October is when Liverpool's autumn programme fills out. The free River of Light trail returns to the waterfront from 23 October, Mean Girls opens a two-week run at the Empire, Duran Duran play the arena, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic has five concerts including a world premiere, and the Liverpool Irish Festival runs across the middle of the month. Half-term falls in the last week, and there are two scare attractions and a Halloween night at the Cavern to close out the 31st.
Every date below was checked against the venue's own listing on 22 September 2026. Times and availability can still change, so the official page is linked next to each event. Football fixtures for October had not been confirmed by the Premier League at the time of writing.
October at the Liverpool Empire runs from a CBeebies filming at the start of the month through to Mean Girls closing out Halloween week.
CBeebies Christmas Panto filming, 3 to 4 October
The BBC is recording the 2026 CBeebies Christmas pantomime, Treasure Island, at the Empire over a weekend, with Andy Day and CBeebies presenters. This one is sold out. The recording goes out on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer over the festive period, so anyone who missed a ticket can still watch it then. Check the Empire's listings for any late returns.
Alison Moyet, 5 October
Alison Moyet plays one night on her Songs of Yazoo tour, which sold out within days across its UK and Ireland dates. This Liverpool date is sold out. The Empire event page is worth checking for any released returns closer to the date.
Lord of the Dance, 6 to 10 October
Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance: 30 Years of Standing Ovations has a five-day run. Tickets are £22.50 to £65. Evening performances are at 7.30pm, with matinees on selected dates. See ATG Tickets for the full schedule.
English National Ballet: Romeo and Juliet, 15 to 17 October
English National Ballet brings Rudolf Nureyev's Romeo and Juliet for three days with the ENB Philharmonic playing live. Matinees at 2pm on Friday and Saturday, evenings at 7pm. Tickets are £15 to £65. Details are on the English National Ballet site.
Mean Girls the Musical, 19 to 31 October
The touring production of Mean Girls runs for nearly two weeks, covering the half-term holiday. Performances are at 7.30pm with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets are £20 to £85. This is the show most likely to sell out Saturday performances. Check the Mean Girls listing on ATG for remaining seats.
The Empire is at 1 Lime Street, L1 1JE, immediately beside Lime Street station.
The arena's October calendar has five separate shows in the main hall plus two in the smaller Auditorium. The full programme is on the arena's what's on page.
The Rock Orchestra, 2 October
Arena of Fire is a 90-minute show mixing classical musicians with rock anthems, pyrotechnics and fire performers. Doors at 6.30pm, show at 7.30pm. Tickets are roughly £35 to £65 with VIP upgrades available.
The Pussycat Dolls, 3 October
The PCD Forever 20th anniversary arena tour, with Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt and Ashley Roberts, supported by Lil' Kim. Tickets from £45 to £120+.
Duran Duran, 23 October
Duran Duran play the arena as part of their UK tour, with special guest Pigeon. Tickets from £55 to £130+. This falls on the opening night of River of Light, so the waterfront will be busier than a normal Thursday. If you are coming for both, the arena is at Kings Dock and the light trail runs from the Pier Head south, roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk between the two.
Steve Backshall's Deadly Live, 24 October (half-term)
The wildlife presenter brings a family show to the arena on the Saturday before half-term week. The show starts at 2pm. Tickets are £28.50 to £45, with family bundles available. This is the headline half-term event at Kings Dock.
Kevin Bridges, 31 October
Kevin Bridges closes the month with Here If You Need Me on Halloween night. Doors 6.30pm, show 7.30pm. Standard tickets £35 to £55.
Halloween in Concert (Auditorium), 31 October
In the smaller Auditorium on the same night, a live rock and pop orchestra plays Thriller, Time Warp, Monster Mash and Highway to Hell. Fancy dress is encouraged. Tickets from £29.50.
October is one of the strongest months in the Philharmonic's season, with five RLPO concerts, a world premiere, and a run of non-orchestral evenings that are easy to miss in a general search.
Mahler Symphony No. 2, 1 October
The RLPO opens the month with Mahler's Resurrection symphony under Domingo Hindoyan, with soprano Lucy Crowe, mezzo-soprano Natalie Lewis and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir. Tickets £20 to £55.
Katherine Jenkins, 3 October
Katherine Jenkins plays the hall at 7.30pm. Tickets £38 to £75.
Burt Bacharach Songbook with the RLPO, 7 October
What The World Needs Now pairs the orchestra with guest vocalists for an evening of Bacharach songs. Tickets £22 to £52.
Orchestra Mambo International, 9 October
A 13-piece Latin and salsa big band fills the hall in standing format. Doors 7.30pm. Tickets £20 to £28.
African Soul Rebels, 10 October (Black History Month)
The Phil's Black History Month flagship concert brings Les Amazones d'Afrique, Gasper Nali and N'Famady Kouyaté together on one stage. Tickets £25 to £35.
Reece Shearsmith, 13 October
The Inside No. 9 and League of Gentlemen star launches his illustrated memoir Things I Took from the Dark with stories, curiosities and a Q&A. Tickets £28 to £38, with book bundles available.
The Rite of Spring (world premiere in the programme), 17 October
The RLPO plays Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring alongside the world premiere of Gavin Higgins' Clarinet Concerto, performed by Mark Simpson. The concert also includes Britten's Suite on English Folk Tunes. Adam Hickox conducts. Tickets £20 to £55.
Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds Live, 19 October
The full 1978 double album performed in concert format with West End vocalists, a live orchestra, band and animations. Tickets £45 to £85.
Boléro, 22 October
Dinis Sousa conducts the RLPO in a programme that ends with Ravel's Boléro, preceded by Debussy's La Mer and Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2 with Mariam Batsashvili. Tickets £20 to £55.
Nobuyuki Tsujii with the RLPO, 29 October
Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii returns for Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2, with Mussorgsky's Night on the Bare Mountain and Sibelius' Symphony No. 6. Andrew Manze conducts. Tickets £22 to £58.
There is also a free Music Mondays social prescribing session on 12 October at 10.30am and 11.30am in the Music Room. Registration is required through the Philharmonic website.
Philharmonic Hall is on Hope Street, L1 9BP, between the two cathedrals. It is roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk uphill from Lime Street. Our Hope Street and Georgian Quarter guide covers the walk and nearby food.
River of Light, 23 October to 1 November
Liverpool's free outdoor light art trail returns to the waterfront and extends into the city centre for 10 nights. The 2026 theme is Together, with 13 illuminated artworks from international light artists along the Pier Head, Royal Albert Dock, Mann Island, Williamson Square and St Paul's Square. The trail opens daily from 5pm to 9pm. No booking is needed and the event is free.
The trail is pushchair-friendly and fully accessible. It is the centrepiece of Liverpool's late-October calendar and overlaps with the school half-term, so the waterfront will be busier than usual from the 23rd onwards. Our full River of Light 2026 guide covers the route, installations and how to get there.
Liverpool Irish Festival, 15 to 25 October
The 2026 Liverpool Irish Festival runs under the theme I Am Here, with events across Unity Theatre, the Liverpool Irish Centre, Philharmonic Hall and central libraries. The programme mixes theatre, live music, diaspora talks and history. Most events are £5 to £18, with some free.
A standout at the end of the festival: The Life and Times of Paddy Armstrong, a one-man play by Don Wycherley based on the Guildford Four memoir Life After Life, at Unity Theatre on 30 and 31 October. Tickets £15 (concessions £12).
Black History Month across Liverpool
October is UK Black History Month, and Liverpool's programme runs across cultural institutions throughout the month. Highlights include:
1 October: Lecture by Prof. Stephen Small on Black Liverpool.
10 October: African Soul Rebels concert at Philharmonic Hall (details above).
11 October: Plant-based food and crafts market at Sefton Park Palm House, free admission.
Events are run through Writing on the Wall and partner venues. Most are free or low cost.
Comic Con Liverpool, 10 to 11 October
Comic Con Liverpool takes over the Exhibition Centre at Kings Dock for the weekend. Celebrity guests, cosplay contests, movie prop sets and gaming zones. Adult day tickets are roughly £25 to £32, weekends £50, children £12 to £15, under-5s free.
Gigs and smaller venues in October
The larger venues above dominate a general search, but October has a full run of gigs at the O2 Academy, Liverpool Olympia, the Cavern and the British Music Experience. These tend to get buried under the arena and Empire listings.
1 October: Beatles Complete at the Cavern Front Stage.
1 October: RAR 50 film screening and Q&A with Roger Huddle and Tom Robinson at the British Music Experience, Cunard Building. Tickets £10 to £14.
9 October: Jimeoin at Liverpool Olympia.
14 October: Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets at O2 Academy2. Tickets £12 to £15.
16 October:Transvision Vamp at O2 Academy Liverpool, their first UK headline tour since 1991. Tickets £32.50 to £37.50.
22 October: The Mary Wallopers at Liverpool Olympia.
22 October: Jenny Colquitt, solo with strings, at the British Music Experience. Tickets £15.
30 October: Punk Rock Factory at Liverpool Olympia.
31 October:The Coral play a homecoming Halloween show at O2 Academy Liverpool. Tickets £30 to £35. Check See Tickets for availability.
31 October: The Wonder Stuff and Inspiral Carpets co-headline at Liverpool Olympia.
The Cavern runs resident acoustic artists on the Front Stage and Cavern Pub seven days a week, with free entry during the day and a modest cover on weekend evenings. The Cavern Club website has the full daily schedule.
Halloween events
Liverpool has two scare attractions running through October, and several one-off Halloween night events on the 31st.
Newsham Scream Park, selected nights from 9 October
Newsham Scream Park runs its fourth season across selected nights from 9 to 31 October inside the abandoned Newsham Park Hospital on Orphan Drive, L6 7UN. There are four walkthrough scare mazes plus a central food hub. Age restriction is 14+ (the Hellfire Club maze is 18+). Tickets are roughly £25 to £38, with VIP upgrades on Skiddle.
Farmaggedon, selected nights through October
Farmaggedon celebrates its 20th anniversary at Farmer Ted's near Ormskirk, just outside the Merseyside border. Five scare houses, zombie paintball and DJs. 16+ only. Tickets are £26 to £42 depending on the date.
Halloween night, 31 October
Kevin Bridges at M&S Bank Arena (7.30pm).
Halloween in Concert at the Auditorium (7.30pm), live orchestra playing horror and rock anthems.
The Coral homecoming show at O2 Academy Liverpool.
The Wonder Stuff and Inspiral Carpets at Liverpool Olympia.
Tim Burton's Universe by Candlelight at St George's Hall Concert Room (30 October, 7pm), with Mystery Ensemble playing Danny Elfman soundtracks. Tickets £25 to £42.
Treacherous Cretins: Frank Zappa Halloween Show at the Cavern Club Live Lounge (26 October). Tickets £15.
Half-term and family events, 26 to 30 October
Liverpool's school half-term runs Monday 26 to Friday 30 October. The main family draws are:
River of Light (free, every evening 5pm to 9pm from 23 October).
Steve Backshall's Deadly Live at the arena (24 October, 2pm).
Mean Girls at the Empire (matinees on Wednesday and Saturday).
Aintree Halloween Family Race Day (25 October, the day before half-term starts). Under-18s go free with a paying adult. Adults from £22. Fancy dress, face painting and family entertainment alongside an afternoon of National Hunt jump racing. See the Aintree site for tickets.
Museum of Liverpool:In Loving Memory, a new exhibition on 19th-century burial customs in Liverpool cemeteries, opens 17 October. Free.
World Museum: Writeful Places creative writing session for 16 to 25-year-olds (17 October, free, pre-booking required). The aquarium, bug house and planetarium are open throughout.
The city's National Museums Liverpool venues (Museum of Liverpool, World Museum, Walker Art Gallery) are all free and stay open through half-term. Check National Museums Liverpool for any special holiday workshops.
Exhibitions and galleries in October
British Music Experience (Cunard Building, Pier Head): 50 Years of Rock Against Racism exhibition, running to January 2027. General admission £17.50 adult, £11 child.
Walker Art Gallery:Julia Carter Preston Centenary Ceramic Display (free, runs to February 2027). A British fashion design retrospective closes 17 October.
Tate Liverpool at RIBA North (Mann Island): Contemporary exhibitions and design bookshop. Free. The main Albert Dock building is closed for renovation and is expected to reopen in 2027.
Open Eye Gallery (Mann Island): Next Up-2026 MA photography showcase (free, runs to 1 November). Book launch on 10 October.
FACT (Wood Street, Ropewalks): Rae-Yen Song solo exhibition, immersive multimedia (free, runs to December).
The Beatles Story (Royal Albert Dock): switches to winter hours from 5 October (Sunday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm, Saturdays and half-term 9am to 6.30pm). Adult £19.50, child £11.50. Book online in advance. See the Beatles Story site.
Lady Lever Art Gallery (Port Sunlight, Wirral): May Morris: Crafting a Legacy, on the Arts and Crafts embroidery pioneer. Free, runs to 1 November.
Food and drink events
Oktoberfest at Hangar 34, 17 October
Hangar 34 on Greenland Street in the Baltic Triangle runs an Oktoberfest day with Bavarian beer in steins, Oompah bands, bratwurst and pretzels. Day and evening sessions from 12pm. Tickets £15 to £25 on Skiddle.
Albert's Schloss Oktoberfest, to 25 October
Albert's Schloss on Bold Street runs a five-week Bavarian celebration with guest beers, brass shows and artisan schnitzel. Free entry, food and drinks paid.
Plant-based food market at Sefton Park Palm House, 11 October
Part of the BlackFest programme. Free admission. The Lark Lane and Sefton Park guide covers the park and nearby food stops if you want to make an afternoon of it.
Other events at the Exhibition Centre and St George's Hall
ATHX Fitness World Series: 3 to 4 October, Exhibition Centre Liverpool. Spectator passes roughly £15 to £20.
The UK Drum Show: 24 to 25 October, Exhibition Centre Liverpool. Europe's largest drum exhibition with masterclasses and gear demos. Day ticket £25, weekend £40.
Pianist Vesselin Stanev: 9 October, St George's Hall Concert Room.
A Night at the Opera by Candlelight: 11 October, St George's Hall, 5pm.
American Superslam Wrestling: 29 October, St George's Hall, 7pm. Tickets £15 to £20.
St George's Hall guided tours: 3, 6, 9 and 31 October. Tickets £8 to £12. See Liverpool City Halls.
Royal Court and comedy in October
The Royal Court Studio on Roe Street runs a regular comedy and variety programme through October:
Rob Newman, 9 October (Royal Court Studio).
Rachel Fairburn, 15 October (Royal Court Studio).
The Martini Lounge (burlesque and variety), 16 October.
Rob Rouse, 17 October (Royal Court Studio).
Heritage Tours: selected Mondays from 5 October. Tickets £10.
Studio show tickets are typically £12 to £20.
The Southport Comedy Festival also runs from 2 to 18 October in a heated marquee at Victoria Park, Southport, with nightly headliners and the New Comedian of the Year final on 3 October. Tickets £15 to £26, on Skiddle or the Southport Comedy Festival site.
Football in October
Exact Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup fixtures for October had not been confirmed at the time of writing. Television picks and UEFA group scheduling typically push dates and kick-off times around until a few weeks before the match. Check the official fixture pages at liverpoolfc.com and evertonfc.com before booking travel. There is no Merseyside derby in October; the first derby of the 2026/27 season is scheduled for 29 November 2026.
Be cautious of third-party ticket broker sites quoting fixed October dates for high-profile fixtures before the clubs have confirmed them. Our matchday guide to Anfield and north Liverpool covers getting in and out on a match day.
Busiest dates in October
Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October
Duran Duran at the arena on Friday, River of Light opening the same evening, Steve Backshall on Saturday afternoon, the UK Drum Show across the weekend, and the Aintree Halloween Family Race Day on Sunday. The waterfront and Kings Dock will be substantially busier than usual. If you need a city-centre hotel, book early.
Free and lower-cost things to do
River of Light: 23 October to 1 November, free, no booking needed.
National Museums Liverpool: free admission to the Museum of Liverpool, World Museum and Walker Art Gallery.
Open Eye Gallery and Tate at RIBA North: both free on the waterfront.
FACT: free gallery on Wood Street.
Black History Month events: many free or low cost across October.
Sefton Park Palm House plant-based market: 11 October, free.
Music Mondays at the Phil: 12 October, free (registration required).
Cavern Club: free daytime entry for front-stage acoustic sets.
Merseyrail disruption from 11 October
Anyone travelling in from south Liverpool or further down the Northern Line should plan around engineering work that runs for most of the month. Network Rail is strengthening and waterproofing four tunnels that bring the Northern Line into the city, closing the line between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central from Sunday 11 October to Friday 6 November, with normal services back on Saturday 7 November.
Monday to Saturday, replacement buses run between Hunts Cross and Moorfields, with amended Northern Line trains still running from Southport, Ormskirk and Headbolt Lane into Liverpool Central. On Sundays, replacement buses run between Hunts Cross and Sandhills instead. Because buses cannot access every city-centre street, the replacement services only stop at Moorfields and James Street.
The closure overlaps most of the month's biggest dates: it starts the same weekend as Comic Con, and runs straight through the Irish Festival, River of Light and half-term. Build in extra time, and check Merseyrail's tunnel works page before travelling.
Getting to the venues
The Empire is directly beside Lime Street station. Philharmonic Hall and the Everyman are both on Hope Street, a 10 to 15 minute walk uphill from Lime Street. The arena, Exhibition Centre and Auditorium share the waterfront campus at Kings Dock, with Liverpool ONE bus station about five minutes away and James Street the nearest Merseyrail station. The Kings Dock car park has around 1,450 spaces.
The River of Light trail runs along the Pier Head and waterfront, starting near James Street station. O2 Academy is on Hotham Street, L3 5UF, near the city centre. Liverpool Olympia is on West Derby Road, L6 9BY, further out but on the bus route. Our guide to getting around Liverpool without a car covers the practical options.
What to check before you travel
Football kick-off times can move for television at short notice.
Theatre runs can sell out, particularly Saturday performances of Mean Girls.
Accessible seating often needs a separate booking.
Arena door times and start times vary between events.
Some free events still ask you to register.
River of Light is weather-dependent, so dress for October evenings.
The Beatles Story switches to winter hours from 5 October.
The Northern Line is closed south of Liverpool Central from 11 October to 6 November, with replacement buses.
The venue's own page is more reliable than a third-party listing or an old social media graphic. If you are looking back, our September 2026 listings cover what is still running into October, including Death of a Salesman at the Everyman (to 10 October). Our Liverpool waterfront walk is a good starting point if you want to combine River of Light with a daytime visit.
