10 Events to Try in October

Summer may have turned to Autumn but that's no reason to retreat to your living room! Get out of the house and enjoy one of these fabulous October events!

1. Stone Food & Drink Festival

Staffordshire's biggest gastronomic gathering, Stone Food & Drink Festival, returns on Friday 5th October!

From Friday until Sunday 7th, Westbridge Park will be packed with demonstrations, talks and tastings, plus kids' cookery classes, live music and over 100 stalls to explore offering artisan produce from across the country - including the best of Staffordshire.

Not only that, Stone town centre will be a hive of activity throughout the week, with guided foodie tours (Wednesday 3rd), tapas trail (Wednesday and Thursday), and the Festival Farmers Market on Saturday.

Tickets are available from the Stone Food & Drink Festival website, or you can pay on the gate (cash only).

Save £1 on your tickets at the gate with your Staffordshire Enjoy Card (maximum two people per card).

Image courtesy of Martin Robinson.

2. Scarefest, Alton Towers Resort

Thanks to Scarefest, Halloween is one of the best times of year for a visit to Alton Towers Resort, with plenty to enjoy for the whole family.

Take part in the brilliant live shows at Patch's Halloween Party, head to the CBeebies Monster Ball, and meet the ghostly pirates.

Ride your favourite coasters in the dark - including the awesome Wicker Man, open for Scarefest for the first time.

And choose from the terrifying scare zones, like Project 42, Sub Species and the Altonville Mine Tours, if you dare!

Scarefest opens on Saturday 6th October and runs on selected dates throughout the month. Check the Alton Towers website for opening times.

3. Ride to the Wall, National Memorial Arboretum

The long-running Ride to the Wall event sees thousands of motorcyclists descend on the National Memorial Arboretum from across the country on Saturday 6th October.

Since 2007, over £750,000 has been raised for the NMA by the event, which includes live music, wreath-laying and a dedicated Ride to the Wall remembrance service.

It is a unique opportunity for bikers to pay their respects to the 16,000 servicemen and women named on the Armed Forces Memorial.

Over 6,500 bikers took part in the 2017 event, and a similar number have booked their place for this year's ride.

It's not too late to register if you'd like to join them. Just download the on-the-day registration form from the Ride to the Wall website and bring it with you on the day.

4. The Gardening Club, The Trentham Estate

Join Jo Fawcett for an introduction to indoor and outdoor gardening at The Gardening Club, The Trentham Estate, on Wednesday 17th October.

A great free day out (cost included in garden admission) for the green-fingered featuring a question and answer session, presentation, and a tour of the beautiful gardens with Jo - a chance to learn loads of tips and tricks to take home.

After the club, head for the shopping village and the huge World War One Thank You Wall.

Add a poppy sticker, available for £3 from the Got 2 Have One shop located near the wall, and pay your tribute to those who have 'served, sacrificed and changed our world'.

All proceeds go to the Royal British Legion.

5. Half-term Spooktacular, Monkey Forest

Enter the Deadly Dungeon at the half-term spooktacular at Trentham Monkey Forest from Saturday 27th to Wednesday 31st October.

There's face painting, games, fancy dress, and arts & crafts, plus the chance to see what frightful fun the mischievous macaques are having for Halloween!

The park closes for the winter on November 5th so this is one of your last chances to see the monkeys in 2018.

If you'd like to visit sooner, why not head over on World Animal Day - Thursday 4th October - and celebrate our furry friends?

World Animal Day is the international day of action for animal rights and welfare - a perfect opportunity to hear from the knowledgeable keepers at the Monkey Forest and find out why the monkeys love their Staffordshire home so much!

6. Screamfest, National Forest Adventure Farm

The Mother of all Scares, Screamfest, is back at the National Forest Adventure Farm on Friday 12th October.

There are five scare zones, including returning favourites like Dia de los Muertos, Demonica, and the brand new scare for 2018, Insomnia - dare you enter a child's nightmare? What if the nightmare is real?

Away from the scares, there are extreme performers, DJs and paintball against the zombies!

And for the little monsters, there is the Halloween Spooktacular with free pumpkin picking, the haunted house, broomstick training and more!

Screamfest runs on selected dates from Friday 12th to Sunday 3rd November, while the Halloween Spooktacular is open from 26th October to 4th November.

Tickets are available from the National Forest Adventure Farm website.

7. Roundabout Pop-up Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

In collaboration with Appetite Stoke, Paines Plough are bringing the unique Roundabout back to Stoke-on-Trent this October!

The intimate pop-up theatre, at Longton Park from Thursday 11th to Sunday 14th October, features an exciting programme of plays, special events and workshops, many created in partnership with local residents.

Plays include How to Spot an Alien by Georgia Christou, and Raffle! by Barbara Nice, a life-affirming show from Phoenix Nights' Janice Connolly.

With cabaret, variety show and the hilarious Fantiques Roadshow too, Roundabout promises to be an unmissable theatre extravaganza!

Tickets are available from the Appetite Stoke website.

8. Strictly Come Morris Dancing, Kings Bromley

Strictly Fever has reached Staffordshire (kind of)!

The Strictly Come Morris Dancing events in the village of Kings Bromley give you a rare chance to have a go at a quintessentially English tradition.

Ryknild Rabble are celebrating 30 years of morris dancing in Staffordshire and beyond with a series of open days throughout October at Kings Bromley Village Hall.

Starting on Sunday 7th October and happening every Sunday this month, the sessions are free and open to all ages and abilities.

You'll learn all about Rapper Sword dancing, which originated in the mining communities of the North East, and has the group performing a routine while connected to each other by steel bands - also known as the 'swords'.

A fascinating sight which couldn't be more English! 

9. Artisan Market, World of Wedgwood

The free artisan market returns to World of Wedgwood on Sunday 14th October, with over 50 stalls to browse offering the best in Staffordshire produce and hand-crafted gifts.

There's also great live music from local acts, and loads more to see and do.

Explore the wonderful, free Wedgwood Museum, home of one of the world's most important ceramic collections and the free children's pottery spotter's museum trail (with prizes on offer for everyone who completes it).

Enjoy the finest food and drink in the stunning tea room, and sample more than 50 blends of tea from around the world in the tea conservatory.

And after all the action, unwind with a relaxing stroll through the neighbouring Hem Heath Woods, which will be awash with autumn colour this month.

10. Oktoberfest Raceday, Uttoxeter Racecourse

Savour a taste of Germany and seven thrilling jump races at Uttoxeter Racecourse's Oktoberfest Raceday on Sunday 7th October.

Experience the sights, sounds and smells of Bavaria right here in Staffordshire, with ice cold bier to wash down your traditional Bratwurst, accompanied by a strolling Oompah band throughout the day.

Later in the month, the racecourse is hosting their Access All Areas Raceday on Thursday 18th October - your chance to get an insight into the wonderful world of racing.

For the price of a Centre Course ticket (£10), you'll be able to get into all public areas like the Premier Bar, Hoops Champagne Bar and the Premier Grandstand, offering superb views of the six afternoon races.

And, even better, if you live in Uttoxeter, your ticket is free! Find out more at the Uttoxeter Racecourse website.

More October events and activities in Staffordshire

There are more than 100 things to see and do this month in Staffordshire, including loads of ideas for Halloween and half-term! Details are on our What's On page.