Free fireworks in Cassiobury Park on Saturday 7 November, Diwali on the 1st and a free Halloween haunted house on 31 October, plus 44 more dated listings.

The biggest free night of the Watford autumn is fixed: the council’s fireworks in Cassiobury Park on Saturday 7 November, with the display at 7.30pm. Six days before it, on Sunday 1 November, Diwali fills the town centre from 11am to 7.30pm. Between now and then Watford Palace Theatre has a show on most nights, the Colosseum has Francis Rossi, Art Garfunkel and Jools Holland, and half term brings a free ghost trail to the High Street and a free haunted house at Pondside on Halloween night.

Everything below was read from the organisers’ own pages on 29 September 2026 and re-checked on 6 October, and every entry links to its source. Prices are the lowest ticket price the organiser publishes. Watford Colosseum’s pages give door times but no prices, so none are quoted for it. For places that are open whatever the month, see our guide to things to do in Watford.

This week

Tuesday 6 to Sunday 11 October.

  • Bring Your Own Baby Comedy, Wednesday 7 October, 11.30am, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A lunchtime stand-up show for parents, with buggy parking and babies welcome. Tickets from £15 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • An Evening with Manchester United Legends Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister, Wednesday 7 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. The two former United centre backs talk through their years at Old Trafford. Tickets from £38 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Fastlove: The Tribute to George Michael, Thursday 8 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A tribute show running from Wham! to the solo years. Tickets from £35 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Too Much Too Young, Friday 9 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A two-hour show of 2 Tone and ska, back for a second year. Tickets from £30.50 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Queen of the Night: A Tribute to Whitney Houston, Friday 9 October, doors 6.30pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. A Whitney Houston tribute production with a full live band (Watford Colosseum).
  • Black History Month Dial Up, Friday 9 October, 7pm, Watford Pump House, WD17 2JP. An open mic for Black History Month in the Colne River Room, open to everyone, for music, poetry and stories. Free, with a suggested donation of £5 at the door (Watford Pump House).
  • Gary Delaney: Gary On Laughing, Saturday 10 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. Sold out. The theatre is taking names for a waiting list at sales@watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Bogdan-Mihai Simion and Lăutarii de Mătase: Când plecai de la Râmnic, Sunday 11 October, doors 6pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. A Romanian concert with special guests and an original stage setting (Watford Colosseum).

Later in October

Half term for most Watford schools is Monday 26 to Friday 30 October. Our October half term page has the term dates and more for families, and our Watford Halloween page has the trail, the show, Market Lates and the nearest pumpkin farms.

  • An Evening with Art Garfunkel, Tuesday 13 October, doors 7pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. The singer’s What a Wonderful World tour (Watford Colosseum).
  • Paintings and Prints by Sophie Cordery, Tuesday 13 October to Tuesday 10 November, Watford Pump House, WD17 2JP. A free exhibition in the Charles Room, open whenever Tina Lake’s Cafe is open, after a private view on the 13th (Watford Pump House).
  • Barry From Watford: Shooting From The New Hip, Thursday 15 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. The character comedian’s stand-up show, about one hour 50 minutes with an interval. Tickets from £27 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Leo Sayer, Thursday 15 October, doors 6pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. The Can’t Stop Loving You tour (Watford Colosseum).
  • Luther: The Candlelight Concert, Friday 16 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A vocalist and live band play Luther Vandross’s hits by candlelight, one hour 40 minutes with an interval. Tickets from £36 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Simon Evans: Staring At The Sun, Saturday 17 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. Stand-up from the Radio 4 regular. Tickets from £23 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Rak-Su: One For The Road, Sunday 18 October, doors 3.15pm, support from 3.55pm, Rak-Su at 5pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. The Watford group who won The X Factor in 2017 play a home town show, finishing at 6.15pm. The booking panel shows tickets from £20, while the theatre’s own description says from £28, so check the price at checkout (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • An Evening With John Lydon, Tuesday 20 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. The Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd frontman in conversation. Tickets from £38 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • The Music Of Whitney: The Candlelight Concert, Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A live band and tribute vocalist play Whitney Houston’s songs by candlelight. Tickets from £28 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Jonathan Pie, Friday 23 October, doors 6.30pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. The End of The World According to Jonathan Pie, the satirical news reporter’s new live show (Watford Colosseum).
  • Wifi Wars, Saturday 24 October, 3pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A comedy game show the whole audience plays on their own phones, so bring one charged. Tickets from £18 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Jimeoin: Ballyhoo, Saturday 24 October, doors 6.30pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. Stand-up from the Irish-Australian comedian (Watford Colosseum).
  • Grandslam Wrestling, Sunday 25 October, 3pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. Family wrestling show, two hours with an interval. Tickets from £18 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Ricky Gervais: Legend, Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. Sold out. Both nights of the new tour show are listed as sold out by the venue (Watford Colosseum).
  • Trick or Treat Trail, Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, 10am to 4pm, Watford High Street and The Parade. Ten inflatable ghosts sit in shop windows along the High Street and The Parade through half term. Find one, go in and say trick or treat for a sweet. Free, with a £100 Watford Gift Card prize draw for team selfies. None of the ghosts are inside Harlequin Watford or on side roads (Watford Town Centre BID).
  • Dinosaur Adventure Live, Tuesday 27 October, 2pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A one-hour half term family show with dinosaur puppets. Tickets from £21 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Meetcute Book Club, Wednesday 28 October, 7pm to 9pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. The first meeting of a monthly romance book club in the theatre’s 1908 Cabaret, with an hour’s discussion and then a visit from the author. Free tickets; email hello@meetcutecollective.com for the month’s book (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • An Evening with Tottenham Legends, Thursday 29 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle, Ossie Ardiles and Steve Perryman on their Spurs years. Tickets from £38 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Halloween Market Lates, Friday 30 October, 6pm to 10pm, Watford Market, WD17 1BJ. The last of the year’s three late openings at the market. Free face painting from 6pm to 8pm, a roaming magician, Abbie Gathard from 6pm to 7.30pm and then the covers band Scratch, plus a pop-up bar and Caribbean, Asian and Korean street food. Free entry, fancy dress encouraged (Watford Borough Council).
  • Opera Boys, Starring Paul Potts, Friday 30 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. The classical-crossover group’s final tour, with Britain’s Got Talent’s first winner. Tickets from £35 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Watford Film Club: Ghostbusters, Friday 30 October, 8pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A Halloween screening of the 1984 comedy, certificate PG, one hour 45 minutes. Tickets from £7.50 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Trick or Treat Show, Saturday 31 October, 5pm to 6pm, Pondside. Free street performances at Pondside on Halloween, with themed dances, a contortionist and a free haunted house. Bring a carved pumpkin and come in costume for a chance of Watford Gift Cards (Watford Town Centre BID).
  • Bingo Lingo: Halloween Special, Saturday 31 October, doors 6pm, last entry 7.30pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. Rave bingo with joke prizes and stage antics (Watford Colosseum).
  • Buffy Revamped, Saturday 31 October, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. All seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer retold by Spike in 75 minutes, no interval. Tickets from £28 (Watford Palace Theatre).

November

  • Diwali Celebrations, Sunday 1 November, 11am to 7.30pm, Watford town centre. Free diya making, cultural performances, a Festival of Light parade and a rangoli lighting ceremony. The BID names four locations: the High Street, Harlequin Watford, Pondside and Watford Palace Theatre. The running order is not published yet (Watford Town Centre BID). Our Watford Diwali page has how last year’s festival ran.
  • The Dial Up open mic at Tina Lake’s Cafe, Sunday 1 November, 2pm, Watford Pump House, WD17 2JP. A two-hour open mic for music, poetry, comedy and dance in the Charles Room. November’s theme is Winter Warmers. Free entry, with a suggested donation of £5. The next is Sunday 6 December, a Christmas party (Watford Pump House).
  • Pink Live Starring Vicky Jackson, Sunday 1 November, doors 6.30pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. A Pink tribute show with a full live band (Watford Colosseum).
  • When Strings Speak, Sunday 1 November, 7pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. Antarang’s cross-cultural show of Hindustani and Western violin, Flamenco guitar and dance, and Kathak and Odissi, about two hours with an interval. It opens with a half-hour Diwali curtain raiser by children from Watford’s Pandav Vidhya Shaala School. Tickets from £18 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Ballet Black At 25, Wednesday 4 November, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. Cassa Pancho’s company marks its 25th anniversary, 90 minutes including an interval. Tickets from £23.50 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Mini Museum Movers, Thursday 5 November, 10am to 11am and 11.15am to 12.15pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. A free drop-in dance session for confident walkers up to five and their adults, run by the Museum of Watford on the first Thursday of the month. A third session is at West Watford Community Centre at 1.30pm. This is the last date listed (Museum of Watford).
  • The Elvis Years, Thursday 5 November, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. Mario Kombou and band work through every era of Elvis Presley. Tickets from £32 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Jools Holland and His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Friday 6 November, doors 6.30pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. With special guest Roachford, plus Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka, and support from Joe Webb (Watford Colosseum).
  • Cassiobury Fireworks, Saturday 7 November, 6pm to 8pm, fireworks at 7.30pm, Cassiobury Park, WD18 7LG. The council’s free display, with Vibe 107.6FM on stage from 6pm, food stalls and children’s funfair rides. There is no parking in the Gade Avenue car park from 3pm apart from a few blue badge spaces, and restrictions on the roads around the park run from 7am to 11pm (Watford Borough Council).
  • The Gruffalo, Saturday 7 November, 1.30pm and 4.30pm, and Sunday 8 November, 10.30am and 1.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. Tall Stories’ one-hour musical of the picture book. The Saturday 4.30pm show is a relaxed performance. Tickets from £18 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Josh Berry: Work In Progress, Wednesday 11 November, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. The impressionist and satirist tries out new material in Studio 1, one hour, all ages. Tickets from £11 (Watford Palace Theatre).
  • Prof. Alice Roberts: From Cell to Civilisation, Thursday 12 November, doors 6.30pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. The scientist and broadcaster’s stage show on the human story (Watford Colosseum).
  • Rennie Grove Peace Firewalk, Thursday 12 November, registration from 6.30pm, Peace Hospice, WD17 3PH. Walk barefoot over hot embers for the hospice charity, open to anyone aged 12 and over. Adults £25, 12 to 17s £20, and walkers are asked to aim for £228 in sponsorship. Spectators get in free (Watford Town Centre BID).
  • ELO Again, Friday 13 November, doors 6.30pm, Watford Colosseum, WD17 3JN. An ELO tribute with the band’s orchestrations and a light show (Watford Colosseum).
  • It Walks Around The House At Night, Friday 13 November, 7.30pm, Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 1JZ. ThickSkin’s ghost story by Tim Foley, 90 minutes with no interval, age 14 and over, with jump scares and strobe. Tickets from £13 (Watford Palace Theatre).

Our Watford fireworks page has the travel and parking detail for the 7th. Further ahead, Remembrance Sunday is 8 November, the Christmas lights switch-on is Saturday 21 November and the Palace Theatre pantomime opens on the 29th. The council had not published this year’s Remembrance arrangements when this page was written; our Remembrance Sunday page explains what has happened in past years.

Regular events

  • Cassiobury parkrun, Every Saturday, 9am, Cassiobury Park, WD18 7LB. A free, timed 5k of two and a half laps on the park’s tarmac paths, open to walkers, joggers and runners. Meet near the bandstand, reached from the Shepherds Road or Stratford Road entrances. The organisers say parking round the park is very limited (parkrun).
  • Watford Open Mic, Every Tuesday, 8pm to 11pm, doors 7.30pm, Watford Pump House, WD17 2JP. Ten or 15 minute slots with full sound and a piano in the Colne River Room. Entry £5, under 16s £1 (Watford Pump House).

What we could not confirm

Watford FC’s fixture list and Watford Market’s opening hours could not be read from the club’s and the market’s own sites on 29 September, so neither is listed here. We do not take fixtures or hours from third-party sites.

Getting there

The Palace Theatre, the Colosseum, Pondside and the market are all within a ten minute walk of each other in the town centre. Cassiobury Park is next to Watford Underground station on the Metropolitan line. For car parks and tariffs see parking in Watford, for rail see train times to London, and check roadworks and travel before a weekend trip.

This page is rewritten as organisers confirm new dates. Dates and times can change, so use the links before you travel. More in our What’s On section.

Send us your event

Running something in Watford? Email hello@watfordtoday.co.uk with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free of charge, always. Yours goes on this page and in the diary on our What’s On hub.

Sources