The best things to see and do across Cheshire this October.
Until October 30
Global Images of Christ: Challenging Perceptions
This ground-breaking exhibition at Chester Cathedral is made up of more than 50 paintings, African and Chinese sculptures, and orthodox icons, aims to challenge the Western depiction of Jesus Christ and his followers. The works, which include contributions from artists such as Mark Cazalet, Peter Eugene Ball, and Lorna May Wadsworth have been collected from churches across the UK by Chester Cathedral’s Canon Precentor, Jeremy Dussek and curated by the Art and Design Department of the University of Chester.
chestercathedral.com
Until October 31
Macclesfield Open
When last year’s Macclesfield Open online art exhibition ended it was assumed that a follow-up in 2021 would not be needed. Things would be back to normal and ‘real’ exhibitions would again be the order of the day. But exhibitions continue to be cancelled or postponed, including the Art Fair Cheshire which raises thousands of pounds for East Cheshire Hospice. This led to the decision to hold another online exhibition this year. All of the 420 works submitted have been included in the exhibition.
maccopen.org.uk
October 8-10
Galloway Antique Fair
Galloway Antiques Fairs have been running for over 20 years. Browse and buy specialist furniture, quality antiques and fine art from nationally-recognised dealers, in the glorious parkland setting at Tatton Park. There will be areas devoted to furniture - town and country, fine art, porcelain - English and Continental, jewellery, clocks, silver - English and Continental, sculpture, glass, Treen, Objets de Vertu, maps and prints.
tattonpark.org.uk
October 9-November 7
Magical Woodland
Enjoy dazzling displays under cathedral canopies of fairy lights, showers of glow-in-the-dark stars, and dancing tunnels of borealis-style lasers. The trail of the 15-acre copse at Blakemere Village has a stop-off for hot drinks and snacks in the heart of the woodland. And never mind the weather: the whims of Mother Nature and the magic of the lights mean no two shows are the same.
agicalwoodland.com
October 10
Not Lady Chatterley’s Lover
DH Lawrence’s controversial page-turner is to be reinvented as a parody on the Pyramid’s Studio Theatre stage. Eyebrow-raising comedy meets high drama in a fresh twist on a classic story by Happy Idiot Productions. Written by Lawrence Russell, the raunchy story has been given the ‘Mel Brooks treatment’ with the help of the National Theatre’s Simon Godwin, Laurence Pears of The Play That Goes Wrong and Stephen Harper of Told By An Idiot.
pyramid.culturewarrington.org
October 12-17
Words & Music Festival
Nantwich’s own Abbie Ozard makes a triumphant return to her hometown as one of the headliners at this year’s Words & Music
Festival. Abbie returns home for an appearance at the Crown Ballroom, on Tuesday October 12. Now in its 14th year, the festival is back, with leading performers from the world of music and poetry performing around the Cheshire town. Joining Abbie
on this year’s bill are John Cooper Clarke, Eddi Reader, Bob Harris and Danny Baker, and many others.
wordsandmusicfestival.com
October 13-23
Antigone
Award-winning poet Hollie McNish’s stunning retelling of the Sophocles tragedy has been co-produced with Manchester-based TripleC, a key gateway organisation for disabled people’s access to the arts and media. It will be fully signed with British Sign Language along with dramatic, cinematic style embedded captioning throughout. Fatima Niemogha makes her Storyhouse debut playing the title role of Antigone, and Raffie Julien is Ismene.
storyhouse.com
October 16
Orchestra dell’Arte
As part of the Wirral Arts Festival, and taking place at Heswall Hall, this concert will be a musical catalogue of some of the things that we have been missing over the past months. There will be music that will takethe audience all over Europe and beyond on the holidays that they didn’t get to take this summer.
dellarte.co.uk
October 19-December 15
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience
Grab your wand and head to Arley Hall and Gardens to meet magical creatures such as Hippogriffs, centaurs, unicorns and Nifflers, before you enter the lively and seasonally themed village. Explore after dark the sounds, lights, and special effects that bring the magic of the wizarding world to life.
hpforbiddenforestexperience.com
October 21
The Idea of the Brain
The brain is the most complex part of our bodies, and the more we know about it the more we realise what we don’t know.
Advances in imaging and analysing its structure have changed enormously in the last decades. Professor Matthew Cobb is a professor of zoology at the University of Manchester. His lecture for Manchester Lit and Phil will draw on the extensive research which went into the writing of his book, The Idea of the Brain.
manlitphil.ac.uk
October 23-31
The Glorious Glowing Lantern Parade
Visitors can adventure through a spectacular light extravaganza and watch the story of BeWILDerwood unfold as they journey through the woods down mysterious paths. Based on BeWILDerwood Norfolk’s famous Lantern Parade, it promises to be a magical event for all the family to enjoy.
cheshire.bewilderwood.co.uk
October 28
Sounds Of The 60s
Hosted by DJ royalty Tony Blackburn, the show features songs, stories and memories from the golden decade of pop with music performed live by the Sounds Of The 60s All Star Band & Singers, live from Warrington's Parr Hall.
parrhall.culturewarrington.org
READ MORE: 10 of the best places to go pumpkin picking in Cheshire
Christmas previews - booking now
November 26- Dec 31
Christmas at Delamere Forest
The countdown to Christmas has started and Forestry England’s dense Delamere Forest in Cheshire is getting ready to welcome its new glittering illuminated trail. Inspired by the landscape itself, visitors will explore a festive adventure in a world of trees, dramatically drenched with stunning lights and set to the soundtrack of seasonal favourites.
christmasatdelamereforest.co.uk
Dec 4- Jan 16
Oliver Twist
Storyhouse has announced that a stage packed with kids, dogs and feelgood songs is going be the main feature of Christmas this year in Chester.
The team behind last year’s smash A Christmas Carol is bringing their irreverent and riotous take on the Dickens classic to the stage from 4 December.
It’s Storyhouse’s second Christmas show since the pandemic started to decimate British theatre, with last year's hit being shut on Boxing Day after having run for four weeks.
storyhouse.com
![Stephen Webb [Frank-N-Furter], Richard Meek [Brad], Haley Flaherty [Janet] & cast](/resources/images/128x89/1x/17679473.jpg)
![Stephen Webb [Frank-N-Furter], Richard Meek [Brad], Haley Flaherty [Janet] & cast](/resources/images/180x180/1x/17679473.jpg)
