Your weekly what’s on guide for Bedford and the surrounding area from the Bedford Clanger.
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 Thursday and is the only guide you need to know what’s on and what’s happening across the Borough for the next 10 days.
The Bedford Clanger’s What’s On Guide is kindly sponsored by The Cellar Bar.
Thursday 31 October – Saturday 2 November 2024
Musical theatre: Annie
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm (Thursday and Friday), 2pm & 6.30pm (Saturday)
Tickets: prices vary
With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan.
This all- time classic musical is a must for all the family, with a great sound track and fabulous characters. A must for all the family.
Thursday 31 October
Children’s Theatre: Comedy Club 4 Kids Halloween Special
The Quarry Theatre @ 2pm
Tickets: from £8.50
Dress up in your Hallowe’en finest and join us for a special spooky afternoon of devilishly good comedy!
Since 2005, the Comedy Club 4 Kids has been getting the best stand-ups and sketch acts from the international circuit to do their thing for an audience of children (aged 6+) and their families… but without the rude bits! It’s just like a normal comedy club, but it’s on in the day, kids are allowed in, costume extravaganzas are highly encouraged, and thus there is a higher than usual chance of the entire audience being zombies, werewolves, witches, vampires and g-g-g-g-ghosts!
For this show we have the very funny Eleri Morgan as your host, comedy ventriloquist Lachlan Werner and his puppet witch Brew, and the musical sensation that is Jonny Awsum!
Thursday 31 October 2024
Murder Mystery: Sheer Luck Holmes – The case of the floating fiancee
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £55
Get ready for an exhilarating night of mystery and mayhem as you join Holmes, Watson and Mrs Hudson as they re-enact their latest mind-boggling case in this laugh-out-loud murder mystery dinner show. With hilarious characters, deadly twists, dastardly turns, and a three-course meal that’s simply to DIE for!
So, dust off your magnifying glasses and prepare to super-sleuth your way through a fully interactive murder mystery evening. Will you use your powers of deduction and discover who dunnit, or will it be down to Sheer Luck?
Tickets are £55 per person and include a three-course meal and two-hour interactive show!
Thursday 31 October 2024
Karaoke: Halloween special – best dressed wins a prize
The Cellar Bar at 9pm / request slips in from 8pm / bar opens at 6pm
Free entry
The Cellar Bar is the only place to be on a Thursday night and the scariest day of the year is no exception! Will you sing Thriller or Monster Mash at their Halloween Karaoke? Come dressed in a spooktacular costume and best dressed wins a prize. Halloween cocktails & shots available. With a catalogue of over 60,000 songs you’ll definitely find something suitable to sing!
Perform like a pro with their professional lighting, sound and a proper stage. The best sounding performers and acoustics on the High Street. Sing with your friends using multiple microphones. The one and only Matt Bedford hosting your night
Thursday 31 October 2024
Dancing: Planet Swing featuring The Jim Hammond Trio
The Dance Hall, Wixams Retirement Village, Bedford Road, Bedford, MK42 6EA @ 8pm – 10.30pm
Tickets: £12.99
An evening for dancers and music enthusiasts alike. Cashless bar, plenty of seating (night club set up) and dance floor. Book in advance and come along at 7.15pm for a 45-minute dance class in Balboa, one of the original swing dances of the era. For the main event, just turn up – pay cash at reception – have fun, no booking needed.
Friday 1 November 2024
Live music: The Dream Machine + French Mothers + WKTD
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £12.50
The Dream Machine are back in Bedford this month as part of their UK tour.
The band come to Esquires following recent support shows for The Coral, The Lathums, Noel Gallagher and The Charlatans, while gearing up for the release of their James Skelly-produced second album, Small Time Monsters.
“The Dream Machine are one of my favourite bands. They bridge the gap between pop stars and psych punks effortlessly. Small Time Monsters is an incredible album.” James Skelly, The Coral
Friday 1 November 2024
Live music: Double header – Kyri Lillington + Samantha Hughes
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm / Bar opens at 6pm / Happy hour 6pm – 9pm
Free entry
Kyri Lillington will be making her debut at The Cellar Bar as a solo performer, playing pop and rock classics, followed afterwards by Samantha Hughes.
Samantha’s set will be part acoustic so you are in for a treat as she plays a selection of Rock n Roll, Country, 50s/60s and 80’s party tunes, spreading some good old-fashioned music from years gone by.
Friday 1 November 2024
Quizzing: Ska-loween Party, live music by ‘Who stung Sting’ Club
The Castle, 17 Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Back by popular demand! A little taste of the Caribbean in Bedford this Halloween Weekend.
Join us for an evening of Reggae & Ska music by the band ‘Who Stung Sting.
Saturday 2 November 2024
Family fun: Teaching Talons
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX @ 10.30am – 11.30am and 11.45am – 12.45pm
Free entry
Meet and greet some amazing animals on the site of Bedford’s own ‘Garden of Eden’.
Encounter a wide variety of animals, including snakes, reptiles and owls with Teaching Talons’ live feeding demonstrations. Chip the dog will also be in attendance and will be showing off his tricks!
Saturday 2 November 2024
Children’s Theatre: Daisy Donald
The Place Theatre @ 11am & 3pm
Tickets: from £10
Daisy Donald is bright, bold and full of fun but she’s also hiding a secret…that she lives with Type 1 Diabetes, an invisible disability. When Daisy’s world starts to goes very grey, will she be ready for an adventure with three sneaky, shuffly monsters Moe, Sky and Eddy?
Adapted for the stage from Jade Byrne’s much-loved book, this brand-new family show takes you on a remarkable journey of learning about disabilities and difference, filled with take-home songs and positive messages of acceptance.
Through her fantastical world of music and learning to “Ride the Rollercoaster”; when Daisy needs to be brave, will she learn how to find her own invisible superhero cape and save the day?
Saturday 2 November 2024
Children’s Theatre: Mr Sleepybum
The Quarry Theatre @ 11am & 2pm
Tickets: from £10
Do you have stupid and silly dreams at night? Well, Mr. Sleepybum does, and he’s going to re-enact them all for you in this high-energy, interactive, kids’ comedy show for the whole family.
Mr Sleepybum awakes in his bed to find a room full of parents and children. A circus of silly sketches and dream scenes ensues, from swimming with Sharks to solving the mystery of a stolen chocolate cake to dodging balls in the guise of the Cowboy Ball-Dodger. Mr Sleepybum’s imagination is limitless.
Mr Sleepybum is a multi-award-nominated, one-man, character comedy kids show, written and performed by character comedian Jody Kamali. Mr Sleepybum performed a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 and received rave reviews from the press and audiences.
Saturday 2 November 2024
Dancing: Boombastic Daytime Disco – 80s, 90s, 00s
Bedford Esquires @ 2pm – 6pm
Tickets: £6
Dance and singalong to some of the Greatest Hits ever as we give you a great excuse to get out! Why wait for the evening to have fun? Indulge in an afternoon filled with nostalgic tunes, singalongs, inflatables and a vibrant atmosphere.
Expect all the great fun of a Boombastic party and be home before you’d usually be going out. Result!
Saturday 2 November 2024
Live music double-header: Cameo & Five Five Six
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm / Bar opens at 6pm / Happy hour 6pm – 9pm
Free entry
Entertaining the audience this Saturday is Cellar Bar favourite, Cameo, back singing classic rock/pop songs from Dolly Parton to Fleetwood Mac to The Red Hot Chili Peppers and so much in between – a cracking party night guaranteed.
Afterwards and seeing everyone into the small hours are Five Five Six. 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. This is a late, late event.
Saturday 2 November 2024
Live music: Gaz Brookfield + The Barrys (Acoustic)
Bedford Esquies @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £12
Hot off the back of the success of his UK Folk Chart number one album, Morning Walking Club, Gaz Brookfield returns to Esquires.
Marking 15 years since he quit his day job and became a full-time musician, Gaz is celebrating a decade and a half of belligerently refusing to give in.
Come and join Gaz as he plays songs from all nine of his studio albums. Expect a night full of up beat folk tales that will make you laugh, cry, and sing a long at the top of your voice.
Saturday 2 November 2024
Walking: North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ weekly walk
Ravensden Village Hall, MK44 2RL @ 1pm
Circular 4.5-mile countryside walk ahead of the NBR AGM.
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.
Sunday 3 November 2024
Family fun: Sacrifice Pro Wrestling
Bedford Town Football Club, Meadow Lane, MK44 3LW @ 2.30pm
Ticket price: £9
Family-friendly Pro Wrestling returns to Bedford, as the stars compete in WWE-style action. See the slams up close and personal, meet the wrestlers themselves and even get photos with the Champions in-ring.
Every penny from Sacrifice shows go to local and national charities, so if you’d like to see the most fun way to donate to great causes, all on your doorstep, check out Sacrifice Pro.
Sunday 3 November 2024
Food and drink: Afternoon Tea with live music from The Workshop Boys
The Cellar Bar @ 4pm
Free entry
Various Afternoon Tea options available from £25. Sit and enjoy a lovely afternoon tea whilst enjoying listening to the sounds of The Workshop Boys.
Sunday 3 November 2024
Live music: Sunday Afternoon Chillout – The Workshop Boys
The Cellar Bar @ 5pm – 7pm / Bar opens at 3pm / Happy Hour 3pm – 9pm
Free entry
These guys need no introduction, and what could be better than on a Sunday afternoon!
Formed by former members of Los Marbles and Cutting Out, The Workshop Boys have fast become one of Bedford’s most loved bar bands.
See the website regarding options for combining afternoon tea and bottomless afternoon tea with this event.
Sunday 3 November 2024
Poetry: Read Poets Society
The Eagle Bookshop @ 7pm
Tickets: Free but please book via The Place Theatre website
Join the Swan Poetry Society for their monthly reading of poems reflecting the season. This month’s theme is “Put a Girdle Round about the Earth’ . Make of that what you will!
Sunday 3 November 2024
Live music: The Shade play the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm – 7pm
Free entry
The Shade are back for another Sunday Afternoon Session at Esquires
This dynamic British rock four-piece formed to provide an authentic and honest sound of Prog Rock in an increasingly processed and manufactured music scene. Gigging previously as Nightshade, we were a regular act on the Peterborough circuit around 2012. They are now returning to the scene as a fully-fledged progressive rock tribute band, playing the most popular anthems from this diverse genre.
Tuesday 29 October 2024
Live music: Tuesday lunchtime concert
St Paul’s church, St Paul’s Square @ noon
Free entry with retiring collection (suggested donation £5)
This week’s recital is a piano duet by Simeon Walker.
Free with a retiring collection.
Tuesday 5 November 2024
Film: Bedford Film Society presents – Perfect Days
The University of Bedford, Polhill Avenue @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £70/annual membership, £5/day guest
This Oscar-nominated Wim Wenders film follows Hirayama who seems utterly content with his simple life. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.
A deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us.
Tuesday 5 November 2025
Poetry: Ouse Muse – featuring Martin Figura and Helen Ivory
Eagle Bookshop, 16 – 20 St Peters St, MK40 2NN @ 7.45pm for 8pm start
Free entry
On Tuesday, 5 November, Ouse Muse returns to the Eagle Bookshop on St Peter’s Street for their monthly poetry and spoken word night.
This month’s guest poets are Martin Figura and Helen Ivory, who will be reading from their latest collections, The Remaining Men and Constructing a Witch. Guests are encouraged to bring along their work to share too, as the event will finish with an open mic session.
Wednesday 6 November 2024
Film: Quadrophenia
The Cellar Bar @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £6 (includes drink – draft beer, medium wine, single spirit and mixer (excluding Fever Tree) or any of our no and low alcohol drinks and soft drinks)
The Cellar Bar is hosting its first pop up cinema night, featuring the ear-defining Quadrophenia and its iconic soundtrack by The Who.
Doors open at 7.30pm. Film starts at 8pm via a big projector on the stage. Tickets via Eventbrite must be bought in advance.
This is a seated event with chairs laid out theatre style. Snacks are available, including popcorn, nachos, teas, coffee and cake.
Wednesday 6 November 2024
Live music: THE SKIDS + Spear Of Destiny
Bedford Esquires @ 7pm
Tickets: £27.50
THE SKIDS and Spear Of Destiny will be warming up for their UK tour at Bedford Esquires this month. Both headliners in their own right and selling out the venue in their own right at Esquires the bands were last paired together at the Corn Exchange in 2018 which saw over 700 people in attendance.
With Esquires being the smallest venue on the tour we would advise picking tickets up nice & early for this date.
Thursday 7 November 2024
Title of the event: Talking Towers: Panacean Towers
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX @ 12.30pm – 1.15pm
Free entry
A special talk by Museum Director Zara Matthews. Part of the national Being Human Festival. The Panacea Society built their own chapel and clock tower, and named their outposts around the world ‘towers’.
Thursday 7 November 2024
Quiz: Esquires Monthly Music Quiz
Bedford Esquires @ 8pm
£2 per person / max six people per team
Brain cells at the ready, it’s Esquires music quiz and everyone’s welcome. Featuring music from the 50’s to the present, it’s £2 per person to enter with teams of up to a maximum of six people.
Cash prize for the winning team.
Thursday 7 November 2024
Live music: Holy Moly Youth Movement
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £10
Following their storming set earlier in the the year at the Ceremony Festival at Esquires, Holy Moly Youth Movement return as part of their debut UK Tour.
This five-piece band hails from Bristol and cites the likes of Primal Scream, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Stooges and dance acts like The Chemical Brothers and Underworld as major influences. H.Y.M have managed to combine elements of both Rock n Roll and Dance / Electronica into their immense sound.
Thursday 7 November 2024
Live music: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown + Omnivibes
Bedford Esquires @
Tickets:
The God of Hellfire is coming to Esquires this monthfor his debut performance at the venue.
Arthur Brown is synonymous with his 1968 hit “Fire” and the Hammond-driven “Crazy World” line-up which spawned it. However, in 1970, he returned with a new project: the prog-festival freak-show Kingdom Come followed by a varied solo career. Those initial four band albums, by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and by Kingdom Come are now considered psych rock classics.
Best known for his flamboyant theatrical performances and his powerful, wide- ranging operatic voice, he has been a major influence on a wide range of musicians due to his outstanding vocal ability and wild stage persona and concepts. He is considered a pioneer of shock rock and progressive rock and influential on heavy metal music. An associate of Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Frank Zappa, Hawkwind, Klaus Schultze and Alice Cooper, his countless collaborations include The Alan Parsons Project, The Stranglers and The Prodigy.
We are promised a full evening of ‘psychedelic individuality, ingenuity and madness.’ Featuring great musicians, iconic dance, stunning visuals, and sonic adventure. Come dressed as elaborately, creatively, flamboyant or low key as you feel….
Thursday 7 November 2024
Dancing: Planet Swing featuring Grandma’s Wooden Leg
The Dance Hall, Wixams Retirement Village, Bedford Road, Bedford, MK42 6EA @ 8pm – 10.30pm
Tickets: £12.99
An evening for dancers and music enthusiasts alike. Cashless bar, plenty of seating (night club set up) and dance floor. Book in advance and come along at 7.15pm for a 45-minute dance class in Balboa, one of the original swing dances of the era. For the main event, just turn up – pay cash at reception – have fun, no booking needed.
Thursday 7 November 2024
Quizzing: Irish folk night
The Castle, 17 Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Head to the Castle for a fun night of Irish tunes by the pub’s resident musicians. Playing some classic foot tapping Irish tunes for all to enjoy.
Friday 8 November 2024
Comedy: Felicity Ward: I’m Exhausting!
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £15
Star of ‘The Office’ (Australia), Felicity Ward returns for her first national tour in six years.
In a two hour laugh out loud extravaganza, Felicity Ward talks about something that no one has ever done before – she had a baby.
The show is about pregnancy, and not getting pregnant, and birth, and post-natal depression, and motherhood, and identity, and sexuality, and the disintegration of how things were, and missing home, and quorn, and transition lenses, and fingering. All the big things. All of them.
As seen on Wakefield, BBC’s Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, Stand Up Sketch Show and direct from her very own Amazon Prime stand-up comedy special. As heard on The Guilty Feminist, The News Quiz and The Now Show.
Friday 8 November 2024
Dance music: Smoove & Turrell
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £20
The story of Smoove & Turrell began in the post-millennium North East of England with a group of working class lads and a shared passion for soul.
Their first track was the now classic ‘I Can’t Give You Up’ recorded at band-member Mike Porter’s house as his Hammond Organ was immovably wedged in his utility room. Their newfound Northern Soul style demanded that a Smoove & Turrell live band was formed so they swiftly filled out their ranks with a crack team of like-minded Geordie musicians.
Airtime on BBC6Music’s ‘The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show’ was a kick-starter for their assault on national radio eventually landing Radio 2 record of the week twice and a playlist on 6 Music.
Friday 8 November 2024
Live music: The Last Chance Ragtime Band
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm / Bar opens at 6pm / Happy hour 6pm – 9pm
Free entry
The Last Chance Ragtime Band are returning once more to The Cellar Bar this month. In their own words: “We are a stomping Lindy Hop Jazz Band from Bedford. We play the best swing music especially crafted.” Can’t wait!
Saturday 9 November 2024
Walking: North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ weekly walk
Stagsden, MK43 8SQ @ 10am
Tempsford, SG19 2AN @ 1pm
This week’s Saturday morning walk is an 11.5-mile circular countryside route around Stagsden.
In the afternoon, join the group at the meeting point in Tempsford for a circular 6.5-mile walk to Blunham and Great Barford.
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 9 November 2024
Crafts: Demonstration by Aragon Lacemakers
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX @ drop in between 10.30am – 2pm
Free entry / no need to book
Lacemaking demonstration from local creatives from Aragon Lace. Watch how traditional lace is made and have a go with the help of their friendly volunteers.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Karen Sharp’s Quartet with Nikki Iles, Steven Brown & Dave Green
St Andrew’s Church, Kimbolton Road, Bedford, MK40 2PF @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £12.50
Award-winning jazz musician and professor at the Royal Academy of Music returns to her home town for a rare performance, bringing her great musical friends to St Andrews in the Karen Sharp Quartet.
Karen, a multiple award winner and prominent artist on the jazz scene will be appearing with her long-established line-up of Nikki Iles, Dave Green and Steve Brown – world-class musicians who also happen to be great friends.
Karen, herself a winner of multiple British jazz awards, is an established figure on the UK jazz scene and works with a broad variety of musicians and ensembles including the Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra, her own trio featuring guitarist Colin Oxley and bassist Simon Thorpe and her quartet. Nikki Iles is known across the globe for her piano playing and extraordinary writing for which she has won numerous awards. She is in demand as visiting director for big bands across Europe and in 2022 was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to music.
This is a rare opportunity to see these incredible musicians on your doorstep at an incredible price!
Saturday 9 November 2024
Comedy: Rob Newman: Where the Wild Things Were
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £20
This monthly event takes place at The Eagle Bookshop in St Peter’s Street.
Rob Newman’s epic stand-up show goes from cave paintings to car-free cities, by way of Imperial Rome’s chariot ban, Rapper’s Remorse, and the dance steps of Homo Ergaster.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Megapint?
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm
Free entry. Bar opens at 6.00 pm
The guys are back for another regular gig at The Cellar Bar. Expect musical excellence mixed with a wonderfully curated list of rock/pop classics
Saturday 9 November 2024
Theatre: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £12
Candlelit Theatre bring The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde dramatically to life with their signature storytelling approach using shadows, sounds and theatricality to faithfully recreate the tale.
Praised as being “an inspiration for aspiring playwrights” (The Stage ) Bart Lee skilfully guides the audience with his adaptation and direction enabling wonderful acting and choices that both thrill and delight.
Imagination ignites in the darkness. This show is perfect for those studying the text at GCSE and for drama lovers alike.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Evil Blizzard + Thee Alcoholics
Bedford Esquires @ 8pm
Tickets: £18
A gig nine years in the making – that’s how long Esquires have been asking, cajoling and…begging them to come south to Bedford.
Preston’s Evil Blizzard are truly an enigma. Four bass players, a singing drummer and an array of rubber masks that will give both children and adults sleepless nights for days on end – they are the most ingenious and charismatic live experience on the music scene today.
Evil Blizzard delve into many musical wells. Mixing their musical heritage from early Sabbath, Dub & krautrock through to more modern and diverse contemporaries such as Hawkwind, Public Image Limited and Killing Joke (the latter two even personally asking for Evil Blizzard to open for them). It appears that no musical genre is safe from their reach.
Blizzard have not only won over some very hard-line partisan crowds, but they have also gone on to conquer such music festivals as Kendal Calling, Super-sonic, Rebellion, The Great British Alternative Music Festival, Supernormal and The International Festival of Psychedelia in Liverpool.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Classical music: Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra concert
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm
Tickets: Prices vary
Guest Conductor John Beswick.
The Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra will present just two works in their forthcoming concert, but they are formidable compositions by giants of 19th and 20th-century classical music.
Edward Elgar’s technically difficult as well as musically appealing Violin Concerto, in B minor, Opus 61 will be performed by the multi-award-winning violinist, Michael Foyle. The second half of the programme will be devoted to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Opus 64, in which, although not explicitly nationalistic, a distinctively Russian flavour pervades many of the themes.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: The Bug Club + British Birds
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £15
Formed in 2016 in the little-known rock n’ roll hotbed that is Caldicot, Monmouthshire, The Bug Club’s name does a good job of introducing the band and their music. A tight-knit, collaborative effort focused on telling tales of the everyday that we often take for granted, shot through with humour and riffs-a-plenty.
Initially championed by BBC 6 Music’s Marc Riley, along with Adam Walton and Huw Stephens on Radio Cymru, The Bug Club have since earned the support of DJs, fellow artists and press worldwide.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Black & Gold
The Castle, 17 Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Head to the Castle ffor some serious foot-tapping Irish music. The craic is sure to be mighty!
Sunday 10 November 2024
Dance music: Daytime disco for grown-ups
The Cellar Bar @ 3pm / Happy Hour until 9pm
Free entry
It’s back! This Sunday, The Cellar Bar Daytime Disco is the chance to dance and sing along to some of the greatest hits ever on a Sunday afternoon! Why wait for the evening to have fun? 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. We welcome dressing up. Anyone who does will get a free shot from the bar. Free glow sticks and props.
Not only are we giving customers coming to this event a fabulous time, but please remember that we are just a bar and anyone can just come in, you don’t need to come just for events.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Live music: Thr3e play the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm – 7pm
Free entry
A warm welcome back for THR3E to this weeks Sunday Session at Esquires.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Music: Maddie Morris
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £10
Folk singer Maddie Morris is an artist who strives to make a difference in the world. Bold, insightful and refreshingly unique, they take traditional song in new directions to shine a light on contemporary issues, offering new perspectives about the world we live in today.
Maddie was recently commissioned by Unlimited to explore LGBTQIA+ experiences of disability through traditional music, and has also been proud to collaborate with organisations such as Queer Folk, The Bit Collective and Trans Pride Brighton.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Live music: Benjamin Francis Leftwich
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £16
Esquires have finalled snagged a date with the wonderful, Benjamin Francis Leftwich as part of his UK tour this November.
Artistic transformation is often associated with a blast of fanfare – the dramatic unveiling of a new look, or lofty announcement of the revelation that prompted such a change. In the case of Benjamin Francis Leftwich, reinvention transpires with significantly more subtlety on his latest album, Some Things Break.
“It feels like a new voice, in a way.” the York-born artist says. “I guess a more human and perhaps a more surrendered voice. Learning to hold on to certain things and let go of others with as much grace as possible…I feel like I’m hiding less on this record. Ultimately i think it’s a record about a kind of slow acceptance that some things break and for me – sometimes that’s necessary for healing”
Fans of Leftwich’s earlier work will associate him with a rich but pared-back acoustic singer-songwriter sound. Hit songs such as “Atlas Hands” and “Shine” – both from his Top 40 debut Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm – were infused with a charming wistfulness, and the yearning for sweet escape. Fans and critics alike were struck by this new artist’s disarming honesty; his lyrics were lauded for their candidness and vulnerability.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Live music: Luke Combs tribute
Bedford Corn Exchange:
Tickets: £30.25
Get ready to experience the heart and soul of country music as Bedford pays homage to one of the genre’s biggest stars. Join in a night of incredible songs, authentic Southern vibes, and a whole lot of boot-stomping fun!
With sold-out shows up and down the UK and Ireland, Luke Combs UK does not disappoint. The image of Luke Combs and more importantly that North Carolina Country vocal and sound are on full display in this incredible show, with a jaw-dropping closeness to the real thing.
The live five-piece band perform all of Luke’s hits and fan favourites from across all of his albums and continues to wow audiences who come for their Country fix. If ‘beer never broke your heart’ and y’all wanna get ‘beautiful crazy’ then this show is for you.
At the Higgins Bedford
Exhibition: Rediscovering Black Portraiture
The Higgins Bedford
Free entry
The newest exhibition at the Higgins began as a diversionary lockdown project in 2020 and can now be seen at Kensington Palace, the Bodeian Library in Oxford and now in Bedford.
It features the work of Manchester-born professional opera singer, Peter Brathwaite, who has lived in the Black Tom area of Bedford since 2018.
With all his singing work cancelled during the pandemic, Peter began looking for an outlet for his creative talents and started recreating famous and lesser-known Black portraiture paintings using as props whatever he could find around his house.
It was inspired by the Getty Foundation’s lockdown project, but quickly took on a life of its own, gathering a large international online following. You can explore the project at his Instagram page @peter_brathwaite.
And from Saturday, 18 May, they will form part of an installation at the Higgins Bedford which will lead visitors through the main collections and into Cecil Higgins’ house, with Peter’s interpretation of The Paston Treasure at its heart.
Read: ‘Rediscovering Black Portraiture’ at the Higgins Bedford this May
Exhibition: Edward Bawden & Me
The Higgins Bedford until
Free entry
Brand new work by some of the biggest names in contemporary British art, illustration and textiles are on display at an exhibition at the Higgins Bedford in celebration of the work of one of Britain’s most inventive and influential artists
Entitled Edward Bawden & Me, the exhibition has been curated by Bawden’s good friend, illustrator and printmaker, Chris Brown and also features work by local artists’ collective, the Circus of Illustration.
Read: Star-studded new Edward Bawden exhibition opens at the Higgins Bedford
You can also read the full article in the February issue of The Bedford Clanger.
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 | From 3 October: Thursday- Saturday – 10am – 4pm (last entry 3.30)
Free entry
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.
Every Thursday
Cocktails, Quiz Night & Karaoke
The Cellar Bar from 5.00pm
Pit your wits against The Cellar Bar’s resident quizmaster to see if you can win the jackpot every Thursday from 8pm. £2 per person entry and a maximum of six per team. The winning team will win the jackpot PLUS a round of shots. Followed by Karaoke til close
Every Saturday
Food & drink: Cocktail mixology masterclass
The Cellar Bar @ 3pm / doors open at 12 noon
£30 per person
The Cellar Bar’s resident mixologist, Marley, will explain how to create some outstanding cocktails for your tasting enjoyment. Then, it’s your turn to put what you’ve learned into practice by making (and drinking) three cocktails!
Every Sunday
Live Music: Open Mic Night
The Cellar Bar @ 7.30pm
Free Entry
Every Sunday, join Mat Roberts for the Cellar Bar’s weekly Open Mic night. An opportunity for new and experienced performers to get up on stage and perform.
So whether you think you are the next Tom Grennan or just want a good night of entertainment, head the to Cellar Bar from 7.30pm.
Theatre highlights by Paula Walker
