For many other seaside resorts, boom time is summer time – a time for ice creams, candy floss, sticks of rock and fish and chips.

But for Brighton and Hove, its peak of activity is May.

Bookended with Bank Holidays, the month is crammed full of theatre, comedy, dance, music and art, both seasoned performers and new talents.

There are easily more than 1,000 shows and exhibitions going on, spanning days or weeks at a time.

To the uninitiated it is easy to see it all as one big party.

But behind the glamour, there are separate bodies working hard to bring the best of modern culture to the city.

The south coast sees Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe for performing arts, the Artists’ Open Houses and House 2015 (also artwork), Brighton Museum and Art Gallery (for a major photography exhibition) and The Great Escape (for new bands) as well as other activities farther afield such as the Charleston Festival (covering literature).

Each is distinct yet each provides something that gives a wealth of options for the public.

With so many free things going on it’s easy to find something that won’t break the bank.

Art overload? Quite possibly – but would you rather live somewhere with none of these offerings? Almost certainly not.

It is this presence that sends people flocking to Brighton and Hove.

Even once the party is over, it never truly stops. June might be the month for relaxing after the flurry but it soon heats up.

And that’s when the seaside comes into its own when Brighton and Hove keeps on giving.