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22 things to do in Winchester in September

From free festivals to candlelit folk performances, there's plenty to keep you busy in and around Winchester this month

September may be 'back to school' season but that doesn't mean the fun is over. As the first signs of autumn appear, Winchester comes alive with a whole host of cultural events and museum exhibitions that'll cure any end-of-summer blues.

We've got plenty of festivals to keep us busy too, from Heritage Open Days - which opens the door to loads of Winchester's fascinating buildings for free - to Winchester Green Week, a celebration of living sustainably and protecting our planet. Not forgetting all the new openings in Winchester to try this month.

While you're filling your diary with things to do in Winchester this September, why not book a table at one of the city's award-winning dining experiences too, or take advantage of Winchester district's pretty picnic spots and alfresco restaurants while the sun still shines.

See out the summer at a Michaelmas Fair

Mark the start of autumn and the shortening of the days with a Saturday spent in the pretty surrounds of The Hospital of St Cross. The annual Michaelmas Fair will feature live music, ice cream, a beer tent, traditional children's games, artisan stalls and a calligraphy workshop, all beside an ancient almshouse and Norman chapel.

Michaelmas Fair 2025 at The Hosptial of St Cross, Winchester. 27 September.

Hospital of St Cross c Harvey Mills Photography

Explore amazing buildings for free

Winchester is full of interesting buildings. Pretty ones, ancient ones and ones filled with intriguing treasures to discover. This September, a whole host of them, from The Great Hall and Winchester Cathedral to National Trust property Hinton Ampner and all six of Winchester's military museums, are totally free to enter, thanks to the Heritage Open Days 2025 festival, which sees museums, houses and more open their doors to members of the history-loving public. (Please note: some buildings are free to visit for the duration of the festival while others are running free tours or events on selected dates.)

Heritage Open Days 2025. Various events and locations. 12 - 21 September.

Rave the weekend away on a farm

Get summer festival season fully out of your system with a final hedonistic adventure at Mucky Weekender, a music festival in the countryside just outside Winchester. Groove Armada are headlining.

Mucky Weekender, Vicarage Farm, near Winchester. 11 - 13 September.

Practise piano at Jane Austen's House

If you can play the piano, head to Jane Austen's House in Chawton between 12 and 20 September to tinkle the ivories. Pianists are invited to practice on the house's 1813 Clementi square piano for an hour each morning - just like Jane Austen used to do.

Piano Practise at Jane Austen's House, Chawton. 12 - 20 September.

Eat your way around Taste of Wickham

A celebration of local food, as well as crafts, live music and family fun. The village of Wickham is transformed for the day with over 75 stalls, delicious local food and drink to sample, plus a kid's area where little ones can get stuck into face painting, bubbles and circus skills.

Taste of Wickham, Wickham. 14 September.

Celebrate all things sustainable

Winchester's annual Green Week is taking place between 20 and 28 September and is made up of a calendar of events run by local communities and environmental groups, as well as green-minded businesses. Join Winchester Litter Pickers for a clean up, go to a screening of documentary ACTionism, head to The Nutshell Preloved Clothes Sale and more.

Winchester Green Week. Various locations. 20 - 28 September.

Go moth spotting after dark

Join nocturnal wildlife for a wander around the Field Study Centre after dark. See how the moth lights are set up and watch for the first visitors of the night. Any identified moths will be recorded on the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre database to support scientific research into insect ecology. Wear footwear appropriate for a short walk in the dark. Warm drinks and biscuits will be provided.

Moth Night at Gilbert White's House, Selbourne. 20 September.

Find out just how much Pirates Love Underpants

Little ones over the age of one will love this family-friendly stage show. It's a silly, swashbuckling pirate adventure which comes with a lot of chat about knickers and pants.

Pirates Love Underpants at Theatre Royal Winchester. 20 - 21 September.

Make a toast at Winchester's newest bar

Head to Toast on Jewry Street, the city's newest addition, for cocktails, coffee, matcha and loads of things on toast. We're talking French toast, smashed avo on toast, pineapple tofu on toast, cheese toasties and more.

Toast, Winchester. Open now.

Read a handwritten Austen poem

Take the opportunity to visit the original manuscript of Jane Austen’s poem, in her hand, about the death of her close friend, Mrs Anne Lefroy. It's on display as part of the Kings & Scribes exhibition at Winchester Cathedral until 22 September.

Angelic Women: The Friendship of Jane Austen and Anne Lefroy at Winchester Cathedral. Until 22 September.

Go to a candlelit concert in a taproom

Enjoy a locally-brewed ale with a side of candlelit live music at Dummer Down Brewery. Up-and-coming folk singer-songwriters Jessica Dives and Grace Elizabeth will perform at the taproom's first ticketed Sunday Session. There will also be an open studio, clay workshop and talk from resident artist Peter Mears earlier in the day.

A Day in the Life at Dummer Down Brewery, near Winchester. 7 September.

Laugh out loud at a comedy festival

Head to Winchester's Theatre Royal for the Winchester Comedy Festival Autumn Gala, a evening of stand-up comedy from Rhys James, Micky Overman, Steve Bugeja and Paul McCaffrey.

Winchester Comedy Festival: Autumn Gala 2025, Theatre Royal Winchester. 27 September.

Enjoy family-style Sunday lunch at The Ship

Feast the afternoon away at The Ship in Bishop's Sutton, a cosy countryside pub which has just reopened with pared-back interiors and a simple, seasonal foodie vibe. Visit on Sundays to experience The Sunday Table, a three-course meal served family-style over two sittings.

The Ship in Bishops Sutton, near Alresford. Open now.

PYO before the season finishes

Summer may be bidding us a slow farewell, but PYO flower season isn't quite over yet. Make the most of those heady late summer blooms by visiting Stem & Green Flower Farm near Winchester, which has flowers for picking into September. Nearby Hampshire Pantry also still have some sunflowers in bloom - if you're quick!

Stem & Green Flower Farm, Headbourne Worthy, near Winchester. Open until end of September.

Channel your inner Dancing Queen

Boogie like it's 1979 at an evening celebrating all things ABBA in Winchester. MANIA have been selling out theatres since 1999, touring worldwide with their high-energy ABBA tribute concert, and will be in Winchester for two nights this month.

MANIA: The ABBA Tribute at Theatre Royal Winchester. 12 and 13 September.

Ride a vintage steam train with Wallace and Gromit

Beloved characters Wallace and Gromit will be riding the rails at the Watercress Line this month, showing off different kinds of hobbies. As well as the vintage steam trains, there will be radio enthusiasts, scouts, guides and the volunteers who run the Watercress Line's miniature railway on hand to talk to curious visitors. Stop at Ropley for photo opportunities with Wallace and Gromit.

Wallace & Gromit present Cracking Hobbies at The Watercress Line, Alresford. 27 - 28 September.

Experience Pink Floyd at the planetarium

Love the 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon? Visit Winchester Science Centre after hours for an immersive full-dome Planetarium visualisation of the album. The psychedelic album's 10 tracks will be played chronologically, each with their own unique visuals.

After Dark - Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon at Winchester Science Centre. 20 September.

Enter your pooch into a long-running dog show

Established in 1908, Alresford Show is a one-day celebration of agriculture and rural communities, featuring horse shows, horticultural competitions, vintage farm machinery, a dog show with lots of novelty categories you can enter (dog most like its owner? most adoring eyes?), lots of local food and drink stalls and more.

Alresford Show, near Alresford. 6 September.

Chase a PB at Winchester Half Marathon

Starting and finishing outside the Winchester Guildhall, this 13.1 mile route is as scenic as running routes come. Racers will weave past Winchester Cathedral and Winchester College before running along the Water Meadows, catching views of St Catherine's Hill and The Hospital of St Cross. They'll then head out for a stretch in the countryside before returning to the city's pretty centre. There's also a 1km Kids Fun Run at 12:30pm for little legs.

Winchester Half Marathon. 21 September.

Browse indie and ethically sourced homewares

Drop into Winchester's newest shop Fig & Fox. The spot, which sells homewares, gifts and yummy things to eat and drink, just opened at 52-54 St Georges Street. There's also a coffee shop on site.

Fig & Fox, Winchester. Open now.

Fig and Fox Winchester Ellie Walker Arnott

Learn how to bake really good sourdough

Mark Sourdough September by making and baking two ace loaves of the stuff in this day-long course, which is open to both beginners and bakers with experience. Attendees will also learn how to build and maintain a sourdough starter, plus they'll take one away with them to continue their baking journey at home.

Sourdough Baking Course at South Downs Sourdough, Cheriton, near Winchester. 10, 13 and 16 September.

Visit an intriguing exhibition

‘The Oates Memorial Library and Museum & The Gilbert White Museum’ opened to the public 70 years ago - and to mark the anniversary, they are celebrating with an exhibition. 70 Objects 70 Stories explores the last seven decades years through the objects in their collections and the memories of those who visited, worked and supported Gilbert White’s House & Gardens.

70 Objects 70 Stories at Gilbert White's House & Gardens, Selbourne. From 2 September.

More super September events

Autumnal things to do in Winchester

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