What's On in Exeter: Pumpkin Fest, ghost hunts and the Cathedral Fair

October in Exeter turns to Halloween this weekend: Darts Farm’s Pumpkin Fest and Crealy’s Spook-Fest both open on Saturday 10 October, and St Nicholas Priory runs evening ghost hunts from the 16th. Little Shop of Horrors is at the Northcott until the 17th, the free Cathedral Autumn Fair fills the nave on 13 and 14 October, and Michael Palin brings his Philippines journey to the Great Hall on the 26th, and the cathedral hosts three candlelit concerts, Queen, the Eagles and Vivaldi, from 22 to 24 October. Halloween itself is a Saturday, with a free Red Coat ghost walk that needs booking. Then both of the area’s big firework displays fall on Saturday 7 November, the night before Remembrance Sunday.

Every listing below was reread from the organiser’s own page on 5 October 2026 and links back to it, so you can check before you set off. For places that are open whatever the month, see things to do in Exeter; for the school holiday week, our October half term guide; and for everything spooky, Exeter Halloween 2026.

This week

• Until Saturday 17 October. Little Shop of Horrors, Exeter Northcott Theatre. Evenings at 7.30pm, with 2.30pm matinees on 10, 14 and 17 October. Prices run from £21.50 to £67.50 depending on the night. Tonight, Monday 5 October, and Tuesday 6 October are down to the last few seats. Age guide 10+. Access performances: BSL on Tuesday 6 October at 7.30pm, audio described on Saturday 10 October at 2.30pm with a 1.30pm touch tour, captioned on Saturday 10 October at 7.30pm, and relaxed on Saturday 17 October at 2.30pm (Exeter Northcott).
• Now on, until 21 February. Living Labyrinths: Art and Fungi, RAMM. Watercolours of fungi by Beatrix Potter and Cy Twombly’s mushroom collages sit alongside eight contemporary artists. £6 online or £8 at the desk; students, under 25s and Art Fund members £4; under 19s and carers free (RAMM).
• Tuesday 6 October, 7pm. Exeter City v Oxford United, St James Park, EFL Trophy (Exeter City FC).
• Wednesday 7 to Friday 9 October, 7.45pm. Macbeth, Barnfield Theatre. A physical theatre version of the tragedy. £18, and Friday 9 October is sold out (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Friday 9 October, 6.30pm. “It Could Be Witches”: witch marks and protection magic in medieval England, St Nicholas Priory. A talk by F. Crawford on the protective marks found in the priory itself. £10 with drinks, doors 6pm (St Nicholas Priory).
• Friday 9 October, 8pm. The Simon and Garfunkel Story, Exeter Corn Exchange. The touring show with a live band, doors 7.15pm. £30.50 including the booking fee (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• From Saturday 10 October. Pumpkin Fest at Darts Farm, Topsham. Weekends of 10-11, 17-18 and 24-25 October, then every day from 26 to 31 October, 10am to 4.30pm, last entry 3pm. £5 each, under-1s free; book an arrival slot, card only, and pumpkins cost extra (Darts Farm). More on our Exeter Halloween page.
• From Saturday 10 October. Halloween Spook-Fest at Crealy, Clyst St Mary. 10-11 and 17-18 October, then daily 24 to 31 October, 10am to 5pm. Three scare mazes and a free pumpkin for every child. From £20 online, £25 on the gate, under 92cm free (Crealy).
• Saturday 10 October, 11am to 12pm. The Wonderful World of Fungi, an urban fungus walk for UK Fungus Day, meeting at RAMM’s Garden Reception. £5.50 (RAMM).
• Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October, 11am to 4pm. Craft Fair, St Nicholas Priory. Local makers selling in every room of the priory, from the Norman undercroft to the Great Hall. Free entry, donations welcome (St Nicholas Priory).
• Saturday 10 October, 3pm. Exeter Chiefs Women v Loughborough Lightning, Sandy Park (Exeter Chiefs).
• Saturday 10 October, 8pm. Ginger Johnson: Show Pony, Barnfield Theatre. £31.50, age 16+ (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Sunday 11 October, 3pm. Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Red Bulls, Sandy Park (Exeter Chiefs).

RAMM’s fine art gallery (Gallery 20) is closed for maintenance from 5 to 19 October (RAMM).

Next week

• Monday 12 October, 7.30pm. Seth Lakeman: Freedom Fields, Exeter Corn Exchange. The 20th anniversary tour, from £28.50. Sold out; the box office says it sometimes resells returned tickets (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 October. Exeter Cathedral Autumn Fair, in the nave. Small local businesses selling, and cathedral entry is free for the two days. A free glass of mulled wine goes with a free pre-booked adult ticket, so book one on the cathedral’s page if you want it. The cathedral has not published the fair’s opening hours (Exeter Cathedral).
• Tuesday 13 October, 8pm. The Blow Monkeys, Exeter Corn Exchange. Doors 7.15pm, £30.50 including the booking fee (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 October. The Gondoliers, Barnfield Theatre, by St David’s Players. 7.30pm each night plus a 2pm Saturday matinee. £22, students £20, under 18s £12 (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Wednesday 14 October, 7.30pm. Maisie Adam: Whatsherface, Exeter Corn Exchange. £26 including the booking fee, 16+ (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Thursday 15 and Thursday 29 October, 7.30pm. Ocean Film Festival World Tour, Exeter Corn Exchange. A night of short ocean adventure films, doors 6.45pm. £19, £17 concessions and groups of six or more; age guide 12A (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Thursday 15 October, 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Exeter’s Only Magic Lantern Show, St Nicholas Priory. A Lightbear Lane evening of nineteenth-century lantern projections with live music, introduced by lanternist Dr Richard Crangle, with a pop-up display from the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum. Bar from 6.45pm (St Nicholas Priory).
• Friday 16 to Saturday 31 October. Exeter Cathedral Photography Exhibition, by the Lady Chapel. The nine finalists of this year’s competition, included in standard cathedral admission (Exeter Cathedral).
• Friday 16 to Sunday 25 October, 6.30pm and 8.30pm. An Audience with a Ghost Hunter, St Nicholas Priory. Wandering Tiger’s interactive ghost hunt through Exeter’s oldest building on 16, 17, 22, 23, 24 and 25 October. Tickets through Wandering Tiger; no wheelchair access upstairs (St Nicholas Priory).
• Friday 16 October, 8pm. Too Much Too Young: the story of 2Tone and beyond, Exeter Corn Exchange. Ska theatre, doors 7.15pm, £28.50 (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Saturday 17 October, 7.30pm. Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Exeter Corn Exchange. £26.50 including the booking fee; the company warns of foul language and nudity (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Saturday 17 October, 7.30pm. Sam Campbell: Kid Giblet, the Great Hall. £31, age 16+, last few tickets (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Sunday 18 October, 11.45am. Trafalgar Day Service, Exeter Cathedral. Exeter Flotilla’s 52nd service for the Battle of Trafalgar. Free, no booking (Exeter Cathedral).
• Sunday 18 October, 8pm. Paul Merton and Suki Webster’s Improv Show, Exeter Corn Exchange. £27 including the booking fee, age 14+ (Exeter Corn Exchange).

Later in October

• Tuesday 20 October, 7.45pm. Exeter City v Crewe Alexandra, St James Park, League Two (Exeter City FC).
• Wednesday 21 October, 8pm. Buffy Revamped, Exeter Corn Exchange. All seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 70 minutes, told by Spike. £26.50 including the booking fee, 14+ (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Wednesday 21 October, 3pm and 7.30pm. Hour Before Nightfall, St Nicholas Priory. A two-hander about Frederick Densham, the hermit vicar of Warleggan on Bodmin Moor, and the Life magazine reporter sent to find him (St Nicholas Priory).
• Wednesday 21 October, 7.30pm. How Soon Is Now?, Exeter Northcott. An indie musical set in a Manchester club on New Year’s Eve 1997, with a live 90s soundtrack. £18, age 14+ (Exeter Northcott).
• Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm. Tracy Borman: Tudors on Tour, Exeter Northcott. £30 (Exeter Northcott).
• Thursday 22 October, 7.30pm. Queen by Candlelight, Exeter Cathedral. West End singers and a live rock band. Tickets through the cathedral’s booking link (Exeter Cathedral).
• Thursday 22 October, 7.45pm. Harriet Kemsley: Floozy, Barnfield Theatre. £21.50. Sold out (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Friday 23 October, 7.45pm. The Comedy Store, Barnfield Theatre. The London club’s touring stand-up night, £21.50 (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Friday 23 October, 8pm. Live/Wire, Exeter Corn Exchange. The AC/DC tribute, doors 7.15pm, £26 including the booking fee (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Friday 23 October, 7.30pm. Eagles by Candlelight, Exeter Cathedral, with West End singers and a live band (Exeter Cathedral).
• Friday 23 October, 7.30pm. Sindhu Vee: Swanky, Exeter Northcott. £31.50, age 14+. Sold out (Exeter Northcott).
• Saturday 24 October, 3pm. Exeter City v Fleetwood Town, St James Park, League Two (Exeter City FC).
• Saturday 24 October, 7.30pm. The Four Seasons and The Lark Ascending, Exeter Cathedral. Vivaldi and Vaughan Williams by candlelight (Exeter Cathedral).
• Saturday 24 October, 7.30pm. Simon and Garfunkel Through The Years, Exeter Northcott. £23.50 (Exeter Northcott).
• Sunday 25 October, 1.30pm and 4.30pm. The Space Explorers Academy, Exeter Northcott. A Science Museum family show with the UK Space Agency, age 6+, £20.50 (Exeter Northcott).
• Monday 26, Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 October, 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Half term family activities, Exeter Cathedral. Arts and crafts with the cathedral’s in-house artist. £4 per child, adults with children free (Exeter Cathedral).
• Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October, 2pm and 6pm. Stage by Stage: Shrek the Musical Jr, Exeter Corn Exchange. £16, concessions £13, family of four £48, all including the booking fee (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Monday 26 October, 7.30pm. Michael Palin: In the Philippines, the Great Hall. His account of the journey, with photographs and film from behind the cameras. £46.50 (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Monday 26 October, 7.30pm. Dolly’s Film Club: Rocky Horror Picture Show, Exeter Phoenix. An auditorium takeover screening. £11, or £9 for members, students and under 25s (Exeter Phoenix).
• Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 October, 10.30am to 3.30pm. Mushroom Magic: build a woodland dwelling, RAMM. Drop-in nature craft for children, £3.50 (RAMM).
• Wednesday 28 October, 11am and 1.30pm. The Mushroom Show, RAMM. For ages 5 and up, £5.50 (RAMM).
• Wednesday 28 October, 7.30pm. Lullaby, Exeter Northcott. Jasmin Vardimon reworks her dance theatre piece set on a hospital ward; 90 minutes with an interval. £22 to £27. The theatre warns of flashing lights and scenes of baby loss and cancer (Exeter Northcott).
• Thursday 29 October, 7.30pm. Nish Kumar: Angry Humour from a Really Nice Guy, Exeter Northcott. £28.50, age 14+. Sold out (Exeter Northcott).
• Friday 30 October, 12pm to 1.15pm. Double Double Toil and Trouble: Herbology Lesson, St Nicholas Priory. A children’s herb lesson in the medieval kitchen, with cloaks provided; children must come with an adult. Booked through Lightbear Lane (St Nicholas Priory).
• Friday 30 October, 7pm to 9pm. Spork! Poetry Halloween Special, Exeter Phoenix, with the annual Dead Poets Slam. Pay what you can, £8 to £16; students and under 25s £6 (Exeter Phoenix).
• Saturday 31 October, 11am to 4pm. Bristol Alternative Market: Exeter Edition, Exeter Corn Exchange. Artists, vintage and alternative clothing, taxidermy and tabletop gaming stalls. Free entry (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Saturday 31 October, 3pm. Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins, Sandy Park (Exeter Chiefs).
• Saturday 31 October, 6pm and 6.15pm. Red Coat Ghosts and Legends Halloween Tour, from the Hooker Statue on Cathedral Green. Free, but online booking is essential (Exeter Corn Exchange box office).
• Saturday 31 October, 7.30pm. Tom Stade Rules, Exeter Northcott. £28.50, age 16+ (Exeter Northcott).

November

• Sunday 1 November, 10.30am to 4pm. Build a Wild Wicker Beast, RAMM courtyard. Help craftsman Stefan Jennings twist willow into giant animals, then tie a winter wish on the rag tree. Free, drop in (RAMM).
• Sunday 1 November, 4.45pm. Chance to Dance 2026, Exeter Northcott. Dancers from local and South West schools on the main stage. £22 to £23 (Exeter Northcott).
• Sunday 1 November, 7.30pm. Tom Davis: Spudgun, the Great Hall. £28.50, age 14+ (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Sunday 1 to Saturday 7 November. Elevate Festival, Barnfield Theatre. The Northcott’s week of new and work-in-progress theatre: free workshops and socials, scratch nights and shows such as Cancer B*tch!, The Necromancer! and KILN at £8 to £14, plus The Thing About Goats for families on the Saturday morning at £9 (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 November, 7.30pm. IN THE BRAIN, Exeter Northcott. Shechter II in a 55-minute dance piece. £19.50 to £24, age 12+ (Exeter Northcott).
• Wednesday 4 November, 7.30pm. Annual Library Lecture: The Enlightened Mr Parkinson, Exeter Cathedral Chapter House. Dr Cherry Lewis on James Parkinson, the apothecary who first described Parkinson’s disease. Refreshments from 7pm, £12 (Exeter Cathedral).
• Thursday 5 November, 7.30pm. Voices of Valjean, Exeter Cathedral. John Owen-Jones and two more West End Valjeans with a live band (Exeter Cathedral).
• Thursday 5 November. Stand-up, twice: Thomas Green: Brainstorm at the Northcott, 7.30pm, £23.50, sold out (Exeter Northcott); Ignacio Lopez: Nada at the Barnfield, 7.45pm, £25.50, age 13+ (Exeter Northcott box office).
• Friday 6 November, 7.30pm. Dr Richard Shepherd: Time of Death, Exeter Northcott. The forensic pathologist’s new tour. £33, last few tickets (Exeter Northcott).
• Friday 6 November, 8pm. The Chris Stapleton Experience, Exeter Corn Exchange. Doors 7.15pm, £28.50 including the booking fee (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Saturday 7 November. Fireworks, twice. Topsham RFC opens its gates at 5.30pm, with the display at about 7.30pm. Tickets are £10 adult and £6 child in advance, or £12 and £7 on the gate, and there is no general parking on site (Topsham RFC on Ticket Tailor). Exeter Round Table’s Galactic Skies display at Westpoint, for Devon Air Ambulance, runs 5pm to 9pm. It is advance tickets only, with nothing sold on the gate, and admission stops at 7.20pm (Devon Air Ambulance). Prices, shuttle buses and the gate rules are on our Exeter fireworks page.
• Saturday 7 November, 7.30pm. 80s Live, Exeter Corn Exchange. Doors 6.45pm, £32 including the booking fee; under-14s with an adult (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Sunday 8 November, 4pm. Remembrance Sunday: Devon County Service, Exeter Cathedral. Free, no booking (Exeter Cathedral). The city’s morning service is at the war memorial in Northernhay Gardens. Its 2026 running order is not out yet: see Exeter Remembrance Sunday.
• Tuesday 10 November, 2.30pm. Mould’n the Future: the science and art of fungi, RAMM. A talk by Professor Sarah Gurr. Friends of RAMM £8, others £10 (RAMM).
• Wednesday 11 November, 10.45am. Armistice Day Service, Exeter Cathedral, with the two-minute silence. All welcome, no booking (Exeter Cathedral).
• Thursday 12 November, 6.30pm to 8pm. Beatrix Potter and Mycology, RAMM. The V&A’s curator of illustration, Annemarie Bilclough, on Potter’s fungi paintings, some of which hang in Living Labyrinths. Adults £10.50, students £5.50 (RAMM).
• Friday 13 November, 8pm. Exeter Comedy Club, Exeter Corn Exchange. Cabaret seating, £15 or £22 with pizza, and £2.50 off as an early bird until Friday 23 October. Adults only, 16+ (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Friday 13 November, 8pm. Devon Philharmonic Orchestra: Mahler’s Symphony No. 6, Exeter Cathedral, conducted by Ben Voce. Ends 9.30pm, no interval (Exeter Cathedral).
• Saturday 14 November, 12.30pm. Exeter City v Cheltenham Town, St James Park, League Two (Exeter City FC).
• Saturday 14 November, 7.30pm. DS:UK: On Another Night, Exeter Corn Exchange. The Dire Straits tribute, doors 6.45pm, £24 including the booking fee (Exeter Corn Exchange).
• Sunday 15 November, 7.30pm. The ELO Encounter: Face the Music, Exeter Corn Exchange. Doors 6.45pm, £24 including the booking fee (Exeter Corn Exchange).

Further ahead, the Cathedral Christmas Market opens on 13 November: Exeter Christmas Market.

Regular events

• Exeter Riverside parkrun, every Saturday at 9am. A free 5k at Exeter Quay and River Valley Park, EX2 8DU. Walk, jog or run, and register once before your first time (parkrun).
• Exeter Farmers’ Market, every Thursday, 9am to 1pm, on the corner of Fore Street and South Street (Exeter City Council).

Getting there

The Northcott is on the university campus rather than in town; its bus and parking advice is on our Exeter panto page. Car park tariffs and the free park and ride sites are on our parking in Exeter page. Road closures that could slow your run in are on Exeter roadworks and travel.

Send us your event

Running something in Exeter? Email hello@exetertimes.co.uk with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. We list events free of charge, and yours will go on this page and into the diary on our What’s On page.