What’s on Bedford: 1 – 12 October 2025

Never miss a thing in Bedford ever again. From theatre to film, live music to art exhibitions, The Bedford Clanger what’s on guide lands every Wednesday and is the only guide you need to find out what’s on and what’s happening across the Borough for the next 11 days.

The Bedford Clanger’s What’s On Guide is kindly sponsored by The Cellar Bar Bedford.


Wednesday, 1 – Saturday, 4 October 2025

Food & drink: Bedford Beer & Cider Festival
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 4pm (Weds) and 12pm (Thurs/Fri/Sat)
Tickets: £5 (CAMRA members £2)

Bedford Beer and Cider Festival Image North Beds CAMRA
Image: North Beds CAMRA

The much-loved Bedford Beer & Cider Festival makes a welcome return to Bedford Corn Exchange this month, opening its doors on Wednesday, 1 October.

Read: Bedford Beer & Cider Festival returns with over 90 UK cask and foreign beers, ciders, and perries to try

This celebration of real ale, cider, and community offers visitors the chance to sample more than 90 UK cask and foreign beers, ciders, and perries, alongside a small selection of red and white wines and soft drinks. Cheers!


Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Guided Walk: ‘Bedford’s Movers and Shakers’
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)

A Georgian house on the Movers and Shakers of Bedford tour

You will know of the ‘mugshot’, but did you know it was first introduced into the criminal justice system by Robert Evan Roberts, a reforming governor of Bedford Prison in Victorian times?  Join us on this walk and meet Roberts and others who made a difference in Bedford and in the world; an astronomer, a polar explorer, the first woman county councillor and discover how some of the most attractive private dwellings in Bedford came to grace this area of town.  N.B. Please note that this walk starts from St Loyes, opposite Bedford Prison

Join the Association of Bedford Tour Guides for one of their fascinating weekly walks. Each walk is of 90 minutes to two hours duration and covers a distance of one or two miles. Most walks are suitable for people who are less mobile.

Children of all ages are most welcome on all of the walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over 8. All walks must be pre-booked.


Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Quiz: A1 SpeedQuizzing
The Cellar Bar @ 8pm   Bar opens at 7pm
£3pp to enter the quiz.  Rolling cash jackpot of £150 plus £60 cash for the winning team and other prizes to win

Cellar Bar speed quizzing - no pens, no paper, no cheating!
Image: The Cellar Bar

Quiz nights will never be the same again as SpeedQuizzing comes to Bedford town centre.  Get your team of up to six players together and enjoy a fun, interactive night of entertainment hosted by Owen.

There’s a £60 bar tab to the winners and there is a rolling jackpot each week. Walk-ins are allowed on the night until the venue is full.  Reserve your table online and get a 20 point head start.


Thursday, 2 October 2025

Folk: Stick in the Wheel
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £16

A black and white photo of the two members of Stick in the Wheel

This radical East London duo are known for their intense live shows exploring the raw holler of folk, synths, spoken word and intricate rustic dobro guitar.

Full-force reworkings of centuries-old work-songs speak to contemporary issues of class and Stick In The Wheel have created their own London vernacular, a contemporary roots music that celebrates the collective stories and traditions of the city – conjuring the past to point toward the future.


Thursday, 2 October 2025

Quiz: Esquires’ monthly music quiz
Bedford Esquires @ 8pm
£2 per person/maximum of six per team

Esquires music quiz poster featuring two cartoon milk cartons

Head to Esquires for their monthly music quiz on the first Thursday of every month. Teams of up to six people compete in the quiz featuring music from the 50s to the present. Cash prize for the winning team.


Thursday, 2 October 2025

Live music: Irish Folk Night
The Castle, Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry

A black and white photograph of musician Samantha Hughes playing the banjo at a traditional Irish music night at the Castle pub in Bedford
Samantha Hughes. Image: Iaroslava Ershova

Head to the Castle for some great foot-tapping Irish tunes and a guaranteed craic.


Thursday, 2 October 2025

Karaoke: Karaoke
The Cellar Bar @ 8pm / doors open 6pm / Happy Hour 6pm – 9pm
Free entry

A karaoke microphone
Image: Pixabay

Sarah and Cameo host the only place for karaoke on a Thursday night on Bedford High Street. Choose from over 60,000 songs and sing like a pro with the Cellar Bar’s professional lighting, sound and stage. 

Sing with your friends using multiple microphones and it’s two for £12 on cocktails all night.


Thursday, 2 October 2025

Music: Man of the World: The Music of Peter Green
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £18

A photograph of two electric guitars under the words 'Man of the World'

Guitarist Remi Harris celebrates the life and music of Peter Green, founder of the original Fleetwood Mac. He will be joined by vocalist Dave Small, bassist Tom Moore and Nicky Waters on drums to perform music from throughout Peter Green’s career.

Including such classics as Man Of The World, Black Magic Woman, Need Your Love So Bad, Albatross and The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown).


Friday, 3 October 2025

Live Music: Joe Cullen
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm / doors open at 6pm until late / Happy Hour until 9pm / Late close
Free entry

A photo of musician Joe Cullen playing a guitar

Joe Cullen is back to The Cellar Bar, playing covers by Ed Sheeran, The 1975, Oasis, Harry Styles, The Killers, Coldplay and more.


Friday, 3 October 2025

Live music: The Rifles
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £30

The four members of The Rifles holding their instruments and standing in a suburban front garden

The Rifles head out on a new UK Tour, calling into Bedford Esquires this Friday. This will be the first full band show at the venue in over 15 years, featuring the original line-up of Joel Stoker, Lucas Crowther, Rob Pyne and Grant Marsh.

Together, they will be playing tracks from the new album as well as tracks from their five albums and numerous singles.


Friday, 3 October 2025

Theatre: Darkness and Light
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £16

A man is in darkness, lit only by three candles

One lamp-lit storyteller, two ghostly tales and nothing else but the infinite horrors of the surrounding darkness.

To celebrate a decade of making ghost story theatre, The Book of Darkness & Light presents two of their most terrifying tales from the past ten years in this intimate and spellbinding solo show. 

In The Bonehouse, historian Archie Witt takes a research trip to investigate the fabled roundhouse lock-up in Abbot’s Knock, a village marred by witch trials, a wicked 17th-century magistrate and an ancient evil that may haunt the place still.

In A Horror in Porcelain, eccentric millionaire Delaney acquires a notorious antique doll for his collection… only to stumble upon a haunting history that will catch up with him in the most horrifying way imaginable.

Brought to life by master of the macabre Adam Z. Robinson, Darkness & Light is a uniquely enthralling show that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout… and haunt you long after the final words are spoken.


Friday, 3 October 2025

Live music: Professor Elemental + Laurie Black
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £16

a cartoon image of Professor Elemental as an explorer

Together for the first time! The uniquely brilliant synth-powered music of Laurie Black and the wildly inventive, uplifting silliness of Professor Elemental come together for a once-in-a-lifetime tour.

You’ve never seen a live show like this.


From Saturday, 4 October 2025

Puzzling: Murder in the Museum: Movie Night Murder
The Higgins Bedford, Castle Lane
Tickets: £25/team

Cartoon characters from the Cardboard Clues' Murder in the Museum game at the Higgins Bedford

Cardboard Clues returns to The Higgins with an all-new murder mystery experience with three brand new cases to crack, new puzzles and even more murder…

You and your team will discover different cardboard characters and clues hidden throughout the museum’s collections, solving new mysteries using the interactive smartphone app. Perfect for families, friends, and puzzle enthusiasts looking for a unique way to explore the Higgins. To book, visit cardboardclues.com.


From Saturday, 4 October 2025

Local history: Unravelling the Past: In Her Own Words
The Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Road, MK40 3NX @ 10am – 4pm (Thursday – Saturday)
Free entry

Mabel Barltrop reading. Image The Panacea Museum
Mabel Barltrop reading. Image: The Panacea Museum

A new literary exhibition is opening at the Panacea Museum this Saturday (4 October) as part of the national Being Human festival.

Read: New literary exhibition at Bedford’s Panacea Museum

Unravelling the Past: In Her Own Words showcases the poetry and prose written, edited and published by the Panacea Society, and reflects on the authors and poets who influenced them.


Saturday, 4 October 2025

Family creativity: Fun Palaces
The Higgins Bedford @ 11am – 4pm
Free entry

Fun Palaces are back at The Higgins Bedford this month and this amazing free event includes the chance to practice circus skills and learn some juggling tricks, try your hand at portrait photography, learn more about rushwork, meet the Nritham dancers, learn more about our airship heritage in a VR exploration, and you can even have your greatest(and smallest) wins in life celebrated by the team at Profess(ional) Box.

All of the events are free and there is something for everyone to enjoy at this inclusive event.


Saturday, 4 October 2025

Learning: Saturday workshops, including a celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary
The Rothsay Education Centre, Rothsay Gardens from 10am
From £16

An exterior image of the Rothsay Education Centre

250 years after her birth, Jane Austen’s literary legacy continues to inspire.

The REC is celebrating the anniversary with a series of Austen-inspired Saturday workshops including a deep dive into Sense and Sensibility and a look at Britain during her lifetime. Open to members and non-members alike.


Saturday, 4 October 2025

Local history: Commemoration of the 95th anniversary of the final flight of the R101
St Mary’s Church, Cardington @ 2pm – 5pm
Free entry

The R 101 airship

As part of the 95th anniversary events taking place to mark the final flight of the R101 airship, St Mary’s Church in Cardington will host an afternoon of talks on the subject.

Historian Rudi Newman, Alastair Reid of the Airship Association and Richard Moon of Bedford Drama Company will all contribute to a memorable afternoon.


Saturday, 4 October 2025

Live music: The BellRays
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £18

A cartoon of the members of The BellRays on a motorbike

Blues is the teacher. Punk is the Preacher. It’s all about emotion and energy. Experience and raw talent, spirit and intellect. Exciting things happen when these things collide.

Bob Vennum and Lisa Kekaula made The BellRays happen in 1990 in Riverside, California, but they weren’t really thinking about any of this then. They wanted to play music and they wanted it to feel good. They wanted people to WANT to get up, to NEED to get up and check out what was going on. Form an opinion. React.


Saturday, 4 October 2025

Double header of live music: Cameo & Five Five Six
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm.  Bar opens at 6.00pm.  Happy Hour, 6.00pm – 9.00pm
Free entry

The band Five Five Six on stage holding guitars

They are back!

First up, Cellar Bar favourite Cameo is back for another solo performance, so expect classic rock/pop songs from Dolly Parton to Fleetwood Mac to The Red Hot Chili Peppers and so much in between – be ready for a cracking party.

If you’ve not seen Five Five Six at The Cellar Bar before, you are in for a treat. Get ready for a great night of legendary rock tunes.  The Cellar Bar literally rocks when these guys play.


Sunday, 5 October 2025

Guided Walk: ‘I Never Knew That’
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the What’s On Hub on Silver Street
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)

Town Bridge, the River Great Ouse and the spire of St Paul's church in dappled sunlight

The most commonly heard phrase after the completion of a Guided Walk. This Walk encompasses all that information about Bedford and its many features that YOU never knew!

Join the Association of Bedford Tour Guides for one of their fascinating weekly walks. Each walk is of 90 minutes to two hours duration and covers a distance of one or two miles. Most walks are suitable for people who are less mobile.

Children of all ages are most welcome on all of the walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over 8. All walks must be pre-booked.


Sunday, 5 October 2025

Flying display: Race Day Air Show 2025
Shuttleworth Trust, Old Warden, SG18 9DT @ 9am – 6pm
Tickets from £35

Vintage planes fly over a vintage car at Shuttleworth.

Strap in for an action-packed day celebrating the icons of speed both on the ground and in the air as Shuttleworth celebrates the racing skill and passion of its patron, Richard Shuttleworth.

Experience the early days of Edwardian racing as both visiting vehicles and those from their Collection take to the grass track for high-speed sprint demonstrations.


Sunday, 5 October 2025

Live Music: Glam Rampage, followed by a themed disco
The Cellar Bar @ 5pm / Doors open at 4pm until late / Happy Hour 4pm – 9pm/ Late close
Free entry

Brightly coloured text saying Glam Rampage with a flying V guitar and background featuring the names of Glam bands including Sweet and T-Rex

Glam Rampage make their debut at The Cellar Bar, playing hits from the early 70’s by T Rex, Sweet, Mud, Slade, Bowie and more.


Sunday, 5 October 2025

Live music: Full Circle play the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm
Free entry

full circle

And they are back! Marc Patching, Andy Childs and Johnny Carr are FULL CIRCLE and they’re back to play their first Esquires show for over two years.


Sunday, 5 October 2025

Poetry: Read Poets – The Light at the End of The Tunnel
The Eagle Bookshop, St Peter’s Street @ 7pm
Tickets: Free but please book via The Place Theatre website

A collage of the faces of noted writers including William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Philip Larkin, Virginia Woolf, Alan Bennett,Terry Pratchett, Maya Angelou and more
Image: Swan Theatre Company

Join the Swan Poetry Society for their monthly reading of poems reflecting the season. This month’s theme is – The Light at The End of the Tunnel.

This monthly event takes place at The Eagle Bookshop in St Peter’s Street.


Sunday, 5 October 2025

Live music: Miki Berenyi Trio + Swallowtail + Matinee Show
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm
Tickets: £17.50

The three members of the Miki Berenyi Trio

Miki Berenyi Trio are Miki Berenyi on vocals/guitar (Lush), Kevin ‘Moose’ McKillop on guitar (Moose) and Oliver Cherer (Gilroy Mere, Aircooled). The three musicians first worked together during Piroshka’s 2021 tour – Miki and Kevin being founder members, Oliver coming in on bass to replace Mick Conroy (Modern English), who had moved to the US.

When the global pandemic made touring impossible, Miki spent the lockdown months writing her memoir, Fingers Crossed, released in 2022 to widespread acclaim. To provide some musical accompaniment for the string of book events and signings, Miki Berenyi Trio was formed.

The band has developed a momentum of its own, touring with the Wedding Present and Gang of Four and a sold-out London co-headline show with Aircooled. An album ‘Tripla’ was released in April, garnering stellar reviews – “Rooted in shoegaze and dream pop, her new LP is tinged with sadness—but fueled by joy of playing again.” – Pitchfork

“Dream-pop at its finest… a quilt of sophisticated future shoegaze… MB3 have laid down the gauntlet with this debut.” Louder Than War – 9/10


Monday, 6 October 2025

Theatre: Moments
The Quarry Theatre @ 7pm
Tickets: from £13

A metal chair teetering in mid air with the word Moments behind it

Celebrating over 14 years of working together, the critically acclaimed team behind the making of the international hits The Nature of Forgetting and BIRTH opens up their precious notebooks and share how their magic works. 

Weaving Katherine Graham, Guillaume Pigé and Alex Judd’s personal stories of becoming parents and reaching mid-life with theatrical imagination, they unpick their creative bond, re-evaluate success and make a new show exploring time, fatherhood and grief. 

Ultimately, Moments is about attentiveness; magic in the making of new work; poetry in our everyday moment-by-moment existence; life as we live it. 


Tuesday, 7 October 2025

Classical music: Lunchtime recital
St Paul’s church, St Paul’s Square @ 1pm
Free with retiring collection

Close up of violin. Image Pixabay : niekverlaan
Close up of violin. Image Pixabay : niekverlaan

Step into the beautiful surroundings of St Paul’s church to enjoy the Tuesday lunchtime concert. This week, featuring the Sharnbrook Academy Violinists.


Tuesday, 7 October 2025

Film: My Favourite Cake
University of Bedfordshire, Polhill Avenue
Tickets: Annual membership £70 / day member £5

A still of an older woman eating a meal at a table from the Iranian film My Favourite Cake

With five-star reviews, My Favourite Cake is the latest offering from Bedford Film Society. This Iranian later-life love story follows seventy-year-old Mahin, who has been solitary until now, who chooses to revive her love life.

A chance encounter becomes an unforgettable evening.


Wednesday, 8 October 2025

Theatre: Is That a Whip in Your Hand?
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £10

A character that is dressed like Indiana Jones is in the shadows. The words Is That A Whip in Your Hand are behind

Following performances in the USA, UK and recently, Australia, Gavin Robertson focuses his attention on the fortune-hunter movie phenomenon encompassing everything from ‘Indiana Jones’ to ‘National Treasure’ via ‘Romancing The Stone’ – in his latest physical cartoon style adventure – spoofing the characters adored by millions, and exploding every cliché… solo! 

Featuring the usual mix of clues, maps, travel and tricky situations, it’s minimum props, maximum effect as our hero searches for treasure via Colombia and Greece, evading trouble at every turn.


Wednesday, 8 October – Saturday, 11 October 2025

Community Theatre: Rent
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £18

The poster for the musical Rent 'No Day But Today'

A brand new company, Rehearsal Rooms Theatre, brings its debut show to the Place Theatre this month. The rock musical Rent tells the story of a group of young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York City’s East Village under the shadow of HIV/AIDS in the late 1980s. 

The narrative follows their lives over the course of a year, highlighting their battles with poverty, addiction, and the search for meaning and connection. Central to the story are characters Mark, Roger, Mimi, Collins, Angel, Maureen, Joanne and Benny. Through their intertwined lives, Rent explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of friendship and community.

RENT’s message is one of resilience, love, and the importance of living life to its fullest despite adversity. It was needed when the show originally opened in 1996, and is still so relevant today. 


Thursday, 9 October 2025

Talk: More Wallpaper, Vicar?
Bunyan Meeting Church @ 2pm – 3pm
Tickets: £10 / Friends of the Bunyan £5 (includes refreshments)

Walls really do talk, and research into decorative schemes for clergy houses in the nineteenth century raised some interesting questions.

Why were so many members of the Anglican Church buying wallpaper? What wallpapers did they choose? Were they the upstanding members of the establishment they purported to be?

Rowena Beighton-Dykes’ talk will explore the context in which houses were being decorated, with reference to some members of the clergy and their properties in the Bedfordshire area.


Thursday, 9 October 2025

Talk: Gilbert Lloyd Lecture: 50 Years of Shopkeeping in the Art World
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30 pm
Tickets: free

Gallery owner, Mark Goldmark, giving a talk

Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham was opened over 50 years ago.  With a staff of over 30, Goldmark sells worldwide, and the gallery puts on over 20 exhibitions a year. With over 50,000 items in stock, it also lends exhibitions to other galleries around the UK. Specialising in 20th-century art and ceramics, Goldmark also owns an atelier, makes films, publishes books and regularly hosts concerts.

Shopkeeper, publisher and raconteur Mike Goldmark will talk about his time running the gallery in what promises to be a fascinating evening. 

This lecture coincides with an exhibition of work in the school gallery, ‘Artists’ Posters and School Prints’ borrowed from Goldmark Gallery.


Thursday, 9 October 2025

Live music: Dog Race + Flip Top Head + Luggs
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm

The five members of the band Dog Race

Dog Race are a quintet originally hailing from Bedford and have been building quite the reputation for their gothic tinged electronically enhanced sound.

It’s the Squeeze, The Leader and recent release Return the Day (Colours) are all full of horror movie chill, vibrancy and skyscraping choruses.


Friday, 10 October 2025

Comedy: Chris Kent: Offline
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £16.50

A headshot of the comedian Chris Kent

Cork’s own Chris Kent returns with a brand new show, ‘Offline’.

He tries to give up the internet and navigate life without asking his phone what to eat, where to go or how to get home. He longs for a simpler time of playing ‘Snake’ and constructing emojis himself.

Now that he has hit 40 years of age, he wonders if he can ever go back to thinking for himself. Join him on a journey that will either make him or break him.


Friday, 10 October 2025

Live music: Ibibio Sound Machine
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £25

Eno Williams of Ibibio Sound Machine on a blue background
Image: Pad Presents

This October, Ibibio Sound Machine are bringing the party to Esquires Bedford with their mix of electro, jazz, Afrobeat, funk and Latin, melding into dynamic pop live.

Read: Interview: Ibibio Sound Machine – From Talking Heads to talking fish…

“Western pop fans will hear echoes of Michael Jackson, James Brown, Gary Numan, Prince, Talking Heads and, yes, Miami Sound Machine; African music devotees will recognize threads of juju and Afrobeat from Nigeria, high life from Ghana and makossa from Cameroon .” —New York Times.


Friday, 10 October 2025

Live music: Dave Earl
The Castle, Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry

Performer Dave Earl singing into a microphone

Performing solo acoustic covers from artists such as Oasis, Pulp, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Blur, Blink 182, Stereophonics, The Killers and more…


Friday, 10 October 2025

Live music: 80s Live
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £30

A medley of performers in 80s dress to promote 80s Live!

Travel back in time to one of the most iconic eras of music for an exciting night out as ‘Electric Dreams’ perform over two dozen chart-topping anthems from artists including Duran Duran, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Culture Club, Kim Wilde, Rick Astley, The Human League, A-Ha, Tears for Fears, Wham and more.

Whether you were born in the 80s, were lucky enough to hear these sounds from your very own cassette player or you’ve had a Stranger Things glimpse of 80s life, once you’ve seen 80s Live, you’ll want to relive it again and again.


Friday, 10 October 2025

Soul:  The Soul Man
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30 pm
Free entry

The Soul Man is pictured holding a vintage microphone and looks like he's singer to the viewer

One of the most well-known and loved local artists, The Soul Man (aka Peter Symphorien) performs soul classics from artists such as Barry White, Luther Vandross, George Benson, The Temptations, The Drifters and more.


Saturday, 11 October 2025

Classical music: Saturday Organ Recital
St Paul’s church, St Paul’s Square @ 1pm
Free with retiring collection

The interior of St Paul's church in Bedford

Step into the beautiful surroundings of St Paul’s church to enjoy the Saturday organ recital. This week, featuring Iain Harvey-Ashenhurst.


Saturday, 11 October 2025

Walking: North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ weekly walk
Wentworth Drive Car Park, Bedford, MK41 8DQ @ 1.30pm

North Bedfordshire Ramblers group walking towards the hangars at Cardington
North Bedfordshire Ramblers group walking towards the hangars at Cardington. Image: North Bedfordshire Ramblers

A six-mile walk to Ravensden and Renhold, 6 miles.

Please bring a drink, snack or lunch as the group always stops for a break. Check out the North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ excellent website for further information.


Saturday, 11 October 2025

Classical music: John Rutter’s Magnificat
St Andrew’s Church (Bedford), Bedford, MK40 2PF @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £5 (accompanied under 18s free) at the door or from Ticketsource here

Choir performing at St Andrews Church in Bedford

For the anniversary year, Ian Smith will lead the choir in performing popular composer John Rutter’s Magnificat alongside some of his other choral anthems. This event is often popular with singers and is set to be another highlight in the year. Audiences can enjoy the performance at the reduced rate of only £5.

Singers can join the choir for £10 (includes score hire) by registering in advance via Ticketsource or on the day at 1.45pm.


Saturday, 11 October 2025

Music: The Upbeat Beatles
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £25

A photo of the four members of the Beatles tribute band, The Upbeat Beatles

With sheer joy and energy, The Upbeat Beatles will take you on a journey through the earth-shattering sounds of the FAB 4! 

Throw away all your inhibitions; no band does it better than the Upbeat Beatles.


Saturday, 11 October 2025

West Gallery music: Bedford Gallery Quire
St Owen’s Church, Bromham Park, Bromham, (Bedfordshire), MK43 8LL  @ 7.30pm.
Tickets, £10 on the door (free for those in full-time education). Refreshments.

Bedford Gallery Quire perform in authentic Georgian attire

Bedford Gallery Quire has been singing and playing Bedfordshire’s musical heritage for more than 20 years, delighting audiences with their joyful concerts.

West Gallery singers and musicians were bands made up of members of the local community who provided the music in churches from the early 18th century to the mid-19th century.

Tonight’s unique concert of words and music will celebrate harvest, home and, as usual, the singers and players will be wearing authentic costumes from the period and playing instruments, some now rarely seen. All welcome.


Sunday, 12 October 2025

Guided Walk: ‘The Life and Times of John Bunyan’
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the What’s On Hub on Silver Street
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)

John Bunyan stained glass window

Discover the story of Bedford’s most famous son who was imprisoned for his non-conformist preaching. Visit the site of the cottage in which John and his family lived, the churches in which he worshipped and the site of the gaol in which he spent 12 long years and began to write one of the best selling books in history, The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Join the Association of Bedford Tour Guides for one of their fascinating weekly walks. Each walk is of 90 minutes to two hours duration and covers a distance of one or two miles. Most walks are suitable for people who are less mobile.

Children of all ages are most welcome on all of the walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over 8. All walks must be pre-booked.


Sunday, 12 October 2025

Live Music: 80’s Daytime disco for Grown-Ups
The Cellar Bar @ 4pm – 11pm / doors open at 4pm.
Free entry

A close up image of disco glitter ball relecting on the surrounding room

The Cellar Bar Daytime Disco is back, now going right through til 11pm.

You can dance and sing along to some of the greatest hits ever and it’s all free! No tickets required. Indulge in an afternoon filled with nostalgic tunes, singalongs, and a great atmosphere. The glitterball will be up and the neon outfits on. 


Sunday, 12 October 2025

Live music: The Polaroidz play the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm
Free entry

A cassette tape features the words The Plaroidz / 80s new wave/synth pop/post punk on a background of badgest that say The Polaroidz

Relive the sounds of the alternative music scene from ’79-’89, the height of the 80’s New Wave, Synth Pop, Post Punk era.


At the Higgins Bedford

Exhibition: Colour and Light
The Higgins Bedford until 2 November 2025
Free entry

Alison Goodyear's film Light and Colour as part of the Colour and Light exhibition at the Higgins Bedford. Image: The Higgins Bedford
Alison Goodyear’s film Light and Colour as part of the Colour and Light exhibition at the Higgins Bedford. Image: The Higgins Bedford

Art from the 18th century right up to the present day will be on display at The Higgins Bedford in its new exhibition, exploring the fascinating relationship between Colour and Light.

Read: Exhibition: ‘Colour and Light’ illuminates The Higgins Bedford

Running until 2 November 2025, the exhibition will showcase works from The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery Collection, including iconic pieces by JMW Turner, John Singer Sargent, Sonia Delaunay, Peter Blake, and Chila Kumari Singh Burman.

Colour and Light will also feature a specially commissioned artwork by Bedford-based artist, Alison Goodyear, entitled ‘Light & Colour’, as featured on the front cover of the February issue of the Bedford Clanger. This immersive digital experience, created in collaboration with four Bedford community groups and is inspired by the works in the exhibition.


Exhibition: Edward Bawden – Printmaker
The Higgins Bedford until 26 April
Free entry

A Frog and an Ox by Edward Bawden
Edward Bawden Printmaker. Image: The Higgins Bedford

Take a trip to the Higgins Bedford to explore the Edward Bawden Printmaker exhibition, which celebrates Bawden’s remarkable legacy as ‘The Master of the Linocut’ and offers visitors a chance to delve into his innovative techniques and artistic achievements.


At the Panacea Museum

Permanent exhibition: Discover the amazing story of a unique religious community
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford MK40 3NX
11am – 5pm (last entry 4.30) Thursday – Sunday
Free entry

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Panacea-Museum-Garden-of-Eden.jpg

This fascinating hidden gem of a museum tells the story of the Panacea Society – a Christian group formed in the early twentieth century who created their own ‘Garden of Eden’ in the centre of Bedford.

The Panacea Museum is located across several Victorian buildings that formed the community’s headquarters. It tells the story of the Panacea Society and other similar religious groups.


Exhibition: The Panacea Society and the Second World War
The Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford MK40 3NX @ Thursday to Sunday, 11am – 5pm
Free entry

A new social history exhibition has opened at the Panacea Museum this month, exploring the unseen story of this remarkable society and World War II.

Read: New exhibition: The Panacea Society and the Second World War

The beautiful gardens surrounding the Museum are currently filled with blossoming trees, birds, butterflies and bees, and a stroll through the grounds is a highly recommended in addition to a visit to the museum.


Every Tuesday

Community: Tuesday Chess Café
The Pavilion in the Park @ 2pm – 4pm
Free

A chess board set up in an outdoor location

If you’re a keen chess player or have always wanted to learn, then the weekly chess cafe at the Pavilion in the Park is for you.

Players meet every week and there’s no membership, no fee – just turn up. All you need to do is buy a coffee to support the venue. Any standard, from complete novice to Grand Master, welcome.


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