NOW for the Kids
Willows Activity Farm
Pumpkin Festival 14th, 15th & 19th - 31st Oct
Pick your pumpkin from the Pumpkin Patch, enjoy the Pumpkin Hunt, see Peter Rabbit and his friends on the Outdoor Stage, visit the Adventure Playground, see Mr Tod’s Lair, take the Super Secret Squirrel Nutkin Test, try the Zip Wire and lots more.
Willows Activity Farm, London Colney AL4 0PF www.willowsactivityfarm.com
Day out with Thomas
7th & 8th Oct 10.30am - 5pm
Peep peep! Join Thomas and friends for a day out including a short train ride on Thomas, interactive re-enactments, seeing the Fat Controller, miniature train rides and more.
Buckinghamshire Railway, Quainton HP22 4BY www. bucksrailcentre.org
Travel and Transport 13th Oct
Go on a journey with James and the Giant Peach storytelling and build a cardboard box car for Danny and his dad. Dress up to become a pilot like Roald Dahl, fly paper planes and explore messy play transport tracks (old clothes advised!).
Roald Dahl Museum Great Missenden HP16 0AL www.roalddahlmuseum.org
Paradise Wildlife Park
Dinos After Dark 20th - 22nd & 27th - 29th Oct 5.30pm - 8.30pm
Take a magical trip around the World of Dinosaurs and see them come to life by moonlight. The Rex Express, Safari Stage Shows, outdoor play areas and crazy golf will also be open. £16
Lemur Weekend 28th & 29th Oct
A weekend celebrating all species of Lemurs at the Park, with lemur themed games and merchandise and treats, while raising funds and awareness for SEED, a charity devoted to restoring Madagascar.
Paradise Wildlife Park EN10 7QA www.pwpark.com
Freaky FunFest! 21st - 29th Oct
Step right up for a Spooktacular day out. Take a seat in the Big Top for the new Freaky Flamenco Fiesta Circus and experience spooky walkthrough attractions, including the all new Horrid High. Included in your ticket is a pumpkin from the Pumpkin Patch. Mead Open Farm, Leighton Buzzard LU7 9JH www.meadopenfarm.co.uk
Waddesdon
Haunted Half Term 21st - 29th Oct
Enjoy spooky activities and family fun on a fact filled Trick or Treat Skeleton Trail (£3), join Zoolab for a Creepy Critters show learning about spooky and gruesome animals and insects, relax and watch a
classic family Halloween film or try your luck at a vintage game. Free entry for children in half term
Spooky Afternoon Tea
21st - 29th Oct excl 23rd & 25th £28.50, child £16.50
Treat the family to a spooky Halloween tea, with a ghost meringue, a mummified gingerbread man and spooky jelly worms, eye balls and brains!
Waddesdon HP18 0JH www.waddesdon.org.uk
Halloween Half Term Activities
21st - 29th Oct 10am-5pm
Grab your broomsticks and get ready for a bewitchingly brilliant day out. Gather round for tales from spooky storytellers and solve creepy clues in the Halloween Quest. Included with entry price
Spooky Woodland Walk 27th - 29th Oct
5.30pm, 6.30pm & 7.30pm £14, child £8.50
Join ghost-hunting storytellers on a family-friendly walk. With tales of spooky goings-on, this walk is sure to get you into the spirit of the season. Ages 5 -12 Wrest Park, Silsoe MK45 4HR www.english-heritage.org.uk
Dunstable Downs
Half-Term Trail: A Witch in the Woods
21st - 29th Oct 10.30am - 3pm
Resident witch Witchsnade needs a helping hand to bring the magic back to her woodland home. Make your own wand and join her on this mystical trail down to Chute Wood. Meet at the Visitor Centre
Spooky Afternoon Tea 23rd - 27th Oct 12 - 3pm
Enjoy a Halloween themed afternoon tea with scary sandwiches, spooky sweet treats and spell-binding soft drinks. Meet at the View Café
Dunstable Downs, Whipsnade LU6 2GY www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Boo at the Zoo 21st - 31st Oct
Learn about animals who prefer night-time, with hairraising animal talks, creepy crafts and pumpkin painting. Enjoy the Halloween disco, magic show, wear devilish disguises and take part in the costume contest, listen to a spooky storytelling session and lots more. Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable LU6 2LF www.whipsnadezoo.org
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Wow! Said The Owl 22nd Oct 11.30am & 2pm £9
Explore the wonderful world of colours with a curious little owl, who is determined to stay awake and see what daylight brings. Ages 2 - 5
Steel Pan Workshop 24th Oct 11.30am & 2pm £6
Discover the joy of Steel Pan, as an expert guides you through the basics of playing. Age 6+
All Aboard! 25th - 27th Oct 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm & 2.30pm £4
Make a ship carnival headdress to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Windrush, or walk the plank with a Caribbean pirate ship!
African Drumming Workshop
26th Oct 11.30am & 2pm £6
Learn the intricacies of playing West-African rhythms on the djembe drums. Age 6+
Stockwood Discovery Centre, Luton LU1 4LX www.culturetrust.com
Half Term Activities 23rd - 27th Oct
Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes MK3 6EB www.bletchleypark.org.uk
Halloween Adventure 24th - 26th Oct
With games, sculptures, crazy golf, mini broom workshop (£2), decorated pumpkin competition and more.
Workshops: 9.30am - 12.30pm & 1pm - 4pm
Ages 3 - 10, child £9.50, adult £3.95
Knebworth House, Stevenage SG1 2AX www.knebworthhouse.com
Halloween at Burston
Sessions 11am, 12pm & 2pm. Proceeds will be donated to Brain Tumour Research, £6 per session, please book
Decorate a Spooky Wind Chime 25th Oct
Make a Halloween Dangly and Jump-up 26th Oct
Burston Garden Centre, St Albans AL2 2DS www.burston.co.uk
Halloween Spectacular 27th Oct 5pm - 9pm
An evening of spooky fun with crafts, storytelling, toasting marshmallows, scary woodland walks, fire-breathing and more. Chiltern Open Air Museum, Bucks HP8 4AB www.coam.org.uk
Baba Yaga: The Witch in the Woods
28th & 29th Oct sessions 10am - 5pm
Watch this family-friendly, interactive play, enjoy a steam train ride with Dracula and win a prize on the Halloween scavenger hunt. Please book
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton HP22 4BY www.bucksrailcentre.org
Contact Maria to find out more about Weekly Lessons or School Holiday Courses
Before
Dividing the Assets on Divorce – is it
always 50/50?
When a couple decide to divorce, it can be challenging for them to consider every issue relating to the finances. Married couples may have assets they acquired separately or together either during or before the marriage or after separation. Assets may be held jointly or in one spouse’s name.
Are my ex-partner and I allowed to agree that they will receive less than 50% of the assets? Simply, it depends. Knowing how to divide assets in a divorce can be a difficult and emotional task for those involved and the law in this area is very discretionary.
The division of assets is typically based on what is deemed fair and reasonable in each case. This varies depending on the length of marriage and needs of any children involved, for example.
If you and your ex-partner have agreed that you will receive 60% of the assets and they will receive 40%, for example, for that to be legally binding, a financial consent order must be drafted by a solicitor and Court-approved. The Court will
approve the order if they consider it ‘fair’ and ‘reasonable’ in the circumstances.
How do I know whether our agreement regarding the assets is ‘fair’ and ‘reasonable’?
Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 outlines factors that the Court will apply when dealing with financial claims on divorce and provides that the Court shall have regard to all the circumstances, with the first consideration being the welfare of dependent children under 18.
Given that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to dividing assets, we suggest you take legal advice on your circumstances - please contact us if you would like to discuss your case.
Sunny Rafaeli, Solicitor Rayden Solicitors St AlbansHome visiting Chiropody and Podiatry Practice
NOW COVERING Harpenden, Redbourn, St Albans, Wheathampstead and surrounding areas
Corns, Hard Skin, all Nail Problems and Diabetes Checks
Please call Susan Robb for advice and appointments 01727 863927
www.feetfirsthealthcare.co.uk
Passionate About Natural Health and Wellbeing
A Natural Way to Better Health
A Practice for Women and Children
Reflexology is a relaxing experience and effective for releasing stress and tension, improving blood and lymphatic flow, eliminating toxins, purifying internal organs and relieving negative emotions.
Please get in touch to see how I can help 07535 891513
www.reflexologyhealthcoaching.co.uk
Willow 10k 8th Oct 10am
10k £25, 5k £16, Fun Run £7.50 Hatfield House AL9 5HX www.willowfoundation.org.uk
Herts 10k 8th Oct
Raising funds for Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, why not sign up today! Rothamsted Park, Harpenden www.herts10k.com
The Mud Pack Challenge 15th Oct
Get filthy for The Hospice of St Francis. £35 Ashridge House HP4 1NS www.stfrancis.org.uk
Halloween Walk 28th Oct
Make your way across London passing iconic sights. Do it for yourself and self fund, or support one of the Charity Partners. Choose either a full (£10) or half (£7.50) marathon and dress to distress! Starting at The Oval, London www.ultrachallenge.com
Helping
Are you feeling depressed or anxious? Is life getting on top of you?
Are unresolved issues interfering with your happiness?
Talking to a trained counsellor can help. I offer my clients a confidential and safe space to experience counselling at a quiet venue in St Albans with free car-parking, or if preferred, we can meet on-line. For more information please have a look at my website www.ptorr.com
If you would like an initial conversation to explore whether counselling could help you, do get in contact by email at philipthomasorr@gmail.com or you can text me at 07711 916042. We can start with a chat to see if I am the right counsellor for you.
‘Philip is a brilliant counsellor, highly perceptive and non-judgemental’
Philip Orr MA, PGCE, MRIA, Dip.Couns, MBACP- Renée BaumFoot Healthcare Professional MCFHP MAFHP
I offer a wide range of footcare treatments on Tuesdays at Verulam Pharmacy (by Waitrose) King Harry Lane, or I can visit you in the comfort of your own home.
NOW for some Entertainment
Trestle Arts Base
Gandhari 1st Oct 7pm
Choosing to blindfold herself in solidarity with her husband, the blind King Dhritirasthra-Gandharis’ wife makes a decision that, in time, will cost her everything. £13
Decadence 28th Oct 7.45pm
A Halloween party featuring live music, Tarot readings, close-up magic, DJ sets, fancy dress and more, performed by The Vaulted Skies. Russet Drive, St Albans AL4 0JQ4 www.trestle.org.uk
The Alban Arena
Bridesmaids of Britain 3rd Oct 7.30pm £32, £22 Grab your pals and put on your garter for a night out filled with laughter and tears.
ABBAMANIA 4th Oct 7.30pm
Europe’s leading ABBA tribute with outstanding vocals and musical performance.
George Hinchcliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain 5th Oct 7.30pm £31.50, child £26.50
An evening of entertainment from this eccentric group, playful, virtuosic and wickedly amusing.
A Beautiful Noise: The Ultimate Tribute to Neil Diamond 6th Oct 7.30pm £27.50
Celebrating the hits Neil penned in the Brill Building to the album The Jazz Singer and countless live concerts.
Phil Wang: Wang in There Baby!
7th Oct 7.30pm £26
He’s chatting race, family, nipples, and everything else that’s been going on in his Philly little life.
Dame Joan Collins: Behind the Shoulder Pads
9th Oct 7.30pm £55, £45
Featuring seldom told tales, enchanting anecdotes, and rare and fascinating footage from her seven decades in show business, the evening will be full of the usual wit, candour, and of course glamour.
Doug Allan: It’s A Wrap
10th Oct 7.30pm £25, child £22
Looking back over 35 years of natural history filmmaking. Part retrospective, the show is also Doug’s perspective on climate change and its Impact on the world’s wild places.
The Manfreds Maximum Rhythm ‘N’ Blues
11th Oct 7.30pm £36.50, £34.50
Celebrating 60 years of music with tracks such as
Pretty Flamingo, 5-4-3-2-1, Ha Ha! Said The Clown, Mighty Quinn and Do Wah Diddy Diddy.
Steve Backshall’s Ocean
12th Oct 7pm £21.50, child £11.50
From great whites to great whales, seals to sardine shoals and Orcas to the oddities of the deep.
80’s Live 13th Oct 7.30pm £31.50
Including Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Tainted Love, Love Shack, Living on a Prayer, The Final Countdown, Don’t You Want Me Baby, Relax, It’s Raining Men, Rio. . . the list goes on.
Noel Fitzpatrick Beyond Super Vet
14th Oct 7.30pm £37
An antidote to the hectic whirlwind of modern living, bringing us back to the earthed basics, and showing that love really is all that matters.
Emerald Storm 17th Oct 7.30pm £34.50
This explosive show is a thrilling fusion of music and dance styles!
Kevin Bloody Willson 18th Oct 7.30pm £34
Shooting down political correctness with comedic pin point accuracy, while crushing PC eggshells with the grace and diplomacy of a wounded buffalo.
That’ll Be The Day 20th Oct 7.30pm £28.50, £26.50
Combining comedy sketches and impersonations with breathtaking vocals and dazzling musicianship.
Motown How Sweet It Is 21st Oct 7.30pm £31.50 With songs from artistes such as Lionel Richie, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five and many more.
Musicals in Concert 25th Oct 7.30pm £29
From the powerful ballads of Phantom of The Opera, Miss Saigon and Les Miserables to the hits of Dirty Dancing, Motown and more.
Ross Noble: Jibber Jabber Jamboree
27th Oct 8pm £30.50
What’s it about? What will we learn? Pointless questions when Noble is off on one of his tangents!
Frankie’s Guys 28th Oct 7.30pm £26.50
Including Big Girls Don’t Cry, December 1963 (Oh What A Night), Walk Like A Man, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Grease and many more!
Jimeoin 29th Oct 7.30pm £20
An hilarious evening of stand-up from live comedy’s internationally acclaimed Irish master! The Alban Arena, St Albans AL1 3LD www.alban-arena.co.uk
Live on Screen
Royal Opera House: L'elisir D’amore
5th Oct 7.15pm & 8th Oct 2pm
Country boy Nemorino hopes to win the haughty Adina’s heart, but she refuses to give him the time of day. Can Doctor Dulcamara’s so-called ‘elixir of love’ work its magic. £20.50, £22.60
Stop Making Sense 14th Oct 8pm
Considered the greatest concert film of all time, this live performance was shot over three nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in 1983 and features
Talking Heads' most memorable songs. £14.50 Campus West, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX www.campuswest.co.uk
Abbey Theatre
Constellations
5th Oct Charity performance for Harpenden based AT Society. £16, concs £14 includes a glass of wine or soft drink. www.atsociety.org.uk
6th, 7th & 10th - 14th Oct 8pm & 8th Oct 2.30pm
Time means everything and nothing in this tender portrayal of romance and friendship. £14
Ikaria 16th Oct 7.30pm
Simon has returned to Uni after taking a year out. He wants to get on with his finals and not slip back into old, destructive habits. Mia, a first-year, is embracing the freedom of life away from home. Simon doesn’t want to leave his room...but then he meets Mia. Please note the play contains adult themes. £14
Hauntings 21st Oct
Three tales of the supernatural from two of the greatest writers of ghost stories, EF Benson and MR James.
Wind / Rush Generation(s) 25th - 28th Oct 8pm
A group of first year history students is troubled by a noisy ghost. As a dare, they use a Ouija board to try to contact the spirit and come face-to-face with Britain’s colonial past. What follows is a rollercoaster ride as they confront this country’s difficult imperial history of racism and prejudice. Part of Black History Month, commemorating the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush. This play contains some offensive racist language used in historical context. £8, child £5
Westminster Lodge, St Albans AL1 2D www.abbeytheatre.org.uk
The Horn Neon Waltz 5th Oct 8pm £15
An indie band with a rich, melodic sound.
Half Life 6th Oct 10.30pm free Local rock covers band.
The Fabulous Feedback Band 20th Oct 8pm
London's BEST party band! Free
Special Kinda Madness 21st Oct 9pm £18
A tribute to The Specials and Madness
Guns 2 Roses 28th Oct 9pm £14
THE Guns and Roses tribute!
The Horn, St Albans AL1 3TE www.thehorn.co.uk
The Eric Morecambe Centre
9 to 5 The Musical 11th - 14th Oct 7.30pm & 14th Oct 2.30pm £22, child £19
With music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, based on the popular 1980 hit movie.
The Wonder Of Stevie 20th Oct 7.30pm £29
Voted one of Britain’s top soul singers, vocalist Noel McCalla, saxophonist Derek Nash (Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra) and their world-class live band present a catalogue of Stevie Wonder classics.
Gareth Gates in Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons 21st Oct 7.30pm £32.50
Featuring favourite songs including Sherry, My Eyes Adored You, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Walk Like A Man, and many more.
The Opera Boys: A Night At The Musicals
26th Oct 7.30pm £24
From musicals like Mamma Mia, Hairspray and Jersey Boys to Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera and West Side Story, this show is perfect for all musical theatre lovers.
Oye Santana 28th Oct 7.30pm £19.50
Enjoy a feast of Latin music, superb musicianship and hit songs, faithfully re-creating the music of Santana.
Dreamcoat Stars 31st Oct 7.30pm £29
The star vocals of four singers from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, come together for a magical evening of West End and Broadway classics. EMC, Rothamsted Park, Harpenden AL5 2FR www.the-emc.co.uk
The Barn Theatre
King Charles III by Mike Bartlett
13th - 21st Oct 8pm & 21st Oct 2.30pm
The Mercy Seat by Neil Labute
25th - 28th Oct 8pm
Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6ST www.barntheatre.co.uk
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances
14th Oct 7.30pm
With St Albans Symphony Orchestra
Jenkins: And the Sun Stood Still
Nielsen: Helios Overture
Sibelius: Nightride and Sunrise
£13 - £18, students £5, child £2
01525 862097 / 07976 800445
St Saviour’s Church, St Albans AL1 4DF www.saso.org.uk
Out of Town
Shuttleworth
Race Day Air Show 1st Oct 9.30am £35
See icons of the aviation and motor vehicle industry for a day of action.
Halloween Haunt 28th Oct starts at 5pm
Hear storytellers telling Victorian ghost stories, and ride the White Rose vintage bus with everyone dressed for a spooky night! £10, child £2.50
Biggleswade SG18 9DT www.shuttleworth.org
The Howl Scream Park 6th, 7th, 13th - 15th, 20th - 22nd, 25th - 29th & 31st Oct 6pm - 11pm
A night of dazzling special effects, live action horror mazes, immersive scenery, street theatre, live music and more. Please book Mead Open Farm LU7 9JH www.meadopenfarm.co.uk
Apple Day 15th Oct 12 noon - 4pm
Shenley Park, Radlett Lane WD7 9DW www.shenleypark.co.uk
Jet & Space Week 21st - 29th Oct
Challenge your science skills, put your knowledge to the test and find out more about the universe with a range of family fun activities and workshops. RAF London NW9 5LL www.rafmuseum.org.uk
History & Nature of Dunstable Downs
24th Oct 10.30am - 1pm
Join volunteers for a gentle walk to the Knolls. £3, child £1.50, meet at the Visitor Centre
Dunstable Downs, Whipsnade LU6 2GY www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Tring Natural History Museum
Nocturnal Animals 24th - 26th Oct 10.30am, 11.15am, 2.15pm, 3pm
Explore what these species need to live and thrive in the dark and create your own bat to take home. £2
Museum by Torchlight 27th Oct 5pm - 8pm
Dress up in your best spooky outfit to explore the galleries after dark. Trail £1, entry free
Akeman Street, Tring HP23 6AP www.nhm.ac.uk
Samhain Celebrations 24th - 27th Oct
A day of activities with pumpkin carving, making a mini broom, explore the Haunted Forest, build a woodland shelter, listen to a story around the fire and more. 12.50 Celtic Harmony Camp, Brickendon SG13 8NY www.celticharmony.org
Hertford Castle Open Day
29th Oct 12 noon - 4pm Tours every 30 mins
Explore the Castle, with knowledgeable volunteers on hand. Hertford Castle, Castle Street, SG14 1HR www.hertford.gov.uk
NOW at the Cathedral
Art of the Abbey 19th Sept - 1st Oct free
Exhibition by local artist Martin Clark, exploring the Cathedral and its hidden corners while you enjoy work, including painting and sculpture depicting the Abbey from different perspectives.
Abbey by Night 4th Oct 8pm & 8.30pm £18
Be transported back in time to the medieval abbey with this thrilling candlelit experience.
Hertfordshire Chorus: Brahms, Strauss and Rosenberg 7th Oct 7.30pm £5 - £30
With Ein deutches Requiem by Brahms, Richard Strauss’s sublime Four Last Songs and a short piece written by Kurt Rosenberg called Highland Home.
Harvest Festival 8th Oct 9.30pm All welcome
Stained Glass - Scenes from the Bible
8th Oct 1.30pm free
Demonstration of Sacred Harp Singing
15th Oct 2pm free
A singing session of traditional ‘shapenote’ songs from southern American folk/worship music.
Magic Science Day 16th Oct
10.30am - 11.30am & 1pm - 2pm £4.50
An exciting and interactive show packed with magic as part of Science Week. For upper KS2 pupils. Talk: Sparking Wonder – Science, Religion, and Magic 16th Oct 7.30pm £12
A fast-paced talk packed with counter-intuitive demonstrations, exploring what it might mean to be both enlightened and enchanted.
Renaissance | Illuminating the Past 24th & 25th Oct
Be transported out of the Dark Ages into a time that changed culture forever in this mesmerising light show. Please book
Graffiti Artist in Residence - Ant Steel Community Drop-In 21st Oct 11.30am - 1.30pm free
Find out more about graffiti art and contribute to the making of a Renaissance collaborative project.
Family Workshop 23rd Oct child £6
Create some Renaissance focused art.
Workshop: Graffiti Throughout Time
28th Oct 10.30am £25
Uncover the revolutionary history of this artistic medium and learn how to use spray paints and stencils to collectively create a graffiti piece.
St Albans Cathedral AL1 1BY www.stalbanscathedral.org
Chapman Auto Services
Out & About
Herts Open Studios until 1st Oct
With hundreds of artists working in many different media. Follow the yellow signs across the county to visit venues, studios, pop-ups, galleries, shops, theatres, museums and much more. You'll see finished and 'in progress' artwork; be able to chat to artists and find out more about the tools and techniques they use. www.hvaf.org.uk
St Albans Museum + Gallery
Echoes from the Future until 8th Oct free
Inspired by the Museums' Collections, see works in sculpture, casting discarded objects collected from beaches and riverbanks in plaster and bronze resin to create new fossils or relics, and compositions placing observed animals, birds and human figures within invented natural environments.
Exhibition: Samuel Ryder & the Ryder Cup until 27th Oct
Celebrating the Museums’ founder Samuel Ryder, known as the man behind the Ryder Cup and one of St Albans most prominent residents in his life. He changed the face of gardening nationally with his penny packets of seeds and as councillor and mayor he contributed to all aspects of life in St Albans. Free
Exhibition: Time for Tea until 5th Nov
Exploring the fascinating journey of tea from leaf to cup with activities, talks and creative workshops.
Poet Quinton Mílise Jumps Parallels
1st & 21st Oct 3pm free
Join spoken-word poet, Mílise for a performance drawing from a ‘Colourful Upbringing full of quirky, compelling and outlandish Characters who lived their lives on the Margins of Society’.
Exhibition: Ballito Bombshells 20th Oct - 4th Feb
Charting the history of the Ballito Hosiery Mill in Fleetville; from Silk to Steel it was a major landmark in Fleetville from the 20s to the 60s. Free St Peter’s Street AL1 3DH
www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk
St Leonard's Flower Festival
1st Oct 10am Harvest Festival Service
6th Oct 5pm Flower Festival Preview
7th Oct 10am - 5pm / 8th Oct 11am - 5pm
www.sandridgechurch.org.uk
Highfield Park
All events at the Visitor Centre
Apple Day 1st Oct 1.30pm - 3.30pm, free
A fun and traditional celebration of English Apples.
Enjoy live music while having a homemade cake and a cuppa, Buy apple juice and cider, sourced from the Park’s historic orchards, watch an apple juicing demonstration, play apple-based games, browse craft stalls, talk to a local beekeeper, and buy some of his delicious honey.
Talk: Memories of the Hospitals & the Park
20th October 7.30pm £5
Using interviews, photographs and research the talk gives some idea of life in Hill End and Cell Barnes hospitals, together with a brief outline of the formation of Highfield Park. Please book
Mini Rotters 25th Oct 10am £5
Take the trail and learn about the heroes of natural recycling and keep an eye out for hidden surprises! Get up close to Stick Insects, Giant Millipede, Giant Hissing Cockroaches, Giant Snails, a Tarantula and a Scorpion which you can hold (except the Tarantula and Scorpion). Please book Highfield Park Visitor Centre, St Albans AL4 0RA www.highfieldparktrust.co.uk
St Albans City Walks
Tudor St Albans Revealed 1st Oct 2.30pm
Historic St Albans
1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th Oct 11.15am
A Roman City Revealed 7th Oct 11am
A Modern City Revealed 8th Oct 2.30pm
St Michaels and Fishpool Street 14th Oct 2.30pm
The Pubs of St Albans 15th Oct 2.30pm
Ghosts & Ghouls
19th, 27th, 28th, 30th & 31st Oct 7.30pm
27th, 28th, 30th & 31st Oct 7pm
30th & 31st Oct 8pm
Victorian St Albans 21st Oct 2.30pm
Crime & Punishment 22nd Oct 2.30pm
Haunted Harpenden 31st Oct 7.30pm
All walks cost £6, please book online
www.stalbanstourguides.co.uk
George Street Gin & Jazz Festival
6th Oct 7pm - 10pm
The shops will open their doors and there’ll be live jazz and swing. George Street, St Albans
Waste Not Clothes Swap
7th Oct 6.30pm - 8.30pm
A social event for adults and teenagers to get new pre-loved clothes. Profits to Fashion Revolution. £2, under 18s £1
All Saints Church, Station Rd, Harpenden AL5 4UU
www.shorturl.at/btvU2
Sustainable St Albans
Repair Fair 7th Oct 2pm - 5pm
St Albans District Fixers will be helping repair household fabrics and electrical items you might otherwise throw away. Please book, free
St Paul’s Church, St Albans AL1 4JP
Thermal Imaging Camera Free
Use a thermal imaging camera to check the insulation in your home. Find out more online
www.sustainablestalbans.org
More Out & About
St Albans South Signal Box
8th, 22nd & 25th Oct 2pm - 5pm
With signal demonstrations, railway videos and a slideshow of the restoration, and in the garden you can operate working signals and a point, see lit oil lamps, a telegraph 'pole route' and the garden railway. Free www.tlr.ltd.uk/sigbox
Fungus Day 9th Oct 11am - 3pm
Find out how fungi make a vital contribution to healthy ecosystems and the problems and solutions they offer to agriculture and food production. No need to book
Rothamsted Restaurant, Harpenden AL5 2JQ www.rothamstedenterprises.com
de Havilland Aircraft Museum Tours
Wednesdays from 11th Oct 12 noon
Tours for individuals or small groups. Entry £14, child £8, plus tour charge of £5 London Colney AL2 1BU www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk
The Big Herts Quiz 13th Oct 7pm
In support of World Homeless Day, why not round up a quiz team and put your knowledge to the test. All funds raised will support Herts Young Homeless. £17.50 includes supper and sweet treats
Loreto College, St Albans AL1 3RQ www.hyh.org.uk
Patchwork Quilting Exhibition
14th Oct 9.30am - 4pm
Display of amazing work by The Mead Quilters. Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead AL4 8AY £3, under 12s free www.meadquilters.org.uk
Gallery Talks
Hear the story of Verulamium come to life. Free Death & Burial Gallery 14th Oct 12.30pm
Iron Age 21st Oct 11.30am
Gods & Goddesses 28th Oct 11.30am
Verulamium Museum, St Albans AL3 4SW www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk
Luton Hoo Walled Garden
Autumn Open Day 25th Oct 10.30am - 12 noon
Spooky fun with craft activities, hunt the spiders, a visit to The Woodyard Coffee Shop and more. Child £5, adults free
Friday Talk: Walled Garden in the 20th Century
27th Oct 10.30am
Luton Hoo Walled Garden LU1 4LF www.lutonhooestate.co.uk
Oktoberfest
27th Oct 4pm - 11pm & 28th Oct 11am - 11pm
A traditional German celebration with a live Oompah Band, axe throwing, games, local artists, a DJ and of course, Prost beer and authentic German Schwenkgrill serving Bratwurst and more. A shuttle bus service will run from St Peters Street, St Albans and Harpenden train station. From £19.39
Herts Showground, Redbourn AL3 7PT www.hertsoktoberfest.com