With the summer holidays drawing near, it’s the perfect time to highlight some of the exciting events that will be taking place across the district in the coming weeks.

We’ll be kicking things off with the return of our Summer Street Party and Cross Market & More artisan market on Sunday 6 July, 10am-4pm, in Chichester city centre and Cathedral Green. If you’ve never been before, you can expect a vibrant and colourful day of family friendly activities and entertainment, and a wonderful opportunity to browse for some unique buys.

Combining the Summer Street Party with the Cross Market & More means that we can offer a combination of vibrant stalls — celebrating the very best creatives, designers, makers and producers from the district — alongside local food and drink vendors, and performances from some amazing local musicians. It offers a one-of-a-kind shopping experience with a buzzing party atmosphere.

The day will feature a full programme of entertainment, including music from local artists; a dance exhibition from the Chichester Lindy Hoppers; a fashion show in North Street; and children’s entertainment, including magic shows, face painting, a giant Nerf Arena, LEGO experience, garden games, bath bomb making and more!

Following the great feedback last year, the top of South Street will be closed to traffic to create a relaxed ‘al fresco’ dining area. I’d like to thank the Chichester Business Improvement District (BID) and Chichester Rotary for their continued support in helping us bring this much-loved event back to the city.

We're also excited to be hosting a free Men’s Health Fair in Petworth on Tuesday 15 July, from 10am to 2pm at Petworth Park Sports. This community event is all about supporting men’s health and wellbeing in a friendly, informal setting. Come along and have your blood pressure checked with Chichester Wellbeing, and chat to our Social Prescribing and Choose Work teams, as well as representatives from Everyone Active and West Sussex County Council’s Prevention Assessment team. You’ll also be able to learn about weight management, healthy eating, and cutting down on alcohol; discover ways to get more active and quit smoking; and enjoy some free refreshments while you're there! We know that men are often less likely to seek help when it comes to their health, and so providing this opportunity for men in our communities to access free checks and expert advice in a relaxed and welcoming environment is something I feel very passionate about.

As we move into August, get ready for the thrills and spills of our Chichester Skate, Scoot and Bike event on Sunday 10 August at Chichester Skatepark! Following the fantastic response last year, this year’s event promises to be even bigger and better — with hands-on activities, exciting demonstrations, and live music to entertain the whole family.

We’re also continuing to collaborate with other event organisers to bring a wide variety of events to the district. One highlight to look forward to is the return of the Antiques and Vintage Market in Chichester city centre on Sunday 17 August. This popular market features a wonderful selection of high-quality second-hand and vintage products — perfect for collectors and bargain hunters alike.

We know, from talking to you, that you want to see more entertainment and events, and so we’ve been working hard to deliver and support a diverse programme — not only for the enjoyment of our residents, but also to attract visitors and support our local economy. By expanding our events calendar, we’re hoping to create memorable experiences while supporting local businesses.

It’s easy to plan your summer using our What’s On pages:www.chichester.gov.uk/whatson and by following our events and markets Facebook page:www.facebook.com/ChichesterDistrictEventsAndMarkets. You can also sign up to our free monthly email newsletter at: www.chichester.gov.uk/newsalerts

Cllr Harsha Desai

Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Communications, Licensing and Events at Chichester District Council