Curated · updated weekly
What's on
The markets, craft events, exhibitions and small, lovely things worth your time — hand-picked, never the tourist-trap stuff. If it's here, we'd go ourselves.
Running something lovely? Promote your event with us →
All of the UKLondon · 25South East · 27South West · 27East of England · 21West Midlands · 22East Midlands · 31Yorkshire · 33North West · 25North East · 21Wales · 21Scotland · 33Northern Ireland · 1
All upcoming in the East Midlands
Craft & makingUntil 4 Oct · Derby
Field to Fashion at the Museum of Making
British wool from fleece to finished garment, staged inside the world's first factory.
Museum of Making, Derby Silk Mill, Silk Mill Lane, Derby DE1 3AFFree entry (donations welcome)
ExhibitionUntil 1 Nov · Derby
Wright of Derby: From the Shadows
Two of Joseph Wright's candlelight masterpieces return to his hometown for the first time in 80 years, free.
Derby Museum and Art Gallery, The Strand, Derby, DE1 1BSFree
Exhibition👋 Meet peopleUntil 4 Oct · Northampton
Nine @ 78 Derngate
A free multi-artist exhibition of glass, sculpture, mosaics, painting and print running through the Mackintosh house and garden in Northampton.
78 Derngate — The Charles Rennie Mackintosh House, 78 Derngate, Northampton NN1 1UHFree
Culture👋 Meet peopleSat 12 – Tue 15 Sept · Northampton
The Old Savoy: Behind-the-Scenes Heritage Tour
Free guided tours inside Northampton's glorious 1936 art deco super-cinema, as part of Heritage Open Days.
The Old Savoy, home of The Deco Theatre, Abington Square, Northampton NN1 4AEFree, booking required via the box office
Outdoors👋 Meet peopleFri 18 Sept · Worksop
Heritage Open Day at Clumber Park
Free entry to this vast Nottinghamshire parkland estate for one day, with volunteers on hand to share the history of the old ducal estate.
Clumber Park, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 3AZFree entry (normal parking charges may apply)
Food & drink👋 Meet peopleSat 19 Sept · Leicester
Abbey Pumping Station Food & Craft Fair
Local food producers and artisan makers fill Leicester's Victorian pumping-station museum, with vintage vehicles and live jazz.
Abbey Pumping Station, Corporation Road, Leicester, LE4 5PXFree entry (small charge for museum train rides)
Family👋 Meet peopleSat 19 – Sun 20 Sept · Lincoln
Dog Friendly Days at Lincoln Castle
Leads off for the weekend — dogs get the run of Lincoln Castle's grounds, Wall Walk and Victorian Prison on these selected dates.
Lincoln Castle, Castle Hill, Lincoln, LN1 3AAFree castle grounds; standard admission for the Wall Walk & Prison
Market👋 Meet peopleSat 19 Sept · Lincoln
Lincoln Farmers' Market
A monthly farmers' market on historic Castle Hill selling produce grown and made across Lincolnshire.
Castle Hill, Lincoln, LN1 3AAFree entry
Music👋 Meet peopleSat 19 – Sun 20 Sept · Lincoln
Lincoln Folk Festival
Two days of traditional and contemporary folk music, food and beer at a much-loved Lincoln pub venue.
The Jolly Brewer, 27 Broadgate, Lincoln LN2 5AQTicketed — see venue listing for current prices
Craft & making👋 Meet peopleSat 19 Sept · Nottingham
Nottingham's Craft & Flea Makers Market
A makers market inside a medieval church in the Lace Market — independent Nottingham artisans selling ceramics, jewellery and vintage.
St Mary's Church, High Pavement, Nottingham NG1 1HN£2.50 (under-12s free)
Food & drinkSat 19 – Sun 20 Sept · Nottinghamshire
Festival of Food & Drink at Thoresby Park
A country-house food festival with 160+ stalls, cookery demos and TV chefs on Sherwood Forest's doorstep.
Thoresby Park, Nr Ollerton, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG22 9EPFrom £10 adult (advance), free parking included
Seasonal👋 Meet peopleSat 19 – Sun 20 Sept · Nottingham
Autumn Festival at the Walled Garden
A weekend of plant sales, bric-a-brac and home bakes in Wollaton Park's recently restored Victorian walled garden.
Wollaton Hall Walled Garden, Wollaton Park, Nottingham NG8 2AE£2 donation per adult; children free
Craft & making👋 Meet peopleSun 20 Sept · Northampton
Northants Makers Market
An outdoor craft market of Northamptonshire makers — jewellery, ceramics and more — outside The Creative Place on Northampton's Market Square, with live performances alongside.
Market Square, outside The Creative Place, NorthamptonFree entry
CultureWed 23 Sept · Nottingham
Till the Stars Come Down — Relaxed & Captioned Performance
A captioned, relaxed performance of Beth Steel's Olivier-nominated family drama — house lights up, freedom to move, a chill-out space on hand.
Nottingham Playhouse, Wellington Circus, Nottingham NG1 5AFFrom £13.50; free companion ticket available
SeasonalUntil 4 Oct · Nottingham
Nottingham Goose Fair
A 700-year-old fairground tradition takes over Forest Recreation Ground for ten days — free to walk in, then pay per ride.
Forest Recreation Ground, Nottingham, NG7 6JEFree entry; pay per ride
Music👋 Meet peopleFri 25 Sept · Nottingham
Sobar Social
A monthly alcohol-free night at the East Midlands' first sober bar — live music, poetry and open mic, 25% off food and drink all night.
Café Sobar, 24 Friar Lane, Nottingham NG1 6DQFree entry
ExhibitionUntil 10 Jan · Derby
Collateral Echoes — Baff Akoto at QUAD
A powerful new exhibition of film, XR and immersive sound exploring memory, grief and justice, opening at Derby's QUAD gallery.
QUAD, Market Place, Derby, DE1 3ASFree entry
SeasonalSat 26 Sept · Derby
Derby Festé 2026
Derby's streets turn into a free outdoor stage for circus, dance and aerial spectacle for one day only.
Derby city centre, Derby, DerbyshireFree
Culture👋 Meet peopleThu 1 Oct · Nottingham
Thursday Night Board Games Social
A relaxed drop-in evening of board games and good company at Games Haven, Nottingham's dedicated tabletop gaming venue in the Creative Quarter.
Games Haven, 92 Lower Parliament Street, Nottingham NG1 1EH£6 gaming pass for the evening (£25/month membership option)
FamilyUntil 1 Nov · Leicestershire
Pumpkin Season at Broom Leys Farm
A working Leicestershire farm turns over its fields to a tractor-trailer pumpkin patch, maize maze and petting farm for the whole of October.
Broom Leys Farm, 59 Broom Leys Road, Hugglescote, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 4DDAdult/child £6.29, family ticket £20.96 (under 2s free)
FamilyUntil 31 Oct · Leicester
Monsters and Bats
Halloween craft weekends in Leicester's medieval Guildhall — bat-hat making, window decorations and monster crafts, costumes encouraged.
Leicester Guildhall, Guildhall Lane, Leicester LE1 5FQ£4.00 per child taking part
Outdoors👋 Meet peopleSun 4 Oct · Nottingham
Clumber Park Monthly Dog Walk
A free, no-booking guided dog walk around Clumber Park's parkland, welcoming sociable dogs and their owners.
Clumber Park (National Trust), Worksop, Nottinghamshire S80 3AZFree (National Trust car park charge applies for non-members)
Exhibition👋 Meet peopleUntil 14 Mar · Leicester
Jemisha Maadhavji: I Dream From Where You Are
A free solo show of pattern-rich portrait paintings and sculpture by Leicester artist Jemisha Maadhavji, opening with a launch evening.
Attenborough Arts Centre, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 7HAFree
ExhibitionUntil 10 Jan · Nottingham
Julia Isídrez: Mud is Everything
A Paraguayan ceramicist's first-ever UK show turns raw clay into something startling at Nottingham's free contemporary art gallery.
Nottingham Contemporary, Weekday Cross, Nottingham NG1 2GBFree (suggested £5 donation)
Craft & making👋 Meet peopleSat 10 – Sun 11 Oct · Derby
Artisans Uncovered at Derby Market Hall
A weekend craft market inside Derby's restored Victorian Market Hall showcasing handmade goods from Derby and Derbyshire creatives.
Derby Market Hall, Market Place, Derby DE1 2DBFree entry
Craft & making👋 Meet peopleSat 10 Oct · Nottinghamshire
Attenborough in Watercolour: Painting Workshop
A small-group, all-abilities watercolour day beside the lakes at Attenborough Nature Reserve, led by artist Anjana Cawdell.
Attenborough Nature Centre, Barton Lane, Attenborough, Nottingham NG9 6DY£90 (materials, lunch and refreshments included)
Market👋 Meet peopleSat 10 Oct · Grantham
Grantham Medieval Onion Fair
Grantham revives its 500-year-old onion charter fair, with a farmers' market, onion-eating contest and street performers.
Market Place, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 6LJFree entry
OutdoorsFri 16 – Sat 17 Oct · Worksop
Apple Celebrations at Clumber Park
Taste heritage apple varieties from Clumber's walled-garden orchard, home to a National Collection of over 70 kinds.
Clumber Park, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 3AZ£6.50 adult / £3.25 child (grounds admission); free for National Trust members
Craft & making👋 Meet peopleFri 16 – Sun 18 Oct · Nottingham
Print Fair Contemporary
Over 35 printmakers and illustrators fill two floors of Nottingham Contemporary for one weekend — free entry, original and affordable art.
The Space, Nottingham Contemporary, Weekday Cross, Nottingham NG1 2GBFree entry
Seasonal👋 Meet peopleUntil 31 Oct · Nottingham
Kids' Ghost Hunter Tours
Halloween week ghost-hunting for children through the real cells and courtrooms of Nottingham's former gaol, with crafts and spooky games.
National Justice Museum, High Pavement, Nottingham NG1 1HN£8.95 child / £7.95 accompanying adult (indicative — check venue)
Music👋 Meet peopleSun 25 Oct · Nottingham
Hockley Hustle
A DIY-spirited, one-day music and arts charity festival spilling across 50 bars, pubs, chapels and galleries in Nottingham's Hockley and Sneinton.
Venues across Hockley & Sneinton, NottinghamFrom £15 wristband (£10 student)
Get the good stuff, every Thursday
One free email a week with the weekend's best hand-picked days out. No filler, no tourist traps, no selling your attention to the highest bidder.
Join free →