Ilford's free Day of the Dead parade leaves the Central Library at 5pm on 30 October, then three bonfire displays on 6 and 7 November. 46 dated listings.

The biggest free event in the borough in the next six weeks is the Festival of the Dead, Redbridge Libraries’ Day of the Dead celebration: Wanstead Library on Thursday 29 October and Redbridge Central Library in Ilford on Friday 30 October, with a light-up parade from 5pm on both days. The week after, three Woodford Green clubs hold their bonfire night displays on 6 and 7 November, all ticketed.

Around those, Redbridge Drama Centre in South Woodford carries the theatre while the Kenneth More Theatre auditorium stays shut: a musical revue on 10 and 11 October, two comedy nights on 17 October and IODS’s School of Rock from 12 November. Half term week brings a Halloween trail at Hainault Forest and Halloween parties at Owls.

Everything below comes from the organisers’ own listings, read on 3 October 2026 and rechecked on 5 October: Vision Redbridge’s box office and event pages, the council’s Discover Redbridge diary, the three fireworks clubs, and the parkrun and Valentines Mansion sites. Each entry links to its source. For places that are open whatever the month, see our guide to things to do in Ilford.

The next six weeks at a glance

  • Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October. Jukebox Jive at Redbridge Drama Centre.
  • Saturday 17 October, 6.45pm and 8.45pm. Two separate comedy nights at the drama centre.
  • Thursday 29 October, 12pm to 6pm. Festival of the Dead at Wanstead Library, free, parade from 5pm.
  • Friday 30 October, 12pm to 6pm. Festival of the Dead at Redbridge Central Library, free, light-up parade at 5pm.
  • Tuesday 27 October. Two robotics workshops for 11 to 15 year olds at Redbridge Central Library, £4 each.
  • Friday 30 October, 10am to 4pm. Halloween Trail at Hainault Forest, £10 a child.
  • Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October. Owls Halloween Party, £10 a child.
  • Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November. Bonfire night fireworks at three Woodford Green clubs. Details on our fireworks page.
  • Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 November. School of Rock.
  • Every Saturday, 9am. Valentines parkrun.

This week

  • FAB Club, Tuesday 6 October, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, at Fullwell Cross Library, 140 High Street, Barkingside, IG6 2EA. A free Bible club for primary school children with a Bible story, games and crafts, every other Tuesday; contact ANCBC to join (Discover Redbridge).
  • Redbridge Family History group, Wednesday 7 October, 10am to 12pm, at Fullwell Cross Library. It meets on the first and third Wednesday of the month, and there is no need to book (Discover Redbridge).
  • Adapted water sports for children with disabilities, Wednesday 7 October, 4.30pm to 6pm, at Fairlop Outdoor Activity Centre, Forest Road, IG6 3HN. Around an hour on the water with qualified instructors, for 11 to 18 year olds with disabilities and their siblings. A parent or carer giving one-to-one support must stay. £10 a child, booked for each child; it runs every Wednesday in October (Discover Redbridge).
  • Wordsmiths, Thursday 8 October, 6.30pm to 7.45pm, at Wanstead Library, Spratt Hall Road, E11 2RQ. A monthly group for writing and sharing poetry and prose, open to anyone 16 or over with no experience needed (Discover Redbridge).

Next week

  • Elmhurst Gardens action day, Saturday 10 October, 11am to 12pm, at Elmhurst Gardens, South Woodford, E11 1DH. An hour of litter picking, planting and weeding with trained staff; under 16s must come with an adult. Bring outdoor clothes, sturdy shoes and water (Discover Redbridge).
  • Jukebox Jive, Saturday 10 October at 7.30pm, and Sunday 11 October at 1.30pm and 5.30pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre, Churchfields, South Woodford, E18 2RB. Forest Musical Theatre Company sings the songs of the 1950s and 1960s that ended up in jukebox musicals. £21.50, or £19.50 for over 60s and under 16s, both including the £1.50 theatre levy (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • King of Hearts, Wednesday 14 October, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, at Fullwell Cross Library. A meet-up for people who have had heart or cardiac problems, £1 a meeting (Discover Redbridge).
  • Grief Café, Thursday 15 October, 6.30pm to 8.30pm, at Wanstead Library. A confidential space to meet others and talk about grief and loss; book a place (Discover Redbridge).

Later in October

Saturday 17 October has two separate comedy nights at the drama centre, one after the other, and each needs its own ticket.

  • The Indians Are Coming, Saturday 17 October, 6.45pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre. A stand-up bill of Paras P, Preet Singh, Raajiee Chelliah, Ajay Rose and Joshua Bethania, with the line-up subject to change. Ages 16 and over, £21.50 (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • COBO: Comedy Shutdown, Black History Month Special, Saturday 17 October, 8.45pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre. Shabz Kariem, Bamph, Sharifa Butterfly, Emmanuel O and Kat B. Ages 16 and over, £21.50 (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • Mehfil Masti, Sunday 18 October, 6pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre. An evening of Bollywood songs from the 1960s to the 2000s, played on audience requests. Tommy Sandhu and Chirag Rao are billed to appear. £22 (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • FAB Club, Tuesday 20 October, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, at Fullwell Cross Library, free (Discover Redbridge).
  • Redbridge Family History group, Wednesday 21 October, 10am to 12pm, at Fullwell Cross Library (Discover Redbridge).
  • Water Wise drop-in, Friday 23 October, 10.30am to 12.30pm, at Lab Central in Redbridge Central Library, Clements Road, IG1 1EA. Free, for ages 16 and over, no need to book (Vision Redbridge).
  • Ozobot Halloween Maze, Saturday 24 October, 11.15am to 12.15pm, at Lab FX in Fullwell Cross Library. Children aged 7 to 12 program small robots through Halloween mazes. £4 (Vision Redbridge).
  • Scratch Night, Sunday 25 October, 7pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre. New scripts, dance and comic monologues from writers, actors and directors across north London. £12.50, or £10.50 concessions (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • Solve the Mystery, Monday 26 October, 11am to 3pm, at Redbridge Central Library. A free half-term trail: follow the clues and question the suspects to find a stolen library book. Ages 5 and up, just turn up (Vision Redbridge).
  • Build a Remote-Controlled Robotic Hand, Tuesday 27 October, 11am to 1pm, at Redbridge Central Library, for ages 11 to 15. Children build a motorised hand worked by a sensor glove and code it on a BBC Micro:bit. £4, booked through Bookwhen (Vision Redbridge).
  • Industrial Automation with Robot Arms, Tuesday 27 October, 2pm to 4pm, at Redbridge Central Library, for ages 11 to 15. Coding a robot arm to stack objects and play games. £4 (Vision Redbridge).
  • Ilford Horticultural Society, Wednesday 28 October, 8pm to 10pm, at Fullwell Cross Library. Guest speakers on gardening topics; visitors pay £2.50 (Discover Redbridge).
  • Festival of the Dead, Wanstead, Thursday 29 October, 12pm to 6pm, at Wanstead Library, free. The This is Mexico! folk dancers perform at 3pm, 4pm and 5pm, the last as part of the parade from 5pm (Vision Redbridge). Also on the day, all free: the Los Soneros mariachi duo at 2pm, 3pm and 4.45pm (listing), a Wings, Petals, Charms drop-in craft from 1pm to 4.30pm for ages 4 and up (listing), and a Dance Me To The End Of Love dance and drawing workshop at the Woodbine Centre next door, at 1.30pm and 2.40pm, booking essential (listing).
  • Festival of the Dead, Ilford, Friday 30 October, 12pm to 6pm, at Redbridge Central Library, Clements Road, IG1 1EA, free. Clay crafts, sugar skull mask workshops (£2.50), face painting (£4 a child) and a costume competition, then a light-up parade from 5pm to 5.45pm with stilt walkers and folk dancers (Vision Redbridge, parade listing). The free Dance Me To The End Of Love workshop runs here at 1.45pm and 3.10pm, ages 6 and up, booking essential (listing).
  • LEGO Train Engineering, Friday 30 October, 10.30am to 12.30pm, at Fullwell Cross Library, for ages 10 to 13: build and test motorised LEGO trains. £4 (Vision Redbridge). The Family LEGO Railway Challenge for ages 6 to 9 follows from 1pm to 3pm, also £4 (Vision Redbridge).
  • Halloween Trail at Hainault Forest, Friday 30 October, 10am to 4pm, Hainault Forest Country Park, Romford Road, Chigwell, IG7 4QN. Games, crafts, hot chocolate and prizes for the best pumpkin and costume. £10 a child, booked through Bookwhen (Vision Redbridge).
  • Owls Halloween Party, Friday 30 October at 3.30pm and 6pm, and Saturday 31 October at 6pm, each two hours, at Owls Play Centre, Fairlop Waters, IG6 3HN. Soft play, fancy dress, face painting and a toy stall. £10 a child, £3 an adult (Vision Redbridge).
  • Halloween craft, Saturday 31 October, 11am to 11.45am, at Fullwell Cross and Hainault libraries, for ages 4 to 7. Drop in to make a ghost; materials go first come, first served (Vision Redbridge).
  • Pumpkin Bakery Window canvas painting, Saturday 31 October, 1pm to 2.30pm, at Hainault Forest, for ages 4 to 16. £22.50 (Vision Redbridge).

Half term and Halloween have their own pages: October half term in Ilford and Halloween in Ilford.

November

  • On Your Bike Baffo, Sunday 1 November, 11am and 2pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre. A clown show about a bike, with stunts and live music, for children aged 3 to 8. £9.50 for everyone (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • Redbridge Family History group, Wednesday 4 November, 10am to 12pm, at Fullwell Cross Library (Discover Redbridge).
  • Woodford Rugby Club fireworks, Friday 6 November, gates 6pm, last entry 7.50pm, fireworks 8pm, at Highams, High Road, Woodford Green, IG8 9LB. £20 adult, £15 child, £45 family, online only, and no parking on site. On 5 October only 1 family ticket was left (Woodford Rugby Club).
  • Wanstead RFC Fireworks Night, Saturday 7 November, 6pm to 11pm, at Centenary Field, Roding Lane North, Woodford Green, IG8 8JY. Fireworks, fairground rides, a hog roast and an outside bar. £9 adult, £6 child, £25 family, and £5 premium parking in very limited numbers (Wanstead RFC).
  • Woodford Wells fireworks display, Saturday 7 November, 5pm to 11.30pm, at The Woodford Wells Club, Monkhams Lane, IG8 0NL. £22 adult, £12 child under 16, £50 family (Woodford Wells Club).
  • Preet Singh: First Class, Saturday 7 November, 7pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre. A solo stand-up show from a comedian who has supported Guz Khan and Richard Blackwood on tour. Ages 16 and over, £16.50 (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • Joyfully Jewish: Strangers in a Strange Land, Sunday 8 November, 7pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre. Echoes Theatre Co. and The JEWish Cabaret present short comic plays and new songs about leaving home and settling somewhere new. £23, students £21.50 (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • King of Hearts, Wednesday 11 November, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, at Fullwell Cross Library, £1 (Discover Redbridge).
  • Wordsmiths, Thursday 12 November, 6.30pm to 7.45pm, at Wanstead Library (Discover Redbridge).
  • School of Rock, Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 November at 7.30pm, and Sunday 15 November at 3pm, at Redbridge Drama Centre. IODS Productions stages the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical of the Jack Black film, recommended for ages 4 and up. £21.50, children £17.50, and a “Time to Play” rate of four tickets for £78 when at least one of the four is 16 or under (Vision Redbridge box office).
  • Step Into Heritage: Retro Reporter Experience, Sunday 15 November, 12.30pm to 3pm, at Lab Central in Redbridge Central Library. Explore local heritage, then read a news report on a green-screen set dressed as a vintage studio. Free, ages 5 and up, no need to book. It is part of the library’s Islamic Arts and Heritage Festival (Vision Redbridge).

Remembrance Sunday falls on 8 November; the council has not yet published this year’s services, and our Remembrance Sunday page will carry them when it does. The Christmas season has its own pages: the Christmas lights switch-on, the Christmas market, the pop-up panto and Santa’s grotto.

Regular events

  • Valentines parkrun, every Saturday at 9am, in Valentines Park. A free 5k run by volunteers; register once before your first run and bring your barcode (Valentines parkrun).
  • Homework Help Club, every Saturday in term time, 12pm to 1pm, at Fullwell Cross Library, 140 High Street, Barkingside, IG6 2EA. Volunteers help 5 to 11 year olds with homework; free, and booking may be needed when it is busy (Discover Redbridge).
  • Valentines Mansion, open free on Sundays and Mondays, 12pm to 5pm until the end of October and 11am to 3pm from November to February, at Emerson Road, IG1 4XA. Inside are period rooms including a recreated Victorian kitchen and a Georgian bedchamber (Valentines Mansion). Our Valentines Mansion at Christmas page has the winter programme.

Send us your event

Running something in Ilford, Wanstead, Woodford or anywhere in Redbridge? Email hello@ilfordtoday.co.uk with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free of charge, and your event goes on this page and in the diary on our What’s On section.

This page is rewritten as organisers confirm new dates. Every listing was read on 3 or 5 October 2026. Dates can still change, so use the links before you travel.

Sources