Featuring many of the most celebrated artists in the region, including paintings original prints sculpture & ceramics dating back from the 1930's right up to the current day. Many of the artists were based in or around Colchester. All works are for sale Artists include…

• The Minories Galleries

Essex & Suffolk Artists Past and Present Saturday 15 – Sunday 23 November 2025 10am - 4pm 74 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UE Free entry Plan your visit By Hayletts Gallery. Featuring paintings original prints sculpture & photography by noted artists from both…

• Firstsite

The exhibition's title comes from a proverb shared with Ghafar by a fellow Afghan while talking about the bombings in Afghanistan. Today, the phrase feels even more powerful against the backdrop of global conflicts. For Ghafar, it reflects both feelings of helplessness and…

• Firstsite

How do we make sense of a world in constant change? Discover how some of Britain's most influential artists, like Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, and L.S. Lowry, used colour, shape, and form to capture feelings, emotions, and experiences during a century of change. Through…

• Firstsite

Take a walk through the seasons at Crapes Fruit Farm in Essex in this immersive audio-visual exhibition by artists Hana Loftus and Maddie Persent. A year in the orchard Beginning in January 2024, the artists documented a year's cycle at Crapes – a sixteen-acre orchard near…

• The Minories Galleries

Workshop Tuesday Art Social Tuesday 7 October – Tuesday 18 November 2025 74 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UE From £105 for 6 weeksBook nowPlan your visit Find your Creative Tribe with Art Social! 1. Learn to use different media including charcoal, collage and paint…

From 26 July 2025 until 22 February 2026, embark on a magical story quest through folklore and legend, where you'll meet a Dragon, Unicorn, Griffin, and Mermaid brought to life through curious, enchanted objects. Inspired by medieval tales, this enchanting exhibition invites…

Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of our brewery, where you'll explore the full brewing process — from grain to glass. You'll get up close with our brewing tanks and equipment, and learn how we craft our beers from start to finish.

Join Mercury Theatre for a heart-warming festive adventure as you and your group journey to Lapland, where the magic of Christmas comes alive in Santa’s cosy grotto. This isn’t just any visit – Santa needs your help! Gather round for a delightful 20-minute…

• The Minories Galleries

Exhibition Selected works from the Victor Batte-Lay Foundation Collection Wednesday 8 October – Sunday 2 November 2025 10am - 4pm 74 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UE Free entry Plan your visit A exhibition of artworks drawn from the Permanent Art Collection of the Victor…

T Exhibition Better Together: Artist Network Showcase Thursday 6 – Sunday 23 November 2025 10am - 4pm 74 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UE Free entry The first exhibition featuring members of the new Minories Artists' network. The theme for the show is Better Together…

Join local artist Nicola Burrell for a fun and active full day creative experience in our Urban Sketching and 3D Workshop with Nicola Burrell! Nicola Burrell is known for her urban drawings, 'built up' paintings and her cardboard creations. Morning Session You will first…

Join us on Wednesday 19th November 2025 for an unmissable live event featuring the one and only Ant Middleton. From joining the British Army in 1998, and becoming a Special Forces Operator, to adventures with Hollywood star Rebel Wilson and the late Liam Payne; to attending the…

When young John Whittaker announces he is bringing home his new bride, his snobbish mother and sisters are delighted... until they meet her! A sophisticated older woman with a scandalous past, a battle of wills ensues in this sharp expose of social hypocrisy. Written with Noel…

When you think reggae, there is only one name that comes to mind.   Legend – the music of Bob Marley is an unforgettable evening celebrating this musical icon in one fantastic stage show. Combining his superb, distinctive vocals with flawless musicianship, a supremely…

FULLY BOOKED - tickets have all sold for this event. Please keep an eye out for upcoming events! The Amalgam Jazz quintet will be performing a blend original music along with an assortment of pieces from some of the greats of contemporary American and European jazz such as Pat…

• Layer Marney Tower

A Music Hall and old time music aficionado, Tom Carradine decided he wanted to capture the flavour and atmosphere of a good old fashioned knees up, in the grand Cockney tradition, and recreate it for audiences young and old. Since it’s launch in 2014, Carradine’s…

From the pastoral charm of Fantasia on Greensleeves and the English Folk Song Suite to the stately elegance of Warlock's Capriol Suite, this programme celebrates the rich musical heritage of England. Whether it's the lyrical beauty of folk melodies or the stirring energy…

Multiple venues. One wristband. One very special night of rock & roll For one very special night night Colchester city centre will come alive with an incredible line-up across multiple independent venues — all accessible with just one wristband. Expect raw energy…

• Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens

Come along to the Beth Chatto Christmas Fair for the perfect opportunity to buy unique gifts for family and friends from small independent traders. They'll be over 40 stalls packed full of Christmas ideas and gifts, the perfect place for shopping. Enjoy music, choirs and…

Join Sirena Hart at Firstsite for Boozy Brushes a multi-art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza where you can paint your pal! Join us in the café/bar area for a lively, fun and creative evening. Unlike Boozy Brushes, where the subject is a different celebrity…

• Firstsite

Expect joyful harmonies from The Big Sing Choir, panto magic from Headgate Theatre’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and a return of Frozen favourites Elsa, Anna and Olaf after last year’s crowd-pleasing show. There’ll also be a special…

Are you heading into town for the Christmas light switch-on? Make a day of it and stop by Culver Square! Enjoy a full day of festive fun, including live music, entertainment, and best of all, 12 local stalls offering gifts, treats, and festive goodies.    What’s…

Its the same fabulous Discos for Grown ups show you see at Charter Hall, but starts and finishes earlier… Dance the day away and be back home nice and early! Entry from 2.15pm with dancing from 3pm to 6.30pm Get glittered up for a fun, fab and feel-good DAY of dancing with people…

Take a guided walking tour around Colchester to discover its history and heritage with an expert guide. Colchester was Britain's first city, and is now it's newest after regaining city status in 2022. With a story stretching back over 2000 years, join one of our official…