Eastbourne Bonfire is Saturday 3 October, torches lit at 7.15pm, and the Beachy Head Marathon is 24 October. Forty dated listings, each linked to its organiser.

The biggest night of Eastbourne’s autumn is this Saturday. Eastbourne Bonfire is on Saturday 3 October, a month before everyone else’s, and the first torchlit procession leaves the Crown and Anchor on Royal Parade at 7.15pm. Three weeks later the Beachy Head Marathon takes over Dukes Drive on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October, at the start of half term.

Between the two, the town’s four theatres have something on most nights. Everything below comes from the organisers’ own listings, read on 28 September 2026, and every entry links back to its source so you can check before you set off. Theatre prices are the lowest ticket price shown on the booking page, and booking fees may be added. For places that are open whatever the month, see our guide to things to do in Eastbourne.

This week

  • Wriggle Room, Tuesday 29 September, 10am to 11.30am, Towner Eastbourne, College Road, BN21 4JJ. Free. Crafting, story-time and sensory play for under-5s and their caregivers. Book a free ticket for priority, and arrive any time in the session (Towner Eastbourne).
  • Eastbourne Borough v Little Common, Tuesday 29 September, 7.45pm, Connect Management Stadium, Priory Lane, BN23 7QH. The men’s first team at home (Eastbourne Borough FC). The club’s admission page gives first-team matchday prices of £16 for adults, £12 concessions and £6 for students and under 18s.
  • Betty Rea and Nan Youngman: Partners in Life, Art and Politics, Wednesday 30 September, 2pm, Towner Eastbourne. £12, including entry to the exhibition. Art historian Dr Will Rea, Betty Rea’s grandson, on two artists of the Artists International Association. It lasts about an hour (Towner Eastbourne).
  • Francis Rossi, Wednesday 30 September, 7.30pm, Congress Theatre, Carlisle Road, BN21 4BP. From £37. The Status Quo frontman’s Songbook show (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Let There Be Love, Wednesday 30 September, 8.15pm, Royal Hippodrome Theatre, 106-114 Seaside Road, BN21 3PF. £18 to £20. The theatre’s season show of songs, dance and comedy. It also plays on Wednesday 7 and Wednesday 14 October (Royal Hippodrome Theatre).
  • House of Fun, Thursday 1 October, 7.30pm, Congress Theatre. From £37. A 2-Tone revival show with the hits of Madness, Bad Manners and The Beat (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Eastbourne Bonfire Night, Saturday 3 October, from 7.15pm, Eastbourne seafront. Free. Two torchlit processions, a beach bonfire and fireworks, for the society’s 25th anniversary. The first procession leaves the Crown and Anchor at 7.15pm. The second heads into the town centre from about 8.30pm and finishes near the Wish Tower Slopes (Eastbourne Bonfire Society). Our Eastbourne Bonfire Night page has the running order and the parking.
  • Mayor’s Civic Harvest Festival, Sunday 4 October, 10.30am, Emmanuel Church, Upperton Road, BN21 1LQ. Open to all, and guests are asked to be seated by 10.15am. Bring non-perishable food for Matthew 25 Mission (Lewes and Eastbourne Councils). More on our Harvest Festival page.
  • The Proud Valley, Sunday 4 October, 11am, Towner Eastbourne cinema. Standard ticket £10.50. Paul Robeson’s 1940 film, with a short introduction and a 20-minute discussion afterwards, part of a Robeson season for Black History Month (Towner Eastbourne).
  • Behind the Scenes Tour, Sunday 4 October, 2pm, Towner Eastbourne. £11, concessions £10. A tour of the store holding the gallery’s collection of more than 5,000 works. It runs again on Tuesday 6 October at 11am and Sunday 18 October at 2pm (Towner Eastbourne).
  • Steve Hackett: Best of Genesis and Solo Gems, Sunday 4 October, 7.45pm, Congress Theatre. From £57.75, and marked as selling fast (Eastbourne Theatres).

Next week

  • The Other Side of Murder, Monday 5 to Saturday 10 October, evenings at 7.30pm, Devonshire Park Theatre, 8-10 Compton Street, BN21 4BW. From £25. A new comedy thriller with Rufus Hound in the cast. Audio-described performances are on Friday 9 October at 7.30pm and Saturday 10 October at 2.30pm (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Royal Hippodrome Theatre Tour, Wednesday 7 October, 10.30am, Royal Hippodrome Theatre. £5. The theatre’s Friends show you the parts of Eastbourne’s oldest working theatre that the public does not normally see. It runs again on Saturday 17 October and Wednesday 4 November (Royal Hippodrome Theatre).
  • The Phantoms starring Lee Mead, Friday 9 October, 7.30pm, Royal Hippodrome Theatre. £35.50 to £70. A concert of songs from the big musicals (Royal Hippodrome Theatre).
  • Imperial Classical Ballet, three ballets in three days at the Congress Theatre, each with a live orchestra and each from £43.75: Giselle on Friday 9 October at 7.30pm, Swan Lake on Saturday 10 October from 2.30pm, and The Nutcracker on Sunday 11 October at 4pm.
  • Eastbourne Borough v Welling United, Saturday 10 October, 3pm, Connect Management Stadium, Priory Lane (Eastbourne Borough FC).
  • Fun For Little Ones: A Tribute to Ms Rachel, Sunday 11 October, 1pm, Royal Hippodrome Theatre. £17.50 to £52.50. An interactive singing and dancing show for small children (Royal Hippodrome Theatre).

Later in October

  • The Picture of Dorian Gray, Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 October, evenings at 7.30pm, Devonshire Park Theatre. From £19.50. Audio-described performances are on Friday 16 October at 7.30pm and Saturday 17 October at 2.30pm (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Harry Enfield and No Chums, Wednesday 14 October, 7.30pm, Congress Theatre. From £37. Forty years of characters, from Loadsamoney to Kevin the Teenager (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Al Murray: All You Need is Guv, Friday 16 October, 7.30pm, Congress Theatre. From £37, and marked as selling fast (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • London Philharmonic Orchestra: Scheherazade, Sunday 18 October, 3pm, Congress Theatre. From £17.50. Glinka, the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Ning Feng, then Rimsky-Korsakov (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Barnum, Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 October, opening at 7.30pm, Congress Theatre. From £22.50. The touring musical, with Matt Rawle (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Screaming Blue Murder Comedy Club, Thursday 22 October, 8pm, Royal Hippodrome Theatre. £12 (Royal Hippodrome Theatre).
  • Beachy Head Marathon weekend, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October, Dukes Drive, BN20 7RP. On Saturday the ultra starts at 7.40am, the marathon at 8.45am and the 10K at 9.15am. The half marathon is on Sunday at 8am (Beachy Head Marathon). Our Beachy Head Marathon page has where to watch and the road closures.
  • Tea and Tour, Saturday 24 October, 10.30am, Congress Theatre. £20. Backstage and on to the stage, with a lot of walking (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • A Celebration of Paul Robeson, Sunday 25 October, 3.30pm, Winter Garden, Compton Street, BN21 4BP. From £12. An afternoon marking a new plaque to Robeson, who sang in the Floral Room here from the late 1920s until 1939 (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Brainiac Live!, Tuesday 27 October, 2pm, Congress Theatre. From £20.50. The science show for families, one performance in half term (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • EODS: We Will Rock You, Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November, Royal Hippodrome Theatre. £22, under 16s £16. Eastbourne Operatic and Dramatic Society in the Queen musical, at 7.30pm Wednesday to Friday and 2.30pm on Saturday and Sunday (Royal Hippodrome Theatre).
  • Anton Du Beke: Steps in Time, Wednesday 28 October, 8pm, Congress Theatre. From £55.75 (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Eastbourne Borough v Ramsgate, Saturday 31 October, 3pm, Connect Management Stadium, Priory Lane (Eastbourne Borough FC).
  • Rhythm of the 90s Halloween Party, Saturday 31 October, 7pm, Winter Garden. From £29.50 (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Ruby Wax: Absolutely Famous, Saturday 31 October, 7.30pm, Devonshire Park Theatre. From £42.75 (Eastbourne Theatres).

Half term has its own page: Eastbourne October half term.

November

  • Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf, Sunday 1 November, 7.45pm, Devonshire Park Theatre. From £35.50, and marked as selling fast (Eastbourne Theatres).
  • Eastbourne Borough v Stanway Rovers, Tuesday 3 November, 7.45pm, Connect Management Stadium, Priory Lane (Eastbourne Borough FC).
  • Voices in Harmony, Saturday 7 November, 7.30pm, Winter Garden. From £14. Eastbourne Voices and Hailsham Voices, two pop choirs and 150 singers (Eastbourne Theatres).

The arrangements for Remembrance Sunday had not been published when we checked. Our Remembrance Sunday page will carry them. The panto, Cinderella, opens on 11 December: see our Eastbourne panto page.

Regular events

  • Eastbourne Borough Market, every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 4pm, Terminus Road, BN21 3NL, between Barclays and Halifax. The next one is Wednesday 30 September (Visit Eastbourne).
  • Eastbourne parkrun, every Saturday, 9am, Shinewater Park, BN23 8BS. Free. A timed 5k to walk, jog or run. Register once and bring your barcode. The next one is Saturday 3 October (Eastbourne parkrun).
  • Eastbourne Farmers Market, first Saturday of the month from February to November, 9am to 1pm, on the square outside Towner and the Congress Theatre. The next one is Saturday 3 October (Towner Eastbourne).

Getting there

The Congress Theatre, the Devonshire Park Theatre, the Winter Garden and Towner all sit together by Devonshire Park, so one car park covers them. The Royal Hippodrome is on Seaside Road, nearer the pier. Our page on parking in Eastbourne has the tariffs, and the roadworks and travel page has the closures. Coming by rail, check train times to London before an evening show.

This page is rewritten as organisers confirm new dates. Every listing was read on 28 September 2026. Dates can still change, so use the links before you travel. More in our What’s On section.

Send us your event

Running something in Eastbourne? Email hello@eastbournelive.co.uk with the date, time, venue, price and a photo. Listings are free of charge, always. Yours goes on this page and in the diary on our front page.

Sources