Diwali fills the Market Square on 31 October, the Racecourse fireworks follow on 1 November. First: pumpkin farms, Delapré ghost hunts, Othello and Saints.

The next six weeks in Northampton build to one weekend. On Saturday 31 October the Diwali Winter Festival of Lights takes over the Market Square from 10am, with its lantern parade at 6pm, the Saints play Gloucester at Franklin’s Gardens that evening, and Duston Mill has its Bonfire Spooktacular. On Sunday 1 November the town council’s fireworks are on the Racecourse, the main display at 6pm. Before that the pumpkin farms open, Delapré Abbey runs a month of ghost nights, and Royal & Derngate has Othello, a run of comedy and The Gruffalo for half term.

Everything below comes from the organisers’ own listings, re-read on 4 October 2026, and every entry links back to its source so you can check before you set off. Royal & Derngate does not print prices on its show pages, so book through each show’s link to see them. For places that are open whatever the month, see our guide to things to do in Northampton.

This week

  • Pumpkin picking: Overstone Grange Farm, off the A43 between Moulton and Holcot, is open at weekends now and every day from 24 to 31 October, with pumpkins from £1 and tickets booked in advance (Overstone Grange Farm). Wappenham Farm near Towcester opens its Pumpkin Farm Festival on Saturday 10 October (Wappenham Farm). Both are on our Halloween page.
  • Once Upon A Time In Sokoto, until Saturday 10 October, in the Royal at Royal & Derngate, Guildhall Road, NN1 1DP. Inua Ellams’s play about an unlikely friendship between a slave and her former master, directed by Roy Alexander Weise. The 8 October evening show is audio described (Royal & Derngate).
  • The Choir Of Man, Tuesday 6 to Saturday 10 October, Derngate. The Olivier-nominated pub singalong show on its first UK tour, about two hours with the interval, recommended for ages 10 and over (Royal & Derngate).
  • An Evening with The Ghost Detectives, Friday 9 October, 7pm to 9.30pm, Delapré Abbey library. Author Adrian Perkins on the cases he has written about, and parapsychologist Lewis Dellar on how the brain can be fooled. Adults £12.50, children aged 12 to 17 and concessions £10 (Delapré Abbey).
  • Northampton Saints v Bath Rugby, Saturday 10 October, 3.05pm, DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens. Matchday parking in the Claret Car Park is £10 on the day, by card (Northampton Saints).
  • Finlay Christie: Champagne Casanova, Saturday 10 October, 7.30pm, the Underground. Stand-up from the Live at the Apollo and Have I Got News For You comic (Royal & Derngate).
  • Ghost Hunt with Haunted Heritage, Saturday 10 October, 8pm to 1am, Delapré Abbey. £67, over 18s only, refreshments provided (Delapré Abbey).
  • Bat walks at Delapré Abbey, evenings to Sunday 11 October, 8.30pm. About an hour and a half at dusk with the abbey’s bat expert and bat detectors; bring a torch. £10 adults, £5 children (Delapré Abbey).
  • People of NN, on now to Sunday 1 November, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, 5-6 Guildhall Road. Free. Portraits of people who live in the town by the photographer Livia Anna Fallarino, each with a short reflection on why they live here and what they would change (Northampton Museums).
  • RHUBARB, on now to Sunday 1 November, free, split between Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and Abington Park Museum, NN1 5LW. Thirteen prize-winning Open Studios artists in ceramics, sculpture, painting, mosaics, woodcraft and printmaking. Abington Park Museum opens 12pm to 4pm at weekends only, and Tuesday to Sunday in the school holidays (Northampton Museums).
  • I Grew Up 80s, on now to Sunday 11 October, free, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. More than 200 objects from a 1980s childhood, from Betamax and BMX to Transformers, collected by Matt Fox (Northampton Museums).
  • From the Collection: Architecture, on now to 18 April 2027, free, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. Drawings, paintings, prints and ceramics on buildings, from public monuments to everyday homes (Northampton Museums).

Next week

  • Breath and Sound Integration, Sunday 11 October, 2pm to 4pm, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. An hour of breathwork with Wildflower Ali, then sound healing with Mita. £30, over 18s, booking essential (Northampton Museums).
  • Nigel Havers: Talking Bllcks, Monday 12 October, 7.30pm, Derngate. His second tour of stories from a long acting career (Royal & Derngate).
  • Immersive Yoga, Tuesdays from 13 October to 10 November, 6pm to 7pm, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. Yoga for all levels with the instructor Kai, inside a 270-degree projection in the Central Hall. £8.80 a session or £35.20 for the series; bring a mat (Northampton Museums).
  • Othello, Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 October, in the Royal. Anthony Almeida’s new production, about three hours, recommended for ages 14 and over. The 14 October performance is audio described (Royal & Derngate).
  • Blackout: Fear Loves an Audience, Tuesday 13 October, 7.30pm, Derngate. An immersive theatre experience, ages 15 and over (Royal & Derngate).
  • The Night Sky Show: A Sky Full Of Hope, Saturday 17 October, 7.30pm, Derngate. The astronomer Adrian West, VirtualAstro, on the night sky (Royal & Derngate).

Later in October

  • Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Sunday 18 October, 3pm, Derngate (Royal & Derngate).
  • Northampton Saints v Cardiff Rugby, Sunday 18 October, 5.30pm, Franklin’s Gardens (Northampton Saints).
  • The Legends in Vegas, Monday 19 October, 7.30pm, Derngate. Brendan, James, Pasha, Vincent and Ian’s new dance show, Vegas: After Hours (Royal & Derngate).
  • Lenny Henry: Still At Large, Tuesday 20 October, 7.30pm, Derngate, age 16 and over (Royal & Derngate).
  • QUEENZ: Battle of the Divas, Wednesday 21 October, 7.30pm, Derngate (Royal & Derngate).
  • Andy Hamilton’s Night to Remember, Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm, in the Royal. The writer and comedian’s new one-man show (Royal & Derngate).
  • The Michael Portillo Show, Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm, Derngate (Royal & Derngate).
  • Mysterious Lady in the Painting, Thursday 22 October, 6pm, Delapré Abbey. A theatrical tour on the life of Elizabeth Linley Sheridan, £30 with a welcome drink (Delapré Abbey).
  • Jimeoin: Ballyhoo!, Friday 23 October, 7.30pm, Derngate (Royal & Derngate).
  • Murder Mystery at the Abbey: Murderers Anonymous, Friday 23 October, 7pm to 10pm, Delapré Abbey. £60 with an arrival drink and two courses (Delapré Abbey).
  • Immersive Sound Bath, Friday 23 October, 6.30pm to 8pm, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. Gongs, crystal singing bowls and projected visuals with sound practitioner Ashleigh Louise. £24, over 18s, booking essential (Northampton Museums).
  • Judi Love: All About The Love, Saturday 24 October, 7.30pm, in the Royal (Royal & Derngate).
  • Don’t Go In The Cellar, in Delapré Abbey’s cellars: Victorian Gothic on Saturday 24 October (doors 5pm, show 6pm) and Folk Horror on Sunday 25 October (doors 7pm, show 8pm), £25 each (Delapré Abbey).
  • Ghost Hunt with Brookes Paranormal, Saturday 24 October, 8pm to 2am, Delapré Abbey, £65 (Delapré Abbey).
  • Halloween Harvest Afternoon Tea, Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, 12.30pm to 3pm, Delapré Abbey. Adults £32.95, children £22.95 (Delapré Abbey).
  • Halloween Trail at the Canal Museum, Saturday 24 to Saturday 31 October, 10am to 4pm, Stoke Bruerne, NN12 7SQ. Collect a clue sheet and hunt for pumpkins; the museum is free to enter (Canal & River Trust).
  • The Magnificent Music Hall, Sunday 25 October, 3pm, in the Royal, rescheduled from 17 May (Royal & Derngate).
  • Mini Monsters and Cryptic Creatures, Monday 26 to Thursday 29 October, 9am to 5pm, the Underground at Royal & Derngate. Four-day Halloween drama camps for half term: Mini Monsters for ages 4 to 8 and Cryptic Creatures for ages 9 to 13. £200, with early drop-off and late pick-up for £40 across the four days.
  • Kevin Bloody Wilson: Fair Dinkum Funny, Monday 26 October, 7.30pm, in the Royal (Royal & Derngate).
  • Tracy Borman: Tudors On Tour, Tuesday 27 October, 7.30pm, in the Royal. The historian on the Tudors (Royal & Derngate).
  • Preacher the Storyteller: Scare Me A Crow, Wednesday 28 October, sessions from 11.30am to 3.55pm, Delapré Abbey. A not-so-spooky tale about the old game and its links to the abbey, the first of the Delapré Tales. £3 a person (Delapré Abbey).
  • Outdoor Cinema: Hocus Pocus, Wednesday 28 October, 4pm to 6.30pm, Delapré Abbey grounds. £35 a family, £15 adults, £10 children, with a £5 deposit through Eventbrite. It goes ahead in light drizzle, so bring layers (Delapré Abbey).
  • Outdoor Cinema: The Lost Boys, Wednesday 28 October, 7.15pm to 9.45pm, Delapré Abbey grounds. Same prices as Hocus Pocus; dressing up encouraged (Delapré Abbey).
  • The Scared Crow of the Abbey, Wednesday 28 October, 6pm to 8.30pm, Delapré Abbey. An adults-only Halloween storytelling dinner, £50 with two courses and a welcome drink (Delapré Abbey).
  • Michael Spicer: Hope All’s Well, Wednesday 28 October, 7.30pm, in the Royal (Royal & Derngate).
  • NMTC: Elf The Musical, Wednesday 28 to Saturday 31 October, Derngate. Northampton Musical Theatre Company’s Christmas-come-early production (Royal & Derngate).
  • The Gruffalo, Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November, in the Royal. Tall Stories’ 60-minute musical version for ages 3 and up, back for its 25th anniversary. The 1.30pm show on Friday 30 October is a relaxed performance (Royal & Derngate).
  • Delapré After Dark, an overnight indoor camp from 4pm on Friday 30 October to the next morning, £80, or £120 with a two-course dinner (Delapré Abbey).
  • GamesWorld, Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November, the Underground. About 100 consoles and VR, from Atari to Xbox. Friday from 6pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm, last entry 4pm, with booked start times (Royal & Derngate).
  • Diwali Winter Festival of Lights, Saturday 31 October, 10am to 8pm, Market Square. Its 26th year, run by the Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation Northampton with the town council. Stalls open at 10am, the stage runs from 12pm, and at 6pm the lantern parade, with giant puppets including Harminder the elephant, winds through the town centre and back to the square (Northampton Town Council). Last year’s parade route is on our Diwali page.
  • Bonfire Spooktacular, Saturday 31 October, Duston Mill, Sixfields, NN5 5FP. A bonfire, funfair, DJ and beer tent, a kids’ Halloween display at 6.45pm and the main fireworks at 8.30pm. Early bird £8, pre-sale £10, family of four £30, £12 on the gate (Gala Events). Daventry and Brackley have free displays the same night: see our Daventry and Brackley pages.
  • Northampton Saints v Gloucester Rugby, Saturday 31 October, 5.30pm, Franklin’s Gardens. The same evening as the Diwali parade, so allow extra time crossing town (Northampton Saints).

Half term has its own page, with the school-by-school dates: October half term in Northampton. Pumpkin farms, Wicksteed Park and the Halloween trails are on our Halloween page.

November

  • Northampton’s Annual Fireworks Spectacular, Sunday 1 November, the Racecourse. Family entertainment from 4pm and the pyro-musical finale at 6pm, with live music from Soul Harmony Divas, BBC Radio Northampton’s Justin Dealey hosting the stage, a funfair, a catering village and a Halloween special on stage and screen about the county’s witch trials of 1612 and 1705. There is no general parking on site (Northampton Town Council). Our fireworks page has the buses, the Blue Badge car park and the other displays nearby.
  • A Night At The Darts, Sunday 1 November, 6pm, Derngate. World-championship professional players in a flat-floor event (Royal & Derngate).
  • Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ‘n’ Roll, Monday 2 to Wednesday 4 November, in the Royal. A play with live music about Wilko Johnson of Dr Feelgood, age 12 and over, 2 hours 10 minutes with the interval (Royal & Derngate).
  • Stories: The Tap Dance Sensation, Tuesday 3 November, 7.30pm, Derngate, 1 hour 10 minutes, ages 8 and over (Royal & Derngate).
  • Fin Taylor: The Pre-Emptive Comeback Special, Wednesday 4 November, 7.30pm, Derngate (Royal & Derngate).
  • Chris Packham’s World of Wonder, Thursday 5 November, 7.30pm, Derngate (Royal & Derngate).
  • Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers, Friday 6 November, 7.45pm, Franklin’s Gardens (Northampton Saints).
  • Joe Marler Will See You Live, Friday 6 November, 8pm, Derngate. The former England prop’s live show with co-host Jake Bhardwaj, age 16 and over (Royal & Derngate).
  • Jools Holland, Saturday 7 November, 7.30pm, Derngate. About 2 hours 45 minutes including the support and a 25-minute interval (Royal & Derngate).
  • Northampton Museum Book Fair, Saturday 7 November, 11am to 4pm, across the museum’s Central Hall, the Link and the Studio. Authors, publishers, antique booksellers and literary groups (Northampton Museums).
  • Indoor Flea Market, Saturday 7 November, 8.30am to 12pm, Delapré Abbey, London Road, NN4 8AW. £1 entry for buyers (Delapré Abbey).
  • Gobby Girls: The Sketch Show, Saturday 7 November, doors 6.30pm, show 7.30pm, Delapré Abbey (Delapré Abbey).
  • Remembrance Sunday, Sunday 8 November, All Saints’ Church and the Town & County War Memorial Garden. The service at All Saints’ is at 10am, then the wreath-laying, the Last Post and the two-minute silence at 11am in the memorial garden. The parade route and road closures are still to come (Northampton Town Council). Our Remembrance Sunday page covers Daventry, Towcester and Brackley too.
  • London Symphonic Rock Orchestra, Sunday 8 November, 7.30pm, Derngate. AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Metallica and Foo Fighters arranged for orchestra (Royal & Derngate).
  • Operation Exodus and the Fate of the Lancaster PD339, Wednesday 11 November, 6pm to 7.15pm, Delapré Abbey. A free talk, booking required, on the RAF Lancaster that crashed near Delapré Home Farm on 26 April 1945 (Delapré Abbey).
  • Flo & Joan: With Feeling, Thursday 12 November, 7.30pm, in the Royal (Royal & Derngate).
  • Sindhu Vee: Swanky, Saturday 14 November, 7.30pm, in the Royal (Royal & Derngate).
  • NSO: Christmas Party Playlist Live On Stage, Saturday 14 November, 7.30pm, Derngate (Royal & Derngate).

After that the town turns to Christmas: see our pages on the Christmas lights switch-on and pantomimes and Christmas shows.

Regular events

  • Northampton Market, Tuesday to Saturday, Market Square, 9am to 4pm, and until 5pm on Saturdays. Fresh fruit and veg, cheese, flowers, street food and pop-up stalls (West Northamptonshire Council).
  • Northampton parkrun, every Saturday at 9am, the Racecourse, starting behind the Pavilion car park on Kettering Road, NN1 4LG. A free, timed 5k over two laps; register once before your first run (parkrun).
  • Tai Chi, every Wednesday, 1pm to 2pm, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. £8 a class, over 18s (Northampton Museums).
  • Craft and Chatter, every Friday, 12.30pm to 2pm, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. Bring whatever craft you are working on. Free (Northampton Museums).

Driving in for a show or a match? Our page on parking in Northampton has the car parks and the evening charges. More in our What’s On section.

Send us your event

Running something in Northampton, Daventry, Towcester or Brackley? Email hello@northamptonwire.co.uk with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free of charge, and they go on this page and in the diary on our What’s On section.

Sources