What's on in Keswick and the northern Lakes

Thursday 1 October 2026

• A Brief Case of Crazy

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £16, £12 under-26s

  A wordless physical comedy of mime, clowning and puppetry about an awkward office worker, his boss and a troublesome briefcase. Also on the evening of 30 September. Organiser

Friday 2 October 2026

• Backstage Tour

  10:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £12

  A guided tour of the technical box, wings and stage with a member of theatre staff, lasting about 90 minutes. Groups are limited to 12 and children under 16 need an adult. Organiser

• Salsa Night: Dance and Dine

  19:00 Skiddaw Hotel, Keswick · £32 per person

  A live salsa demonstration and beginner lesson with Keswick Salsa, with a tapas platter and a glass of sangria; no partner or experience needed. Book through Brasserie 31 at the hotel. Organiser

• Monstering the Rocketman

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake (Studio), Keswick · £16, £12 under-26s

  An award-winning solo show about Elton John's 1980s libel battle with The Sun. It runs about an hour and a quarter with no interval. Organiser

Saturday 3 October 2026

• A Brief History of Music (Arts Out West)

  19:00 Bassenthwaite Parish Room, Bassenthwaite

  GreenMatthews take a 90-minute comic tour through 600 years of music on instruments such as the virginal, lute and rauschpfeife. Doors 6.30pm. Organiser

Tuesday 6 October 2026

• Open Space

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £8

  Local artists share works in development in front of a live audience, a chance to see new performance ideas early. Organiser

Wednesday 7 October 2026

• Hannah Scott

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £16, £12 under-26s

  Folk-inspired songs and storytelling from singer-songwriter Hannah Scott. In the Studio. Organiser

Thursday 8 October 2026

• Top of the Wold by Mikron Theatre

  19:30 Threlkeld Village Hall, Threlkeld · £15 adults, £7.50 under-18s

  A musical comedy about a quirky mobile library visiting East Riding communities, from the touring Mikron Theatre Company. Bar and box office open from 6.45pm. Organiser

Friday 9 October 2026

• The Secret Table with Peter Sidwell

  18:30 Underscar Manor, Applethwaite, Keswick

  A guest-chef dining evening at Underscar Manor with chef and TV presenter Peter Sidwell. Contact Underscar for the menu, price and booking. Organiser

Saturday 10 October 2026

• Catbells Terrace National Park Guided Walk

  10:00 Theatre by the Lake (main entrance), Keswick · Free

  A 7.5 mile volunteer-led walk that starts with a launch across Derwent Water, then returns along the Catbells terrace path with views to Skiddaw and Blencathra. Grade 4, so a reasonable level of fitness is needed. Organiser

• Forest Bathing and Nature Connection

  10:00 Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre, Braithwaite, Keswick · £35 per person

  A three-hour guided forest bathing session inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, a slow, sensory walk with time for stillness and a shared forest tea. You need to be able to walk slowly on uneven ground. Organiser

Wednesday 14 October 2026

• Just Desserts

  Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £15

  Three short comic plays by Alan Ayckbourn and Jean McConnell about love, infidelity and food: Between Mouthfuls, Cupboard Love and The Kidderminster Affair. Organiser

Saturday 17 October 2026

• Keswick Choral Society: 250 years of St Mary's Church

  19:00 Threlkeld Village Hall, Threlkeld · £10

  A concert by Keswick Choral Society to celebrate 250 years of St Mary's Church. You can pay on the door. Organiser

• The Simon & Garfunkel Story

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £24 to £34

  A concert-style show in the Main House, with projected photographs and film footage and a live band playing the hits. It was marked as sold out on the booking page when checked. Organiser

Sunday 18 October 2026

• Wild Sauna and Forest Plunge

  09:00 Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre, Braithwaite, Keswick · £15.50 per person

  Hourly sauna sessions in the visitor centre car park at Whinlatter, starting at 9am, 10am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm. Organiser

• Woodland Reset

  10:00 Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre, Braithwaite, Keswick · £60 per person plus booking fee, with a 2 for 1 offer

  A wellness day in the forest with walks, breathwork, gentle movement, sound baths and meditation, with refreshments provided. Organiser

• Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £22, £12 under-26s

  An interactive screening of the Murder, She Wrote episode Paint Me a Murder, hosted by Tim Benzie with games, prizes, a Cabot Cove quiz and a theme tune singalong. In the Main House. Organiser

Tuesday 20 October 2026

• The Picture of Dorian Gray

  Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £11 to £32

  A stage version of Oscar Wilde's gothic novel about beauty, corruption and consequence, a good fit for the run-up to Halloween. Organiser

• Yatter: Spoken Word Night

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £8

  An evening of stories, poems and spoken word hosted by storyteller Jessie McMeekin, with guest performers and open mic slots for local voices. Organiser

Thursday 22 October 2026

• Off Grid

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £16, £12 under-26s

  A comedy about two men on a camping trip in Lancashire with no internet, some beer and years of resentment. In the Studio. Organiser

Friday 23 October 2026

• Backstage Tour

  10:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £12

  A guided tour of the technical box, wings and stage with a member of theatre staff, lasting about 90 minutes. Groups are limited to 12 and children under 16 need an adult. Organiser

• Big Fish Comedy Club

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £15, £12 under-26s

  Three comedians from the North West scene and beyond in the Studio's small-pond, big-fish comedy night. Organiser

Saturday 24 October 2026

• World's Biggest Liar Contest

  Jennings Brewery, Cockermouth

  The World's Biggest Liar Contest is listed for Saturday 24 October at Jennings on the Cockermouth town guide. Start time and entry details were not given on the listing. Organiser

• Snake Davis Band

  20:00 Threlkeld Village Hall, Threlkeld · £19 adults, £10 under-18s

  Saxophonist Snake Davis brings his four-piece band for original pieces and sax classics, from soul and pop to jazz and world music. Online tickets are collected from the box office on the night. Organiser

Sunday 25 October 2026

• Buttermere Shepherds' Meet and Show

  Field next to Croft House Café, Buttermere · Free

  A small traditional meet with Herdwick sheep from the local parishes, working sheepdog competitions and fell races. Organiser

Monday 26 October 2026

• Full Moon Women's Circle: Hunter's Moon

  19:00 Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre, Braithwaite, Keswick · £27.50 per person

  A women's gathering in the forest with guided meditation, a drum journey and a fire ritual beneath the full moon, with forest refreshments. Open to women aged 16 and over. Organiser

• Daniel Kitson: Thrum

  20:00 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £15, £12 under-26s

  Perrier Award winner Daniel Kitson with an evening of comedy, music and poetic observation about everyday objects and moments. In the Main House. Organiser

Tuesday 27 October 2026

• In the Land of Eagles

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £16, £12 under-26s

  A granddaughter and her grandfather travel to Albania, where he shares the truth of his life before England while facing a serious diagnosis. In the Studio. Organiser

Wednesday 28 October 2026

• Lunchtime Talk: The Missing Lynx Project

  13:00 Keswick Museum (Crosthwaite Room), Keswick · Free

  A talk on the partnership investigating whether lynx could be reintroduced to Britain, focusing on Northumberland and the borders of Cumbria and southern Scotland. Free, but please book through the museum website. Organiser

• Comedy Club 4 Kids

  14:00 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £15

  Professional stand-ups perform family-friendly comedy with no adult content, for children and the adults with them. In the Main House. Organiser

• Nature's Nightlife Family Walk at Whinlatter

  17:00 Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre, Braithwaite · £8 per person

  A guided evening walk through Whinlatter Forest listening for owls and learning about forest wildlife, finishing with hot chocolate and marshmallows round a campfire. Tickets needed for adults and children. Organiser

Thursday 29 October 2026

• Halloween Crafts: Clay Gargoyles

  10:30 Keswick Museum, Keswick · £6 per crafter

  Families make a clay gargoyle or another creepy creation, painting it to take home, with all materials provided. Children must be accompanied; adults only need a ticket if they are crafting. Organiser

• Michael Rosen: NICE!

  15:00 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £15

  The former Children's Laureate performs his poems and stories in a lively half-term family show. Aimed at children aged six to ten. Organiser

• Dark Skies Walk at Whinlatter

  18:00 Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre, Braithwaite · £15.63 (12+); one adult with up to two under-12s £20.84

  A 3 to 4 mile night walk through the forest with Jo from JAG Outdoors, with stargazing and constellation spotting if the sky is clear. Bring a torch; the ground may be wet and muddy, with early exit points after about 2 miles. Organiser

• Rob Rouse: Funny Bones

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £17, £12 under-26s

  A new stand-up show from Rob Rouse, named Comics' Comic at the UK Comedy Awards. In the Studio. Organiser

Friday 30 October 2026

• Newlands Valley Wander National Park Guided Walk

  10:00 Fellside Bistro, Croft Terrace, Braithwaite · Free

  A 6.5 mile volunteer-led walk on quiet lanes and field paths from Braithwaite into the Newlands Valley and back along Newlands Beck. Some sections can be muddy. Organiser

• Anyone For Tennis?

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £16, £12 under-26s

  A comedian and former Wimbledon line judge shares stories from the royal box to the locker room. In the Studio. Organiser

Saturday 31 October 2026

• Borrowdale Rainforest and Hollows Farm Guided Walk

  09:00 Hollows Farm campsite, Grange, Borrowdale · Free

  A guided walk with the National Trust nature reserve team and the farm tenants on the work protecting the Borrowdale rainforests. Undulating woodland paths, not suitable for prams or wheelchairs; book on 07974 034400. Organiser

• Borrowdale Rainforest and Hollows Farm Guided Walk

  09:00 Hollows Farm campsite, Borrowdale · Free

  Walk with National Trust rangers and the farm's tenants to hear about work to protect Borrowdale's temperate rainforest. Book by calling 07974 034400 and arrive 15 minutes early. Organiser

• Before The Lights Go Out

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £16, £12 under-26s

  A storytelling evening of supernatural folklore told by candlelight, with a candle put out after each tale. In the Studio. Organiser

• Re-Take That

  19:30 Theatre by the Lake, Keswick · £35, £25 under-26s (limited)

  A Take That tribute show playing the hits. In the Main House. Organiser

Thursday 5 November 2026

• Lunchtime Talk: Cumbrian Railways Association at 50

  13:00 Keswick Museum, Keswick · Free

  Don Jary looks at the history and future of the Cumbrian Railways Association on its 50th anniversary, in the Crosthwaite Room. Free, but please book through the museum website. Organiser

Friday 6 November 2026

• The Secret Table with Jon Fell

  Underscar Manor, Applethwaite, Keswick

  A guest-chef dining evening at Underscar Manor with chef Jon Fell. Contact Underscar for the menu, price and booking. Organiser

• Snake Davis with Gareth Moulton: Live Underground

  13:00 Honister Slate Mine, Borrowdale, Keswick · £25

  Saxophonist Snake Davis and guitarist Gareth Moulton play two sets of 35 to 40 minutes inside the slate mine, with a 20 minute interval. Expect uneven ground, low light and cool air, arrive 20 minutes early, and note that parking is £5 per vehicle. Organiser

Saturday 7 November 2026

• Lakeland Vintage Car Rally

  Honister Slate Mine, Borrowdale, Keswick · Free

  The Vintage Sports-Car Club's trial, with classic cars tackling the steep slopes of Honister Pass, watched from the official spectator area. Free to watch; parking charges apply. Organiser

• Dark Skies Walk at Whinlatter

  18:00 Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre, Braithwaite, Keswick · £15.63 (age 12+), £20.84 adult with up to two under-12s

  A 3 to 4 mile night walk through the forest with Jo from JAG Outdoors, with stargazing and constellation spotting if the sky is clear. Bring a torch; the ground may be wet and muddy, with early exit points after about 2 miles. Organiser