Get your diaries out: The all-important dates for Eastbourne’s 2020 events

•Eastbourne Half Marathon will be back on March 1 and is a run for all abilities. Starting at 10am, the racstarts in Princes Park and mostly follows the seafront promenades towards Beachy Head and back to Sovereign Harbour, where the course loops back to the finish which is located in Princes Park. Take part or cheer on the runners.

•One of the first events of the year is the Seafront Soapbox Race and is brand new for Eastbourne. Easter Monday (April 13) will see participants build their own soapbox in order to race each other along the seafront. The race will take place from Dukes Drive and finish at Helen Gardens.

Spectators are able to watch these wacky creations as they whizz around corners, dodge hay bales and mount ramps with the hope of staying in one piece by the time they reach the finish line. Entries will cost £25 with a cash prize up for grabs for the fastest soapbox and the wackiest creation. Think you’ve got what it takes to build a good soapbox? Email [email protected].

•The Western Lawns will be brought to life with vintage cars on May 2 and 3 for the town’s annual car and motorcycle rally, Magnificent Motors. The free event is the biggest of its kind on the south coast and will feature more than 600 vehicles over the weekend and include live music, a fun fair and French market.

•From May 22 to 24 Beer and Cider by the Sea will return to the at Western Lawns. The three day extravaganza is a food and drink festival to tantalise the taste buds. Visitors can sample around 100 real ales, ciders and perries along with some great entertainment from live bands on the festival stage throughout the weekend.

•The following weekend, on May 30, Eastbourne Sunshine Carnival will bring the community together with the annual parade along the seafront from the Western Lawns down to Princes Park. This year’s theme is colourful Eastbourne.

•Eastbourne Triathlon will take place on June 13 and 14. Starting from the lifeguard’s beach, triathletes will take on an iconic route, swimming against the backdrop of Eastbourne pier, cycling the roads through the South Downs National Park via Beachy Head and running along the promenade to Holywell, before finishing on the Western Lawns.

•Head down to Hampden Park on June 20 and 21 for Eastbourne Feastival, a music, food and culture event. Tickets are needed for this weekend-long show. In the main arena you can enjoy international and local vendors selling a variety of food and drink from all over the world: Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, French, American, Mexican, Italian, English, Eastern European, Greek, African, Portuguese and Turkish.

Local brewers, wine merchants and restaurants will also be getting involved, showcasing their food and drink. To buy tickets click here

•The Nature Valley International Tennis, the town’s biggest sporting event and Wimbledon warm-up, will take place between June 19 and 27. Book your tickets at the LTA website

•The 999 Emergency Services Display will be on the Western Lawns on July 4 and 5. Get a close look at emergency response vehicles, get on board a fire engine or ambulance, try out the hoses, see arena demonstrations from the police dogs and sea rescue from the coastguard.

•There will then be a chance to try your hand at extreme sports or watch others perform impressive stunts at the Beach Life Festival on July 11 and 12. Look forward to a packed two days filled with outdoor pursuits, street food and live music. There will be windsurfing, sailing, skating and more at this free event at the Sovereign Centre end of Eastbourne seafront.

•Pride will come to Eastbourne on July 18 for a fun-filled, colourful procession organised by Eastbourne’s LGBT community. Featuring dancers, music, drag queens, a beer wine and prosecco tent, trade stalls and live music at Princes Park. The parade takes place from the pier to the park.

•The two-day Lammas Festival will be back on the Western Lawns and Eastbourne seafront on July 25 and 26. The Eastbourne Lammas Festival is a pageant of morris dancing and live music from traditional and folk-rock to modern jazz. The free family event starts with Saturday’s Lammas parade at noon. Dancers, drummers and festival-goers will perform at the pier before making their way along the prom and returning to the Western Lawns, the main festival site.

•Airbourne, the popular four-day air show, is the biggest event in Eastbourne’s calendar. It will be held from August 13 to 16 this year. Attracting huge crowds, Eastbourne’s International Airshow features the very best in military and civilian aviation display teams and regularly includes the Red Arrows, Typhoon, Chinook, The Blades and wingwalkers. More details regarding the line-up will be released nearer the show.

•On September 5 and 6 the town will celebrate the weird and wonderful at the annual Steampunk Festival on Eastbourne seafront. Steampunk is a genre of science fiction, branching out of the Cyberpunk of the 1980’s but set in a pseudo-Victorian style era instead of the stark futuristic future of Cyberpunk. Spanning from the Wish Tower slopes to Eastbourne Bandstand, this event aims to astound, dazzle, entertain and delight visitors of all ages. The evening of the Saturday will also host an adult-only masked ball featuring music, dancing and burlesque at a venue to be confirmed.

•Eastbourne Oktoberfest on October 3 from 5pm to 10.45pm. The festival will be held at the Kings centre in Edison Road and will feature beer, food, music and dance. Tickets are now available from Online Ticket Seller by clicking here

•The very popular Eastbourne Beer Festival brings you more than 160 cask ales, specially selected by the local CAMRA team, at the popular at Devonshire Park from October 8 to 10. {http://www.eastbournebeerfestival.co.uk/beer-festival.aspx\click here} to buy your tickets.

•The gruelling Beachy Head Marathon will take place on October 24. Runner from across the world take part in the challenge. There is also a half marathon route and a 10k race.

•October 26 and 27 will see the return of science fiction and fantasy convention Wyntercon. Held fully undercover in a huge circus-style big top, the event will take place at Eastbourne Sports Park. Click here to buy your tickets.