What's On

What's On in Bedford

Things to do in and around Bedford: events, days out and family activities, with the practical details.

Top story What's On in Bedford: the Blues Fireworks Are Dated, and a Halloween Circus Bedford Blues fireworks are confirmed for Friday 6 November at £9, Russell's Halloween Circus opens on 23 October, plus 38 more dated listings to 8 November. · 9 min read

Dates for the diary

  1. Tue 29 Sep Mistero Buffo, Rhum + Clay 7.30pm · The Quarry Theatre at St Luke's
  2. Wed 30 Sep Bedford town centre market 8.30am · Bedford town centre
  3. Thu 1 Oct Kempston Market 8.30am · The Saxon Centre
  4. Thu 1 Oct Turning Disaster into Triumph: the Sutton medieval pottery kiln 11.30am · The Higgins Bedford · Free
  5. Thu 1 Oct Philharmonia Orchestra: Beethoven's Fifth with Delyana Lazarova 7.30pm · Bedford Corn Exchange
  6. Fri 2 Oct Puggle Club for under-5s 10.30am · The Higgins Bedford · Free
  7. Fri 2 Oct Loughborough Lightning v Saracens Women 7.30pm · Goldington Road · From £10
  8. Sat 3 Oct Bedford parkrun 9am · Bedford Park · Free
  9. Sat 3 Oct Fun Palaces at The Higgins 11am · The Higgins Bedford · Free
  10. Sat 3 Oct Bedford Town v Wingate & Finchley, FA Cup 3pm · The Eyrie
  11. Sat 3 Oct Africa Live: Folksongs from Southern Africa 7.30pm · The Quarry Theatre at St Luke's · From £10
  12. Sat 3 Oct Sky Full of Stars: a tribute to Coldplay 7.30pm · Bedford Corn Exchange · From £33.75

More stories

Remembrance Bedford Remembrance Sunday 2026: 8 November, Embankment Bedford's Remembrance Sunday service is at the Embankment war memorial at 11am; arrive by 10.40am. 2026 falls on 8 November, Armistice Day on Wednesday 11th. · 4 min read Christmas Bedford Santa Run 2026: Sunday 13 December, £10 with suit Keech Hospice's Santa Run is on Bedford Embankment on Sunday 13 December at 11am: 5k or one 2.5k lap, £10 adults with a Santa suit, £30 for a family. · 3 min read Christmas Shuttleworth in Lights 2026: dates, £17 tickets, free market Shuttleworth in Lights runs on 12 nights from 4 December to 3 January, from £17. Plus a free Christmas market on 5 and 6 December and fireworks on 7 November. · 4 min read Bedford Park Madness at Bedford Park 2027: Tickets On Sale Friday 10am Madness play Bedford Park on 2 July 2027 with Scouting for Girls. General tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 25 September, and four-day passes start at £199. · 3 min read Black History Month Quarry Theatre Bedford: Marimba Band on 3 October, From £10 Otto and the Mutapa Calling play their first Bedford show at the Quarry Theatre on Saturday 3 October at 7:30pm. Tickets £19, £16 seniors, £10 children. · 6 min read Kempston Kempston Art Trail: Free River Ouse Event, 11am-4pm Sunday A free art trail along the Great Ouse at Kempston Mill runs 11am to 4pm this Sunday, 13 September, and launches the town's new environmental charter. · 6 min read Bonfire Night Bedford Fireworks 2026: Blues Display Not Dated Yet Bedford's big display is the Blues fireworks and funfair at Goldington Road. The 2026 date is not announced. The fixture list points to Friday 6 November, and tickets never go on sale at the gate. · 6 min read Christmas Bedford Christmas Lights Switch-On: 2026 Date Not Set Bedford's free switch-on is run by the council in Harpur Square, always on a Saturday in late November. The 2026 date is not published yet, and the council's own Christmas page is still offline. · 5 min read Christmas Bedford Panto 2026: Jack and the Beanstalk, 21 Shows Jack and the Beanstalk runs at Bedford Corn Exchange from 19 to 31 December 2026, 21 performances, tickets from £20.25. There is one relaxed performance, on Monday 28 December. · 4 min read Running Bedford Half Marathon: 1 November 2026, Entries Open The ATW Bedford Half Marathon and 10k runs on Sunday 1 November 2026 from Russell Park. Entries are open at £41 and £33, the course is traffic-free, and there is no event parking. · 4 min read Clapham Twinwood Festival 2026: Gate Times, Parking and Line-Up Gates open 10.30am each day from Friday 28 August, parking is free and Friday is in the four-day ticket for the first time. Plus the sat nav trap at Clapham. · 6 min read