What's on across Cirencester and the Cotswolds: Mon 12th Oct to Mon 26th Oct 2026
The Mop is on as I write this, so if you can hear the generator hum from the Market Place, that is why. After today the town settles into a proper autumn fortnight: ghost tours, harvest music, half-term trails and the start of the History Festival. Here is what I have found.
This week is quiet but not empty. There is a Beatles night at the Corinium on Wed 14th Oct, and the Hop Kettle's Greek Night starts the same evening. The haunted town tour runs on the Thursday, and the Conker the Cat exhibition opens that day too.
Friday 16th Oct is the day for the outdoorsy lot. The River Churn volunteer day runs from half nine in the Abbey Grounds, the long Roman walk sets off from the Corinium soon after, and there is a talk on the Glosters in Korea in the evening. The Charter Market is on from nine as usual.
The weekend of Sat 17th and Sun 18th is the busy one. The Autumn Market fills the Market Place both days, and on the Saturday there is The Big Draw, a Take That tribute at the Barn, choral classics at St John's and a musical theatre concert in Ashton Keynes. Dogs get a look in too, with the Pup-kin Patch at Dobbies in Siddington all week. Sunday has the Cotswold Field and Work film at the Barn Theatre.
Early the next week there is a talk on Gloucestershire paths on Mon 19th Oct and Macbeth from the Met on Tue 20th. Then Fri 23rd Oct brings the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment by candlelight in the parish church, and the Cirencester History Festival opens for ten days. The Cotswold Sinfonietta is on the same evening, so the town has a lot of music for one Friday.
Sat 24th Oct is the start of half term, and it is the second Saturday Farmers' Market that is worth getting up for. Chedworth's Roman Ghost Investigator challenge begins, the Corinium launches its Henry Tudor trail, and Ian Thomas leads a Civil War walk through the town. I will be at Chedworth. I like the ghosts. They never ask me to fix anything.
One more thing to put in the diary: the clocks go back on Sun 25th Oct. Outside jobs get a lot harder once it is dark at five. If a gutter, fence panel or outside light has been nagging at you, now is the time. Give me a ring and I will see what I can do before the evenings close in.
If I have missed something you are running, send it over and I will add it to the next one.
This fortnight's highlights
Mop Fair
The second Mop Fair Monday and it is on today. The town centre has been shut to traffic since Sunday afternoon, so walk in if you can. The rides and the smell of fried onions will find you.
More info →Beatles Reimagined
The Ben Holder Quartet giving the Beatles a fresh coat of paint. Familiar songs, new clothes.
More info →Greek Night
A Greek-style feast over two runs of four nights. I have no idea what the Greek for 'second helping' is, but I will be learning it.
More info →Haunted Cirencester Town Tour
Ghost stories and legends attached to the town's old buildings. Dark by seven now, which suits it nicely.
More info →Conker the Cat and Other Tales
An illustrated exhibition inspired by an artist's former stray cat. Anyone who has been adopted by a cat will understand.
More info →Charter Market
Back to normal after the Mop. Fridays and Mondays, same as it ever was.
More info →Volunteer Day: Bring Life Back to the River Churn
A hands-on morning restoring a stretch of the Churn with the Wildlife Group. Bring wellies and gloves, and expect to get muddy.
More info →Walking Roman Cirencester
A long guided walk through the town the Romans called Corinium. Comfortable shoes are not optional.
More info →The Glosters in the Korean War
A talk by Colonel Robert Dixon on the Gloucestershire Regiment in Korea. A proper piece of local history.
More info →Autumn Market
Street food, artisan groceries, crafts and jewellery over the weekend. Go hungry.
More info →The Big Draw
A free drop-in drawing session for families. No talent required, which is just as well in my case.
More info →Rural Cinema: The Devil Wears Prada 2
The sequel, certificate 12, shown in the museum. Not my usual genre, but I am told it is very good.
More info →Pup-kin Patch
A dog-friendly autumn event, so the pumpkins are not the only ones getting a day out.
More info →Cantores and Cantamus: Choral Classics
Sacred choral music including a Rheinberger double-choir mass. Hard to beat in that building.
More info →Now 30!
A concert of favourite musical theatre songs in the village hall.
More info →Take That: Rule the World
A Take That tribute act. Somebody in the house will be singing Back for Good for a week.
More info →Film: Cotswold Field and Work
A documentary following the people who look after the Cotswold landscape through a year.
More info →Talk: Gloucestershire Paths
Alan Pilbeam on the paths of the county. Good for anyone who owns boots.
More info →The Metropolitan Opera: Macbeth
Verdi's Macbeth, broadcast live to the museum screen.
More info →Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Baroque and classical music by candlelight, part of the Cirencester History Festival.
More info →Cotswold Sinfonietta: Autumn Concert
Beethoven, Clarke and Saint-Saens from a local orchestra.
More info →Cirencester History Festival
Ten days celebrating local, national and global history. The candlelit concert above is one of the first events.
More info →Farmers' Market
Local food and drink on the 2nd and 4th Saturday. Get there early for the good bread.
More info →Cirencester in the Civil War: Town Walk
Ian Thomas leads a walk on the storming of the town in 1643.
More info →Roman Ghost Investigator
A half-term challenge where children help the villa's ghosts. Part of Ghosts of Roman Britain, which runs to 1st Nov.
More info →Stratton Community Market
A table-top sale in the village hall.
More info →Henry Tudor: Incredible Diaries Gallery Trail
A new family trail based on a Danny Wallace novel, starting just in time for half term.
More info →Ghosts of Roman Britain
Spooky activities about what the Romans believed about death. The drive out through turning trees is half the fun.
More info →Pumpkin Patch and Scarecrow Trail, and Autumn Tractor Rides
Pick a pumpkin, follow the scarecrows, then take a tractor ride through the park.
More info →The King's Speech
The stage drama about a king, his stammer and the therapist who helped. Already running, so no need to rush.
More info →Get the outside jobs done before the clocks go back
The clocks go back on Sun 25th Oct, and after that every outside job gets done in the half dark or not at all. Gutters, a fence panel that gave up in the last blow, a shed door that no longer shuts, the outside light you keep meaning to sort. Give me a shout while there is still some daylight left.
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