Culture

Fairlight's hidden secrets include a bunker under the Fire Hills - and a dinosaur's footprints. Haydon Luke reveals these secrets in his new book about this pretty Sussex village

Now in its third year the jazz and blues festival has been embraced by locals, tourists and businesses alike and not even the wettest of bank holiday Mondays could dampen the enthusiasm of the musicians, performers and especially the audiences over the weekend. In the words of festival director Ian Bowden: "Rye was buzzing!"

This Friday the artist Djibo will be exhibiting his vibrant and exotic work to raise money for charity at one of Rye's loveliest shops providing an appropriately chic backdrop for Djibo's African based work. The proceeds will go to help children... and there's free fizz as well

The first auditions for Acting Up in Rye's christmas pantomime took place at the Queens Head on Wednesday August 20 and Old Mother Hubbard herself would have been proud. With a clutch of enthusiastic thespians and a witty script that leaves no entendre undoubled, the group enjoyed a most productive evening that will be repeated at the second audition night on Tuesday August 26

There will be theatrical mayhem by the Ypres tower at the weekend when the Rye Shakespeare Company takes to the green

Only One Direction to go - and that's to Rye's Tuesday Painters' annual exhibition at the St Mary's Centre in Lion Street, which has more than 250 paintings and etchings on display from 70 local amateur artists. But the show closes on August 25

The Ypres Castle Inn, affectionately known as the Wipers, hosts a fantastic collection of bands during this year's International Jazz and Blues Festival. With more than a dozen different acts strutting their stuff on the outdoor stage the bank holiday weekend is bound to be a blast. And it's all free!

The Grand Budapest Hotel, a comedy that scores 8.2 with the...

At a time when the nation has been reflecting on World War 1, this poem caught the eye of a Rye resident. Its title is the name of a local High Street shop

For two long months the BBC filmed EF Benson's comic "Mapp and Lucia" novels in Rye, and the Memorial Hospital is expecting a donation from the BBC. One of the many extras comments on the final days - and wonders if the cheque is in the post

The Rye Arts Festival which comes to town on September 12-28 has opened its "walk-in" box office. Tickets are fast disappearing and, if you're unlucky enough to miss out, remember there's also an impressive package of free events

The annual summer exhibition by the Rye Society of Artists is up and running until August 25 with more than 400 works on display and for sale, from thousands of pounds to a few quid. Don't hang about . . .