If September is the harvest, October is what happens to it afterwards. The apples turn into cider, the barley into beer and whisky, and the festival calendar quietly shifts from things you eat to things you drink. Of the 35 festivals in this guide, 21 are about drink: ten beer and cider festivals, six whisky festivals, three Oktoberfests, a wine festival, and a gin and rum festival held in a church.
So for the first time, drinks festivals dominate the month. They belong here. A volunteer-run CAMRA festival in a civic hall is exactly the kind of small, stubborn, long-running event this site exists for, and Bedford and Norwich are on their 48th and 47th.
What surprised me is where people do their drinking. Manchester's whisky festival is inside the cathedral. Nottingham's beer festival takes over Trent Bridge, the Test cricket ground. The Whisky Show fills Old Billingsgate, the old fish market on the Thames, and every ticket includes a dram from a bottle costing £500 or more, which may be why most of it had sold out by the time I checked. Norwich Beer Festival is back in the Halls after two years away for repairs, with around 40,000 pints to get through. And Redhill Beer Festival isn't in Redhill.
The food hasn't gone anywhere. Falmouth's oystermen are still banned by ancient law from using engines, so the boats dredge under sail. Brogdale's apple fair sends you home with 4kg of apples you've picked yourself from the National Fruit Collection. Dartmouth, free and run by volunteers, has Mark Hix, Nathan Outlaw, Mitch Tonks and Henry Harris of Bouchon Racine. And on Saturday 3 October alone, twelve festivals are on.
A word on all that drinking. Most of the drinks festivals need a ticket and several are over-18s only. Very few are somewhere you'd want to drive home from, so look at the trains before you look at the tickets.
Every festival I could find is below, weekend by weekend. As always, check the festival's own site before you set off, because some listings sites are still showing last year's dates, and use the map to see what's near you. Of course if goes without saying if you think we've missed one let us know...
Find what's near you
35 events in this guide
The map loads from Google. Nothing is sent to them until you open it.
First weekend: 1–4 October
Ayrshire Beer and Cider Festival — Troon Concert Hall, Troon, Ayrshire (1–3 October). A CAMRA festival of real ales and ciders over three days in the concert hall on South Beach. Many CAMRA festivals now let members in free if they book ahead, so members should check the booking terms. Everyone else, check the website for session times and prices.
Carmarthenshire CAMRA Beer and Cider Festival — St Peter's Civic Hall, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire (1–3 October). Carmarthenshire CAMRA's festival fills St Peter's Civic Hall on Nott Square with cask ale and cider for three days. Check the website for session times and prices.
London Oktoberfest — Finsbury Park, London (1–3 October). London's biggest Oktoberfest has run every year since 2011, and this year pitches its tent in Finsbury Park with long tables, Bavarian FestBeer, German food and a live band. It's over-18s only, so bring photo ID. Sessions run 5pm to 11pm on Thursday and Friday, with afternoon and evening sessions on Saturday. Tickets from £10.
Broadstairs Autumn Food Festival — Victoria Gardens, Broadstairs, Kent (2–4 October). Around 100 independent producers take over Victoria Gardens, on the clifftop above Viking Bay, with bread, cheese, preserves, street food and craft drinks, plus cookery demonstrations and workshops. Some listings online still show last year's dates, so note it's the first weekend of October this year. Free entry. Open 10am to 6pm Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm Sunday, and a short walk from Broadstairs station.
Neath Food and Drink Festival — Neath town centre, Neath Port Talbot (2–3 October). Neath Port Talbot Council turns the market town over to food, drink and entertainment for a Friday and a Saturday. The Friday is worth knowing about if you'd rather browse before the weekend crowds arrive. Open 10am to 5.30pm both days. The council car parks are close by, including Milland Road with 450 spaces and the multi-storey with 600.
Whisky Show London — Old Billingsgate, London (2–4 October). The Whisky Exchange's show brings more than 120 exhibitors and over 1,000 whiskies and spirits to Old Billingsgate, the former fish market on the Thames. Every ticket includes food, demos and talks, and a Dream Dram token for a pour from a bottle costing £500 to £1,000, and there's a new Old & Rare zone this year. Be quick: when we checked on 10 September, Friday, Saturday and weekend tickets had sold out, leaving Sunday day tickets at £125.
Brecon Beacons Food Festival — Brecon Market Hall, Brecon, Powys (3 October). More than 60 food and drink producers from in and around the national park fill Brecon's Market Hall, with live music, family activities and a market spilling into the town centre. It's a not-for-profit festival, and the organiser, Andrew Powell, has been candid that staying free with no guaranteed budget and rising costs is a constant struggle. This year Beacon Foods and Castell Howell have stepped in as title sponsors to help keep it that way. Free entry, 9.30am to 4.30pm.
Brogdale Apple Fair — Brogdale Farm, Faversham, Kent (3–4 October). Brogdale is home to the National Fruit Collection, with more than 3,000 varieties of fruit tree, and this is its apple weekend, with tastings, guided and tractor tours of the Collection, expert talks and free apple juicing for children. Every adult ticket includes a tote bag to fill with 4kg of apples you pick yourself in the orchards, and the first 1,000 also get an apple recipe book. Adults £16, under-16s free, 10am to 4pm with last entry at 3pm. Parking is free, but dogs aren't allowed in the orchards.
East Midlands Food Festival — Stockyard Halls, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire (3–4 October). The 22nd East Midlands Food Festival brings artisan cheese, pies, charcuterie, chocolate, cider, beer, gin and whisky to Melton Mowbray's Stockyard Halls, all under cover whatever the weather. Many stands offer tasters, and there's a street food area, local chefs in the Food Theatre, chocolate, butter and pie-making workshops for children, and music from the El-Eaga Gospel Choir. In 2018 the New York Times listed it among the five most interesting festivals in the world. Tickets are £8 a day in advance or on the gate, and under-16s go free with an adult. Open 10am to 4pm with last entry at 3.30pm; no dogs except assistance dogs.
Newport Food Festival — High Street and John Frost Square, Newport (3 October). Newport City Council's festival runs a traditional food market along High Street and the streets around it, with street food and live music in John Frost Square where you can sit down and eat. Check the council's festival page for times.
Oktoberfest Stone — Westbridge Park, Stone, Staffordshire (3 October). The team behind the Stone Food & Drink Festival, which now runs in May, is launching a brand-new autumn event. Oktoberfest Stone takes over Westbridge Park with licensed bars, live music, entertainment and street food. Over-18s only, 2pm to 10pm; tickets through the Oktoberfest Stone website.
Powderham Food Festival — Powderham Castle, Kenton, Devon (3–4 October). Powderham's festival has been going for more than a decade, and this year it fills the grounds of Powderham Castle with 118 producers, 95% of them from Devon: cheeses and chutneys, craft distillers, street food and a World Foods area. The Powderham Pub serves local beers, ales and spirits, and the demo stage includes gluten-free baking with MasterChef finalist Laura Strange and fish cooked over fire. The Clifton Chilli Club runs a chilli-eating contest at 2.30pm both days. Advance tickets are £5.50 including castle grounds entry (£7.50 on the gate), under-16s go free but still need a ticket, parking is free and dogs on short leads are welcome. Open 10am to 5pm.
Second weekend: 7–11 October
Bedford Beer & Cider Festival — Bedford Corn Exchange, Bedford, Bedfordshire (7–10 October). The 48th Bedford Beer & Cider Festival fills the Corn Exchange with real ale, cider and craft over four days. Advance tickets are £14, which includes beer tokens and a refundable glass, and CAMRA members get free entry, so their £14 buys more tokens. Last year's limited-edition souvenir glass sold out completely. Open 4pm to 11pm Wednesday, noon to 11pm Thursday and Friday, noon to 10pm Saturday.
Nottingham Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival — Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire (7–10 October). Nottingham's CAMRA festival is held at Trent Bridge, the Test cricket ground, for four days of beer and cider. Check the website for sessions and prices.
Falmouth Oyster Festival — Falmouth, Cornwall (8–11 October). Falmouth's festival marks the start of the oyster-dredging season, which runs from October to March, and champions the native Fal oyster. Ancient laws forbid the oystermen here from using engines, so the boats still work under sail with hand-pulled dredges, the only oyster fishery in Europe where that is required. Expect four days of cookery demonstrations from Cornwall's chefs, native oysters and local produce, and an arts and crafts market. Free to attend during the day, with ticketed entertainment in the evenings.
Crieff Food & Drink Festival — Crieff, Perthshire (10–18 October). Crieff bills this as Strathearn's Greatest Feast, and it runs for nine days. It opens with a Scottish Artisan Food & Drink Market at The Steading Courtyard on Broich Road, then spreads across town with dining events, masterclasses, workshops and festival specials in the bars and cafés. The finale weekend brings live kitchen demos, the Crieff Bake Off and live music. The opening market runs 10am to 4pm on Saturday 10 October and is free to enter; check the festival programme for the week's other events and what needs booking.
Edinburgh's Whisky Festival — Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh (10 October). Around 60 brands and more than 1,000 visitors are expected at Murrayfield, and sampling from hundreds of whiskies is included in the ticket, along with a Glencairn glass to keep. There's a whisky heritage exhibition, live coopering demonstrations from Diageo's Cambus Cooperage and an onsite shop. The festival supports the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, which raises awareness of and funds for MND. Two sessions: noon to 3.30pm and 4.30pm to 8pm.
Filey Food Festival — Evron Centre, Filey, North Yorkshire (10–11 October). The last of Filey's four food festivals this year, with more than 75 stalls set against the backdrop of Filey Bay. Expect gourmet pies, artisan chocolates, homemade cakes and locally made spirits and ales, alongside street food from Greece, Thailand, Spain, India, Mexico and Italy, with gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. It's run by North Yorkshire Council at the Evron Centre. Free entry.
Gin & Rum Festival Shrewsbury — St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (10 October). The touring Gin & Rum Festival's only October stop is Shrewsbury, in the Church of St Mary the Virgin. Expect more than 120 gins, rums and tequilas to sample, a cocktail bar, and a live DJ and band. Doors open at 12.30pm; check the ticket page for session times and prices.
Llangollen Food Festival — Llangollen, Denbighshire (10–11 October). Established in 1997, Llangollen was one of the first food festivals in Wales, and it spreads across venues in the middle of town. Expect two days of local food, chef demonstrations, live music and family activities, with Penderyn Distillery among this year's sponsors. Free entry, 10am to 5pm both days.
Wells Food Festival — Wells, Somerset (11 October). More than 200 stalls of food, drink, street food and homewares fill the medieval heart of England's smallest city. There's English wine to taste and buy by the glass or bottle, a Food for Thought area tackling food issues, and a children's zone with cookery workshops and a trail. It's run by a volunteer team, and last year drew close to 16,000 people. Open 10.30am to 4.30pm.
Third weekend: 12–18 October
Derby Heritage Beer Festival — Derby Market Hall, Derby (14–17 October). Derby CAMRA's Heritage Beer Festival fills Derby Market Hall with cask ale and cider for four days. Check the branch website for session times and prices.
Manchester Whisky Festival — Manchester Cathedral, Manchester (16–17 October). The Whisky Lounge brings its festival to Manchester Cathedral, with whiskies from Scotland and England and from much further afield. The format is refreshingly simple: go up to any exhibitor's stand, ask for a dram and you'll be poured one, and since the people behind the stands know their whiskies inside out, it pays to ask questions. Session times are set deliberately so the festival never gets overcrowded. It opens at 6pm on Friday and closes at 9pm on Saturday; check the website for session times and ticket prices.
Weymouth Octoberfest — Weymouth Pavilion, Weymouth, Dorset (16–17 October). West Dorset CAMRA's autumn festival takes over the Weymouth Pavilion on the Esplanade for two days of real ale and cider. Check the website for sessions and prices.
Manchester Wine Festival — Victoria Warehouse, Manchester (17 October). After three sold-out editions, Manchester Wine Festival returns to Victoria Warehouse with brands, importers and producers pouring wines from all over the world. All the wine you taste is included, with bottles to buy if something stands out, plus food, DJs and games. Two sessions, 1pm to 4.30pm and 5.30pm to 9pm; check the website for ticket prices.
FOODfest — Barnstaple Pannier Market, Barnstaple, Devon (18 October). North Devon's biggest food and drink festival returns to the newly regenerated Pannier Market, with local chefs, restaurateurs and artisan producers under one roof. Bring a shopping bag. Open 10am to 3.30pm.
Fourth weekend: 19–25 October
Steel City Beer and Cider Festival — Kelham Island Museum, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (21–24 October). Sheffield CAMRA's Steel City festival takes over Kelham Island Museum for four days of beer and cider. Check the website for sessions and prices.
Dartmouth Food Festival — Dartmouth, Devon (23–25 October). One of the most celebrated food festivals in the country, run by volunteers, not for profit and free, spreading across the whole riverside town and drawing more than 20,000 people. This year's chefs include Henry Harris of Bouchon Racine, Richard Bertinet, Mark Hix, Cherie Denham and Jane Baxter, alongside local heroes Mitch Tonks and Nathan Outlaw. New for 2026 is a Fire & Food Quarter on the South Embankment, run with The BBQ Magazine and given over to live-fire cooking. For the first time, a bursary gives three small producers from within 30 miles a free pitch. Free entry across the town.
Dornoch Whisky Festival — Dornoch, Sutherland (23–25 October). Dornoch's whisky festival marks its 11th year with a weekend in the Highland town. The centrepiece is Saturday's grand tasting, with 24 Scottish whisky brands under one roof, in a morning or afternoon session for £35. Around it you can add dinners, lunches, tastings and masterclasses from Friday to Sunday. Check the events page for venues and what's still available.
AuchtoberFest — Aytoun Hall, Auchterarder, Perthshire (24 October). Auchterarder's annual beer and gin festival is run by the community council and A&A Connected, with local beers and ciders, a gin and prosecco bar and soft drinks. Tickets are £12 and include a glass and your first pint, gin or prosecco. Over-18s only, 2pm to 6.30pm. Tickets are available on the door, but the organisers ask you to buy online so they can manage numbers.
Last week: 26 October–1 November
Norwich Beer Festival — The Halls, Norwich, Norfolk (26–31 October). Norwich Beer Festival has been held at The Halls since 1977, and after two years away while the building underwent critical repairs, it's home. Around 40,000 pints go across St Andrew's Hall, the quieter Blackfriars Hall and a World Beer Bar in the marquee, with a cider bar and a Curiosity Bar that has previously served beer slushies. It runs through Norfolk's half term, opens all day on the Tuesday for the first time, and marks the local CAMRA branch's 50th anniversary. Free to CAMRA members at every session; check the website for public ticket prices.
Carlisle Beer and Cider Festival — Station Hotel, Carlisle, Cumbria (29–31 October). A CAMRA beer and cider festival at the Station Hotel on Court Square in Carlisle. Check the website for sessions and prices.
Redhill Beer Festival — Merstham Village Hall, Merstham, Surrey (29–31 October). Despite the name, the Redhill Beer Festival is held in Merstham Village Hall, and run by the local CAMRA branch. Check the website for sessions and prices.
Wales Whisky Fest — The Imperial Hotel, Llandudno, Conwy (30 October–1 November). A whole weekend of whisky in Llandudno. Friday opens with a dinner of Welsh food paired with Welsh whiskies, and Saturday is the main tasting with exhibitors from across the UK, both at the Imperial Hotel. Sunday turns to smaller masterclasses, some of them at Penderyn's Llandudno distillery. The organisers ask that enquiries go to them by email rather than to the hotel; check the website for sessions and ticket prices.
Berwick Whisky Festival — Berwick Town Hall, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland (31 October). Berwick's first whisky festival, in the historic Town Hall, with more than 150 drams. Exhibitors announced so far include Deanston, Tobermory, Ledaig, Ad Gefrin, Ileach, Finlaggan, Cooper's Choice, and Macallan, Glenrothes and Highland Park. It runs 1pm to 5pm; there's a check-in area, and the organisers ask you not to arrive before 12.50pm.