A look ahead to the month's best things to see and do in Derbyshire and beyond
Chesterfield Vegan Market
Delve into an amazing selection of vegan goodies including cakes, chocolate, dog treats, fudge, jewellery, household goods, clothing, pies, pizza, plastic-free and zero-waste solutions, and a selection of hot food.
Everyone is welcome to attend the event, whether you are vegan or not, and canine companions are encouraged to come along!
Animal charities and rescue centres will be promoting their services and a selection of vegan artists will be displaying their creative works.
October 1, 10am-4pm
New Square, Chesterfield, S40 1AH
Autumn Market at Kedleston Country House
Join Kedleston Country House as they celebrate and support local small businesses and makers in their annual autumn market.
Eat fresh and shop local in the beautiful gardens as you browse some of Derbyshire's finest independent businesses offering everything from ladieswear to dog treats, floral home decor and street food. Entry is free and dogs are welcome.
More information at kedlestoncountryhouse.co.uk
October 2, 11am-3pm.
Kedleston Country House, Kedleston Rd, Quarndon, Derby DE22 5JD
Derby Folk Festival
Returning to the live stage in the heart of the city centre, Derby Folk Festival will be kicking things off on the Friday over at the Mick Peat Stage in the Market Place, with performances from Lady Nade as well as Sound of the Sirens.
Head over to Derby Cathedral on Saturday for a variety of concerts including performances from The Carrivick Sisters, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage, and more.
Saturday will close with a special performance from The Pitmen Poets.
A folk musical about Nell Gwynne called Nelly will grace the stage on Sunday, with the festival coming to a close with special guests Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman.
September 30 - October 2. Weekend tickets priced at £85. derbyfolkfestival.co.uk
Market Place, Corporation St, Derby DE1 3AH
Ashover Festival of Light
South Wingfiled Classic Tractor Group presents this vintage rally featuring an amazing evening light show.
Raising funds for local charities, there'll be a real ale bar from Brompton Brewery, entertainment courtesy of Vanessa's Diva Disco on the Friday and the brilliant Lynsay Ellis on Saturday, along with a great selection of stalls and food.
Santa will also be there making a very early appearance on Friday and Saturday evenings, handing out goodie bags for every child.
September 30 - October 2. £4 per person Friday & Sunday, £6 per person Saturday
Ashover Showground, Milken Lane, Ashover, Derbyshire, S45 0AB
Saturday Night Dance - Ashby Little Big Band
Pop on your dancing shoes and make your way down to the auditorium at The Winding Wheel Theatre for an evening of sequence and ballroom dancing.
A wonderful selection of music will be performed by Ashby Little Big Band comprised of six talented musicians and their brilliant singer. This is one not to be missed.
October 1, 7pm. £7.50 per ticket. chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk
The Winding Wheel Theatre, Holywell Street, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7SA
Grandparents Weekend at Gulliver's
To celebrate National Grandparents Day, Gulliver's Kingdom Theme Park has a brilliant offer created especially for granny and grandpa.
Two grandparents will receive free entry when accompanied by one full-paying adult.
Enjoy a fun family day out full of exciting rides and attractions
October 1-2. gulliversfun.co.uk
Temple Walk, Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, DE4 3PG
Monday Night Jazz: The Dizzy Club
The Winding Wheel Theatre Function Room will welcome Sheffield-born band The Dizzy Club for an evening of jazz, blues and swing that will thrill Sinatra fans.
With an infectious style that's guaranteed to soothe the soul, their music is guaranteed to delight cool cats to jazz fans alike.
October 3, 7.15pm. £10 per ticket. chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk
The Winding Wheel Theatre, Holywell Street, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7SA
British National Ploughing Championships & Country Festival
An opportunity to catch a rare glimpse at how farming has changed over the past 300 years.
Held in a different part of the country each year, this event will feature various styles of vintage tractors, giant steam ploughing engines and magnificent heavy horses.
It's not all about ploughing though - there'll be lots of trade stands and shopping opportunities, as well as country crafts and tractor and trailer rides for the little ones.
October 8-9, 8.45am-5pm. £15 per day, children £2
Chatsworth Estate, Glapwell, Derbyshire, S44 5QG
Wirksworth Wizarding Day
This magical event takes place across the whole of Wirksworth with different activities held throughout the town.
Jump on the Wizarding Express Train from Duffield to Wirksworth for a day of magic and wonder; gather your little witches and wizards of all ages to enjoy plenty of magical moments; and step inside the Wizards Market to discover some magical makes, enchanting activities and curious crafts.
Visit the Owlery or have a go at a Wizarding Class with Wild Roots Creative covering everything from charms to herbology.
October 9
Visit wizardingday.com for more information
An Evening with the RAF Squadronaires
The UK's premier military jazz band are taking to the stage at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School as part of a charity concert that will raise vital funds for the town.
The famous jazz vocal trio will pay tribute to the great Big Bands and singers of the 1940s and 1950s.
Guests are encouraged to come dressed in clothing from the era as the event will also pay tribute to the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee year.
As well as a fundraising raffle, there will also be a bar serving drinks and snacks available on the night.
Proceeds from the event will be shared between Ashbourne Methodist Church's 'Link Project' and the Ashbourne Branch of the Royal British Legion.
October 15, 7.30pm. £25 per ticket booked via ticketebo.co.uk
The Green Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1EP
Chesterfield 1940s Market
Visitors can enjoy 40s music, entertainment, exhibits and meet stall holders all wearing period dress in this annual market where there'll be prizes for the best-dressed stall.
Kalamazoo dance band will be getting everyone up and on their dancing feet as they perform throughout the day in New Square.
There'll also be an escape artist and a variety of 1940s singers dotted around the town centre, as well as a display of classic cars, a vintage fire engine and a display about the Land Army and 1940s mining.
Join an educational talk by Chesterfield Museum who will be on hand with objects from their WW2 education box as they explain how rationing operated.
October 27, 10am-4pm. chesterfield.co.uk
Bruce Asbestos: Eye of Newt 2.0 in QUAD Gallery
This colourful, fun and playful exhibition is being held at QUAD Gallery in Derby and features giant inflatable sculptures, a new video game, a large painting, and a specially commissioned seating that doubles up as an artwork.
These artworks represent a variety of repeating visual themes: a giant yellow worm represents Rest; a group of green frogspawn represents Community, and a giant cartoon arm represents Connection: all aspects of good mental health.
The exhibition will also feature other characters and animals from Bruce’s work.
Until October 30, Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm. derbyquad.co.uk
QUAD Gallery, Market Place Cathedral Quarter, Market Pl, Derby DE1 3AS
