As fireworks lit up the darkness with a shower of multi-coloured sparks, Arundel's 700-year-old castle keep was silhouetted against the night sky.
It was a spectacular setting for the opening night of Arundel's 23rd annual festival.
The rousing sounds of the Band of the Welsh Guards gave a vigorous accompaniment to the evening's pyrotechnic extravaganza, playing in the specially constructed open-air theatre in the lee of the castle walls.
This was just the start of a week of events from concerts to cabaret, which should draw thousands of visitors into the town.
The crowning glory of the festival will be a specially commissioned performance of Henry V, staged beneath the castle walls with a cast of both professional and amateur actors.
Children's theatre, street performances and puppet shows will contribute to a festival which has become a major South East event.
From fireworks to foam-runs, the county was a hive of activity during the Bank Holiday weekend.
In Eastbourne teams taking part in an It's A Knockout-style tournament had a foam-filled day of frolics and competition. At least £12,000 was expected to be raised in the tournament, which was organised by the Rotary Club of Beachy Head.
Thousands of onlookers cheered as the teams slid over soap sud-covered inflatables and fought against the clock to complete zany tasks.
Teams paid £200 to take part as well as raising sponsorship money, with a team from Eastbourne's art and technology college scooping the trophy.
Half of the money raised will go to the Eastbourne branch of Mencap and the other half will be spent on good causes throughout the coming year.
Visitors also enjoyed a bouncy castle and a funfair as part of the Rotary Club's fun day.
Raising money for good causes was also an important part of the weekend at the Golden Cross pub in Hove, where a fun day to raise money for the Leo House Appeal netted at least £1,500 for the children's charity.
Events included a disco, karaoke and several live acts, with local group The Pyramid Players donating their performance fee to the Leo House Appeal.
An auction called by Ivor Caplin raised £658 for the charity - a flight to Cyprus was the most hotly contested lot.
Terry Potter, a pub regular, said the day was brilliant fun: "Everyone had such a good time and there was entertainment all day.
"Sean Kelly, the organiser, worked so hard to make it happen and he did a wonderful job."
From karaoke to Pokmon, Japanese culture made several appearances in the region over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Hove Lawns saw Pokmon-obsessed pre-teens descending on a fair dedicated to the cute Japanese monsters.
The fair was designed to teach children how to play the official games they were invented for as well as just collecting.
Hove was the tenth stop on a national tour for the Pokmon training team.
It gave parents a chance get to grips with the mysterious phenomena of Pokmon.
Crowds lined the streets of Worthing as the carnival procession wound its way through the town.
Festivities kicked off as more than 30 floats brought the town to a standstill before the Worthing Rotary Fair got under way at Homefield Park.
Revellers waved from the floats to the crowds at the annual fun event.
The town centre became a sea of colour as troops of pom-pom girls danced to pop music in between floats full of people in fancy dress.
Marching bands entertained the crowds while Worthing firefighters squirted water pistols, drenching unsuspecting onlookers.
Individuals entered into the spirit with stilt- walkers and unicycle riders pedalling the route.
The procession gathered at Grand Avenue, Worthing, before winding its way to join the fair at Homefield Park.
At the fair children enjoyed rides and a bouncy castle and were entertained by jugglers and stilt-walkers.
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