What’s On in Stratford-upon-Avon This Weekend

This weekend: Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026. Halloween season gets going in Stratford: Sweeney Todd opens at the Attic Theatre on Friday, Magic Alley’s Nightmare on Greenhill Street starts on Saturday, and there’s a Halloween Quiz at Rother Street Arts House on Sunday. The Waterside Upmarket is on Sunday too. We update this page every Thursday with events we’ve checked, so it’s always about the coming weekend.

This weekend at a glance

Theatre and music

• Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls opens at the Attic Theatre at Cox’s Yard on Friday 16 October and runs until 7 November. Victorian horror, recommended for ages 12 and up, from £18.50.
• The Sandy Denny Project: the songs of Sandy Denny, with cabaret seating, at Rother Street Arts House on Saturday 17 October at 7.30pm.
• As You Like It at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, until 7 November, and Middlemarch Parts 1 and 2, the RSC’s two-part George Eliot adaptation, at the Swan Theatre until 16 January 2027. Book on the RSC website; our RSC guide covers tickets, food and evening parking, and the RSC Ticket Hacker has ways to pay less. The RSC’s 2027 season goes on public sale on Wednesday 21 October.

Halloween starts early

• Nightmare on Greenhill Street opens at Magic Alley on Saturday 17 October, at 38 Greenhill Street, and runs until 31 October. It’s recommended for ages 10 and up, with an 18+ After Dark version.
• Halloween Quiz at Rother Street Arts House on Sunday 18 October at 7.30pm.
• Stratford Ghost Walk: every Saturday at 7.30pm from the Swan Fountain on Waterside, with tales of ghosts, witches and murder in the old streets.

More in our Halloween guide, including the Halloween party at The Coach House on 31 October.

Markets

• Rother Street Market: Stratford’s market runs every Friday and Saturday, all year round.
• Waterside Upmarket: Sunday 18 October, 9am to 6pm, with stalls along Waterside by the river. Waterside is closed to traffic between Bridge Street and Sheep Street while it’s on.

Days out and village events

• Compton Verney: the artist Nancy Cadogan gives a tour and tea on Friday 16 October (2pm) and a charcoal drawing masterclass on Saturday 17 October (10.30am), alongside her Lost Trees exhibition.
• Under the Greenwood Tree: Stratford Theatre Company’s one-man version of Thomas Hardy’s novel, at Wellesbourne Village Hall on Friday 16 October at 7.30pm (£15.25).
• Ogmore Valley Male Voice Choir: a fundraising concert at St Swithin’s Church, Lower Quinton, on Saturday 17 October at 7pm (£10; tickets from Quinton Shop, the church or on the door).
• Shakespeare’s houses: the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s free Family Trail runs across its family homes, and Hamnet: The Shakespeare Story tours run at Anne Hathaway’s Cottage until 19 December (booking needed). See the Trust’s what’s on page.

Roads this weekend

Featherbed Lane in Wilmcote is closed on Friday 16 October, 9.30am to 3.30pm, for resurfacing. Waterside is closed for the Upmarket on Sunday. Everything else is on the road closures page, and our parking guide has car park prices. Windsor Street car park is due to be demolished, so see where to park instead.

Coming up

• Fri 23 – Sat 24 Oct: the Runaway Mop fair, with town-centre roads closed. Sheep Street is also closed for gas works on 24–25 October.
• Mon 26 – Fri 30 Oct: half-term. See our half-term guide.
• Thu 29 Oct – Sun 1 Nov: Stratford Literary Festival’s autumn programme. Si King of the Hairy Bikers follows on 26 November.
• Fri 30 Oct – Sat 7 Nov: fireworks season. See our Bonfire Night guide.

Running an event we should know about? Tell us.

Everything else on this weekend

The full list from our Stratford events calendar, updated every day from organisers’ own listings.

Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.