Festivals and events this autumn in Worcestershire
Narrowboat Holidays Across Great Britain
Don’t let the post summer blues get you down! Enjoy an autumn break and experience the UK in all its autumnal splendour. The spectacular landscapes with changing hues, relaxing cruising and the crackling log fires and tasty food in the canal side pubs
Plus, there are plenty of events and festivals taking place across the UK at this time so here’s our guide to what is worth seeing and doing in Worcestershire this autumn.
From our canal boat hire base in Worcestershire at Stoke Prior you can cruise the Stourport Ring, a 76 mile route which is manageable at 6 hours a day over a week to catch some of the autumn events below.
October half term at Cadbury World
Running alongside the Worcestershire and Birmingham Canal, not far from the Black Prince base at Stoke Prior, is the world famous Cadbury World. This attraction, open all year round, is featuring a special autumn event in October.
Visit between 19th – 31st October and 1st – 3rd November to join in Freddo’s Halloween Spooktacular ! With plenty of tricks and treats, games and songs, it will be a chocoholics perfect Halloween party!
Cadbury World is a popular visitor attraction, featuring a self-guided exhibition tour complete with free chocolate tasting and a mini train ride! Plus you can take in the journey of the chocolate story at the 4D cinema and stop off at the children’s play area and cafe.
Let’s raise a cup of warm Cadbury Dairy Milk to the weekend 😍 pic.twitter.com/9yS01jp6Cz
— Cadbury World (@CadburyWorld) August 31, 2019
Find out more and book online at https://www.cadburyworld.co.uk/en
If music is more your passion, then there are two autumn music events coming up in Worcestershire and the West Midlands during September and October.
Black Sabbath Exhibition
Fan of heavy metal? Head to Chamberlain Square in Birmingham to catch the Black Sabbath exhibition. This blockbuster exhibition is devoted to the music that was born in and around Birmingham and celebrates Black Sabbath from the perspective of their fans.
From the humble beginnings of 1960s Aston, Birmingham, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward created a new musical culture – Heavy Metal. Black Sabbath sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, ranked by MTV as the ‘Greatest Metal Band’ of all time and listed by Rolling Stone Magazine in their ‘100 greatest artists of all time’. This year Black Sabbath will receive a Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Grammys.
Worcester Music Festival
For a more varied mix of music then head to the autumn Worcester Music Festival which returns for the eleventh consecutive year from September 13-15, 2019.
The festival takes place in more than 20 venues in Worcester City Centre, hosting around 250 bands over 3 days as well as a number of workshops.
With live music across the city, from pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes to historic buildings, record shops, on the streets and even in breweries, the festival is free to attend. The festival also delivers free music-related workshops for the whole community. Adults and children can take part in everything from drum clinics and Q&As with industry experts to learning an instrument or singing in a pop choir. Amateur photographers of any age or experience can also enter the annual photography competition.
Find out more here: http://www.worcestermusicfestival.co.uk/line-up/
About Birmingham Literature Festival
If you are enjoying an autumn break on a narrowboat in the midlands then another event not to miss is the Birmingham Literature Festival. Taking place every year in October, this festival showcases the very best writers, speakers, thinkers, activists and artists from the UK and across the world.
Find out more here: https://www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org/all-events
Autumn Steam Gala at Severn Valley Railway
Swap your narrowboat for a steam train with a visit to the Severn Valley Railway, located near Stourport. Their Autumn Steam Gala celebrates the return to service of BR Standard 4 No. 75069, with three visiting locomotives. (If you’re a fan of steam trains, we’re sure you know what that means. For everyone else – it will be fun to find out!)
Three engines that have never visited the Severn Valley Railway will be the star attractions at our Autumn Steam Gala, as Q No. 30541 joins the line-up!
— SevernValleyRailway (@svrofficialsite) September 3, 2019
Purchase your tickets and Working Timetable here: https://t.co/iAdNkthcDx pic.twitter.com/gq81QY3fAx
Attractions at this autumn Steam Gala event include the overnight running on Friday and Saturday with Pannier Tanks No. 1501 and No. 7714, two Southern Railway ‘West Country’ Pacifics in operation, a Friday morning express from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, a Guild of Railway Artists exhibition at Kidderminster Railway Museum and much more.
The Halt will attempt to cover six decades by changing its external appearance throughout the event. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Station will return to the 1900s, then move to the 1930s (around lunchtime), followed by the wartime period, then the 1950s and finally the sixties with the closure notice being posted just before they lock up.
Find out more here: https://www.svr.co.uk/SEItem.aspx?a=100
Here are just a few of the events and attractions this autumn in Worcestershire and the West Midlands. Find out more about our canal boat hire base in Worcester at Stoke Prior and the routes you can follow, whether a short three or four night short break or a longer holiday.