As the leaves turn golden and the air grows crisp, England comes alive with seasonal celebrations including outdoor experiences to make the most of these early autumn days.
From music, comedy and literature events to breath taking stargazing opportunities and bountiful harvest festivals, there are plenty of ways for Brits to embrace the new season.
We have highlighted some of these but further details of autumn travel ideas head to www.VisitEngland.com
Black History Month – Nationwide – 1 – 31 October 2024
Throughout October, cultural hubs all over England will celebrate Black History Month, putting Black heritage and stories in the spotlight, from theatre shows highlighting the Windrush Generation’s experiences, to cutting-edge film, music and art. At Birmingham’s Legacy Centre of Excellence, the Black History Month Launch Celebration (28 September) will feature live dance and spoken word performances, while London’s Culture Mile BID Black History Walking Tour (2 October) will reveal the people and places that shaped the Black heritage of the capital and beyond – including the 19th Century’s Black British revolutionaries and the Windrush heroes of the Second World War. In Leicester, the African Caribbean Centre will delve into the archives of one of Black music’s most celebrated icons with Bob Marley’s Night of Inspiration (18 October), closely followed by Milton Keynes’s Black History Month Art, Culture and Business Exhibition 2024 (19 October) – showcasing Black entrepreneurs and artists alike – and Manchester’s Comedy Shutdown Black History Month Special (20 October), featuring top Black stand-ups from across England. Of course, there are countless ways to honour Black culture in England all year round; from following London’s Black History Tube Map which explores the achievements of Black people as far back as the Tudors, to learning about Manchester’s Black history on an inspirational guided tour with Invisible Cities.
NEW: Orchard Trail in “Big Apple” Country – Herefordshire September – November
Herefordshire is famous for its apple orchards and cideries, and is the birthplace of many of England’s award-winning brews. Every autumn, its bounty of produce is harvested on farms all over the county, and a new orchard trail will lead adventurous foodies right to the action. Fresh for 2024, this 7.5km route starts in Ledbury and weaves through farms, orchards and hamlets, and up to Marcle Ridge – with plenty of opportunities for tastings and orchard tours along the way. Also this season, Butford Organics will run its popular one-day cider-making course throughout October. Participants will enjoy a hands-on day of learning, milling and pressing, plus juice to take home and turn into their own cider. Cheers to that!
NEW: Rye Harvest Wine and Food Festival, East Sussex 14 – 15 September 2024
Brand new for 2024, the Rye Harvest Wine and Food Festival will offer up a hyper-local celebration of produce from the countryside and coast surrounding Rye. Featuring 13 local vineyards, visitors can enjoy a glass of Sussex wine alongside freshly prepared seasonal dishes, while experiencing live music and engaging talks. Beyond the wine and food festival, there are a number of separately ticketed special events; a glittering Launch Party with English fizz and canapes; a Wild Harvest Supper with guest chef Flavour Fred; an incredible Jazz Breakfast with Kitty Laroar; and acclaimed cooking comedian George Egg serving up his live show Set Menu.
Marathon du Malton 10k – Malton, North Yorkshire – 15 September 2024
Inspired by the Marathon Du Medoc in France’s wine region, the Malton 10k will be a ‘Gourmet Wineathlon’, passing through an area of Yorkshire famous for its local produce and beautiful countryside. Starting and finishing in Malton’s pretty Market Place, this boozy 10km course will offer contestants the chance to nibble and sip their way around the treat-laden route – alongside a programme of live music and entertainment.
Bristol Cocktail Weekend – Bristol, Somerset 26 – 29 September 2024
More than 30 of Bristol’s best-loved bars and speakeasies will serve up £6 signature cocktails and a host of food deals – from pizzas to fine dining – at this year’s Bristol Cocktail Weekend. Grab your wristband and get stuck in! Also don’t miss London Cocktail Week (3 – 31 October 2024) and Newcastle Cocktail Week (27 September – 6 October 2024), with events and offers all over the cities.
Taste Cumbria – Cockermouth, Cumbria – 28 – 29 September 2024
Taste some of Cumbria’s finest produce at the county’s flagship food festival. Explore plenty of food stalls, a dining court and live cooking demonstrations along with a street party, barbecues, cocktail masterclasses and a prosecco bar. There’s also ticketed events, including a comedy night, a supper club and a local spirits tasting evening.
England’s Seafood FEAST 2024, Devon – 27 September – 13 October 2024
The English Riviera’s Seafood FEAST 2024 will celebrate the region’s seafood culture and culinary creativity. From adventurous cooking experiences to gourmet collaborations, there’s something for every seafood lover to enjoy. On the Coast to Caves dining experience in Kents Cavern, expert forager Flora will give insights into the history and folklore of foraging; meanwhile, the Kayak, Cast and Cookout experience will feature a four-hour adventure exploring the coast by kayak, trying handline mackerel fishing and a BBQ lunch by the beach.
Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival – Aldeburgh, Suffolk – 28 – 29 September 2024
Celebrate Suffolk’s finest food and drink with the return of this annual festival. It’s a not-for-profit event, aiming to reconnect people with local villages and market towns, and the bounty of produce from Suffolk’s fields, forests and marshes, rivers and sea. Expect more than 130 local food and drink producers, two live demo stages, kitchen masterclasses, children’s cookery classes, live music, street food, a chocolate experience and more.
www.aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk
NEW: Taste Worcestershire – 7 – 21 October 2024
Worcestershire has a proud tradition of growers and great food producers. After the success of local campaigns which included Taste Worcester and A Taste of Bromsgrove, a county-wide initiative is set to unleash a variety of unmissable offers and set menus. Both locals and visitors will be encouraged to experience new restaurants and discover the best locally sourced produce. The scheme will all be accessible through one golden ticket which will be free to download from the Visit Worcestershire website.
NEW: Icons of the Sky Festival – Longleat, Wiltshire – 13 – 15 September 2024
This all-new festival sees three days of breath-taking flying displays and balloon launches. Highlights will include fly-pasts from legendary Spitfire and Tiger Moths, aerobatics shows and wing walkers – and as day turns to night, two Grob aircraft will set the sky alight with stunning pyrotechnics followed by a firework finale.
NEW: Van Gogh: Poets And Lovers – National Gallery, London – 14 September 2024 – 19 January 2025
To mark its 200th anniversary, the National Gallery will stage its first exhibition of the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh this autumn. It will also mark the centenary of the Gallery’s acquisition of the artist’s Sunflowers (1888) and Van Gogh’s Chair (1889) in 1924, bringing together the most treasured Van Gogh paintings from across the globe, some of which are rarely seen in public.
NEW: Isle of Wight Steampunk Festival – Ryde, Isle of Wight – 20 – 22 September 2024
This steampunk-themed event is brand new for 2024, taking place on Ryde’s scenic seafront. Expect live music and entertainment from renowned steampunk favourites, with a grand promenade parade on Sunday featuring a majestic march of steampunk enthusiasts bedecked in exquisite attire. There will also be teapot racing and a Top Hat and Corset Dinner on Friday – set to be an elegant affair complemented by a fashion display and steampunk entertainment.
Evolution The Drone Light Show – 21 September (Durham), 26 October (Birmingham) & 16 November (Southampton) 2024
Experience the very latest in creative entertainment this autumn as an epic celebration of life on earth told through hundreds of animated drones goes on tour to Durham, Birmingham and Southampton. Watch as the night sky lights up to tell an extraordinary story from the dawn of time, that sparks imagination and stirs the soul. At each event there will be food and drink outlets and a live DJ ahead of the Evolution The Drone Light Show.
Harrogate Comedy Festival – Harrogate, North Yorkshire – 21 September – 28 October 2024
Harrogate Comedy Festival has been running for 13 years, bringing the biggest comedy acts to the town. Taking place every October, it has become an institution for Harrogate, putting it firmly on the comedy map as “Comedy Capital of the North”.
NEW: Jane Austen and the Art of Writing at Jane Austen’s House – Chawton, Hampshire – October 2024
Ahead of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth in 2025, Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire, will open a new permanent exhibition this autumn. “Jane Austen and the Art of Writing” will celebrate Austen as a ground-breaking and ambitious writer in the very house where she created her six novels – directly linking her creative process with the domestic space from which it came. It will also showcase unique letters and first editions, using facsimiles of surviving manuscripts to provide a hands-on experience for visitors and to explain Austen’s writing process. Also in Hampshire the recently launched Jane Austen Jaunt offers a digital walking trail around Southampton from the Go Jauntly App.
NEW: Norwich Book Festival – Norwich, Norfolk – 24 – 27 October 2024
A new book festival is launching in Norwich, England’s first UNESCO City of Literature. Through talks and interactive events, it will celebrate the power of stories and the ways that they shape and change our lives. Confirmed authors include historical novelist Alison Weir, Booker prize shortlisted author Andrew Miller, citizen campaigner and former CEO of Oxfam Danny Sriskandarajah, former Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho and Booker shortlisted Andrew Miller.
River of Light – Liverpool – 25 October – 5 November 2024
Liverpool’s annual light festival River of Light will return to the city’s waterfront this autumn with 12 brand-new installations inspired by the theme of ‘Play’. Some of the works will help turn Liverpool’s waterfront into a playground, while others offer a deeper exploration of what ‘play’ can mean for individuals, communities and a city. River of Light is an annual free event that provides an outdoor illuminated gallery on Liverpool’s Waterfront, featuring light and sound from local, national and international artists.
Scilly Dark Skies Week – Isles of Scilly – 5 – 11 October 2024
Marvel at the Milky Way under some of the UK’s darkest skies on tiny St Martin’s, in the Isles of Scilly. Visitors can immerse themselves in astronomy as they enjoy nightly stargazing, talks and guided observation, hosted by the islands’ community observatory. Join the small team of islanders to learn more about our vast universe and experience the wonder of true darkness of Scilly’s unpolluted night sky.