TENS of thousands of people will descend upon Brighton today in one of the busiest Saturdays of the year.

Brighton and Hove is blooming with culture as the last day of The Great Escape music event joins Brighton Festival, Fringe and Artists Open Houses in the city’s entertainment calender.

Twenty thousand people will attend gigs across 35 venues for The Great Escape while there are over 200 events taking place in the Festival and Fringe combined.

On Thursday night, Tunbridge Wells rock duo Slaves opened the new music festival with a special performance from the Horror Hotel ghost train attraction on Brighton Palace Pier.

Hundreds of people braved the rain for the show, with our reviewer Finn Scott-Delaney remarking that the conditions made for a “sodden opening day zigzagging across Brighton – though thankfully with no mud to contend with”.

Finn praised The Great Escape, adding “it is a credit to the festival’s vast and diverse programme that punters could have infinitely different experiences”.

Finn’s full review of the first day of music can be read below.

The schedule culminates with a headline performance from Uckfield-based singer Rag ‘N’ Bone Man at Brighton Dome tonight.

Elsewhere, Brighton Fringe’s two main hubs, The Spiegeltent on the Old Steine and The Warren on St Peter’s Green North, will be buzzing with activity as festivalgoers enjoy the (predicted) sunshine and choose what shows they want to attend.

Brighton Festival started on May 6 and ends next Sunday, while the Fringe runs until June 4.

FIVE EVENTS THIS WEEKEND

Meow Meow, Brighton Festival, Theatre Royal Brighton, today, 5pm and 8pm

The cabaret singer presents a musical history of Brighton’s premier theatre, with all the mishaps and quirky stories since the venue’s opening in 1807.

Dream Wife, The Great Escape, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar, Brighton, tonight, 9.30pm

This all-female trio formed at The University of Brighton. Since then they have added extra rock grit to back up Icelandic Rakel Mjoll’s hyperactive presence.

Trainspotting, Brighton Fringe, Sweet King Alfred’s, Hove, today, 8.45pm, and tomorrow, 7pm

This stage reworking of the much-loved book and film makes the audience a part of the show.

Gary Younge, Brighton and Hove High School, tonight, 7.30pm

The admired journalist talks about his book, Another Day in the Death of America, about the role of guns in US life.

Hurricane Michael, Brighton Fringe, The Warren, Studio 3, today and tomorrow, 6.30pm

One-man comedy show based around weatherman Michael Fish’s ill-fated prediction.