Bedford's lights go on at 5pm on 21 November in Harpur Square, the Christmas market is on 5 and 6 December, and Jack and the Beanstalk opens 19 December.

Bedford’s Christmas lights go on in Harpur Square at 5pm on Saturday 21 November, with a free stage programme from midday and the Harpur Centre’s Santa’s grotto opening the same morning. The council’s Christmas market follows in Harpur Square on 5 and 6 December, and the Corn Exchange pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, opens on 19 December.

Updated 11 November: the fireworks, Remembrance weekend and the last Bedford Flea of the season have gone. New: 13 shows at the Quarry Theatre (A Christmas Carol on 26 November is already sold out), Comedy Crackers with Jack Dee on 10 December, Motown, a grown-ups’ disco and the Fawlty Towers dinner at the Corn Exchange, an England v New Zealand watchalong at Goldington Road on 21 November, and the Blues’ last games before Christmas. The Higgins has cancelled its George, a Windrush Boy talk on 12 November; the author’s drop-in on 8 December goes ahead.

Everything below comes from the organisers’ own listings, rechecked on 11 November 2026, and each entry links to its source. Corn Exchange prices include the venue’s booking fee; it adds a £3.85 transaction fee per online booking, or £2.55 by phone or in person on bookings over £8. Quarry Theatre prices are the ticket price, with a £3 fee per booking. For places open whatever the month, see our guide to things to do in Bedford.

This week

  • Being Human festival talks at The Higgins, Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November. Free, booking essential: Trevor Huddleston, the man behind the statue (Friday, 11.30am), Queering the Gothic (Saturday, 11.30am), the launch of the LGBTQ+ anthology unbinaried II (Saturday, 12.30pm) and Making a Chapbook, a talk and workshop for ages 16 and over (Saturday, 2pm). The George, a Windrush Boy talk on 12 November is cancelled and will be rescheduled in 2027 (The Higgins).
  • Troy Hawke: Never Stop Never Change!, Friday 13 November, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. Character comedy, £25.31 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • Bedford Blues v Doncaster Knights, Friday 13 November, 7.45pm, Goldington Road. The first home Friday night game of the season. Adults £22 online or £26 on the day, under-18s £5 (Bedford Blues).
  • Bedford Town v Chesham United, FA Trophy, Saturday 14 November, 3pm, the Eyrie. Advance tickets are now on sale (Bedford Town FC).
  • B.S.O., Saturday 14 November, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. Katya Apekisheva plays Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, with Beethoven’s Third Symphony and Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances. £22.50, students £11.25 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • Bedford’s Christmas Craft & Flea Market, Sunday 15 November, 11am to 4pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. Handmade, hand-designed and vintage stalls. £3 entry, under-12s free (Craft and Flea on Eventbrite). The town’s other Christmas markets are on our Bedford Christmas markets page.

Next week

  • Bedford Town v Chorley, Tuesday 17 November, 7.45pm, the Eyrie. National League North (Bedford Town FC).
  • Handling Sessions: Anglo Saxons, Wednesday 18 November, 1pm to 3pm, The Higgins. Free drop-in with Higgins volunteers and the museum’s handling collection (The Higgins).
  • Snails for All exhibition tour, Thursday 19 November, 12pm to 12.30pm, The Higgins. A half-hour tour with the Keeper of Fine and Decorative Art. £3.95, concessions £3.35, booking essential (The Higgins).
  • The Shires, Thursday 19 November, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. The UK country duo. Standing £41.63 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • England v New Zealand live watchalong, Saturday 21 November, Goldington Road. Doors at 1.30pm for the 2.10pm kick-off, with the Blues squad arriving after their own match. Free, but you must book (Bedford Blues).
  • Bedford Lights Switch-On, Saturday 21 November, midday to 6pm, Harpur Square. Free. Choirs and bands on the stage from midday, the lights at 5pm with the Mayor, then a Bedford Radio DJ to 6pm; free Christmas films in the Harpur Suite from 11am (Bedford Borough Council). Our switch-on page has the full stage times.
  • Santa’s Grotto at the Harpur Centre, every Saturday and Sunday from Saturday 21 November, then daily from Saturday 19 December to Christmas Eve. 10am to 4pm on the opening day, Saturdays from 28 November 10am to 5pm, Sundays 10am to 3pm. £6 for one child, £5 with the code HC1 (Harpur Centre). Every grotto near Bedford is on our Santa’s grotto page.
  • Bedford Town v South Shields, Saturday 21 November, 3pm, the Eyrie. National League North (Bedford Town FC).
  • Crown Ballet: The Nutcracker, Sunday 22 November, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. £36, concessions £33.75 (Bedford Corn Exchange).

Later in November

  • A Christmas Carol: a radio play live on stage, Thursday 26 November, 7.30pm, The Quarry Theatre. Colin Baker and Sophie Aldred lead the cast. Sold out (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Rhyme and Reason exhibition tour, Thursday 26 November, 12pm to 12.30pm, The Higgins. £3.95, concessions £3.35, booking essential (The Higgins).
  • One Night in Dublin, Thursday 26 November, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. The Wild Murphys’ Irish pub night. £26.44 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • ABBA Merry Christmas, Friday 27 November, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. An ABBA tribute with Christmas songs mixed in. £33.75 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • From Solstice to Santa!, Saturday 28 November, 11.15am to 12.15pm, The Higgins. Helen Ohlsson on winter celebrations from Stonehenge and the Roman Saturnalia to the Victorians. £7.75, concessions £6.20, booking essential (The Higgins).
  • National Theatre Live: The Misanthrope, Saturday 28 November, 2pm, The Quarry Theatre. Sandra Oh in Martin Crimp’s version of Molière, on screen. £16 (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Bedford Choral Society, Saturday 28 November, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. Britten’s St Nicolas and Simple Symphony and Vaughan Williams’ In Windsor Forest. Prices vary, see the venue page (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • Kempston Lights Switch-On, Sunday 29 November, midday to 6pm, the Saxon Centre, Kempston. Free. Craft and gift stalls, food, live entertainment and children’s rides, with the lights on at 5pm (Bedford Borough Council).
  • Woburn Sands Christmas Fayre, Sunday 29 November, High Street, Woburn Sands. Craft and community stalls, street food, a funfair, live music, a lighting ceremony and Santa; times not yet published (Woburn Sands Christmas Fayre).
  • The Elves and the Shoemaker, Sunday 29 November, 2pm, The Quarry Theatre. A family Christmas show. £12.50, concessions £10.50 (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Bedford Blues Women v Long Eaton Women, Sunday 29 November, 2pm, Goldington Road. Adults £3 online, under-16s free (Bedford Blues).
  • Girl Pop Live, Sunday 29 November, 6pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. A family pop concert of tributes to Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa and others. £25.31 (Bedford Corn Exchange).

Bedford has no ice rink announced this winter; our ice rink page has the nearest, in Milton Keynes.

December

  • Christmas Wreath Making Class, Wednesday 2 December, 7pm, Goldington Road. The Blues’ guided class, with the bar open. £50 (Bedford Blues).
  • Step Into Christmas, Thursday 3 December, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. A concert of festive hits. £33.75 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • The Drifters, Friday 4 December, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. £37.13 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • The Two Tone Show, Friday 4 December, 7.30pm, The Quarry Theatre. The SKAlectrics play the 2 Tone era, from The Specials to Madness. £20 seated, £18.50 standing (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Shuttleworth in Lights, Friday to Sunday on 4 to 6, 11 to 13 and 18 to 20 December (then 1 to 3 January), Old Warden. The winter light trail; adults from £17, children 3 and over £11, under-3s free (Shuttleworth). Our Shuttleworth in Lights page has the detail.
  • Christmas Market at Shuttleworth House, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, 10am to 4pm, Old Warden. Free entry, more than 45 craft and gift stalls (Shuttleworth).
  • Father Christmas at Wrest Park, weekends from Saturday 5 to Sunday 20 December, plus 21 and 22 December, Silsoe. Sessions at 10.20am, 11am, 11.40am, 12.20pm, 1.40pm, 2.20pm and 3pm; £12 a child or £9.50 for members, booked ahead, plus admission for non-members (English Heritage).
  • Bedford Christmas Market, Saturday 5 December, 10am to 5pm, and Sunday 6 December, 10am to 4pm, Harpur Square and the Harpur Suite. Local crafters, makers and food producers (Bedford Borough Council). Our Christmas markets page has the rest.
  • Bedford Blues v Coventry, Saturday 5 December, 3pm, Goldington Road. The Champ Rivals Round. Adults £22 online or £26 on the day, under-18s £5 (Bedford Blues).
  • Bedford Town v Morecambe, Saturday 5 December, 3pm, the Eyrie. The same afternoon as the Blues (Bedford Town FC).
  • Not Truly Dead, Saturday 5 December, 7.30pm, The Quarry Theatre. R M Lloyd Parry performs three M R James ghost stories. £17 (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Bedford Christmas Art Fair, Sunday 6 December, 10am to 4pm, St Paul’s Square. The first one, organised by the local artists’ group Perch Presents (Bedford Borough Council).
  • Five Star Swing at Christmas, Sunday 6 December, 2.30pm, The Quarry Theatre. Christmas songs in big-band swing. £18.50 (The Quarry Theatre).
  • George, a Windrush Boy: meet the author, Tuesday 8 December, 11.30am to 1pm, The Higgins. Gilroy Gregory reads from and signs his book in the gallery. Free drop-in (The Higgins).
  • Philharmonia Brass at Christmas, Tuesday 8 December, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. Prices vary, see the venue page (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • Bedford Town v Oxford City, Tuesday 8 December, 7.45pm, the Eyrie. Advance tickets are now on sale (Bedford Town FC).
  • Simon Brodkin: Unleashed, Wednesday 9 December, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. £28.13 to £39.38, strictly 14+ (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • Comedy Crackers, Thursday 10 December, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. Off The Kerb’s Christmas bill with Jack Dee, Suzi Ruffell, Andrew Bird and Marcus Brigstocke. £33.75, strictly 14+ (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • The Magic of Motown, Friday 11 December, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. £36 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • James Phelan: The Man Who Was Magic, Friday 11 December, 7.30pm, The Quarry Theatre. Magic and mind-reading. £22.50, concessions £20.50 (The Quarry Theatre).
  • The Snowman with live brass, Saturday 12 December, 11am, 12.15pm and 1.30pm, The Quarry Theatre. The animated film with Howard Blake’s score played live. £12, children £6; the 11am show had five seats left on 11 November (The Quarry Theatre).
  • North Pole Elves, Saturday 12 December, 1pm and 2.15pm, The Higgins. A free 45-minute musical storytelling show for ages 3 to 8. Places must be booked; the museum’s page still says booking opens after half term (The Higgins).
  • Disco for Grown Ups, Saturday 12 December, 7.30pm, Bedford Corn Exchange. £21.94, VIP £27.56 (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • Keech Santa Run, Sunday 13 December, 11am, the Embankment. A 5k run, jog or walk in Santa suits for Keech Hospice Care. £10 adults, £5 children, £30 a family (Keech Hospice Care). Our Santa Run page has the detail.
  • The Glenn Miller and Rat Pack Era: In the Christmas Mood, Sunday 13 December, 3pm, The Quarry Theatre. £28 (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Castle Comedy Christmas Special, Thursday 17 December, 8pm (doors 7.30pm), The Quarry Theatre. Headlined by Paul Tonkinson. £18 (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Fawlty Towers Dining Experience, Friday 18 December, 7.30pm, the Harpur Suite at the Corn Exchange. £55.69; under-14s must be with an adult (Bedford Corn Exchange).
  • The Upbeat Beatles, Friday 18 December, 7.30pm, The Quarry Theatre. £25 seated, £23.50 standing (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Jack and the Beanstalk, Saturday 19 to Thursday 31 December, Bedford Corn Exchange. The pantomime: 20 shows, the first at 1pm and 5pm on 19 December. Adults £25.88, children £20.25, family of four £77.63 (Bedford Corn Exchange). Our pantomime page has every show time.
  • Comedy Club 4 Kids Christmas Cracker, Saturday 19 December, 2pm, The Quarry Theatre. Stand-up for ages 6 and over and their families, line-up to be announced. Tickets £8 to £12 (The Quarry Theatre).
  • Bedford Blues Women v Sheffield Women, Saturday 19 December, 2pm, Goldington Road. Adults £3 online, under-16s free (Bedford Blues).
  • Bedford Blues v Caldy, Sunday 20 December, 4pm, Goldington Road. The last game before Christmas. Adults £22 online or £26 on the day, under-18s £5 (Bedford Blues).
  • Scrooge (1951) live to film, Sunday 20 December, 2.30pm, The Quarry Theatre. Alastair Sim’s Scrooge with a live score. £22 (The Quarry Theatre).

Regular events

  • Bedford town centre market, every Wednesday and Saturday (the charter market) and every Friday (a general market), 8.30am to 4pm (Bedford Borough Council).
  • Kempston Market, every Thursday, 8.30am to 4pm, at the Saxon Centre (Bedford Borough Council).
  • Walking with The Snowman at Wrest Park, daily to Sunday 10 January, 10am to 4pm, Silsoe. Twelve giant Snowman sculptures; included in admission, members free (English Heritage).
  • Young Lacemakers, The Higgins, Saturday 21 November and Saturday 12 December, 2pm to 4pm. Lace-making lessons for ages 6 to 16 with Aragon Lacemakers, £2 a session; book by email at Aragonlacemakers@gmail.com (The Higgins).
  • Sunday Crafternoon, The Higgins, Sunday 22 November and Sunday 6 December, 2pm to 4pm, last admission 3.30pm. Free family craft drop-in for under-12s (The Higgins).
  • Puggle Club for under-5s, The Higgins, Friday 4 December, 10.30am to 12pm and 1pm to 2.30pm. Free drop-in (The Higgins).

Getting there

The Corn Exchange, The Higgins and the Quarry Theatre are all within a ten-minute walk of each other in the town centre, and Goldington Road is a walk east along the river from there. The Blues say there is no parking at the ground and ask people to walk or use public transport. The Quarry Theatre says the St Peter’s Street car park is a short walk away and free after 6pm and all day on Sundays. Our page on parking in Bedford has the car parks and their weekend free hours, and the roadworks and travel page lists closures before a night out. Coming by train, see Bedford train times.

This page is rewritten as organisers confirm new dates. Every listing was checked against the organiser’s own page on 11 November 2026. Dates can still change, so use the links before you travel. More in our What’s On section.

Send us your event

Running something in Bedford, Kempston or the villages? Email the date, time, venue, price and a photo to hello@bedfordtimes.co.uk. Listings are free of charge, and we add them to this page and to the diary on our What’s On section.

Sources