Town Centre

There is plenty taking place at the Top of the Town, The Malls Shopping Centre and Festival Place throughout autumn.

We have some very exciting news! The first ever Love Basingstoke Listen Up free live music event will be taking place on Saturday 28 September 2024 from 3pm to 9pm! It will take place across three great music venues - The Royal Exchange, Tea Bar and Laarsen's. Make sure you follow our Love Basingstoke Facebook page for all the fantastic line-up announcements! Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.

For a tasty experience, join Elai Restaurant for an authentic Onam Feast and Classical Dance Celebration on Sunday 15 September at 12.30pm and 5pm. Entry is £28.95per person and pre-booking is essential.

The Discovery Centre always has lots on including regular weekly groups and classes, a great way to get out, meet new people, learn a new skill or improve a current one! If you enjoy crafting, pop along to their free 'Origami for Beginners' courses running on 18 and 25 September and 2 ,9 and 16 October. You will learn the techniques to create models such as flowers, boxes and organisers.

Head back to the 80s with Duck and Tipple. It's Bottomless Brunch event begins at 6pm on Friday 11 October with two hours of unlimited cocktails, a charcuterie board each, games, musical bingo, treats and prizes! It costs £37.50 per person. It is a popular event so make sure to pre-book book your table via basingstoke@duckandtipple.co.uk. 

October half-term fun in the town centre 

There will be lots of scary fun throughout the town centre in October. The Love Basingstoke Presents programme returns this half-term with lots of free fantastic spooktacular fun such as potion making, pottery painting, trails and much more for those aged two to 16 years-old. Join the Love Basingstoke team every day from Monday 28 to Friday 1 November 2024 from 11am to 3pm across the Top of the Town to take part. 

There is also the chance to get invloved with free activities such as The Malls' Halloween Lanterns Workshop on Monday 30 October and you may bump into the dancing skeletons who will be walking about! Plus on Thursday 31 October, Arachnobot the giant spider will be weaving his way around the shops!

Join Festival Place for a Trick or Treat Takeover! Running from 28 to 31 October, head to Porchester Square from 11am to 4pm for a spooky pumpkin hunt around Festival Place with brilliant Halloween characters. Trails run every half an hour.  Or enjoy a self-led trail by collecting a trail map from the customer lounge from 26 October to 3 November.

The Vyne

For dog lovers, The Vyne has its Pooch Passport event running from Sunday 1 September to Friday 28 February 2025. Dog owners can bring along their four-legged friend and collect a free treat! Lights, camera, action! From Friday 4 to Sunday 6 October, there will be three outdoor cinema shows on display. Head down, wrap up warm and take your camping chair or rug. Booking is essential. Some films have age restrictions so please check out the website for more information.

The Vyne also has a Halloween pumpkin trail running daily from Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November. Explore the ground-floor of the huge historic house and locate 10 vibrant suncatchers featuring all kinds of mysterious and magical pumpkins. Inspired by the jack-o'-lantern, in the gardens, have a go at the pumpkin patch bean bag and ring toss as well as a giant noughts & crosses. 

Whitchurch Silk Mill

If you are feeling crafty, why not try out Whitchurch Silk Mill's 'Weave a Wall Hanging' class on Thursday 10 October from 10am to 1pm. Suitable for beginners, spend the morning learning new tips and techniques in a small group. You can then take your lovely new wall hanging home. Please see the website for costs and other dates.

For some spooky fun, there will be a Halloween treat trail running where each child will be given a bag and sheet to collect 15 treats from various locations around the mill site. It is £4.50 per ticket and dairy-free options are available with an email request at info@whitchurchsilkmill.org.uk. For more BOO-tiful Halloween fun over the October half-term there will be the chance for children aged five to 12 years-old to make a pencil case tote bag, using lots of fun Halloween themed materials. Cost is £3 per child and it will take place on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 October from 11am to 12pm and 1pm to 2pm. Pre-booking is essential.

Basing House 

Put your best Halloween costume on and head down to Basing House for a scary ghost tour, running from 25 October to 2 November. Find out more about the historic site and explore places such as the ‘Bloody Barn’! Tickets are £18.75 per person and don’t forget your torch! 

Travel back in time to the 17th century with the English Civil War’s Marquess of Winchester’s Regiment at Basing House. On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September the talented group of re-enactors will showcase amazing displays of weaponry to tell the story of the Civil War. The event will take place between 11am and 4pm and is included in the price of admission to Basing House.

Milestones Musuem

If you want to perfect your creative writing skills or start from scratch, Milestones Musuem has a free four-week creative writing course running from Thursday 12 September to Thursday 3 October 2024. The Inspired Objects: Creative Writing for Wellbeing course is designed to unlock your creative side and improve wellbeing.

Dress up and discover Milestones' spooky Halloween trail taking place from Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November, full of eerie effects and traditional Halloween decorations. You can purchase your tickets to Milestones Museum online or in-person and with your ticket you can return to Milestones as many times as you like for a whole year!

Exit 6 Film Festival

Whether you’re a filmmaker or a film-lover, the annual Exit 6 film festival is a fantastic event which showcases independent short films from all around the world. The festival will be taking place virtually on 16 to 30 September, with an in-person festival on Saturday 21 September. Visit the Exit 6 website for times, showings and tickets.

Make sure to pop into town as movie magic comes to Basingstoke on Saturday 21 September for exciting free fun! Visitors will have the chance to see vehicles like Lightening McQueen from the hit film Cars, The Batmoblie, and the DeLorean from Back to the Future. Furthermore, the Star Wars Rebel Legion will be touring around town, giving you the chance to see the well-known characters in real life!

Pumpkin Picking 

If you fancy picking your own pumpkin and creating special memories, 4 Kingdoms  Pumpkins Patch will be open from 5 to 31 October. They also have a host of other October half-term activities to explore on their website. 

Bourne Valley PYO pumpkin picking season commences, with a Family Fun Colour Run on Saturday 12 October. Head down and chose your special pumpkin to take home.

Farm fun 

Soak up the last of the September sunshine at Silchester Farm's End of Summer Market on Sunday 22 Septmenber from 12pm to 4pm. Browse through goodies from local suppliers, try delicious food and discover unique gifts.

Why not experience a rave like no other! Head along to The Yard at Chilton Manor Farm, for the Loud & Clear party on Saturday 28 September, from 6pm to 10pm. It will be a no alcohol event, featuring fantastic local artists, soft drinks, street food and all set in gorgeous rural scenery with other sober party-goers!

Destination Basingstoke Half Marathon and 10k

The ever-popular Destination Basingstoke half-marathon and 10k returns on Sunday 6 October. The race has a friendly and community atmosphere, making it a brilliant event to be a part of whether running or supporting. Starting from War Memorial Park, the carefully planned route goes through the villages of Cliddesden and Ellisfield allowing runners to take in the beautiful surrounding landscapes.  For the experienced and amateur runners, you can sign up here to be a part of the race. There are also two family-friendly races to get everyone involved - one for those aged between five and 10 years-old and the other for those aged between 11 and 15 years of age.

Get outside 

Autumn walks are the perfect way to get outside, connect with nature and enjoy the crisp air and golden sunlight. Not only is it great for your physical health, but the benefits of getting out as the daylight hours reduce can be so important mentally as well. Crunch through the fallen leaves and get inspired with our ideas page on the best Autumn Walks in Basingstoke and Deane.

Please visit our News and Inspiration page for lots of ideas for more places to go, such as our Top things to do in Basingstoke and Deane blog. You will also find many other blogs, full of ideas to fill your autumn months with fun.  

September 2024