The Clanger’s 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 Bedford Esquires.
Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Walking: “A Tour of St Peter’s Church” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the What’s On Hub in Silver Square
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
St. Peter’s church is one of the oldest Saxon churches in Bedfordshire. It has withstood attacks by the Vikings and the Normans and two world wars and has played an important part in the history and development of Bedford. Join our guides on a tour of this historic church and discover its story.
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, 30 September 2026
Live music: Jazz Night
The Castle, Newnham Street @ 8pm
Free entry
An evening of soulful Jazz with the talented Mark Calder on the last Wednesday of the month.
Thursday, 1 October 2026
Classical music: Beethoven’s Fifth with Delyana Lazarova
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm
Tickets: prices vary
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is one of the most heartbreakingly famous love stories to have ever been written. From the melancholic opening to the outpouring of passion in the climactic melody, Tchaikovsky’s rip-roaring Fantasy Overture is musical drama at its best.
Closing the concert is Beethoven’s mighty Fifth Symphony. The electrifying opening of the piece is one of the most iconic and instantly recognisable moments in orchestral music, but there’s so much more to the piece than that stop-you-in-your-tracks opening.
Whether you’ve heard a dozen different recordings, or never listened to it all the way through, it’s well worth experiencing it live.
This concert is dedicated to the memory of Bedfordian Michael Blackledge, who died earlier this year.
Thanks to Michael’s vision, the Philharmonia Orchestra made Bedford its first permanent residency outside London in 1995.
His inspiration has enriched the borough’s cultural life for decades, enabled thousands of children to experience a symphony orchestra for the first time, and contributed significantly to a deep and enduring cultural community.
Friday, 2 October 2026
Comedy: Ed Patrick: Numb and Number
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £15
Following his hugely successful Catch Your Breath tour, comedian and NHS anaesthetist Ed Patrick returns with his new hit show Numb and Number. Get your appointment while you can.
Friday, 2 October 2026
Live music: Blaze Bayley – Iron Maiden anniversary
Bedford Esquires @ 7pm (no support – Blaze Bayley will be on stage at 8pm)
Tickets: £25
Metal Hall of Fame inductee Blaze Bayley is a British singer/songwriter who began his career in Wolfsbane and rose to global heights when he joined Iron Maiden, with whom he released two albums (“X-Factor” and “Virtual XI”) and toured worldwide between 1994 and 1999.
In recent years, Blaze has toured widely in the UK, Europe, North America and Latin America, bringing his unmistakable high-energy, no-nonsense live performances.
At this intimate show, Blaze will be performing songs from The X Factor, Virtual XI & Best of The Beast alongside his solo material.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Walking: North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ weekly walk
Venue/where to meet: Old Warden, SG18 9HD @ 10am and at 1.30pm
Join the North Beds Ramblers’ morning ramble at 10am this Saturday. The slower-paced walk is from Hangman’s Spinney and then the Greensands Ridge Trail (4.5 miles).
In the afternoon, rendezvous in the same place for a 7.5-mile walk towards Palmers Wood, Oak Farm and Mox Hill.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Family fun: Fun Palaces
The Higgins Bedford @ 11am – 4pm
Free
Fun Palaces are back in Bedford this month – the perfect opportunity for families to take part in free creative activities and channel their inner scientists and artists.
The drop-in activities at The Higgins Bedford include a talk with experts from Albion Archaeology and the opportunity to create autumnal decorations with archaeologists, inspired by some medieval pottery. It’s the final week of the Sutton Kiln display at The Higgins Bedford, and this fun drop-in activity is a chance to find out more about the exciting local excavation.
Explore tessellation, symmetry and pattern in a free family drop-in from 11am – 1pm. This activity has a ‘snails’ theme and is a chance to make your own brilliant snail-inspired patterns and prints.
Meet some expert geologists! See some amazing rock, fossil and mineral specimens and find out more about them. You can even bring along your own rocks and the geologists will help to identify them. Finally, you can enjoy a free badge-making workshop and make your own fabulous pin badges to take away.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Creative: Artists’ Social
Upstairs Albero Lounge @ 10.30am – midday
Free entry
A monthly informal get-together for local artists.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Live music: Gaz Brookfield + guests
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £15
Following the success of his second number one album, Waiting For Wisdom, Gaz Brookfield takes to the road once again, bringing his chart-topping blend of folk rock to Bedford Esquires.
West Country-based Gaz Brookfield is an award-winning solo acoustic musician, with two number one albums to his name. He has spent the last fifteen years tirelessly touring all over the UK and beyond, building a strong and loyal following wherever he goes.
Not a bad result for this fiercely independent musician, with no record label, no manager, no agent – just a guitar, a van, and a steadfastly belligerent refusal to give in.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Music: Africa Alive: Folksongs from Southern Africa
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £10
Join the UK’s only African marimba band, Otto & The Mutapa Calling, for an unforgettable night of marimba music from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana.
Immerse yourself in the colourful music, song, dance, and storytelling of Southern Africa as the band takes you on a journey through the region’s rich cultural tapestry.
The marimba band’s sound is full of energy and pulsating rhythms – and the band’s music shares the rich cultures, histories and stories of the people of Southern Africa.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Live music: Space Cowboy – a tribute to Jamiroquai
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £16
Space Cowboy are a tribute to Jamiroquai, bringing to life the music you know and love with the same live passion and energy only rivalled by Jamiroquai themselves.
Space Cowboy is a funk-filled show including all of the hits, along with some much-loved versions from the Live in Verona concert and Abbey Road sessions.
Expect to hear Deeper Underground, Too Young To Die, Blow Your Mind, Emergency On Planet Earth, Hooked Up, Space Cowboy, Cosmic Girl, Everyday, Virtual Insanity, Canned Heat, Little L, Alright, Love Foolosophy and many more…
Sunday, 4 October 2026
Walking: “Bedford’s Movers and Shakers” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at St Loyes, opposite Bedford Prison
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
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 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.
Sunday, 4 October 2026
Live music: Spirit play the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm
Free entry
80’s rock covers from Spirit, who will be making their Esquires debut.
Sunday, 4 October 2026
Poetry: Read Poets Society
The Eagle Bookshop @ 7pm
Tickets: Free, but please book via the Place Theatre website
The Read Poetry Society monthly poetry session takes place at The Eagle Bookshop, St Peter’s Street. This month’s theme is ‘Sounds of the Seventies’. Groovy!
Sunday, 4 October 2026
Live music: Vigilantes
Bedford Esquires @ 7pm
Tickets:
Moody pop for the introverted heart. Vigilantes are a soundtrack approved of by the indie giants. After being selected to play Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Vigilantes were championed by Mike Skinner of The Streets fame and in 2022, headed out on a National Lottery Revive Live tour.
They have previously supported Carl Barât, Circa Waves, The Sherlocks, The Twang, The Subways, Fickle Friends, The Bluetones and more.
For fans of: Sam Fender, The Strokes, The Killers.
Sunday, 4 October 2026
New Writing: Stagewrite Autumn 26
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £5
The annual hothouse for the development of new writing for theatre is back, supporting writers in the process of getting their work up on its feet and in front of an audience for the very first time.
Every time StageWrite happens, it’s different – the nature of profiling brand new work.
Tuesday, 6 October 2026
Classical music: Lunchtime recital
St Paul’s church, St Paul’s Square @ 1pm
Free with retiring collection
A piano recital by Reuben Moisey. Free with retiring collection.
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Walking: “Plaques and Plinths” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the What’s On Hub in Silver Square
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
Have you ever wondered about the stories behind some of the blue plaques that adorn several buildings around the town or wanted to know more about some of the statues and monuments that grace the town centre? This walk will reveal the stories behind the Plaques & Plinths and why such recognition is warranted.
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.
Tuesday, 6 October 2026
Film: Bedford Film Society presents Two Prosecutors (Geman with subtitles)
University of Bedfordshire, Polhill Avenue
Tickets: Annual membership £70 / day member £5
Two Prosecutors is a 2025 historical drama film written and directed by Sergei Loznitsa, based on the novella of the same name by Georgy Demidov.
Starring Aleksandr Kuznetsov and Aleksandr Filippenko, the film follows a young Soviet prosecutor seeking justice for a political prisoner during Joseph Stalin’s ongoing Great Purge.
Tuesday, 6 October 2026
Theatre: Unversed
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £18
Step into the world of Antonia, an ambitious young actor in 17th-century London who is armed with a newly printed copy of Shakespeare’s plays but furious that she is forbidden from performing.
Created in association with Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Beckis Cooper has toured her ‘spellbinding’ solo-show all over the country, and has been dubbed ‘a phenomenal tour de force of Shakespearean girl power’.
Wednesday, 7 – Saturday, 10 October 2026
Food & Drink: The 48th Bedford Beer & Cider Festival
Bedford Corn Exchange @ Wednesday 4pm – 11pm, Thursda/Friday noon – 11pm, Saturday noon – 10pm
Tickets: £14 inlcuding glass hire and beer tokens
The Bedford Beer and Cider Festival returns the Corn Exchange this weekend, bringing world-class brews, mouth-watering food, and, this year, a special tribute to one of the town’s legendary, but overlooked, heroes.
This year marks the 48th anniversary of the event organised by North Bedfordshire Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and it carries a poignant tribute as it marks 48 years since the passing of Bedford-born Olympic hero Harold Abrahams.
Read: Run, don’t walk to the 48th Bedford Beer and Cider Festival
Abrahams was immortalised in the multi-Oscar-award-winning film, Chariots of Fire and in his memory, organisers have invited his great-nephew Colonel Abrahams (not that one) who lives in Cardington, to be the guest of honour at the opening ceremony.
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Live music: Red Rum Club + Cherryholt
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £23.50
Liverpool sextet Red Rum Club continue their upward curve, charging into 2026 with relentless momentum and a sound that’s become unmistakably their own, bold, brass-fueled, and bursting with ambition.
With their signature “Mariachi Merseybeat” drawing fans from Liverpool to Lima, the band are showing no signs of slowing down.
Thursday, 8 October 2026
Theatre: ExperiMental (work in progress performance)
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £10
Award-winning performer Juliette Burton is a “Fringe Favourite” (The Guardian), a “Fringe Legend” (FringeReview) and has spent most of her life on the fringes… just outside the lines.
Developed over three years with contributions from mental health service users, survivors of domestic abuse, people with lived experience of homelessness, disabled communities, LGBT communities, immigrant communities and other marginalised groups, ExperiMental is a thought-provoking, visually striking comedic theatre piece about belonging, exclusion and the ever-expanding circle of acceptance.
History is full of people who were called “crazy” – until they weren’t.
Friday, 9 October 2026
Theatre: Cringe!
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £18
Who doesn’t love to cringe at an embarrassing story?!
Enter DJ Funky Steve and his embarrassing story disco. Join Jenna as Funky Steve for a night of crazy comedy cringe as she spins real recorded tales of falls, toilet mishaps and excruciating intimate disasters using a combination of dance, song, recorded delivery, storytelling, and comedy sketches to create a brilliantly fun evening of laughter, entertainment and cringe.
Friday, 9 October 2026
Live music: Death of Guitar Pop
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £27.50
Death of Guitar Pop are bringing their high-octane ska energy to Bedford.
Their unique blend of 2 Tone-influenced ska and anthem-indie guitar pop has seen them amass a colossal army of devoted fans who have helped propel their last two albums into the top 30 of the Official UK Albums Chart.
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Walking: North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ weekly walk
Venue/where to meet: Ampthill Park, West Car Park, (W3W fizzled.perfume.discusses) @ 10am
Haynes Northwood End, MK45 3PH @ 1.30pm
The morning walk (meeting at Ampthilll at 10am) is an 11-mile exploration of Greensand Country between Ampthill and Ridgemont.
The afternoon walk takes in 7 miles of the Greensand Ridge from Haynes.
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, 10 October 2026
Sketching: St. Cuthbert’s Street – October Sketch Meetup
St. Cuthbert’s Street @ 10:30am – 12:30pm
Free to attend
Join the Beds Urban Sketchers for a relaxing morning of sketching at their next monthly sketch meetup, this time in the vibrant surroundings of St. Cuthbert’s Street.
Meet at the Living Wall next to St. Cuthbert’s Arcade and reconvene after a couple of hours sketching at The Ship for a ‘throw down’ where everyone can share their efforts.
This is a volunteer-led group and is not taught. It’s free to join in on any sessions, which are open to all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please bring your own materials.
Beds Urban Sketchers are the Bedford chapter of the global organisation urbansketchers.org who practice on location, observational drawing.
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Film: Bedford Documentary Film Festival
Bunyan Meeting, Mill Street @ 10.30am – 4pm
Tickets: £9.38
The Bedford Documentary Film Festival returns this month, bringing another full day of independent documentary filmmaking to the heart of Bedford. Now celebrating its fifth year, the festival was founded by documentary producer and director Jason Gurr.
This year’s programme includes Cy Gregory: This One’s For You, a locally made documentary centred around wrestling, alongside Dyslexia & Me, a documentary exploring the experience of dyslexia. Tickets available at bedforddocs.co.uk
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Classical music: Lunchtime organ recital
St Paul’s church, St Paul’s Square @ noon
Free with retiring collection
Organ recital Conor McGlone, assistant director of music at Birmingham Cathedral. Free with retiring collection.
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Comedy: Scott Bennett: Blood Sugar Baby
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £22
One family, one condition, one hell of a hairy baby…
Scott Bennett from Live at the Apollo, The Royal Variety Performance and The News Quiz tells the amazing true story of how his daughter fell ill with a rare genetic condition, congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI).
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Music: The Songs of Nick Drake
The Place Theatre @ 8pm
Tickets: from £18
Nick Drake is among the most revered and loved of this country’s acoustic singer-songwriters who died in 1974 aged just 26.
Enjoy his timeless songs that shed all the tears of life within their fragile yet perfect lines, performed by Keith James. Keith will be joined by the natural, effortless musician Richie Cotterill.
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Live music: The Men They Couldn’t Hang + guests
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £25
Founded in 1984, The Men They Couldn’t Hang (TMTCH) evolved from the Shepherd’s Bush squatting and busking scene to make their debut supporting Poguemahone at the Electric Ballroom in Camden in the Easter of that year.
Their uproarious and engaging style, coupled with keenly contemporary songs, swiftly gained a passionate national following, leading to a 40-year career filled with much-loved music, a dedicated fan community and high-octane performances.
Touring continually throughout their career, TMTCH have performed across the globe and have appeared at festivals such as Glastonbury, Roskilde, Reading, Pink Pop and Cambridge Folk and have appeared with a roll call of international artists such as David Bowie, Van Morrison, Bo Diddley, The Smiths, Elvis Costello and the Oyster Band, to name a few.
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Shop local: Bedford Flea, Affordable Art & Local Produce Market
Harpur Square, Bedford @ 10am – 3pm
Find your favourite monthly market in the usual place of Harpur Square, right in the middle of Bedford town centre.
Browse and buy antiques and viintage; original artwork, prints and gifts’ local Produce, talented makers and delicious street food. Plus free live music to enjoy on the Cellar Bar music stage, featuring London-based blues musician Ash Lambe!
Free parking in all council owned car parks and dog friendly. It’s what Bedford Sundays are made for.
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Walking: “Bedford in World War II” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the What’s On Hub in Silver Square
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
A walk that reveals the way of life in Bedford and some of the little-known facts about the role it played during World War II. Learn how Bedford became the main hub of the BBC during the war and how it also became a centre of wartime entertainment. Discover a ‘secret’ Bedford and the connections of the town to the code breakers at Bletchley park.
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, 11 October 2026
Live music: Polaroidz play at the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm
Free entry
80’s New Wave/Synth Pop/Post Punk from the Polaroidz as they make a welcome return to Esquires.
Theatre by Paula Walker
Every Monday
Live music: An evening with Mat Roberts & guests
The Castle, Newnham Street @ 7.30pm
Free entry
Join Mat Roberts and special guests every Monday evening for the best live music and a chilled-out vibe.
At the Higgins Bedford
Until May 2027
New exhibition: Rhyme and Reason
The Higgins Bedford, Castle Lane
Free entry
Discover the influence of stories and poetry on artists in this new exhibition drawn from the internationally renowned Cecil Higgins Art Gallery Collection.
Greek myths and Shakespearean stories, Arthurian legends and poetry will all be explored in the works of artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, Paula Rego, Henry Moore, Ceri Richards and Henri Matisse.
A full colour catalogue by curators Professor Christiana Payne, Dr Mary O’Neill and Victoria Partridge will be available to buy in the shop.
Until April 2027
Display: A Brewery in Bedford: Celebrating 150 Years of Wells & Co.
Somewhere in England Foyer, First Floor
Free entry
Founded in 1876 by Charles Wells, the business began at Horne Lane Brewery, brewing beers and growing a thriving pub estate.
Read: 150 years of Bedford’s brewing heritage on display at The Higgins
In 2019, it moved to Brewpoint and rebranded as Wells & Co., marking an exciting new chapter. Find out more about their 150 year journey.
At the Panacea Museum
Permanent exhibition: Discover the amazing story of a unique religious community
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd @ Thursday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Free entry
This fascinating hidden gem of a museum tells the story of the Panacea Society – a secretive Christian group formed in the early twentieth century that created its 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.
As featured on BBC Radio 4’s Mark Steel’s in Town.
Until 28th November
Exhibition: From and Inspired By
The Panacea Museum, Newnham Road
Free entry
A vibrant mix of paintings, drawings, sketchbooks, with some textile and sculpture works – all inspired by the incredible Panacea Museum. Highly recommeded.
Every Tuesday
Community: Tuesday Chess Café
The Pavilion in the Park @ 2pm – 4pm
Free
If you’re a keen chess player or have always wanted to learn, then the weekly chess café at the Pavilion in the Park is for you.
Players meet every week, and there’s no membership.
