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What’s On in Harrogate, Knaresborough & Ripon – September, October & November 2026

Looking for what’s on in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon this autumn? Start here.

From major concerts and theatre shows to festivals, markets, exhibitions, Halloween adventures, family days out and unusual events inside Ripon Cathedral, September, October and November 2026 are packed with reasons to get out and explore.

Whether you live locally, are visiting for the weekend or planning a North Yorkshire break, our regularly updated guide will help you discover things to do in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon — including some events you might otherwise miss.

And our advice is simple:

Don’t just go to an event and come straight home.

Arrive earlier. Explore another street. Visit an independent shop. Find somewhere for lunch. Stay for dinner.

Pick an event. Build a day around it. Discover somewhere new.

📅 What’s On – Latest Update

Last updated: 17 September 2026

We’re regularly updating this guide with newly announced events, shows, markets, exhibitions and family days out across Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon.

⭐ New events are added regularly
🎟️ Check availability before travelling
📅 Save this page and come back for the latest additions

🔎 Jump to

This Weekend | September | October | November | Harrogate | Knaresborough | Ripon | Family Events | Markets | Exhibitions

⭐ What’s On This Weekend

Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September 2026

Looking for something to do this weekend?

Two very different events provide a good excuse to get out and explore.

🏎️ An Evening with Racing Icons – David Coulthard & Mika Häkkinen

📍 Harrogate
📅 Friday 18 September
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre, King’s Road, HG1 5LA

Former Formula One teammates David Coulthard and Mika Häkkinen reunite for a special live evening sharing stories from their careers at the highest level of motorsport.

Make an evening of it: Arrive early, have dinner in Harrogate and walk across town to the Convention Centre.

🌺 Harrogate Autumn Flower Show

📍 Newby Hall, near Ripon
📅 Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September
🏛️ Newby Hall & Gardens, Ripon, HG4 5AE

One of the region’s major autumn gardening events, with floral displays, specialist nurseries, plants, shopping and gardening inspiration in the impressive surroundings of Newby Hall.

Make a day of it: Give yourself time to explore Newby Hall and its grounds rather than visiting only for the show.

🍂 Autumn 2026 at a Glance

🎭 For Live Entertainment

Harrogate has an especially busy autumn, with David Coulthard & Mika Häkkinen, Lee Mead, Francis Rossi, Miriam Margolyes, Reece Shearsmith, Adam Garcia, Alexei Sayle, Bellowhead and Harry Enfield among the names appearing in town.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For Families

Try Halloween at Mother Shipton’s, Ripon Cathedral’s Family Silent Disco, local markets, museums and autumn exhibitions.

🎨 For Something Different

Explore Thought Bubble Comic Convention, Knit + Stitch, Knaresborough’s railway exhibition or one of Ripon’s fascinating museum experiences.

🛍️ For Markets

Ripon’s regular Artisan Market returns throughout autumn, alongside a specialist Plant-Based Market in November.

🏛️ For Spectacular Surroundings

Some of autumn’s most unusual events take place inside Ripon Cathedral, including dining, candlelit music, silent discos and a Halloween-night concert.

📅 Coming Up in September 2026

September gets autumn off to a strong start with live entertainment, gardening, markets and heritage.

Going to a show?

Don’t make the theatre your only destination.

Come earlier and explore Harrogate, Knaresborough or Ripon while you’re there.

🏎️ An Evening with Racing Icons – David Coulthard & Mika Häkkinen

📍 Harrogate
📅 Friday 18 September 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre
📌 King’s Road, Harrogate, HG1 5LA

Former Formula One teammates David Coulthard and Mika Häkkinen reunite for a special live evening sharing stories from their careers at the highest level of motorsport.

Good for: Formula One fans and anyone fascinated by life behind the scenes of elite motorsport.

🌺 Harrogate Autumn Flower Show

📍 Near Ripon
📅 18–20 September 2026
🏛️ Newby Hall & Gardens
📌 Newby Hall, Ripon, HG4 5AE

One of the region’s major autumn gardening events features spectacular floral displays, specialist nurseries, plants, gardening inspiration and shopping.

And then there’s the setting.

Newby Hall makes this much more than a trip to a flower show.

🥁 In The Air Tonight

📍 Harrogate
📅 Thursday 24 September 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall
📌 Ripon Road, Harrogate, HG1 2SY

A live tribute celebrating the music of Phil Collins, bringing some of his best-known songs to Harrogate’s historic Royal Hall.

Make an evening of it: Dinner in Harrogate followed by the show.

🎭 The Phantoms starring Lee Mead

📍 Harrogate
📅 Saturday 26 September 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

West End and television star Lee Mead joins former Phantoms for a celebration of musical theatre.

The evening journeys through shows including Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Phantom of the Opera.

🛍️ Ripon Artisan Market

📍 Ripon
📅 Sunday 27 September 2026
⏰ 10am–3pm
📌 Market Place, Ripon, HG4 1BP
💷 Free entry

Browse stalls from regional makers, bakers and independent creators in the historic centre of Ripon.

But don’t head straight home afterwards.

Market → independent shops → lunch → Ripon Cathedral → afternoon coffee.

You’ve suddenly got an entire Sunday out.

📻 The Archers: Live at 75

📍 Harrogate
📅 Sunday 27 September 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Celebrate 75 years of The Archers with a special live event hosted by comedian and superfan Angela Barnes, featuring members of the cast.

🎤 What’s Love Got To Do With It?

📍 Harrogate
📅 Sunday 27 September 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

A high-energy live production celebrating the music and career of Tina Turner, backed by a live band.

🏛️ Royal Hall Open Day

📍 Harrogate
📅 Tuesday 29 September 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall, Ripon Road, HG1 2SY

Ever wondered what the Royal Hall looks like when you’re not rushing to find your seat?

Step inside one of Harrogate’s architectural treasures and explore this beautifully restored Edwardian theatre.

🎃 What’s On in October 2026

October might be autumn’s most varied month.

There’s live music, ballet, family entertainment, Halloween, silent discos and even an evening of dining beneath the illuminated nave of Ripon Cathedral.

And once half-term arrives, families have plenty to choose from too.

🎸 A Vision of Elvis

📍 Harrogate
📅 Friday 2 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Rob Kingsley brings the music, magic and legacy of Elvis Presley to Harrogate.

🎸 Bootleg Beatles in Concert

📍 Harrogate
📅 Saturday 3 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

One of the country’s longest-running Beatles tribute acts brings the songs and sounds of the Fab Four to Harrogate.

🎼 Ripon International Festival – Festival Finale

📍 Ripon
📅 Saturday 3 October 2026

The 2026 Ripon International Festival reaches its finale following another programme of classical, folk and world music in historic venues around the city.

🎸 Francis Rossi – Songbook: Quo – Past, Present, Future

📍 Harrogate
📅 Sunday 4 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Status Quo’s Francis Rossi takes audiences through his own selections from an extraordinary catalogue, accompanied by stories and insights from his career.

🎤 Michael Starring Ben

📍 Harrogate
📅 Friday 9 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

A live celebration of Michael Jackson, revisiting the music, performances and stage spectacle associated with one of pop’s biggest stars.

✨ One of October’s Most Unusual Nights Out

Twilight in the Nave

📍 Ripon
📅 Friday 9 October 2026
⏰ 6.30pm
🏛️ Ripon Cathedral, Minster Road, HG4 1QT

Imagine dinner and live music beneath the illuminated nave of Ripon Cathedral.

Twilight in the Nave combines a sparkling reception, three-course dinner, live music and dancing in celebration of St Wilfrid.

If you’re looking for something different from the usual restaurant or theatre night, this certainly qualifies.

🎙️ John Simpson – The Leaders and Lunatics Tour

📍 Harrogate
📅 Saturday 10 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Veteran journalist and broadcaster John Simpson CBE explores leadership and some of the extraordinary people and events he has encountered during almost six decades of international reporting.

The second half gives the audience an opportunity to put questions to him.

⭐ October Highlight

Miriam Margolyes – Full English Live

📍 Harrogate
📅 Sunday 11 October 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Miriam Margolyes brings Full English Live to Harrogate for an evening of stories, conversation, humour and audience questions.

Expect characteristically candid storytelling from one of Britain’s most recognisable performers.

🎧 Silent Disco… in a Cathedral

Yes, really.

Family Silent Disco

📍 Ripon Cathedral
📅 Friday 23 October 2026
⏰ 6.30pm–8pm

Put on your wireless headphones, choose a music channel and dance inside one of North Yorkshire’s most extraordinary buildings.

And once the family session finishes…

Adult Only Silent Disco

📅 Friday 23 October 2026
⏰ 9pm–11.30pm

…the adults get their turn.

Multiple music channels and the remarkable surroundings make this one of autumn’s more unusual nights out.

🎃 Halloween at Mother Shipton’s

📍 Knaresborough
📅 24 October–1 November 2026
🏛️ Mother Shipton’s Cave
📌 Prophecy House, Harrogate Road, High Bridge, Knaresborough, HG5 8DD

Mother Shipton’s ancient woodland is transformed for a Hocus Pocus-inspired Halloween adventure during the October half-term holidays.

But don’t make the attraction your entire day.

Explore Knaresborough afterwards.

Walk to the castle.

See the viaduct.

Head down to Waterside.

Find somewhere for lunch.

Make Halloween a day out.

🎤 Queen of the Night – A Tribute to Whitney Houston

📍 Harrogate
📅 Saturday 24 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

A live production celebrating the timeless music of Whitney Houston, featuring vocalists and a full live band.

🕯️ The Music of Adele – The Candlelight Concert

📍 Ripon
📅 Saturday 24 October 2026
⏰ 7.30pm
🏛️ Ripon Cathedral

The music of Adele performed amid the warm atmosphere of candlelight inside Ripon Cathedral.

Music + candlelight + cathedral architecture = a rather special Saturday night.

🛍️ Ripon Artisan Market

📍 Ripon
📅 Sunday 25 October 2026
⏰ 10am–3pm
📌 Market Place
💷 Free

Ripon’s monthly showcase of independent makers, bakers and local creators returns to the city centre.

🎭 Reece Shearsmith – Things I Took From the Dark

📍 Harrogate
📅 Sunday 25 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Inside No. 9 and The League of Gentlemen co-creator Reece Shearsmith explores some of the bizarre artefacts, interests and obsessions that have influenced his work.

Rather appropriately timed for the week before Halloween.

☘️ Adam Garcia’s Emerald Storm

📍 Harrogate
📅 Tuesday 27 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

An electrifying new Irish dance production from acclaimed stage and screen performer Adam Garcia.

🩰 Swan Lake

📍 Harrogate
📅 Wednesday 28 October 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Imperial Classical Ballet presents the timeless Swan Lake, accompanied by a full live orchestra.

🏠 Northern Homebuilding & Renovating Show

📍 Harrogate
📅 30 October–1 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Friday: 10am–5pm
Saturday: 10am–5pm
Sunday: 10am–4.30pm

Planning a renovation, extension or self-build?

The show brings together products, specialist suppliers, inspiration and expert advice for anyone planning to improve or build a home.

🎶 LABBS 50th Anniversary Convention

📍 Harrogate
📅 30 October–1 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

The Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers celebrates its 50th anniversary with a weekend of music, competition and performance.

🎃 Halloween Night in Ripon

The Rozzers

📍 Ripon
📅 Saturday 31 October 2026
⏰ 7.30pm
🏛️ Ripon Cathedral

The Rozzers bring the music of Sting and The Police to Ripon Cathedral.

Looking for an alternative to the usual Halloween party?

A live concert inside a cathedral should do it.

🍁 What’s On in November 2026

November doesn’t mean the events calendar is winding down.

Quite the opposite.

Harrogate welcomes comedy, folk music, comics, orchestral music, crafts and adventure films, while Ripon continues with markets, music and events at its cathedral.

And towards the end of the month?

Christmas starts appearing.

🎙️ An Evening with Michael Portillo

📍 Harrogate
📅 Wednesday 4 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Michael Portillo appears live on stage, sharing stories from his political, television and travel career.

🎺 A Concert of Remembrance

📍 Ripon
📅 Thursday 5 November 2026
⏰ 7.15pm
🏛️ Ripon Cathedral

An evening of music and remembrance presented in partnership with the Ripon Community Poppy Project.

🎻 Cuore 2026/27 Opening Concert

📍 Harrogate
📅 Friday 6 November 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Cuore Chamber Orchestra returns to the Royal Hall for the opening concert of its 2026/27 season.

🌱 Ripon Plant-Based Market

📍 Ripon
📅 Sunday 8 November 2026
⏰ 10am–4pm
📌 Market Place

A specialist plant-based market bringing producers and independent traders to the centre of Ripon.

🎤 Alexei Sayle – How I’ve Tried to Change the World

📍 Harrogate
📅 Sunday 8 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Comedian, actor and writer Alexei Sayle brings his latest live show to Harrogate.

🎻 Bellowhead – 20th Anniversary Tour

📍 Harrogate
📅 Friday 13 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Bellowhead bring their distinctive combination of traditional English folk music and modern big-band energy to Harrogate.

💥 Thought Bubble Comic Convention

📍 Harrogate
📅 Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

One of the biggest events in Harrogate’s autumn calendar, Thought Bubble Comic Convention celebrates comics and illustration, bringing creators, artists and fans together under one roof.

Deeply immersed in comics?

You’ll probably already know about it.

Simply curious?

This could be the year to take a look.

🎼 Harrogate Symphony Orchestra Winter Concert

📍 Harrogate
📅 Saturday 14 November 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Harrogate Symphony Orchestra performs a programme featuring works by Verdi, Bartók and Brahms.

🍂 Recording the Natural World

📍 Knaresborough
📅 Saturday 14 November 2026
⏰ 10am–11.30am
💷 Free

Slow down and notice autumn properly.

This adults-only nature walk encourages participants to observe the changing seasons and appreciate Knaresborough’s local landscape.

🧶 November Highlight: Knit + Stitch

📍 Harrogate
📅 Thursday 19 – Sunday 22 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Calling all makers.

Knit + Stitch brings more than 150 craft suppliers together for four days dedicated to knitting, sewing, textiles and creativity.

Browse yarn, fabrics, beads, sewing equipment, patterns and specialist supplies, then discover workshops, demonstrations and textile-art galleries.

Whether you’re an experienced maker or looking for inspiration for your next project, this is one of Harrogate’s major creative events of the autumn.

Don’t just shop. Learn something new while you’re there.

🎭 Richard Ayoade – Afterthoughts

📍 Harrogate
📅 Friday 20 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Actor, comedian, director and writer Richard Ayoade comes to Harrogate for a live appearance connected with his writing and characteristically distinctive observations.

Add dinner beforehand and turn it into a Friday night out.

🛍️ Ripon Artisan Market

📍 Ripon
📅 Sunday 22 November 2026
⏰ 10am–3pm
📌 Market Place

Independent makers, bakers and creators return to the heart of Ripon.

And with Christmas approaching, it’s a good opportunity to start looking for locally made presents.

😂 Harry Enfield and No Chums

📍 Harrogate
📅 Sunday 22 November 2026
🏛️ Harrogate Convention Centre

Harry Enfield takes to the stage with stories, comedy and reflections on a career that produced some of British television’s most recognisable comic characters.

🏔️ Banff Mountain Film Festival

📍 Harrogate
📅 Wednesday 25 November 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Adventure comes to the big screen with the Banff Mountain Film Festival – Blue Film Programme.

Expect films celebrating adventure and the outdoors in the impressive surroundings of the Royal Hall.

Good for: Walkers, climbers, travellers, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who would rather be halfway up a mountain.

🎪 Cirque de Celine

📍 Harrogate
📅 Sunday 29 November 2026
🏛️ Royal Hall

Here’s something rather different to finish November.

Cirque de Celine combines acrobatics and aerial performance with the music of Celine Dion, performed by a live band and tribute vocalist.

It’s an unusual mixture of circus, music and theatrical spectacle — and a dramatic way to round off November.

🖼️ Exhibitions in Harrogate, Knaresborough & Ripon

Not every day out needs a fixed start time.

Autumn also brings several exhibitions and museum experiences that can be explored at your own pace.

And when the Yorkshire weather isn’t cooperating?

An indoor exhibition suddenly looks even more attractive.

🚂 Knaresborough on the Tracks

The Story of Knaresborough Railway and How Not to Build a Viaduct

📍 Knaresborough Heritage Centre
📅 23 September 2026–3 March 2027
📌 12 High Street, Knaresborough, HG5 0EQ

Discover the fascinating story of Knaresborough’s railway and famous viaduct, including the twists, turns and ambitious proposals behind the development of the town’s railway.

And when you’ve finished?

Go and see the viaduct itself.

🏚️ Would You Survive the Victorian Workhouse?

📍 Workhouse Museum & Garden, Ripon
📅 2026 season ends 22 November
📌 Allhallowgate, Ripon, HG4 1LE

Explore the lives of Victorian paupers, vagrants and workhouse children through interactive displays, hands-on activities and storytelling inside one of Britain’s most complete surviving Victorian workhouses.

👮 Women in Policing

📍 Prison & Police Museum, Ripon
📅 2026 season ends 22 November
📌 St Marygate, Ripon, HG4 1LX

Discover stories from the history of women in policing and how women’s roles within the profession have changed.

🏛️ Ripon Museum Trust – 40 Years

📍 Ripon Museums
📅 2026 season ends 22 November

A special exhibition celebrating 40 years of Ripon Museum Trust, with a trail across the Workhouse Museum, Prison & Police Museum and Courthouse Museum.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Looking for Family Days Out?

Some events are obvious family choices.

Others can become part of a bigger family day.

Try:

Mother Shipton’s Halloween → Knaresborough Castle → Waterside

or

Ripon Artisan Market → Ripon Cathedral → Ripon Museums

or

Harrogate event → Valley Gardens → town-centre food stop

You don’t necessarily need five expensive attractions.

Sometimes one event and a little curiosity are enough.

🌉 Don’t Just Attend. Explore.

Going to an event in Harrogate?

Come earlier and explore the town.

Heading to Ripon Cathedral?

Visit Market Place and the independent shops while you’re there.

Taking the family to Mother Shipton’s?

Add Knaresborough Castle and Waterside to the day.

Going to Newby Hall?

Consider continuing into Ripon afterwards.

An event gives you the reason to go.

What you discover around it can make the day memorable.

❤️ Our Autumn Challenge

Before winter arrives, do something you haven’t done before.

See a show.

Visit an exhibition.

Walk somewhere new.

Browse a local market.

Try another café.

Take the children somewhere different.

Go inside a building you’ve walked past for years.

Stay for dinner.

You might be surprised by what you’ve been missing.

🎄 And Then Christmas Begins…

By the final weekend of November, autumn starts giving way to something bigger.

Christmas.

Christmas markets arrive.

Festive lights appear.

Santa gets busy.

Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon start looking very different.

Rather than filling this guide with dozens of duplicate Christmas listings, continue with our dedicated:

🎄 Christmas in Harrogate, Knaresborough & Ripon 2026

Discover Christmas markets, Santa visits, ice skating, festive lights, concerts, family events, Christmas shopping and seasonal days out across all three towns.

Autumn might be ending. The events certainly aren’t.

❓ What’s On – Frequently Asked Questions

What’s on in Harrogate in autumn 2026?

Harrogate has a busy programme of concerts, theatre, comedy, exhibitions and major events throughout September, October and November, particularly at the Royal Hall and Harrogate Convention Centre.

What’s on in Knaresborough?

Autumn highlights include seasonal events at Mother Shipton’s, local activities and exhibitions including Knaresborough on the Tracks at Knaresborough Heritage Centre.

Knaresborough is also worth exploring even when you don’t have an event ticket — particularly the castle, Waterside and independent shops.

What’s on in Ripon?

Ripon’s autumn calendar includes artisan markets, museum exhibitions, Ripon International Festival and a varied programme at Ripon Cathedral.

Are there family events during October half-term?

Yes. Halloween at Mother Shipton’s runs across the October half-term period, while museums, heritage attractions and other family activities provide additional options.

Are there free things to do?

Yes. Some markets, walks, exhibitions and community activities are free, although admission charges may apply to individual attractions and ticketed events.

Where can I find Christmas events?

Christmas has its own dedicated guide covering Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon Christmas events for 2026, including markets, Santa, ice skating, lights and family activities.

📌 Before You Set Off

Dates, times, prices, venues and event details can change. Always check directly with the organiser or venue before making a special journey.

This guide will continue to be updated as new events are announced.

Know about an event we should include? Email info@harrogateuk.co.uk and tell us about it.