u/Silverfires

A few options for the weekend, grouped by day.

Saturday has the Cathedral tower tours and a free family day at the Museum + Gallery; Sunday has the Black History Month Market and the signal box open in the afternoon.

Friday 9th October:

Country by Candlelight - St Albans Cathedral, 7:30pm. £20-£60. Country favourites in the Cathedral, with a live band covering Dolly Parton through to Luke Combs.

Radio GaGa: The Ultimate Queen Tribute - The Alban Arena, 7:30pm. £35. The Queen singalong option, with two hours of the familiar songs.

Festival Anthems - The Horn, from 8pm; Half Life at 10:30pm. Free entry. If you want live music without committing to a ticket, Half Life are playing rock and indie covers.

Saturday 10th October:

Tower Tours - St Albans Cathedral, 10am and 11:30am. £12-£15. A chance to do the Cathedral tower climb: 211 steps, bell chambers and a view across St Albans.

Swipe Vintage x St Albans Kilo Sale - St Peter’s Church, 10am-4pm. £2 entry; under-14s free. Vintage clothing sold by weight, at £20 per kilo, with pieces from the 1960s through to the 2000s.

Bharatanatyam: A Story in Motion - Abbey Theatre, 7pm. £13–£18. A less usual Saturday theatre option: Bharatanatyam dance alongside Carnatic music, violin and spoken-word storytelling. https://

St Albans Symphony Orchestra: Destiny - St Saviour’s Church, 7:30pm. £2-£18. The orchestra opens its season with Liszt, Schumann, Berlioz and Tchaikovsky; Tim Gill joins on cello.

Charter Market - St Peter’s Street, 8:30am-4:30pm. Free entry. The regular Saturday market, for produce, street food and a wander through town.

Sunday 11th October:

Black History Month Market - St Albans Market, 9am–4:30pm. Black-owned businesses and community stalls join the Second Sunday and Arts Markets for a city-centre celebration.

St Albans South Signal Box Open Day - St Albans South Signal Box, 2pm-5pm. Supported by donations. An afternoon drop-in with signalling demonstrations, railway displays and the garden railway. No need to book.

Jazz at The Pioneer - The Pioneer Club, doors 6:30pm; music 7pm. £10 + fee. Sunday evening jazz curated by Anjali Perin, with vocals, piano, bass and drums.

Simon Brodkin: Unleashed - The Alban Arena, 7:30pm. £25-£35. Stand-up from Simon Brodkin, better known to some as Lee Nelson, with plenty of crowd work.

This is an excerpt from my weekly St Albans newsletter 😄

Friday 2nd Oct:

George Street Gin & Jazz returns on Friday evening after last year’s weather cancellation. Live jazz and drinks on George Street, with free entry.

Katie Lobatto and Juan Fos play soul, pop, country and Latin music at Mad Squirrel, Heritage Close, 17 High Street, from 8–10pm. Free entry.

Lighthouse Family vocalist Tunde Baiyewu performs at St Albans Cathedral at 7:30pm, bringing songs including Lifted to the nave.

80s Live! brings a live band and cast to the Alban Arena at 7:30pm for more than two dozen pop, rock and dance hits from the decade.

The Horn hosts a Latin Cuban Party from 8pm, with salsa, Cuban rhythms and Latin music. Free entry.

Stars and the Moon celebrates Jason Robert Brown at the Abbey Theatre, Westminster Lodge, at 7:30pm. Ever After Productions performs songs from The Last Five Years, Parade and more; the run continues on Saturday.

Oktoberfest at The Robin Hood, Victoria Street, runs from noon until close across the weekend. German guest beers, pretzels and steins, with a bratwurst barbecue from 2–8pm on Friday and Saturday. Free entry; food and drinks are extra.

Saturday 3rd Oct:

Oaklands College’s Harvest Festival runs from noon–5pm at its St Albans campus, with zoo, farm and orchard visits, tractor rides, a scarecrow walk and local food stalls.

A Harvest of Voices fills St Saviour’s Church, Sandpit Lane, from noon–9:30pm. The Black History Month celebration includes a Gospel workshop and an evening concert with visiting choirs and guests.

Boney M play St Albans Cathedral at 7:30pm, with Rasputin, Rivers of Babylon and Mary’s Boy Child in the mix. A disco-pop night in the nave.

Nigel Havers brings Talking Bllcks to the Alban Arena at 7:30pm, sharing stories from five decades in film, television and theatre.

Hertfordshire alt-rock trio High Regard headline The Horn at 8pm, with Safe House and Pixiebite supporting. £13.

Indie Forever Battle Royale runs at The Pioneer Club, from 9pm–1am. An indie and alternative club night taking in The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys and Blur. £13.

Charter Market runs along St Peters Street from 8:30am–4:30pm. Free entry.

Sunday 4th Oct:

St Albans Trading Card Show starts at 10am at The Pioneer Club, Camp Road, with Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, sports cards and more. Open to all ages. £10.

The Princess Proms comes to the Alban Arena at 2pm and 5:30pm, with orchestral Disney and animated-film songs, costumes and singalongs. Children are encouraged to dress as a favourite character.

The Green House Clothing Repair Cafe offers free 30-minute repair slots at 46 London Road, starting at 1pm with the final slot at 3pm. Book a slot and bring the replacement if a new zip is needed; alterations are not covered. tickets-1999276275158

The Cathedral’s All Creatures Great and Small pet blessing service runs from 2–3pm. Pets and their owners are welcome at this informal community gathering. Free. blessing-service

This is an excerpt from my weekly St Albans newsletter, The Alban.

Willows Activity Farm

Particularly good at this time of year with pumpkin picking. I’ve taken my godson and he loved it. There are animals, play areas, seasonal activities and Adventure Golf included in the ticket.

Verulamium Museum + Roman Theatre

Probably one of the better combinations if your kids are into Romans. The museum gives you the hands-on/history bit, then you can head over to the Roman Theatre afterwards.

St Albans Cathedral

Free to enter, with a suggested donation, and much better with kids than you might expect if you let them explore rather than trying to do the full visitor experience.

St Albans South Signal Box

A good slightly-under-the-radar option, especially for children who like trains. Just check the opening dates first.

Trestle Arts Base

Worth watching for family theatre, workshops and school-holiday activities.

The markets

The Charter Market runs Wednesdays and Saturdays, plus there are markets on many Sundays. Easy one to combine with lunch or something else in town.

Verulamium Park

Still one of the best free fallbacks. The splash park is closed for the season now, but there’s the playground, lake, Roman walls and plenty of space.

There are also loads of one-off things appearing for October half-term, including Halloween workshops, theatre, cooking sessions and pumpkin events.

I’m pulling together a fuller St Albans family days out guide with these, plus seasonal events and practical details.

What am I missing?

Especially interested in the places you’ve actually taken your children and would go back to.

Friday 18th Sep:

The Abbey Theatre opens Laura Wade's Olivier Award-winning comedy Home, I'm Darling at 8pm. About a couple who try to live like it's the 1950s, until the cracks show. www.abbeytheatre.org.uk/whats-on/home-im-darling/

The Odyssey Cinema has the new Oasis documentary at 7:30pm. The Live '25 reunion tour, plus the first Liam and Noel joint interview in over 20 years. www.odysseypictures.co.uk/OdysseyPictures.dll/WhatsOn?f=26144138

Free on Friday: OCA Gallery is running a Bedazzle & Retro Night from 6:30pm. Decorate an artwork with gems and crystals to keep, retro arcade games alongside. www.eventbrite.com/e/bedazzle-retro-night-tickets-1994296419275

Saturday 19th Sep:

A historic occasion at the Cathedral, the Installation of the Right Reverend Dr Andrew Rumsey as the 11th Bishop of St Albans at 2pm. Tickets for in-person; streaming on YouTube. www.stalbanscathedral.org/event/installation-of-the-11th-bishop-of-st-albans

Petrolheadonism Live at the Hertfordshire County Showground from 10:30am. Supercars, hypercars, classics, Road2SEMA display, evening entertainment. petrolheadonism.com/events/phlive/

The Incomer at the Odyssey at 7pm. Edinburgh and Sundance award-winner, Domhnall Gleeson sent to relocate island siblings who won't be moved. odysseypictures.co.uk/OdysseyPictures.dll/WhatsOn?f=26144153

Amy Winehouse Candlelight Jazz at St Paul's Church, Blandford Road, from 7pm. www.lumos-experiences.com/event/a-lumos-candlelight-experience-in-st-albans-%f0%9f%95%af%ef%b8%8f-saturday-19th-september/

Sunday 20th Sep:

Jazz & Prosecco at St Saviour's Church, Sandpit Lane. Featuring the Redbourn Jazz Band, 6pm–8pm, licensed bar. www.zeffy.com/en-GB/ticketing/jazz-and-prosecco

Antique & Vintage Market at Civic Close, 9am–3pm. Free.

This is an excerpt from my weekly newsletter, The Alban 😄

A weekend with a lot going on in St Albans:

Friday 11 Sep:

The Smyths bring their Smiths tribute show to the Alban Arena from 7pm. Full catalogue, great night out. Tickets £24 at universe.com/events/the-smyths-alban-arena-11-9-26-tickets-231CTD

Street Food Heroes sets up at St Saviour's Church on Sandpit Lane from 4pm to 9pm. Mobile DJ, licensed bar, no booking needed. Free.

Saturday 12 Sep:

Heritage Open Days opens two St Albans sites for free: the Victorian signal box on Ridgemont Road (10am–5pm) and the medieval Clock Tower on Market Place (10:30am–5pm). No booking required. heritageopendays.org.uk

Escape to the City is at the Pioneer Club, Toulmin Drive, from 2pm to 11pm. Ten acts across two stages, indie and alt-rock leaning. Tickets £27. tickettailor.com/events/twohatsmanagementltd/2106458

The Dacorum and Chiltern Potters Guild Annual Exhibition is at Kingsbury Barn all weekend, 10am to 5pm. Work available to buy, free to browse. dcpg.org.uk/events

The Hip Hop Pizza Shop pops up at the Great Northern on London Road from 3pm. Pizza and hip-hop, walk in.

Sunday 13 Sep:

The Premier Hertfordshire Wedding Fair fills the Alban Arena from 11am to 3pm. Over 40 suppliers, two live bridal fashion shows, free entry. eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-premier-hertfordshire-wedding-fair-st-albans-tickets-1990173718165

The Farmers Market is on St Peter's Street from 8am to 2pm.

Joe Fin plays a free lunchtime set at the Hub on Verulam from 12:30 to 2:30pm. Kitchen open if you want lunch alongside it.

This is an excerpt from my weekly newsletter, The Alban 😄

A weekend packed full of events in St Albans:

Saturday 5th Sep:

St Albans Cathedral has launched tower tours, 211 steps up the oldest cathedral tower in Britain, with views over the city. Running Saturdays through to 27th September. Book at www.stalbanscathedral.org/event/tower-tours

The St Albans Tour Guides are running their Roman City Revealed walk at 11am, £10, meets at Museum + Gallery. Tickets at www.ticketsource.com/city-of-st-albans-tour-guides/a-roman-city-revealed/2026-09-05/11:00/t-glanyxo

The Abbey Theatre is opening its doors for a free open day from 10am to 4pm, with tours, backstage access, and workshops. No booking needed.

Out at Symondshyde Farm, the 3 Brewers Music Festival runs from 1pm: six bands, food stalls, the full beer range, free entry and free parking. Details at www.3brewers.co.uk

Sunday 6th Sep:

The Vegan Market takes over St Peter’s Street from 10:30am to 4pm. One of only five dates in St Albans this year. Free. www.veganmarkets.co.uk/location/st-albans