Bloomsbury Festival, 1-31 October 2026

Details of the 20 Year Anniversary Festival:

New Wave Art Exhibition at Holy Cross Church, Bloomsbury Festival 2025; photo by Stuart Keegan FESTIVAL HUB AT HOLY CROSS CHURCH The festival has a month-long home hub at Holy Cross Church. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October from 2pm to 5pm we will be opening for free walk-in to view exhibitions, and see musicians and events in rehearsal or presenting free events. Drop in and enjoy. Evening events include ticketed music and theatre performances.  Refreshments will be available in the venue. BROWSE THE PROGRAMME Events throughout October at Holy Cross Church include: NEW WAVE: Next Steps A showcase exhibition of artworks from the Festival's New Wave Artists Claire-Ann Abi Ola, Ella Jackson, Emma Ogawa Todd, Hito Kanie and Meghan Salisbury. 2 - 31 Oct (Fri - Sun), 2pm - 5pm > MORE INFO   The Bloomsbury Weekender presented by The Avieli Arthouse  Across the Festival opening weekend: > Between the City and Me (Fri) - DJing, debate, music and performance poetry > Theatre making workshop (Sat) > UpLIFT performance (Sat) Fri 2 Oct & Sat 3 Oct Singing Brazil Nossa Voz (Our Voice) A concert of Brazilian song and music, sharing the experience of Brazilian music. Sun 11 Oct, 3pm > MORE INFO Freshly Plucked London Composers Forum presents Alvaro Ibarra playing new music for the classical guitar and baroque theorbo.  Sat 17 Oct, 7.30pm  > INFO & TICKETS Blackout Clare Best, Ben Cordell, Ábel MG A new audio documentary-drama exploring love and duty during WW2, followed by Q&A chaired by broadcaster and journalist David Baker. Thurs 22 Oct, 7.30pm > INFO & TICKETS African Eye to the Sun: African-Jazz Fusion Grand Union Presents REGEN. Expect improvisational explosions of sound and polyrhythms to move to.  Sat 24 Oct, 7.30pm  > INFO & TICKETS Diwali Events: Celebrate Diwali (and Halloween) with two events - one indoors at Holy Cross and out an outdoor street festival taking place outside on Cromer Street and Bramber Green. AKDC Diwali Takeover A vibrant afternoon celebration of Diwali in a participatory dance event, showcasing the Indian dance form Kuchipudi.  Sat 31 Oct, 2pm  > MORE INFO Diwali Festival Outdoors Join Asian Events Media for an outdoor event celebrating Diwali. With music and food and the sounds of Bollywood. Sat 31 Oct, from 12 noon > MORE INFO EXPLORE ALL EVENTS

Our brochure is available now online as a flip book, so do take a look. We look forward to sharing more programme information with you soon. In the meantime, follow us on social media for the latest updates.  With best wishes Rosemary and the Bloomsbury Festival Team

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