Sussex Day is on 16 June and has become a popular way for residents to celebrate its rich heritage and everything that is good about the county.
The date was chosen because it is St Richard's Day, which marks the life of St Richard, Bishop of Chichester from 1245 until his death in 1253.
If you do plan an event, don't forget to add it to our events database.
Our local history librarians have put their heads together and come up with a new Sussex Day quiz to test your local knowledge.
Below are just a few of the reasons we celebrate Sussex.
Literature
Many famous people have been inspired by Sussex:
- Jane Austen, novelist
- J M Barrie, playwright and author
- Hilaire Belloc, writer and historian
- William Blake, poet, artist, engraver and mystic
- Eric Coates, composer
- William Cobbett, journalist and political writer
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, novelist
- John Constable, painter
- Eleanor Farjeon, poet and short story writer
- James Joyce, novelist
- John Keats, poet
- Alfred Lord Tennyson, author and poet.
Countryside and local attractions
Sussex has some of the most beautiful countryside in England, with 80 per cent of the county being rural and over 50 per cent designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
An extensive network of public rights of way allows access throughout the county. This ranges from the sandstone hills of the High Weald, across the patchwork of pasture and woodland that makes up the Weald, and over the rolling Sussex Downs to the coastal plain, with its wooded harbours and open beaches.
Sussex also boasts a wealth of wildlife. For example, there are 45 regular breeder butterfly species here. The most famous is the Chalk Hill Blue, which lives in chalk grassland on the South Downs.
Experience West Sussex
One of the UK’s most diverse counties, West Sussex covers both coast and the South Downs National Park, encompassing hills, harbours, farmland and market towns. From stately homes to breath-taking beaches, discover and explore the gems right here on our doorstep. Take a look at our Experience West Sussex website for inspiration on places to go, things to see, local food and drink, walks, cycle trails and much more!