What's On in Basingstoke
Things to do in and around Basingstoke: events, days out and family activities, with the practical details.
Top story
Festival Place Christmas Saturdays: Free Crafts and Shows From 14 November
Festival Place runs free Christmas crafts, shows and face painting on six Saturdays from 14 November to 19 December, 11am to 4pm. Updated November 2026.
Dates for the diary
- Wed 11 Nov Basingstoke Market
- Wed 11 Nov Basingstoke Armistice Day two minutes' silence
- 11 to 14 Nov The Turn of the Screw
- Sat 14 Nov Where Christmas Comes to Life Launch at Festival Place
- Sat 14 Nov Basingstoke Bison home games
- Sun 15 Nov Basingstoke Choral Society: Haydn
- Tue 17 Nov Chris Packham's World of Wonder
- 17 to 21 Nov BATS: Calendar Girls
- Wed 18 Nov Russell Howard
- Fri 20 Nov Festive Friday
- Sat 21 Nov Where Christmas Comes to Life: Letters to Santa and Nutcracker Brass Band
- Sat 21 Nov Imperial Classical Ballet: The Nutcracker
More stories
Christmas
Christmas Shopping in Basingstoke: 19 Shops From Viables to the Silk Mill
We checked 19 Basingstoke shops, from Viables Craft Centre to Whitchurch Silk Mill, for opening hours, late nights and what each sells. Updated November 2026.
Christmas
Where to Buy a Christmas Tree Near Basingstoke 2026
We checked 5 places selling real Christmas trees near Basingstoke, from North Waltham to a cut-your-own farm, for dates and prices. Updated November 2026.
Food & Drink
Christmas Dinner in Basingstoke: 10 Places Doing the Cooking, From £62.95
10 places for Christmas Day lunch around Basingstoke with 2026 prices, from £62.95 to £185, plus deposits and hygiene ratings. Checked November 2026.
New Year
Basingstoke New Year's Eve: no town fireworks, gala £185
No public New Year's Eve fireworks are listed in Basingstoke for 2026. Oakley Hall's gala has midnight fireworks at £185; last Waterloo train before 12.
Christmas
Ice Rinks Near Basingstoke: 9 Places to Skate This Christmas
We checked 9 ice rinks near Basingstoke, from Planet Ice's £10 Christmas Day skate to Reading Winter Wonderland, for dates and prices. Updated November 2026.
Christmas
Basingstoke Reindeer Run 2026: 13 Dec, 3K, adults £12.50
St Michael's Hospice Reindeer Run starts 9am on 13 December at Festival Place: a 3K lap of Eastrop Park, adults £12.50, children £7.50, antlers included.
Christmas
Basingstoke carols and Christmas concerts 2026: from £9.50
Twelve December dates: choir carols at QMC on 9 December (£10), Milestones' candlelit carols on 18 December, Philharmonia Brass, folk and ABBA at the Haymarket.
Christmas
Free Santa visits at Dunelm Chineham and Asda Brighton Hill
Santa visits Dunelm in Chineham from 5 to 8 December and Asda Brighton Hill from 18 to 23 December. Free to see, a small present each, donations to charity.
Business
Southwest Fashion Forum 5 Nov is over: EU compliance talks
The free Southwest Fashion Forum on EU compliance costs was at Porton Science Park on 5 November 2026, also on Teams. Who spoke and what the morning covered.
Halloween
Basingstoke Halloween 2026 is over: what ran on 31 Oct
Festival Place runs a free Trick or Treat Street on Saturday 31 October, 11am to 4pm. The Rotherwick Patch picks daily through half term, pumpkins from £1.
Christmas
Basingstoke Santa 2026: Festival Place £8, daily from 27 Nov
Festival Place's Santa is £8 a child with a present: weekends in November, then daily from 27 November. Milestones, with a Dickens show, is £35.25 a child.
Diwali
Basingstoke Diwali parade 2026 is over: it was Fri 6 Nov
Basingstoke's Diwali Light It Up parade was on Friday 6 November 2026 from the Willis Museum, moved from 23 October. What was planned and which roads shut.
Christmas
Christmas at The Vyne 2026: 21 Nov to 3 Jan, trail free
The Vyne's Twelve Days of Christmas runs 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 at normal admission, with free parking. House 11am to 3pm; shut 24 and 25 December.
Events
Basingstoke What's On: Festive Friday 20 Nov, Panto 10 Dec
Basingstoke's Festive Friday and Christmas lights night is 20 November and the Anvil panto opens 10 December, with free Festival Place Saturdays from the 14th.
Remembrance
Basingstoke Armistice Day: 11am silence Wed 11 Nov
Two minutes' silence at Basingstoke War Memorial, London Road, at 11am on Wednesday 11 November, with a 15-minute ceremony. All welcome; no parking on site.
Christmas
Milestones Museum at Christmas 2026: carols 18 December
Milestones Christmas Market is 5 and 6 December 2026, £10 and prebook only. Carols by Candlelight is Friday 18 December, £9.50; closed 24 to 26 December.
Basingstoke
Basingstoke fireworks 2026 are over: Hatch Warren was 7 Nov
Basingstoke's 2026 fireworks are over: Hatch Warren and Bramley were on Saturday 7 November, Oakley on 1 November. No town centre display since 2019.
Basingstoke
Basingstoke Christmas lights 20 Nov: free, stage from 5.15pm
Festive Friday, 20 November, 5pm to 8pm, free: PQA at 5.15pm, Rock Choir at 5.30pm, a panto at 6pm, plus a market, DJ and games. Streets shut from 8am.
Basingstoke
Basingstoke panto 2026: Beauty and the Beast, 10 Dec-3 Jan
Basingstoke's panto, Beauty and the Beast, runs at The Anvil from 10 December to 3 January, with 39 shows and tickets from £19.50 to £44. Checked October 2026.
Basingstoke
Basingstoke Christmas markets 2026: dates, prices, booking
Five dates from Festive Friday, free on 20 November, to Milestones, £10 on 5 and 6 December, with Hatch Warren £1 and Basing House £4. Updated November 2026.