What's on this week? There are always good reasons to visit Sussex. Plan your February events and school half term activities from this selection of things to do in East and West Sussex.

Saturday 04 February - Feed the Birds
It's the hungry season for our feathered friends, so help the birds in Wilderness Wood by putting out a range of delicious treats. Learn which birds like what food, and make a bird feeder to take home. Suitable for children aged 4+. Feed the Birds

Weekends throughout February - Hickstead Arena Polo
Arena (Winter) Polo is played with 3-a-side teams, using a larger and softer ball than traditional polo, and shots and angles can be played off the boarded sides of the arena. Spectator admission and car parking is free of charge. Arena polo matches

Saturday 04 Feb - Saturday 24 Mar - Mixed Prints and Valentine Ceramics
Arundel's Zimmer Stewart Gallery presents original prints in various forms - etching, dry point, lithograph, screenprint and monoprint - by a mix of gallery artists. In addition there is a new series of stoneware and raku ceramics by Josse Davis. Mixed Prints

finishes Sunday 05 February - Dress to Excess exhibition
Brighton's Royal Pavilion celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Regency Act by looking at the life of George IV as prince, regent and king through fashions of the late Georgian period. Costumes include George IV rarely seen coronation robe. Dress to Excess

Various dates during February - Explore the night sky
Enjoy topical talks and events designed to share something fascinating about the sky above and what to look out for on clear evenings. The South Downs Planetarium has 10 presentation events this month lasting approx 1 hour each.

Tuesday 07 February - Charles Dickens Bicentenary Tour
Charles Dickens was born 200 years ago on 7 February 1812. This special guided tour explores both Dickens’s passion for the Regency period, and the Royal Pavilion’s transformation during his lifetime. Charles Dickens Bicentenary Tour

Tuesdays throughout February - Lunchtime Concerts
Chichester Cathedral's popular lunchtime concerts take place at 1.10pm. They are free and last approximately 50 minutes. You are welcome to come and go as you please. Coffee is available at no charge. Chichester Catherdal lunctime concerts

Wednesday 08 - Sunday 12 February - Moscow City Ballet
Classical Ballet comes to the Theatre Royal Brighton wih two popular favourites accompanied by a live orchestra performing Tchaikovsky's scores. Swan Lake (08 - 09) is the world's best known ballet and The Nutcracker (10 - 12) is a visual feast.

Friday 10 - Wednesday 29 February - Brighton Science Festival
Days devoted to catastrophes, maths, sport: shaking to the core by quantum, consciousness, religion; shaking with fright by Catastrophe, global warming, economic melt-down, and shaking with laughter as science meets comedy. Brighton Science Festival

Saturday 11 February - Star Gazing live
Interested in the night sky? Fancy looking at the stars, planets and the moon through some of the country's largest telescopes? Open evenings at the Herstmonceux Observatory are your opportunity to glimpse these amazing instruments. Open Evening

Saturday 11 - Sunday 12 February - Dress to Impress
During the school half term holidays children are transformed into a knight, princess, lord or jester using the collection of replica medieval armour and costumes at Bodiam Castle. No booking required. Dress to Impress

Saturday 11 - Sunday 19 February - A Knight's Trail
Calling all detectives! During the school half term holiday follow the trail around Bodiam Castle and solve the clues to claim your special prize. No booking required. A Knight's Trail

Sunday 12 February - Creepy crawlies
Drusillas Park zoo Discovery Centre is alive with mini-monsters and swarming with insects, molluscs and spiders plus experts from the British Tarantula Society on hand to answer questions.  Creepy Crawlies event

Monday 13 February - Racing at Plumpton
Enjoy winter jump racing in Sussex. The Thoroughbred racehorse is beautiful to watch especially close up. Plumpton is a small course with opportunities to see the horses parade before racing, or by standing close to a fence. Racing at Plumpton

Wednesday 15 February - Behind the scenes at Preston Manor
Go behind the door marked ‘private’ and see parts of the house off the public route. This special tour takes in upstairs, downstairs and backstairs of Brighton's beautiful Edwardian Manor House. Tea and biscuits included. Advance booking required. Hidden House Tour

Wednesday 15 February - The Fat Controller
The Fat Controller alights at Drusillas Park to take control of the efficient running of the railway. Make tracks to Tidmouth Hault and enjoy photo opportunities and story telling with Sir Topham Hatt himself. The Fat Controller

Saturday 18 February - Sunday 04 March - Worthing Music and Arts Festival
Annual competitive festival which gives a platform for performance with classes, concerts and recitals for budding singers, actors, dancers, and instrumentalists. Worthing Music and Arts Festival.

starts Saturday 18 February - Dreams of Here exhibition
Brighton Museum presents a beautiful exhibition of new work by Julian Bell, Tom Hammick and Andrzej Jackowski, three nationally recognised contemporary painters and printmakers who each have strong connections to Sussex. Dreams of here

starts Saturday 18 February - Thursday 29 March - Loss
A Textile Installation by Alice Kettle and Jules Findley takes place in Chichester Cathedral’s North Transept. This exhibition explores themes of loss and bereavement and is open daily. Loss textile exhibition

Saturday 18 February - Charles Dickens Bicentenary Tour
Charles Dickens was born 200 years ago on 7 February 1812. This special guided tour explores both Dickens’s passion for the Regency period, and the Royal Pavilion’s transformation during his lifetime. Charles Dickens Bicentenary Tour

Saturday 18 - Sunday 19 February - Dress to Impress
During the school half term holidays children are transformed into a knight, princess, lord or jester using the collection of replica medieval armour and costumes at Bodiam Castle. No booking required. Dress to Impress

Sunday 19 February - Sussex Beacon half marathon
Now in its 22nd year, the Brighton Half Marathon is one of the longest established and most popular seafront road race events in the UK attracting 10,000 runners. The race start and finish line is on Brighton's Madeira Drive. Half marathon race

finishes Sunday 19 February - Edward Burra exhibition
This is the first major showing of Edward Burra's work for 25 years. Displayed over six rooms, it is the largest single-artist exhibition ever shown at Chichester's Pallant House Gallery and features works from across his career. Edward Burra exhibition

finishes Sunday 19 February - New Eyes exhibition
Six artists, a painter, a printmaker, a sculptor, a photographer, a ceramicist and an installation artist, explore Eastbourne's Towner Gallery collection and reflect the breadth of contemporary artistic practice locally. New Eyes exhibition

finishes Tuesday 21 February - Robot Invasion
Science fiction comes to life at Hove Museum in this galactic exhibition of robots and space toys! Display of vintage, collectable and popular items from the collection of Sussex artist and illustrator Chris McEwan. Robot Invasion

finishes Friday 24 February - Society of Sussex Painters exhibition
Littlehampton Museum showcase of new work and ideas from the highly prestigious Sussex based art group, founded in 1924. The display features paintings and sculpture created by members of this talented Society. Society of Sussex Painters exhibition

finishes Sunday 26 February - Warhol is Here exhibition
Explores the work of Andy Warhol in the context of his beliefs, lifestyle and 21st century legacy. Includes early drawings, stitched photographs, self-portraits, large screenprint canvases, posters and a programme of films made by Warhol. De la Warr Pavilion

Friday 24 - Sunday 26 February - See Festival
The Brighton Documentary Film Festival, now in its seventh year, celebrates all things documentary, showcasing local and national talent. See Festival

 

Saturday 25 February - Choral Concert
Chichester Cathedral presents the Church colleges and universities choirs festival concert starting 7.30pm. Choral festival concert

 

Saturday 25 - Sunday 26 February - Winter Open Weekend
Great Dixter is full of late winter interest including snowdrops, crocuses, and hellebores. The garden's structure becomes even more apparent at this time of year as preparation for the seasonal opening is in full swing. Winter Open Weekend
 

Saturday 25 February - Sunday 04 March - Rye Bay Scallop Week
A mainly restaurant-based event when the local delicacy is at its plumpest and most succulent. The festival features scallop shucking demos and culminates in racing barrows of scallops, through the cobbled streets of Rye. Scallop week

Sunday 26 February - Explore
A free guided walk exploring the best of Wilderness Wood. The content varies, depending on the specialism and interests of the person leading the walk. It's a great way to discover the wood's seasonal secrets. Explore

Monday 27 February - Racing at Plumpton
Enjoy winter jump racing in Sussex. The Thoroughbred racehorse is beautiful to watch especially close up. Plumpton is a small course with opportunities to see the horses parade before racing, or by standing close to a fence. Racing at Plumpton


on-going until March - Unsung Heroes exhibition
Rustington Museum pays tribute to the bravery of First and Second World War soldiers and their families with personal stories and memories. This is bravery and endurance from POW’S in prison camps; undercover intelligence missions in occupied France and more.

ongoing until - 20 May - David Dawson: Working with Lucian Freud
An insight into the notoriously private world of painter Lucian Freud through the eyes of his model and studio assistant of 20 years David Dawson. Pallant House Gallery exhibition of his own little-known paintings, pieces by Freud and photographs of the studio.

ongoing throughout 2012 - Diamond Jubilee exhibition
A year long exhibition to celebrate HM Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee year, 60 Years of Paintings from the Permanent Collection brings together contemporary paintings collected by Hastings Museum and Art Gallery over the past 60 years.