What's On in Bishop's Stortford: Oktoberfest, Fairport Convention and Half Term

October in Bishop’s Stortford runs from a Victoria Cross talk and a farmers’ market on the first Saturday to Oktoberfest on Sworder’s Field on Saturday 24 October and Fairport Convention at South Mill Arts on Friday 30 October. Half term, 26 to 30 October in Hertfordshire, brings a free Halloween trail and the BID’s first pumpkin patch in Jackson Square. November opens with Remembrance Sunday on the 8th.

Every entry comes from the organiser’s own listing and links back to it. South Mill Arts’ programme and prices were read from its box office on 28 September 2026, and the football and rugby fixtures from the clubs’ own pages. Dates and prices can change, so check the link before you set off. For places open whatever the month, see things to do in Bishop’s Stortford.

South Mill Arts is at 1-3 South Road, CM23 3JG, and adds no online booking fee. Bishop’s Stortford FC plays at Woodside Park, Dunmow Road, CM23 5RG, which the club now calls the Grundon Community Stadium. The rugby club is at Silver Leys, Hadham Road, CM23 2QE.

This week

• Sir Geoff Hurst: The Last Man Standing, Monday 28 September, 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. £38, or £33 restricted view. The 1966 hat-trick scorer’s farewell tour, billed by the promoter as his last. (South Mill Arts)
• Bishop’s Stortford FC v Bury Town, Tuesday 29 September, 7.45pm, Woodside Park, Dunmow Road. Southern League Premier Central. (Bishop’s Stortford FC)
• Acoustic Club: seven acts, four songs each, Thursday 1 October, 8pm, South Mill Arts. £7. Colin Frid, Peter Crossley, the Sheri Kershaw Band and others. (South Mill Arts)
• Wot Italian? Boothby Graffoe and Antonio Forcione, Thursday 1 October, 8pm to 10pm, H@ME & EAT, Birchanger Industrial Estate, Stansted Road, CM23 2TH. £23, early bird sold out. Comedy and songs with the Italian guitarist, at the Laughing Bishops comedy club. (Paddy Lennox Comedy)
• Anglia Comedy Co: The Best in Comedy, Friday 2 October, 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. £18.50 to £23.50. Pizzas from Grace Makes Dough are served from 5.30pm to 6.45pm before the show. (South Mill Arts)
• Guided tour of the museum, Saturday 3 October, 11am, Bishop’s Stortford Museum at South Mill Arts. Free, book ahead. Held on the first Saturday of the month; the next after this is Saturday 7 November. (South Mill Arts)
• Mark Smith: For Valour, the story of the Victoria Cross, Saturday 3 October, 2pm, South Mill Arts. £29.50. The Antiques Roadshow medals expert on the VC. (South Mill Arts)

Next week

• The Gruffalo, Monday 5 October at 4.30pm, Tuesday 6 October at 10.30am and 1.30pm, South Mill Arts. £15.50, concessions £13.50. Tall Stories’ musical version of the picture book. (South Mill Arts)
• Storytime at the museum, Tuesday 6 October, 10.30am, South Mill Arts. Free. A story, this month Billy’s Beetle, with colouring and craft. (South Mill Arts)
• Bishop’s Stortford FC v Sawbridgeworth Town, Tuesday 6 October, 7.45pm, Woodside Park. Herts Senior Cup. (Bishop’s Stortford FC)
• Andy Parsons: Please #@!$ off to Mars, Thursday 8 October, 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. £21, concessions £19. (South Mill Arts)
• Relaxed museum tour, Friday 9 October, drop in 11am to 1pm, South Mill Arts. Free. For visitors with additional needs, including dementia, autism and hearing or sight loss. (South Mill Arts)
• Quiz evening with Mark Labbett, Friday 9 October, 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. £22. The Chase’s Beast on his career, then a quiz. (South Mill Arts)
• Garg’s Animal Encounters, Saturday 10 October, shows at 10.30am and 11.45am, Cammas Hall Farm, Needham Green, Hatfield Broad Oak. Hands-on animal sessions recommended for children aged four and over. The other autumn date is Thursday 22 October, same times. (Cammas Hall Farm)
• Bishop’s Stortford RFC v Tonbridge Juddians, Saturday 10 October, gates 2.30pm, kick-off 3pm, Silver Leys, Hadham Road. Pre-ordered standing £16.26, members £8.23. National League One. (Bishop’s Stortford RFC)

Later in October

• Stortford Jazz Lounge: Zak Barrett, Tuesday 13 October, 7.30pm, the Theatre Lounge at South Mill Arts. £14. With the Essex Jazz Collective. (South Mill Arts)
• Bishop’s Stortford FC v Real Bedford, Tuesday 13 October, 7.45pm, Woodside Park. (Bishop’s Stortford FC)
• Acoustic Club: Dave Sutherland, Thursday 15 October, 8pm, South Mill Arts. £7. Two 40-minute sets of Americana. (South Mill Arts)
• Blithe Spirit, Friday 16 October at 7.30pm, Saturday 17 October at 2.30pm and 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. £22, concessions £20, restricted view £17. Act 3 Theatre Company’s Noël Coward. (South Mill Arts)
• Bishop’s Stortford FC v Racing Club Warwick, Saturday 17 October, 3pm, Woodside Park. (Bishop’s Stortford FC)
• Talk: Zeppelins, airships and connections with Stortford, Tuesday 20 October, 12.30pm, South Mill Arts. £5. A museum talk. (South Mill Arts)
• Simon Yates: Pleasure and Pain, Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. £23, restricted view £18. The Touching the Void climber’s new talk. (South Mill Arts)
• Kerry Ellis: Queen of Rock, Friday 23 October, 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. From £32. Queen, Meat Loaf and rock anthems. (South Mill Arts)
• Oktoberfest, Saturday 24 October, 1pm to 10pm, Castle Park, Sworder’s Field. First-tier tickets £15, rising as releases sell. Over-18s only. Oompah bands, DJs, bratwurst and steins. (The Bier Co)
• Halloween trail, Saturday 24 to Saturday 31 October, town centre shop windows. Collect the letters from posters in shop windows; the finished sheet gets a child a pumpkin at the pop-up patch. (Discover Stortford)
• The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sunday 25 October, at 10am, 2pm and 6pm, South Mill Arts cinema. £10 a film, or £20 for all three. The 25th anniversary screenings. (South Mill Arts)
• Kids’ crafts: make a Saxon boat, Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 October, drop in 10am to 2pm, Bishop’s Stortford Museum. £2 suggested donation. Beowulf, then a boat to take home. (South Mill Arts)
• Top Secret: The Magic of Science, Tuesday 27 October, 2pm, South Mill Arts. £16.50, family ticket £62. (South Mill Arts)
• Bishop’s Stortford FC v Stamford, Tuesday 27 October, 7.45pm, Woodside Park. (Bishop’s Stortford FC)
• Ghost Stories of M.R. James, Wednesday 28 October, 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. £17. The audience picks which tales are told. (South Mill Arts)
• Fairport Convention, Friday 30 October, 7.30pm, South Mill Arts. £36. Few seats were left on 28 September. (South Mill Arts)
• Pop-up pumpkin patch, Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October, 11am to 3pm, Jackson Square community space. Free with a completed Halloween trail sheet; one pumpkin per child while stocks last. (Discover Stortford)
• Halloween horror film day, Saturday 31 October, South Mill Arts cinema. £10 a film: The Nightmare Before Christmas 11am, Friday the 13th 1pm, Paranormal Activity 3.15pm, Carrie 5.30pm, A Nightmare on Elm Street 7.45pm, Scream 9.45pm. (South Mill Arts)
• Bishop’s Stortford RFC v Plymouth Albion, Saturday 31 October, gates 2.30pm, kick-off 3pm, Silver Leys. Pre-ordered standing £16.26. (Bishop’s Stortford RFC)

The rest of half term is on our October half term page, and the car parks at Hatfield Forest close on Mondays and Tuesdays from 26 October (winter opening times). The rugby club’s fireworks night still had no 2026 date on 28 September; our fireworks page will carry it when one is set.

November

• Bishop’s Stortford FC v Stratford Town, Saturday 7 November, 3pm, Woodside Park. (Bishop’s Stortford FC)
• Remembrance Sunday service, Sunday 8 November, 10.50am, war memorial in Castle Gardens. The parade assembles at 10am at Link Road car park and leaves at 10.40am; roads and three car parks close 10.30am to 12.30pm. Our Remembrance Sunday page has the closures. (Bishop’s Stortford Town Council)

After that come the Christmas lights at Festive Fun Day on Sunday 15 November, the panto from 26 November and the Christmas Fayre on Saturday 5 December: see Christmas lights and the Fayre and the South Mill Arts panto.

Regular events

• Castle Park parkrun, every Saturday at 9am, next on 3 October, Castle Park, The Causeway, CM23 2DL. Free 5k; register once before your first run. (parkrun)
• Bishop’s Stortford Market, every Thursday and Saturday, 8.30am to 4.30pm, next on 1 October, across South Street, Potter Street, Market Square and North Street. (Bishop’s Stortford Town Council)
• Farmers and Craft Market, first Saturday of the month, 9.30am to 1.30pm, North Street, CM23 2LD: Saturday 3 October, then Saturday 7 November. Local produce and crafts. (Bishop’s Stortford Town Council)

Send us your event

Running something in Bishop’s Stortford? Email hello@bishopsstortfordnews.co.uk with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free of charge, and each one goes on this page and in the diary on our What’s On hub.