Things to do outside London during October
My regular look ahead to events happening next month that would probably be in my events guide, if only they weren’t happening outside the psychological barrier of the M25 motorway.
| Old Mans Day | 2nd Oct |
| In memory of the near-accidental burial of a not-dead man, the local school children sweep a local lane and a service is held in the local church funded by his bequest. | Braughing, Herts |
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| Nottingham Goose Fair | 2nd-6th Oct |
| Goose Fair is one of Europe’s largest travelling fairs with a history that dates back more than 700 years. | Nottingham, Nottinghamshire |
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| Vintage Festival of Light | 4th-7th Oct |
| Vintage tractor rally and country fete – described as "Blackpool in Miniature". | Chesterfield, Derbeyshire |
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| British Musical Fireworks Championships | 4th-6th Oct |
| Lighting up Kings Gardens, the seven competitors will battle it out to win the only competition that is required to be choreographed to music. Each display lasts approximately 20 minutes | Southport, Merseyside |
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| World Porridge Making Championship | 5th Oct |
| Famous annual competition to make the best porridge – with the golden spurtle trophy. | Carrbridge, Scotland |
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| National Badger Day | 5th Oct |
| Events held by local badger support groups to promote the British mammal. | Various Locations |
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| Corby Glen Sheep Fair and Village Festival | 5th-6th Oct |
| The 775th annual Corby Glen Sheep Fair and Village Festival includes Clay Pigeon Shoot, Dog Show, Fun Run, Craft Activities, Open Sports Event, Tug of War competition | Corby Glen, Lincolnshire |
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| Autumn Show & Game Fair | 5th-6th Oct |
| Traditional country fair with country sports, arena events and food stalls. | Ardingly, West Sussex |
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| Marlborough Big Mop Fair | 5th & 12th Oct |
| The mop fair started as a place to find employment but if you changed your mind you could go back the week after to find something else. Afternoon/evening Fun Fair. | Marlborough, Wiltshire |
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| Banbury Canal Day | 6th Oct |
| Boats and displays — the theme this year is "Balloons Galore". | Banbury, Oxfordshire |
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| Tavistock Goose Fair | 9th Oct |
| Market traders come from all over the country to sell their wares and provide entertainment. Stalls and side shows are set up in the centre of the Town, and some 270 stalls are provided for traders. | Tavistock, Devon |
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| Falmouth Oyster Festival | 10th-13th Oct |
| Falmouth Oyster Festival celebrates the start of the oyster dredging season, the diversity and quality of Cornish Seafood and in particular, one of the last remaining traditional oyster fisheries, dredging by sail and hand punt. | Falmouth, Cornwall |
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| Railway in Wartime | 11th-13th Oct |
| Turn the clocks back to 1943 for their most popular event of the year, with ENSA entertainers, street parades, vehicle displays and re-enactments along the railway. | Pickering, North Yorkshire |
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| Autumn Pumpkin Festival | 12th Oct |
| Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar has teamed up with The Hampshire Chutney Company and this Autumn’s Pumpkin Festival in Southampton to help raise money for the Jubilee Sailing Trust. | Southampton, Hampshire |
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| The Big Apple | 12th-13th Oct |
| A festival of apples taking place in the various villages in the area. The local orchards are famous for their cider fruit and their excellent eating apples. | Much Marcle, Herefordshire |
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| Organ Festival | 13th Oct |
| All the sound and spectacle of the fairground organ. Hand turned organs, fairground organs and model steam engines. | Milton Keynes, Bucks |
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| World Conker Championships | 13th Oct |
| Thousands flock to the venue near the ancient market town of Oundle to watch this great spectacle as modern day gladiators fight for glory armed only with a nut and 12" of string. | Southwick, Northamptonshire |
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| East of England Autumn Show | 13th Oct |
| There will be many displays of traditional country life, including country crafts, as well as large animal exhibits. Magnificent Shire horses, incorporated as part of the Wisbech Shire Horse Show, will be dressed in their traditional glory. | Peterborough |
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| Wheels by Lamplight | 19th Oct |
| An unusual and atmospheric event where the museum is illuminated by hundreds of old oil and paraffin lamps. | Ipswich, Suffolk |
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| Langsett Fox Dance | 19th Oct |
| On the Saturday closest to the Hunters Moon, masked dancers will perform an ancient ceremony outside the local pub. | Langsett, South Yorks |
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| Hastings Borough Bonfire Night | 19th Oct |
| Celebrating the town’s role in thwarting the Gunpowder Plot – a parade with flaming torches through the town to light a giant bonfire – then fireworks. | Hastings |
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| Littlehampton Bonfire Night | 26th Oct |
| The Littlehampton Bonfire Society arranges a torchlight procession, mammoth bonfire, seafront firework display and funfair. | Littlehampton, Sussex |
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| Scottish Ploughing Championships | 27th Oct |
| The Scottish Championships are held annually – in a different area of the country every year – with the aim of promoting the importance of good ploughing. | Bower, Wick |
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| Punkie Night | 31st Oct |
| Punkie Night is an English custom practiced on the last Thursday of October, in Somerset in England. Children will march around with a jack o’lantern, singing a song. | Various, Somerset |
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