band Saturday — Carfax Bandstand 📅 Saturday 9 May | ⏰ 11am–1pm | 📍 The Carfax, Horsham | 💷 Free The free Big Band Saturday series continues at the Carfax. Bring a chair, grab a coffee, and settle in. Read more
Got an event going down? Share it with us.
🏡House of the Week
Set within the South Downs National Park, this Grade II listed conversion of a group of period outbuildings is a genuinely rare find. River frontage, far-reaching views and 2.7 acres of gardens set the scene, while inside the main house delivers five reception rooms, a spacious kitchen, principal suite with dressing room, and four further bedroom suites. A fully self-contained three-bedroom annexe cottage sits alongside, perfect for family, guests or rental income.
What makes it stand apart is the quality of the conversion, completed just a couple of years ago, with underfloor heating, argon-filled double glazing, air source heat pumps and solar panels keeping running costs well below what you'd expect from a property of this scale and character. It needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.
Listed by House 🔗 Rightmove
🍽️ Restaurant Recommendation
🦊 The Ginger Fox — Hassocks | Gastro pub | Lunch & dinner daily | ££–£££
Just on the southern edge of the District, on the road towards Hassocks and the South Downs, The Ginger Fox is one of those rare country pubs that genuinely delivers on every level. The country outpost of the well-regarded Gingerman Group, it shares the same emphasis on local and seasonal as its Brighton siblings, Harveys beer and Ridgeview wine behind the bar, local meat and fish on the menu. Situated on the edge of woodland, this long-standing thatched pub is full of character and has a lovely enclosed garden that comes into its own on a sunny weekend. The food sits comfortably above standard pub fare without feeling precious about it, a reliable choice for everything from a casual weekday lunch to a proper Sunday out. Book a table 📍 Muddleswood Road, Hassocks, BN6 9EA
🌤️ Weather
This Week's Weather: Horsham District
Genuinely good news on the weather front. After last week's cloudy cool spell, this week is shaping up to be the warmest of the spring so far, Saturday in particular looks like a gift for the Broadwood Day of Dance and Leonardslee Lates.
Day | High | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|
Thursday 7 May | 16°C | 20% 🌤️ |
Friday 8 May | 18°C | 20% 🌤️ |
Saturday 9 May | 21°C | 20% ☀️ |
Sunday 10 May | 16°C | 20% 🌤️ |
Monday 11 May | 17°C | 20% 🌤️ |
Saturday is the standout, 21°C with only a low chance of a passing shower makes it pretty much ideal for a day in the town centre watching Morris dancing, followed by an evening in the Leonardslee gardens as the sun goes down. A rare combination. Get out there and enjoy it. 🌿
Did you enjoy this week's newsletter?
As always, you can reply to this email or say hello at [email protected].
Have a great week exploring Horsham District!
