While St Patrick’s night sees drinkers falling out of the pubs in droves with daft hats, the English are noticeably less enthusiastic when it comes to marking the day of our own patron saint.

And yet on the Continent, most notably in Barcelona, St George is celebrated by exchanging a book and a rose with a loved one, a ritual that is supposed to bring luck.

It is from this charming tradition that a day of events organised by Brighton And Hove City Council draws its inspiration.

William Shakespeare died on St George’s Day (and it is the date traditionally used to mark his birthday, although the exact date is unknown), and so this event will also celebrate England’s immense contribution to world literature.

Staged on the closest Sunday to St George’s Day (which was actually yesterday), Jubilee Square will be the venue for a series of readings, live music, children’s activities and entertainment in and around the square, including previews of Brighton Festival and Fringe events, live music and storytelling.

Council leader Mary Mears said: “The event will proudly celebrate key aspects of Englishness and also tell us, in a fun way, how the day is celebrated elsewhere.”

Booksellers and florists will have stalls, with florists creating colourful displays, and only local firms have been invited as part of the council’s Be Local, Buy Local campaign.

Old books can be brought along to donate to Oxfam, while local publishing house Myriad Editions will have some of its authors in tow to discuss their work and advise aspiring writers. The authors include Martine McDonagh, Lesley Thomson, Sue Eckstein and Woodrow Phoenix.

Brighton and Hove Children’s Festival will fill Jubilee Street with children’s workshops and activities including model windmills – a reference to the Spanish author Cervantes of Don Quixote fame, who also died on St George’s Day, and the Jubilee Library will also be holding special events throughout the day.

The Performers: Brighton-based Mary Hampton has a fascination for folk’s forgotten songs and is a composer of enchanting work herself. Her debut album My Mother’s Children, released last year, made Mojo magazine’s top ten folk albums of the year, even attracting a rave review from Mercury-nominated folk legend Eliza Carthy.

Nick Pynn is an electro-acoustic multi-instrumentalist and composer, who has worked with artists as diverse as Steve Harley, girl band B*Witched, Arthur Brown, comedian Rich Hall, Herbie Flowers and Richard Durrant.

Cosmos And Sands is the instrumental folk brainchild of electronic music legend Stuart Cullen, who has recorded several highly acclaimed albums under the name of Pilote.

We-Bop Choir are a 40-piece women’s outfit who perform jazz, soul and gospel in stirring four-part harmony.

Conrad Vingoe has just digitally released a new album Spare Buttons And Bones. His work has been described as folk-influenced pop – intimate, intense and speaking a language everyone can understand.

Jo Burke has a passion for traditional music and recently embarked on a solo career after spending three years as the fiddle player in Mary Hampton’s band.

The Pastores Ensemble play early English music using traditional instruments such as recorder, lute, mandolin and viols.

  • Runs from 11am-5pm. Free.