Things to do in Liverpool, Wirral and Sefton on 10-11 October 2026: free markets, live music, Comic Con, art, family events and Sunday rail changes.
On Saturday morning, an old church in Waterloo opens for a flea market with up to 70 stalls. Entry costs 50p. Across the river, New Ferry has its farmers' market, while an art exhibition in Birkenhead reaches its final day. In Liverpool, the World Museum is hosting a free Latin American cultural takeover. Those are only a few of the things happening this weekend, 10 and 11 October 2026.
The headline crowds will be at Comic Con on the waterfront, Newsham Scream Park for its Halloween opening weekend, and, on Sunday, Liverpool's match against Manchester City at Anfield. But the smaller events deserve space too. We have found independent music, hands-on activities, artists' books, local exhibitions and family sessions across Liverpool, Wirral and Sefton. One warning before you choose: major Merseyrail changes begin on Sunday, so some usual city-centre train journeys will not work.
For events across the full month, check our What's On in Liverpool in October 2026 guide.
| Event | Highlights & Venue | When | Tickets & Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newsham Scream Park | Four scare mazes inside the historic Victorian hospital and asylum | Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October, from 6pm | From £28 on Skiddle |
| Comic Con Liverpool | Pop culture convention, guest panels, cosplay and gaming at Kings Dock | Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October, from 9am | Sunday from £25 on Skiddle |
| Death of a Salesman | Arthur Miller's classic starring Cyril Nri; closing night at Liverpool Everyman | Saturday 10 October, 2pm and 7.30pm | £11–£41 at Everyman |
| Lord of the Dance | Michael Flatley revival tour; final performances at Liverpool Empire | Saturday 10 October, 2.30pm and 7.30pm | From £22.50 at Empire |
| La Feria Festival | Latin American music, dance and workshops at World Museum and The Black-E | Saturday and Sunday, daytime | Free (book workshops) |
| Liverpool Artists' Book Fair | Artists' books, printmakers and sculpture stalls at the Bluecoat | Saturday and Sunday, 11am–5pm | Free admission |
| African Soul Rebels | Les Amazones d'Afrique, Gasper Nali and N'Famady Kouyaté at Philharmonic Hall | Saturday 10 October, 7.30pm | £27–£37 at Philharmonic |
| Avatar in Concert | Live orchestra with animated series presentation at Philharmonic Hall | Sunday 11 October, 7.30pm | Book on Ticketmaster |
| Cabaret Voltaire | Final UK tour of the pioneering electronic act at Arts Club, Seel Street | Sunday 11 October, 7pm | Book on Ticketmaster |
| Waterloo Flea Market | Up to 70 stalls of antiques, collectables and crafts at Old Christ Church | Saturday 10 October, 10am–1pm | 50p entry |
| Wirral Farmers' Market | Fresh regional food producers and stalls at New Ferry Village Hall | Saturday 10 October, from 9am | Free entry |
| Williamson Open 2026 | Final day of the city region art and photography exhibition in Birkenhead | Saturday 10 October, 10am–5pm | Free admission |
| Ibibio Sound Machine | West African rhythms, disco and post-punk live at Future Yard, Birkenhead | Saturday 10 October, doors 7.30pm | £25 at Future Yard |
| Wirral 10K | Coastal road race along Kings Parade and New Brighton promenade | Sunday 11 October, 9.30am start | Free to spectate |
Booking note: Listings and ticket availability can change at short notice, particularly for Comic Con, comedy and concerts. Follow the linked organiser or ticket page before travelling.
At the World Museum on William Brown Street, Saturday's La Feria takeover brings Latin American dance, storytelling, music and creative activities into the galleries. The event listing gives 10am–5pm and free admission. A separate Mexican food workshop is advertised from noon, but its free places are limited, so do not assume you can join a workshop without registering.
The festival moves to The Black-E on Great George Street for its finale on Sunday, noon–5pm. The programme includes music, DJs, dancing, food and activities involving communities and artists with connections across Latin America. An organised dance workshop at 2pm is free but ticketed, aimed at ages 12 and over.
For a family in town already, this is a way to spend an hour or an afternoon with an actual activity rather than another round of shops. Check the specific workshop bookings if that is the part you want.
Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October; Liverpool Experience Campus, Kings Dock; ticketed.
Comic Con spreads across the Exhibition Centre, Convention Centre and connected waterfront venues. There are guest panels, cosplay, traders, set recreations, retro and modern gaming, photographs and autograph sessions. The event's breadth is one reason it is a full-day visit for many people, especially when separate sessions are booked across the venue.
General admission and celebrity photograph or autograph bookings are separate purchases. A photo ticket alone does not get you into the convention. On the current Sunday Skiddle listing, adult admission is listed at £25 face value (£27.75 including the displayed booking fee), with concession and under-five options. The Skiddle page specifies 9am entry on Sunday and last entry at 4.30pm. Other ticket types can have different entry times; follow the time printed on your ticket.
For the guest roster, child rules and Sunday station changes, read our full Comic Con Liverpool 2026 guide rather than relying on an old celebrity list. Tickets and guest appearances can change right up to the event.
Saturday and Sunday, 11am–5pm; Bluecoat, School Lane; free.
The Liverpool Artists' Book Fair is not a standard paperback sale. Artists use books as artworks, playing with folding, binding, paper, printing and the sequence in which an object is read. You may find work that looks more like sculpture than something meant to sit on a shelf.
There are artists' and makers' stalls to browse, plus the Bluecoat's ongoing exhibitions in the same building. This is one of the more distinctive city-centre options for people who do not want to spend the day in a shopping centre or queueing for an arena event. Admission to the fair is free. Individual paid workshops, where available, are separate.
Saturday, noon–6pm; Cunard Building Arrivals Hall, Pier Head; free, no ticket needed.
Artist Mark Storor's Close to Home brings together film, poetry, photographs, sculpture and other work made in collaboration with people who have lived experience of suicide or bereavement. It finishes on Saturday, with a closing ceremony at 4pm. The organiser says that closing event is drop-in, with no advance booking required.
This is a reflective exhibition rather than a light entertainment recommendation. Content advisory: it explores suicide, grief and bereavement, although the organiser says it does not depict suicide. It is recommended for adults, and under-18s should attend with a responsible adult. The exhibition has seating and quieter areas. The Strand Street entrance has steps; head to Brunswick Street for step-free access.
Sunday; Sefton Park Palm House; separate afternoon and evening events.
BlackFest's Plant-Based Goodness, Arts, Crafts & Market brings food from Yammtree, an all-ages making table with artist Layla Gibiliru, handmade products and music from DJ Shanay Maxwell to the Palm House. It gives families an indoor community-focused alternative to the bigger ticketed events.
In the evening, the venue hosts Awakened featuring Kelechi Okafor, combining literature, conversation and performance. Check the Palm House listings or the event organiser for the latest separate session times, booking conditions and availability. Do not assume that attendance at one event includes the other.
For live music, there are several very different choices rather than one interchangeable list of tribute shows.
At Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on Saturday at 7.30pm, African Soul Rebels features Les Amazones d'Afrique, Gasper Nali and N'Famady Kouyaté. Tickets were advertised at £27 to £37, subject to booking fees and availability. The programme is part of the wider Black History Month calendar.
For a grassroots alternative to a full concert, Croakheads North x Seel Street Sound System at Commune is advertised on Saturday from 6pm to midnight, with six DJs playing bassline, garage and jungle. The listing says £2 per ticket supports Music Venue Trust, which works with grassroots music venues. It is an 18+ event; check ticket prices and last entry on the listing.
There is also K-Klass at Freeze Project on Saturday from 10pm to 3am, with house music from the group behind Rhythm Is a Mystery. The event is 18+.
Sunday, 7pm, Cabaret Voltaire are billed at Arts Club Liverpool, Seel Street, on their final UK tour. This is the experimental electronic-music pick rather than another stadium-scale show. Check Sunday Cabaret Voltaire tickets on Ticketmaster; its listing indicated limited availability at the time of checking.
A different kind of music-and-screen evening is Avatar: The Last Airbender in Concert on Ticketmaster at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Sunday at 7.30pm. An orchestra performs alongside the animated series presentation. Check availability with the venue or ticket agent before travelling.
Sunday, 4.30pm kick-off; Anfield.
The official Liverpool FC match listing confirms the kick-off. Match tickets have eligibility conditions and limited availability; do not assume casual walk-up admission. If you are heading anywhere around Anfield or planning public transport on Sunday afternoon, factor in the match-day crowds.
Merseyrail's matchday advice is especially important this weekend because of the engineering works. Supporters travelling from the north can change at Sandhills for Soccerbus.
Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October; Newsham Park Hospital and Orphanage, Orphan Drive, L6 7UN; ticketed.
For Halloween thrillseekers, Merseyside's scare season begins this weekend as Newsham Scream Park opens its doors on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October. Set inside the Grade II-listed Victorian former seamen's orphanage and hospital complex on Orphan Drive, the event uses the historic site's authentic decaying corridors, abandoned wards and winding basements rather than temporary marquee structures.
The 2026 return features four themed scare mazes: The Asylum, The Orphanage, F.E.A.R and Hellfire Club, populated by live scare actors, animatronics, strobe lighting and theatrical special effects. Outside the mazes, the site hosts a central courtyard with street food stalls, live performers and a licensed bar area.
Practical details and advice:
For a wider comparison of Merseyside scare attractions, read our guide to Farmaggedon vs Newsham Scream Park 2026, or explore our full roundup of Halloween events in Liverpool for adults.
Two major stage runs come to an end in Liverpool this Saturday, offering final chances to catch high-profile drama and dance before they depart.
Saturday 10 October, 2pm and 7.30pm; Liverpool Everyman, 5–11 Hope Street, L1 9BH; tickets £11–£41.
Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Death of a Salesman concludes its acclaimed run at the Liverpool Everyman on Saturday 10 October, with both an afternoon matinee at 2pm and a closing evening performance at 7.30pm. Directed by Suba Das, the production features an exceptional cast led by Cyril Nri (Bridgerton, The Bill) in the central role of Willy Loman.
The production explores the breakdown of the American Dream, family friction and personal identity through Willy's unraveling domestic and working life. Tickets are priced between £11 and £41, with limited remaining seats for both final performances. Book through the Liverpool Everyman box office.
Saturday 10 October, 2.30pm and 7.30pm; Liverpool Empire, Lime Street, L1 1JE; tickets from £22.50.
Across town at the Liverpool Empire, the 25th anniversary revival tour of Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance finishes its Liverpool stop on Saturday 10 October with performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. The show combines traditional Irish dance with contemporary staging, lighting, pyrotechnics and original music.
Tickets start from £22.50 (plus booking fee). Check seat availability directly via the Liverpool Empire ATG Tickets page.
Saturday, from 9am; New Ferry Village Hall, Grove Street, CH62 5AZ.
Wirral Farmers' Market has been running since 2000 and advertises around 25 stalls selling meat, eggs, bread, cakes, vegetables, cheeses, preserves and other food. There is a café, free parking, and the organisers welcome dogs on leads away from food.
A small timing discrepancy: the market's homepage says 9am to noon, while its dated 2026 calendar says 9am to 1pm. If this is your main reason for travelling, arrive before noon or confirm closing time with the organiser. Bebington station is listed as a short walk away.
Saturday, 10am–5pm; Williamson Art Gallery, Slatey Road, Oxton; free.
The Williamson Open 2026 features art and photography by people working across the Liverpool City Region. Saturday is its final day. Some pieces can also be purchased, though looking around costs nothing.
If you have not been to the Williamson lately, the gallery also has an exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints and other displays. It is closed on Sunday, so make this a Saturday choice.
Saturday evening; Future Yard, 75 Argyle Street, Birkenhead; £25 plus booking fee.
Ibibio Sound Machine are playing Future Yard with support from Ziyad Al-Samman. Their music brings together West African rhythms, electronic production, disco and post-punk. The venue advertises 7.30pm doors for this standing gig, and says under-16s must attend with an adult.
This is a useful reminder that live music around Merseyside does not begin and end in Liverpool city centre. Future Yard has a pizza kitchen and publishes accessibility information for its live room. Check the ticket page for availability.
Saturday, 2.30pm and 7.30pm; Floral Pavilion, New Brighton; tickets listed from £25.
The Last Laugh imagines Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse sharing a dressing room and talking about their work. The production stars Damian Williams, Steve Royle and Simon Cartwright.
The venue's live page displays several booking-status indicators, including sold out. Treat this as a check-availability listing, not a promise that seats remain. The matinee is particularly useful for people who prefer an afternoon show.
Sunday, 9.30am start; Kings Parade / The Dips, New Brighton.
The Wirral 10K sends runners out along the waterfront towards Seacombe Ferry Terminal and back again. It is free to watch from publicly accessible spectator areas, and the course gives runners long views of Liverpool across the Mersey.
The start and finish have moved back to Kings Parade beside The Dips, so do not go to an old race location. There are road restrictions around the route; the organiser advises vehicle access to the event area via Harrison Drive. Check the official course and road closure information before driving. Sunday rail changes also affect cross-river connections into Liverpool.
Saturday, 10am–1pm; Old Christ Church, Waterloo Road, L22 1RF; 50p entry.
The Waterloo Flea Market and Vintage Fair takes place inside the old church, with up to 70 stalls. The indoor setting means it is a practical option if October weather turns wet. The Churches Conservation Trust listing confirms a café, toilets, parking and disabled access throughout.
This is the sort of local Saturday activity that easily disappears beneath advertising for big venues. At 50p to enter, you do not have to buy anything to have a look. Combine it with a wander around Waterloo's independent shops or a walk towards Crosby seafront if the weather permits.
Victoria Park festival marquee, Southport; ticketed.
On Saturday at 8pm, Paul Merton and Suki Webster's Improv Show is scheduled with Mike McShane and guests. The official festival website currently directs readers to a waiting list, so do not assume seats are freely bookable.
On Sunday at 7pm (doors 6pm), Adam Kay: This Is Going To Hurt brings his NHS diaries to the same festival marquee. Tickets are listed at £25.50 plus booking fee, subject to remaining availability, with a 16+ guidance and content advisory for medical themes. Check Sunday's Adam Kay booking details with the organiser.
Saturday, 10am–4pm; The Atkinson, Lord Street, Southport; free.
The ANTIQUITA exhibition uses clay and bronze sculptures by Syrian artist and archaeologist Zahed Taj-Eddin. Animal figures and forms inspired by ancient goddess imagery explore memory, power and survival. Saturday 10 October is the final day, and The Atkinson's gallery entry is free.
The Atkinson has several other free exhibitions running, so visitors can look around the wider gallery rather than arrive for a single display. Its published gallery hours are 10am–4pm, Monday to Saturday.
Saturday, 10.30–11.15am; The Station Master's House, 2 Liverpool Road, Birkdale; free.
Birkdale's Station Master's House community hub lists Storytime for children aged four and under and a separate Lego Fun session for children of different ages in the same Saturday-morning timeslot. They are small community activities, not large ticketed attractions. Check with the venue whether advance registration is needed and which session best suits your child.
If the weekend is more about fresh air than a scheduled performance, Sefton's coast has choices that do not depend on event inventory. Formby's woodland and dune paths offer a different setting from Crosby's open shore and Another Place figures. Follow signed paths, heed beach and tide notices, and avoid trampling protected dune areas. This is a general outdoor suggestion rather than an organised event.
For a late-afternoon outing, take account of the earlier autumn sunset and check the weather before setting off. The exposed shore can feel colder than the sheltered town centre.
Start with the free La Feria cultural programme at the World Museum. Head down to the Bluecoat for the artists' book fair, then choose an evening show such as Death of a Salesman on Hope Street, Lord of the Dance at the Empire, African Soul Rebels at the Phil, or Newsham Scream Park for early Halloween scares. Book paid tickets and gigs before leaving home.
Go to the New Ferry farmers' market in the morning (aim to arrive before noon), visit the Williamson Open in Birkenhead, then stay across the river for Ibibio Sound Machine at Future Yard if you have tickets. That turns three separate listings into a coherent local day out.
Spend the morning among the stalls at Old Christ Church in Waterloo, or head to Birkdale for the family sessions. Southport's Atkinson has its final day of ANTIQUITA, with the Comedy Festival running later in Victoria Park.
Important travel alert: Northern Line tunnel works begin on Sunday 11 October
Engineering works run from Sunday 11 October through Friday 6 November. The opening day coincides with Comic Con, the Wirral 10K and Liverpool's home match against Manchester City.
For last-minute changes and ticket availability, the primary booking and information pages are Newsham Scream Park on Skiddle, Comic Con's official site, Everyman Playhouse, Liverpool Empire ATG Tickets, Bluecoat's event calendar, Wirral 10K's race page, Wirral Farmers' Market, Southport Comedy Festival, The Atkinson, Waterloo flea market listing and Merseyrail's tunnel works notice.
For events later in the month, see our October 2026 what's-on guide. To turn a visit to Kings Dock into a walk along the waterfront, our Pier Head to Liverpool Marina route covers the open route and temporary museum closures.
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