13 Outstanding Things To Do In Birmingham This October
You won’t boo-lieve the events in store this month.
Autumn is fully underway as the sun starts to set earlier and the temperature drops but that doesn’t mean there’s little fun to be had. With awesome festivities such as Oktoberfest and Halloween taking place this month, it means we needn’t have to stay indoors- after all, we’ve got a bit of making up to do after last year! Plus, October is bursting with events and performances for you to indulge in, let alone the food and drink. So, without further ado, here’s our guide to the best things to do in Birmingham to make for an epic October.
1. Try unbelievable bagels and supersize sharing cocktails at this new New York-inspired restaurant
Bringing the beat of New York to Brum, the much-anticipated cocktail bar Manahattam will open in Birmingham this October and it promises to deliver a party atmosphere which cannot be contained. The bar will feature live entertainment from DJ’s and musicians plus supersize sharing cocktails, cocktail trees and their famous Manahatta Spritz magnums to truly celebrate the weekend in style. By day, the kitchen will serve a revamped brunch (including bottomless) and lunch menu, featuring fully loaded fresh bagels, hand-folded pretzels, fluffy bao buns and American style pancakes. Find out more about Manahatta here.
2. Celebrate Oktoberfest with beer, bratwurst and a boogie at Bierkeller
Why go to Germany when Germany can come to you? Celebrate a day of beer-fuelled fun at Birmingham Bierkeller by donning your dirndl or lederhosen and filling your steins to the brim. Enjoy authentic Bavarian food like brats, hog rolls, schnitzel, pretzels, kraut and wursts as part of the Oktoberfest celebrations. Taking place on both 15th and 22nd October, there will be DJs, live music, bands, and so much more that’s bound to get you singing, stomping and dancing the night away from 8pm to 2am. Prost! Find your Oktoberfest tickets here.
3. Sip on a warming mug of delicious hot chocolate
With autumn in full swing, it means hot chocolate season has arrived. From sophisticated mugs of rich, chocolatey heaven, to goblets of milky goodness with gooey marshmallows and cream, there are plenty of places in Birmingham to grab a hug in a mug that is hot chocolate. Just what the doctor ordered! Check to out our guide to Birmingham’s dreamiest hot chocolates where you can sip on the hot drink happily and escape the unpredictable British weather.
4. Get inside the mind of a serial killer at this chilling talk
This talk on Secrets of Serial Killers offers a dark, unusual, and fascinating evening that seeks to answer a crucial question: what drives a person to commit such heinous crimes? Your guide for the evening is evolutionary behavioural scientist Dr. Minna Lyons, who’s an expert in the field of serial killers and specialises in her research on The Dark Triad of Personality (psychopathy, narcissism, and machiavellianism). She’ll be delivering unique insights on the most notorious serial killers in history, along with details of the crimes of lesser-known killers. Find your tickets here.
5. Visit West Midland Safari Park for their new and glowing Lantern Festival
Things are about to get wild at West Midland Safari Park from October onwards. Well, wilder than usual, as the park is launching a brand new event offering an “an after-dark illuminations experience like no other.” ‘Lantern Festival’ will be kicking off the park’s autumn and winter season with an epic lantern trail taking place from October 22 to December 5, where guests can enjoy mesmerising lighting displays, discover a ‘wild’ range of breathtaking lanterns and explore the walk-through areas of the park like never before. The 3km trail will feature magical lit-up landscapes, dinosaur lanterns, glowing animal installations, a giant interactive piano keyboard, rainbow tunnel and many other creations.
6. Head to this haunting Halloween candlelight concert
Something wicked this way comes: a Halloween Candlelight concert, dedicated to spooky season. Candlelight Halloween: A Haunted Evening of Classical Compositions will take place on October 31 and we’re frightfully excited. On the night, a talented string quartet will play modern Halloween tunes, such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller and This Is Halloween, alongside sinister-sounding classical numbers. A selection of eerily familiar theme tunes will also be on the agenda, so listen out for the likes of Stranger Things and Psycho. To increase the fear factor, the concert will be held by flickering candlelight in a centuries-old church. Get your tickets to this spooky candlelight concert here.
7. Go pumpkin picking
It’s October which which means seasonal events like Halloween and Bonfire Night are creeping our way, plus the huge countdown to Christmas. But first on the agenda for autumn has to be Halloween. Whether you’re doing it for the ‘gram or just absolutely love getting your carve on, there are a number of pumpkin patches near Birmingham you can visit this autumn. From the start of October through to Halloween, pumpkin patches near Birmingham will not only be brimming with pumpkins but also plenty of activities to get involved in from carving to photoshoots with your produce. Check out the best pumpkin patches near Birmingham where you can pick your own pumpkins here.
8. Tantalise your tastebuds at this wonderful ‘Dining in the Dark’ food experience
Imagine stepping inside a restaurant blanketed in darkness and being served a sublime three-course meal – the flavours and textures of which are intensified by your remaining senses. Sounds a little bit incredible, right? An experience that’s been backed by psychologists as an ‘amplified’ way to enjoy food, the enticing ‘Dining in the Dark’ event is coming to Birmingham in October, so you can find out for yourself. Grab your tickets to this special foodie event here.
9. Discover the world of wine at this wondrous new bar with a tap of a screen
Multi award-winning wine bar brand Vagabond have set their sights on Birmingham to launch their first bar outside of London. They will be bringing their notorious self-dispensing wine machines to the city, which you simply control using an app on your phone. The doors to this Birmingham-based wine wonderland are set to open on October 22nd and is the perfect place to languidly the sip the nectar of the gods with friends or show off your wine-tasting prowess. Find out more about Vagabond Birmingham here.
10. Glide on over to this brand new ice rink in Digbeth
Ready, steady, skate! Set to make Digbeth even cooler this autumn and winter is a brand new outdoor ice rink that’ll provide you with all the festive feels from October 21. The ice rink will be installed at none other than the popular outdoor social destination that is Luna Springs. Plus, alongside their magnificent ice rink, Luna Springs will be launching Camp Luna- a 500-cover marquee providing space for respite from the winter weather and a venue for a brilliant bottomless brunch with your mates featuring plenty entertainment, food and drink.
11. Cosy up or cower at home with one of these spine-tingling movies or series
This year’s Halloween celebrations have to make up for last year’s sitting-in-the-house-avoiding-others, but there’s always space for some spooky films and popcorn. So, whether you’re going out or staying in on October 31, there’s plenty of times to squeeze in a few of these fantastic films. Check out our picks from the top streaming services in the UK, then bust out those skull-shaped sweets you bought on a whim from the supermarket and start chomping!
12. Listen to classical music by candlelight in the beautiful setting of Birmingham Cathedral
The incredible musicians of UK based chamber orchestra London Concertante are heading to the beautiful Birmingham Cathedral for one night only this October to perform a stunning selection of classical pieces centred around Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Enjoy some of the world’s greatest classical music with timeless works by monumental composers like Vivaldi, Handel and Bach with countless flickering candles illuminating the venue. This sensational evening of candlelit music will be one to remember! Book your tickets here.
13.Discover the ghostly side of the city on the Haunted Birmingham tour
Every wondered about Birmingham’s dark past? The haunted happenings, malevolent murders and unsettling events that haven’t made the front pages of history books? This tour will reveal some of the most frightening places in the city, sending you on a quest to uncover clues and explore buildings that hold sinister secrets. You and your fellow detectives for the day will follow a series of instructions, with each clue solved unveiling a shudder-inducing story that will stick with you for days to come. Think you’ve got the mettle? Grab tickets here.