Basildon's fireworks are back on Friday 6 November, Billericay's on Saturday 7th. Before them: Towngate shows, Barleylands Halloween and half term.

Basildon has its fireworks back. Basildon Round Table has put its charity display on sale for Friday 6 November at Basildon Sporting Village, and Billericay Round Table’s display at Lake Meadows follows on Saturday 7 November. Between now and then the diary is mostly the Towngate Theatre’s autumn season, then half term, which brings Halloween events at Barleylands, Langdon and Wat Tyler Country Park.

Everything below comes from the organisers’ own listings, read on 28 September 2026, and every entry links back to its source so you can check before you set off. Prices are the organiser’s published starting price. For places that are open whatever the month, see our guide to things to do in Basildon.

This week

Monday 28 September to Sunday 4 October.

  • Creatives’ Coffee Morning, Tuesday 29 September, 10am, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, free. A monthly meeting in the Gielgud Room for artists and practitioners to network. Free, but book a ticket online. It returns on Tuesday 20 October and Tuesday 10 November. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Towngate LIVE! at the Musicals, Tuesday 29 September, 1pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, free. A lunchtime concert in the theatre’s live music series, with free admission. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Paint and Pour, women’s wellbeing session, Thursday 1 October, 7.30pm to 9.30pm, Nevendon Centre, Wickford SS12 0QG, free. The last of four free council sessions for women aged 18 and over, with all materials provided. Places are booked through the council’s form. (Basildon Council)
  • Skills, Jobs and Apprenticeship Fair, Friday 2 October, 2pm to 4pm, The Chantry Centre, Billericay, free. A free careers fair run by the town’s business improvement district, with local employers and recruitment advice. (Your Billericay)
  • Towngate LIVE!, Friday 2 October, 7pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £5. An evening of original live music in the Gielgud Room, opened by the folk singer-songwriter Will Pope. The next one is Friday 6 November. (Towngate Theatre)
  • 80s Live!, Saturday 3 October, 7.30pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £29. A two-hour 1980s pop and soft rock show with a live band. (Towngate Theatre)
  • The Wedding Fayre at Barleylands, Sunday 4 October, Barleylands, Billericay. Wedding suppliers and cake tasters, hosted by two of the Craft Village’s residents, Ivy Blu and LilyMaeRose Dressmakers. Barleylands has not published opening times, and asks couples to pre-register. (Barleylands)
  • All Star Superslam Wrestling, Sunday 4 October, 3pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £12.50. All Star Promotions’ touring wrestling show. A family package for two adults and two concessions is £55. (Towngate Theatre)

Next week

Monday 5 to Sunday 11 October.

  • Monday Movies: Mamma Mia!, Monday 5 October, 11am, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £5. The theatre’s monthly film morning, which welcomes people living with dementia and their companions. November’s film is Love Actually, on Monday 9 November at 11am. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Estuary Dreams: Cinematic, Wednesday 7 October, 7pm, Vue Cinema, Basildon, from £12.50. A night of contemporary short film, part of the Estuary Dreams: Basildon Nights festival. It is sold by the Towngate but takes place at the Vue cinema. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Autumn wreath making workshop, Saturday 10 October, 10am to 12pm or 1pm to 3pm, Langdon Nature Discovery Park, Basildon SS16 6EJ, £48. Two sessions making a wreath from British grown foliage and dried flowers. Booking is essential. (Essex Wildlife Trust)
  • Fungi talk and walk, Sunday 11 October, 10.30am to 2pm, Langdon Nature Discovery Park, Basildon SS16 6EJ, £25. The field mycologist Sarah Manning teaches the basics of identifying fungi in the morning, then leads a walk round the reserve. (Essex Wildlife Trust)

Later in October

Essex schools break for half term from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, and some Billericay and Basildon academies are off from the 19th. Dates by school are on our October half term page.

  • The Addams Family, Basildon Operatic Society, Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 October, 7.30pm, with Saturday shows at 1pm and 5.30pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £26. The town’s amateur operatic society stages the musical for five performances. There is no Saturday evening show. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Towngate LIVE! Jazz Cafe: Julian Marc Stringle, Thursday 15 October, 1pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, free. A free lunchtime set from the clarinettist. The Bubu Otis Trio follow on Thursday 19 November. (Towngate Theatre)
  • John Lydon: I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right, Wednesday 21 October, 7.30pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £37.50. The former Sex Pistols singer’s spoken word tour, with audience questions. Recommended for ages 16 and over. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Black History Month Celebration, Saturday 24 October, 1pm to 4pm, The Unity Centre, Basildon SS14 1AF, free. An afternoon of networking, group coaching, wellbeing activities and an art exhibition, run by Family Passel and The Porter Touch Positive Impact. Free, with places reserved on Eventbrite. (Basildon Council)
  • Barleylands Halloween Festival, Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, 10am to 4pm, Barleylands, Billericay. The farm park’s daytime half term festival, with a pumpkin decorating barn, a child-friendly maze and magic shows in the ticket. (Barleylands)
  • Dinosaur Adventure Live, Sunday 25 October, 11am and 1.30pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £17.50. A one-hour interactive dinosaur show for families. Four tickets make a £65 family package. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Foraging in autumn walk, Sunday 25 October, 10.30am to 12.30pm, Langdon Nature Discovery Park, Basildon SS16 6EJ, £10. Ranger James leads a walk on what can be foraged in autumn. It involves uphill walking. (Essex Wildlife Trust)
  • John Barrowman: My Life in Musicals, Sunday 25 October, 7.30pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £37. Recommended for ages 14 and over. A post-show meet and greet is sold separately at £40. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Langdon Spooktacular, Monday 26 October, 10am to 12.30pm or 1.30pm to 4pm, Langdon Nature Discovery Park, Basildon SS16 6EJ, £10.88 a child including the booking fee. Wand whittling, potion making and bug hunting for children aged three and over, with a campfire if the weather allows. Advance booking is essential. (Essex Wildlife Trust)
  • Wat Tyler Historical Ghost Tour, Wednesday 28 October, 6pm to 8pm, Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea SS16 4UH, £17. A guided walk through the park after dark of about an hour, with a hot drink. For ages 10 and above, booked by phone on 01268 205267. (Basildon Council)
  • Barleylands Spooky Nights, Thursday 29 to Saturday 31 October, from 5.30pm, Barleylands, Billericay. The evening event: fairground rides, trick-or-treating round the Village shops, a disco and a maze. Tickets are advance only, with no walk-ins. (Barleylands)
  • We Will Rock You, Young @ Part, Thursday 29 to Saturday 31 October, 7.30pm, with a 3pm Saturday matinee, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £17.50. A youth theatre production of the Queen musical by Rare Productions. (Towngate Theatre)
  • Wat Tyler Halloween Market, Saturday 31 October, 10am to 4pm, Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea SS16 4UH, free. Stalls in the Nobel Room selling gifts, sweets, toys, candles and homemade crafts. Free. (Basildon Council)
  • The Spooktacular Variety Show, Saturday 31 October, 11am and 2pm, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, from £12.50. A family Halloween show of comedy and magic performed under ultraviolet light. (Towngate Theatre)

November

  • Barleylands Family Fireworks, Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 November, from 4.30pm, fireworks at 6.30pm, Barleylands, Billericay. Four nights of low-bang fireworks for younger children, with entertainment until 8pm. A ticket is required and no walk-ins are accepted. (Barleylands)
  • Basildon Round Table Charity Fireworks Spectacular, Friday 6 November, gates 5pm, fireworks 8pm, Basildon Sporting Village, SS14 3GR, £9. Basildon’s own display, with a funfair, catering and a DJ. Advance tickets only, none on the day, and all gates close at 7.30pm. Ages two and under go free on a free ticket. (Basildon Round Table)
  • Billericay Fireworks, Saturday 7 November, gates 5pm, fireworks 7.30pm, Lake Meadows, Billericay CM12 0DT, adults from £9, under 13s from £7, under threes free. The 55th Billericay Round Table display, with a torchlight procession at 6.15pm and the bonfire lit at 6.30pm. Radford Way and Radford Crescent close from 6.30pm to 9pm. (Billericay Round Table)

Both Round Table displays sell tickets online only. Basildon’s page says no tickets will be available on the day. Billericay’s says tickets are limited and sold through its website up to 7.30pm on the night, and that bags will be searched at the gate. Our Basildon fireworks page has the parking and travel detail.

Further ahead, the Towngate pantomime, Aladdin, opens on Thursday 26 November: see Basildon pantomime. Billericay’s Late Night Light Up is the same evening, and the festive dates are on our pages for the Christmas lights, Christmas markets and Santa’s grottos. Remembrance Sunday is 8 November, and the council has not yet published this year’s service times: see Remembrance Sunday in Basildon.

Regular events

  • Basildon parkrun, Every Saturday, 9am, Northlands Park, Basildon SS13 1SD, free. A free weekly timed 5k to walk, jog or run. (parkrun)
  • Billericay parkrun, Every Saturday, 9am, Lake Meadows Park, Billericay CM12 0BW, free. The same free 5k, round Lake Meadows Park. (parkrun)
  • Wickford Memorial parkrun, Every Saturday, 9am, Wickford Memorial Park, SS11 8JE, free. The free 5k in Wickford Memorial Park. (parkrun)
  • Basildon Town Centre Market, Tuesdays and Thursdays 8.30am to 4pm, Fridays to 4.30pm, Saturdays to 5pm, Basildon Market, SS14 1FW. The town centre market, run by Basildon Town Centre Management. (Basildon Council)
  • Pitsea Market, Wednesdays and Sundays 9am to 2.30pm, Saturdays 9am to 4.30pm, Pitsea Market, SS13 3DU. There is also a secondhand and boot fair on Fridays, 9am to 2.30pm. (Basildon Council)
  • Wickford Market, Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9am to 4pm, Wickford Market, SS12 9AZ. On the High Street and Market Lane. (Basildon Council)
  • Laindon Memory Cafe, Every other Wednesday, 10.30am to 12.30pm, next on 30 September, King Edward Community Centre, Laindon SS15 6GY, free. A free session for people living with dementia, their carers and families, run by Kinder Essex. (Basildon Council)
  • Nature Tots at Langdon, Wednesdays in term time, 10am to 12pm, to 21 October, Langdon Nature Discovery Park, Basildon SS16 6EJ. An outdoor playgroup for children aged 18 months to five, meeting in the Community Garden by the car park. It is ticketed, and a Halloween special runs on Wednesday 28 October at £8.80 a child. (Essex Wildlife Trust)
  • Memory Cafe at Chalvedon Centre, Fortnightly on Thursdays, 10.30am to 12pm: 1, 15 and 29 October, then 12 and 26 November, Chalvedon Community Centre, Basildon SS13 3QX, free. Free, with entertainment, hot drinks and sweet treats, also run by Kinder Essex. (Basildon Council)
  • Veterans Breakfast Morning, Third Tuesday of the month, 9.30am to 1pm, next on 20 October, Towngate Theatre, Basildon SS14 1DL, free. A free breakfast for veterans in the theatre’s Upper Foyer, hosted by the council on behalf of the Mayor of Basildon. (Basildon Council)

Getting there

The Towngate Theatre and Basildon Market are both in St Martin’s Square, a short walk from the bus station and Basildon railway station. Council car parks in Billericay and Wickford are free at weekends, and the town centre car parks in Basildon are privately run: see parking in Basildon. Check the roadworks and travel page before an evening trip.

This page is rewritten as organisers confirm new dates. Dates can still change, so use the links before you travel. More in our What’s On section.

Send us your event

Running an event in Basildon, Billericay, Wickford, Laindon or Pitsea? Email hello@basildontoday.co.uk with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free of charge, and yours goes on this page and in the diary on our What’s On section.

Sources