Carnival and Autumn

Autumn and winter is a great time to visit Weston-super-Mare – and with two of the town’s biggest events coming in that period why not plan a stay around those special dates.

Don’t miss the Weston-super-Mare Carnival – a stunningly-spectacular display of brilliantly-lit and extravagantly-decorated floats which provide Somerset’s answer to Rio de Janeiro.

And don’t miss the Weston Beach Race, a motorcycle event widely described as being among the maddest and baddest off-road bike races in the world as massive sand dunes are built on the beach to create the most testing of courses. Take part, if you dare, or join the thousands watching from the beach.

Carnival

The carnival on Friday, November 10, is the highlight of the year for many Westonians. It forms part of Somerset’s fortnight-long carnival season and is ranked as the largest illuminated procession in the world.

It is the west country’s answer to the Rio Carnival as brilliantly-lit and extravagantly decorated carts with thousands of shining light bulbs travel from town to town putting on exciting displays for thousands of spectators in an amazing you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it procession.

The carts – some costing up to £25,000 to create and measuring more than 100ft long – form one of the biggest and most spectacular illuminated parades in the world.
If you haven’t checked out Somerset Carnivals before, make sure you do because you’re in for a real treat. It’s something of a hidden secret but once you’re in the know you will want to keep on coming back and introduce your friends to it.

As well as Weston-super-Mare the Somerset carnival scene takes in the local towns of Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Glastonbury, North Petherton, Shepton Mallet and Wells.

And as soon as the curtain comes down at the end of the carnival, the dedicated carnival clubs return to their secret hideaway barns to start creating the carts for next year’s super show. It is all done under a veil of secrecy. The rivalry between the clubs is fierce and the competition to be the best is fierce.

The carnival is free to watch but you will need to book accommodation early as people come from all over the country to watch it. To find somewhere to stay look here.

Beach Race

The Weston Beach Race is something you have to see once.

It is up there with the famous Pamplona Running With The Bulls festival as a madcap event and richly deserves its title as the maddest, baddest and biggest motorbike event in the UK off-road calendar and you will be hard-pressed to find anyone who has ridden in it or watched it who will disagree.

Professional and amateur riders battle it out over a six-mile course of sand dunes and hills which are specially created on the beach each year with thousands of tonnes of sand moved to create an intimidating course which really tests the nerves of riders.

Thrills, spills and high-octane excitement is guaranteed as the daredevil riders put themselves and their bikes through the wringer in a thrilling spectacle diced with danger.

The action takes places over an entire weekend of September 22 to 24, 2023 with junior races, quad racing and side car races all in addition to the much-heralded main event.

Dr Who 

Weston Museum will host what its believed to be the largest collection of original and digital art ever from television's Dr Who programme as the series celebrates its 60th anniversary.  Adventures in Time and Space - 60 Years of Doctor Who Art opens on October 21 and runs until January 27. Items from across the show's history will be displayed - from the first Doctor William Hartnell's series to that of latest star Ncuti Gatwa.

The exhibition will display iconic book covers, VHS video covers, annuals, comics, graphic novels, digital art and a painting which made its debut on the show itself.

Please note for the Dr Who exhibition at the museum, Weston museum is closed on Sunday and Monday. Outside of these days it is open from 10am until 4pm.

Here in Weston, we love our sci-fi and Dr Who so much so that in addition to this super exhibition we have an additional Autumn/Winter Comic Con one on November 26 at The Tropicana to go on top of the summer one which was held in August.

UK Pride

The UK Pride festival comes to Weston on Saturday 30 September at Grove Park. The event begins with the eagerly-anticipated Pride Parade which starts from Knightstone Island/Marine Lake at 11am (gathering from 10am) and finishes at Grove Park around an hour later.

Grove Park will then be the veune for an afternoon of events and entertainment throughout the afternoon and into the evening. 

Wrist bands will be issued on entry to Grove Park, which has a strict capacity limit. The entertainment  in the park will continue until 9pm, with various venue around the town holding after-parties.

Fireworks at Sea

The 2023 Fireworks at Sea event takes place on Friday, November 3. It can be watched from the Grand Pier in a package that includes rides or it can be watched for free from anywhere along the promenade.

Stay a little longer

With so much going why not treat yourself to an extended stay here in Weston-super-Mare. You can take your pick of accommodation here.