Barking and Dagenham residents are being encouraged to look a little closer to home and discover the culture, heritage, and community events happening across the borough this Autumn.
From spooky Halloween trails and historic houses, to live performances at the newly transformed Short Blue Place in Barking and special film screenings at the Women’s Museum, there’s plenty to enjoy without having to travel far.
At the heart of the borough’s heritage offer are Valence House Museum and Eastbury Manor House, alongside the Women’s Museum, and local libraries and community hubs – all brimming with things to do for all ages.
Pen to Print is also offering a packed programme of creative writing opportunities, with upcoming sessions including poetry and writing for performance.
Here are 10 upcoming events to pop into your diary:
1. Short Blue Place street food and entertainment, 16 October, 4pm – 6pm, and 24 October 12 - 2pm, FREE entry
Short Blue Place is being transformed into a vibrant food, culture and community destination through the Mayor of London funded Summer Streets project. Enjoy live performances, cultural activity, family-friendly events and a delicious food market. Suitable for all ages, drop in.
2. Parlour Concert at Valence House, 17 October, 12.15pm – 1pm, tickets £12 plus booking fee
Enjoy classical music inside Valence House as part of its new Parlour Concerts series, bringing live music and local history together in the atmospheric surroundings of the museum’s historic Parlour.
www.valencehousecollections.co.uk/events
3. Guided tour at Eastbury Manor House, 18 October, 12.30pm, FREE
Take a closer look at Eastbury Manor House and discover more than 450 years of local history through this special tour. It’s a chance to step inside one of the borough’s hidden heritage gems and take in the stories of the house.
https://eastburymanorhouse.org.uk/events/curator-s-highlight-tour
4. T A P E Collective Takeover at the Women’s Museum, 19 November, 7pm, FREE
In partnership with Film London, the Women’s Museum plays host to a feature film screening curated by T A P E Collective, who are exploring oral histories and women’s stories in dialogue with the Materiality of Memory exhibition.
https://womensmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/
5. Pumpkin Patch and Halloween Trail at Eastbury Manor House, 25 to 30 October, various time slots, £7.50 per child
Take a trip to our Pumpkin Patch, and then take your chosen pumpkin to the carving room to create your jack-o-lantern. Plus, the Eastbury Kitchen will become 'The Witches Kitchen' with a specially themed autumn menu, full of frightful fancies! Book online.
https://eastburymanorhouse.org.uk/events/pumpkin-patch-and-halloween-trail
6. Immersive storytelling at Valence House, Thursday 29 October and Saturday 31 October, 11am – 12.30pm and 1pm – 2pm, FREE
Join storyteller and heritage artist Diana Olutunmogun at Valence House for two immersive storytelling and craft sessions. Discover eerie local folklore, hidden histories and secret spaces before creating your own spooky souvenir to take home in a hands-on, wonderfully messy craft workshop. Suitable for ages 5+.
www.valencehousecollections.co.uk/events
7. Tracing Posterity at the Women’s Museum, 30 October, 5.30pm – 7.30pm, FREE
Artist Abel Holsborough will host an evening of film screenings and discussion inspired by Tracing Posterity, exploring themes of memory, identity and shared histories, the event invites people to bring family photos and films to help build a community archive and celebrate Black British stories. https://womensmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/
8. Treasure hunt: The Missing Library Delivery, Dagenham Learning Centre, 27 and 29 October, 10.30am -2.30pm, FREE
Come and join ‘The Missing Library Delivery’ treasure hunt! Children and parents are invited to become library detectives, on a mission to complete clues in their activity passport, and find the missing CitySprint delivery van. No need to book, just drop in.
9. Apple Day at Eastbrookend Country Park, 28 October, 11am - 2pm, FREE
Come along for a range of apple-themed, family-friendly activities. Test your skills with the longest apple-peel contest and 'pin the worm on the apple' game. In collaboration with Company Drinks, visitors will also be able to have a go at pressing apples to make delicious fresh juice.
10. Get creative with Pen to Print, various dates, FREE
Fancy yourself as a writer or poet? Pen to Print has a packed autumn of free creative writing, with sessions covering everything from poetry and creative writing, to writing for performance and getting published. See the full list of upcoming events at https://pentoprint.org/about/events/
Councillor Simon Perry, Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage and Recreation said: “Autumn fun starts here! There’s plenty to discover in Barking and Dagenham - and you don’t have to go far to find it.
“Whether it’s exploring our history, getting creative, enjoying live performances, discovering women’s stories or joining an activity in your local community, there really is something for everyone.
“I hope people will take the opportunity to explore somewhere new and enjoy everything our borough has to offer this autumn.”
For more information and to find events happening across Barking and Dagenham, visit www.lbbd.gov.uk/events