November in Merseyside is not just the wait for Christmas. There are fireworks over the first weekend, the final night of River of Light, big arena gigs from Fontaines D.C. to The Script, and a packed run of comedy, theatre and smaller shows. Across the water, New Brighton has live music and family events; in Southport, fireworks give way to the town's Christmas Spectacular. Then the ice rinks and Christmas markets arrive at Liverpool's Pier Head and St George's Plateau.
Whether you want a free afternoon out, a family event or tickets for a proper night out, we've picked out the dates worth knowing. Start with the highlights below, with the full date-by-date list at the very bottom.
Updated 18 October 2026. Dates below come from venue and organiser listings, Ticketmaster and Skiddle, and our own event guides. Times and availability can change, so check the official page before you book or travel.
Affiliate disclosure: Some ticket links are affiliate links. L1 Local may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Our editorial selections remain independent.
River of Light final night, 1 November
River of Light on the waterfront. L1 Local.
The free River of Light trail finishes on Sunday 1 November after ten nights. It runs from 5pm to 9pm, with a sensory-friendly Quiet Hour from 4pm to 5pm on the final day. There is no ticket and no booking. The route takes in the Pier Head, Royal Albert Dock, Williamson Square and St Paul's Square, and the official trail map is on VisitLiverpool.
The same day, Liverpool play Arsenal at Anfield at 4.30pm. It is a Merseyrail closure Sunday, so Northern Line trains stop at Sandhills. Our Merseyrail closure guide has the match-day travel advice.
Bonfire Night fireworks, 5 to 7 November
Fireworks on the Liverpool waterfront. L1 Local.
Bonfire Night falls on Thursday 5 November, and the organised displays run across Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Our Liverpool fireworks 2026 guide has the full details, parking notes and ticket links for each one.
Event
Date and time
Tickets
Bonfire Night at Allerton Manor, Allerton
Thu 5 Nov, fireworks from 7pm
£10 plus £1 booking fee
Birkenhead School Fireworks Event, Oxton
Thu 5 Nov, 5pm to 7.45pm
Adult £9, child £6
From The Ground Comes Light, St Helens
Thu 5 Nov, 5pm to 8pm
Adult £15, child £10
Liverpool College PTA Fireworks Bonanza, Mossley Hill
St George's Plateau Christmas market in a previous year. Photo: Matt Harrop, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Liverpool has two separate Christmas market sites this year, and both are free to enter. Our Liverpool Christmas Markets 2026 guide has opening hours, skating sessions and travel.
Liverpool Christmas Wonderland, Pier Head, from 20 November
Opens on Friday 20 November and runs to Sunday 3 January 2027, daily from 11am to 9pm, closed Christmas Day. Site entry is free. The covered real-ice rink has off-peak tickets from £15.50 for adults and £12.50 for children. Details are on the official Liverpool Christmas Wonderland site.
Skate St George's, St George's Plateau, from 21 November
Opens on Saturday 21 November and runs to Sunday 3 January 2027, generally from 10am to 10pm. Entry to the market is free. Skating tickets start at £11.50 for adults and £10 for children through the Skate St George's website.
Smaller Christmas markets in November
Pop Up at the Palm House Winter Market, Sefton Park, 20 to 22 November. Friday 2pm to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday 10.30am to 5pm. Details on the Palm House events page.
Liverpool's Christmas Craft and Flea Market, Lutyens Crypt, Metropolitan Cathedral, Saturday 21 November, around 11am to 4pm. Check entry arrangements on the event page.
Metquarter Christmas markets, 28 and 29 November, 11am to 5pm. Check Metquarter's What's On page nearer the time.
Liverpool ONE switches on its new Christmas decorations from Friday 6 November, including a 30 metre walk-through tree at Paradise Place, and the Christmas Toy Parade takes over the centre on Saturday 14 November. Details via VisitLiverpool's Liverpool ONE announcement.
Paul Heaton plays the arena with Rhianne Downey and The Lightning Seeds, from 6.30pm. Under-14s must be with an adult over 18. Tickets on Ticketmaster.
Channel One Sound System, 24 Kitchen Street, 6 November. Tickets.
Secret Affair and Purple Hearts, Cavern Club, 12 November. Tickets.
Picture This, Liverpool Olympia, 14 November. Tickets.
Echo & the Bunnymen, Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, 16 November, 7.30pm, over-14s only. Tickets.
The Orb and Ozric Tentacles, O2 Academy Liverpool, 20 November. Tickets.
Loud & Clear, various Liverpool venues, 21 November, with Saves the Day, Chastity, Grommet and Held. Tickets.
Little Angels, O2 Academy Liverpool, 24 November. Tickets.
Tribute nights: Definitely Mightbe (Oasis) at O2 Academy Liverpool on 7 November, Indiepalooza at Camp and Furnace on 14 November, Moving Pictures (Rush) at O2 Academy Liverpool on 14 November, London Calling play The Clash at the Cavern Club on 19 November, Absolute Bowie at O2 Academy Liverpool on 21 November, Letz Zep at O2 Academy 2 on 27 November and Antarctic Monkeys at O2 Academy Liverpool on 28 November.
Comedy in November
Josh Pugh: Ha Ha, Yeah Sound, St George's Hall, 1 November, 3pm and 7.30pm, over-14s only. Tickets.
Liverpool Laughs, Heebie Jeebies, 4 November, doors 7pm. Tickets on Skiddle.
Red Richardson, Hot Water Comedy Club at Blackstock Market, 7 November, 8pm, over-18s only. Tickets.
Jenny Talia: Without Adult Supervision, Hot Water Comedy Club at Blackstock Market, 14 November, 7.30pm, over-16s only. Tickets.
The Comedy Roast, Hot Water Comedy Club at Blackstock Market, every Sunday in November, doors 5pm, 18+. Tickets on Skiddle.
Witty Whippet Comedy Open Mic, Kazimier Garden, every Monday in November, doors 6.30pm, free to watch, 18+. Details on Skiddle.
Adam Rowe at the Empire, Jonathan Pie at the Auditorium, Bill Bailey at the arena and Dylan Moran at the Philharmonic are listed in the venue sections above.
Family events in November
Sorceress of Speke and the Lost Familiars, Speke Hall, daily to 8 November, 10am to 4.30pm. The trail is free, but normal Speke Hall admission applies.
Family Feastival, Boxpark Liverpool, 22 and 29 November, 12pm to 4pm, with food deals, music, kids' arts and crafts, free face painting and a kids' quiz. Details on Skiddle.
Gladiators Live Tour, M&S Bank Arena, 28 and 29 November, 10am and 4pm.
Christmas Toy Parade, Liverpool ONE, 14 November.
Markets, exhibitions and talks
Logos Hope, the floating bookfair ship, stays alongside at Princes Parade until 5 November with the public bookfair open on board.
O'Casey's Dublin Trilogy: Read, rage, repeat, The Crown, Lime Street, 2 and 9 November, 6.30pm. Free, booking required. Liverpool Irish Festival listing.
Testimony, The Bluecoat, 7 November, 2pm. Aoife Kelleher's documentary about survivors of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes. Free, booking required. Liverpool Irish Festival listing.
Hibernation at FACT, listed through 16 November.
Liverpool Book Market, Bluecoat, 20 and 21 November, 11am to 5pm, free entry. Bluecoat listing.
Big Fat Quizbox, Boxpark Liverpool, every Thursday in November, doors 7pm, from £2, 18+. Tickets on Skiddle.
Greek Night, The Queen's Royal, New Brighton, 6 November, doors 7pm, from £35, with live bouzouki, a belly dancer and a three-course meal. Tickets on Skiddle.
Beechy & Friends, Freeze HiFi, 17 November, 7pm to 11pm, free entry, no ticket required, 18+.
Bingo Lingo: Deck The Balls Christmas Special, Camp and Furnace, 27 November, doors 6.30pm, 18+. Tickets on Skiddle.
You do not need to cross into Liverpool city centre for a good November night out. New Brighton has a busy run of theatre, comedy and live music, Birkenhead's covered market is hosting a pre-Christmas shopping day, and Southport starts its festive programme in mid-November. The events below are linked to the organiser or venue so you can check current tickets and times.
New Brighton: theatre, comedy and music
Floral Pavilion has The Void, a sci-fi horror theatre production, on 6 and 7 November; The Big Story Bash, including children's readings and workshops, on 7 November; and comedian Gary Delaney on 10 November. Later in the month, Liverpool band China Crisis play on 14 November, Lewis Calvert's Variety Show follows on 20 November, and The Irish House Party is on 24 November. Check the Floral Pavilion's November listings for prices and age guidance.
Birkenhead: independent makers, 7 November
Birkenhead Market's pre-Christmas Craft Market runs on Saturday 7 November from 10am to 4pm at the covered indoor market, with handmade gifts, traders, music and family activities. It is a useful early Christmas-shopping option without the city-centre crowds.
Southport: fireworks and Christmas Spectacular
Southport RFC's Fireworks Extravaganza takes place on Friday 6 November. Gates open at 6pm and fireworks are expected at about 8pm. The club lists adult tickets at £9, ages four to 15 at £6, under-threes free and a family ticket at £28. Advance booking is recommended: see the organiser's event information.
On Saturday 14 November, Southport's Christmas Spectacular brings free entertainment to the Lord Street Bandstand and the area outside The Vincent Hotel from 11am to 4pm. Expect family performances, choirs, crafts and character appearances. It is not at Town Hall Gardens this year. Read the published event details and check for programme updates before travelling.
For other Sefton options, the fireworks guide also covers Bootle and Southport. We have not added unconfirmed Formby or Crosby events simply to fill the calendar.
Northern Line reopens on 7 November
The Merseyrail Northern Line closure between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central is due to finish on Friday 6 November, with normal services scheduled to resume on Saturday 7 November. That is the same weekend as the biggest fireworks displays, so check Merseyrail's tunnel works page before you travel. Our full guide to the Hunts Cross closure has the details.
Getting to the venues
The Empire is directly beside Lime Street station, opposite St George's Plateau. Philharmonic Hall is on Hope Street, a 10 to 15 minute walk uphill from Lime Street. The arena and the Auditorium share the waterfront campus at Kings Dock, with James Street the nearest Merseyrail station. O2 Academy is on Hotham Street, L3 5UF, and Liverpool Olympia is on West Derby Road, L6 9BY. Our guide to getting around Liverpool without a car covers the practical options.
What to check before you travel
Fireworks displays can be postponed in bad weather. Check the organiser's page on the day.
Some fireworks events have no on-site parking.
Arena door times and start times vary between events.
Several shows have age limits, listed next to each event above.
Christmas market skating is ticketed even though site entry is free.
Football kick-off times can move for television at short notice.
If you are looking back, our October 2026 listings cover River of Light, half-term and Halloween.
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