School half term holiday starts today, Friday, February 15, and parents can relax a week later during Rye Bay’s Scallop Week from Saturday, February 23 to Sunday, March 3, though there are some events just before and just after.
For full details of the week visit scallop.org.uk (or there may be leaflets around Rye) and expect most nights to find music at at least one venue in Rye or close by, as well as menus including scallops at around 20 eating places.
And, if you visit the website, you can learn on film how to cook them with bacon and discover nearly 20 different recipes for scallops, which are harvested in Rye Bay between November and April.
Unlike oysters, scallops are not regarded as aphrodisiacs, but you can learn about them and taste them at Market Fisheries at Simmons Quay both Saturdays (weather permitting scallops to be caught and landed) and at Webbes restaurant in Tower Street all week.
With Shrove Tuesday (also known as Fat Tuesday and Pancake Day) following immediately after, and marking the start of Lent (supposedly a period of abstinence), Scallop Week is an opportunity to relax and enjoy life before Lent leads into the next round of school holidays before a very late Easter on April 21.
And another opportunity for relaxation is “Fat Tuesday” in Hastings from Friday, March 1 to Tuesday, March 5, said to be the largest Mardi Gras festival in the United Kingdom, with the Umbrella Parade on the Sunday and Tuesday’s tour where 24 bands play 20 minute sets at three different venues.
Highlights of Scallop Week include the Mountain Firework Company on Friday, March 1 and scallops and shanties both weekends at the Queen’s Head in the Landgate.
Another date of interest could be Olde Worlde Wines in Cinque Ports
Street with its mix of music, poetry and the odd raconteur from 4pm on
Sunday, February 24 – or on a tour of the historic Mermaid Inn on the
same day.
Another venue leaping into action on both weekends is the Cinque Ports
Arms, which has recently applied for planning permission to improve
its garden area overlooking the market for band performances as part
of the pub’s overall facelift.
Image Credits: Simon Kershaw .