Simon Armitage: An Evening in Grasmere, Daffodil Hotel & Spa, Grasmere
Tuesday 1 September
Join Poet Laureate Simon Armitage for an unmissable poetry reading in Grasmere. The event will take place at the Daffodil Hotel – on the shore of Grasmere lake and only a short walk from Dove Cottage, where former Poet Laureate William Wordsworth wrote some of his greatest poetry.
The Brickyard Comedy Club, The Brickyard, Carlisle
Thursday 3 September
The Brickyard Comedy Club returns with another stellar line-up featuring the best up-and-coming comedians the country has to offer.
Ambleside Days Jazz Festival, 2 Compston Road, Ambleside
Thursday 3 September – Sunday 6 September
Ambleside Days is a Contemporary Jazz Festival which takes place inside the auditorium at Zeffirellis for a 4 day period. A celebration of world class contemporary Jazz performances featuring some of the world’s most outstanding players coming together for this unique festival in the heart of the English Lake District.
The Unseen Child, Cookes Studios, Abbey Road, Barrow in Furness
Thursday 3 September – Friday 4 September
The Unseen Child is the story of a young carer who escapes his daily life through fantasy worlds and battling mythical beasts in a quest to keep his family together. Told through, puppetry, animation and performance, The Unseen Child gives voice to the often hidden but vital role young carers play in society.
Muncaster Open Mic Night, Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass
Friday 4 September
Join us for Muncaster Castle’s monthly Open Mic Night, a relaxed and welcoming evening celebrating the best of our local music scene. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just starting out, this is your chance to shine in a unique and historic venue. And if you just want to enjoy the music come along, grab a drink, and enjoy the show!
EVAN Open Studios and Art Trail, Eden Valley Artistic Network, 4 Corney Place, Penrith
Saturday 5 September – Sunday 20 September
Fifty four artists will open their studios or create a pop-up exhibition as part of this free event which combines the opportunity to visit artists’ studios, buy their work, and experience breath-taking scenery around Cumbria along the way.
Calendar Girls, Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
Until Saturday 5 September
The death of a much-loved husband prompts a group of ordinary women in a small Yorkshire Women’s Institute to do something extraordinary: create a nude calendar to raise money for charity. News spreads fast in their community and none of them expect the emotional and personal repercussions, but gradually the making of the fabulous and funny calendar brings each woman unexpectedly into bloom.
Every Brilliant Thing, Arts out West, Multiple Locations
Monday 7 September – Sunday 4 October
You’re seven years old. Mums in hospital. She finds it hard to be happy. So, you start to make a list of everything that’s brilliant about the world. Ice cream Water fights Staying up past your bedtime And as you grow, so does the list… Every Brilliant Thing is an honest, uplifting and very funny play about resilience, love and the lengths we go to for the people who matter most. Each performance is different. Each audience shapes the story. Come and be part of it.
Whitehaven Theatre Group: One Man, Two Guvnors, Rosehill Theatre, Moresby, Whitehaven
Wednesday 9 September – Saturday 12 September
The Whitehaven Theatre Group return with another side splitting comedy farce. Made famous by James Corden, WTG will have you rolling in the isles. Cocky wide-boy Francis Henshall legs it to Brighton when he’s sacked from his skiffle band. Ever ravenously hungry and desperate for money, he’s got jobs with two very dodgy underworld bosses. Things should be fine as long as they don’t find out about each other, right?
Holly Clarke, The John Peel Theatre, Wigton
Friday 11 September
Holly Clarke, a singer who draws from the old ballads and stories, conjures a performance that immediately captivates any listener. Rising in popularity among folk audiences and performing with the likes of Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, Daoiri Farrell and Queer Folk, Holly Clarke has made a name for herself as a powerful singer and accomplished guitar player.
Lindisfarne, Brewery Arts, Kendal
Saturday 12 September
Legendary 70s folk-rock pioneers Lindisfarne return to form with a classic five-piece line up of long-time members fronted by original founder-member Rod Clements on vocals, mandolin, fiddle and slide guitar.
Comedy at Kirkgate with John Lebbon, Kirkgate Centre, Cockermouth
Saturday 12 September
John Lebbon returns with another night of stand up. Halls Of Ridiculous. A regular headline act on the UK comedy circuit, The Halls of Ridiculous are a multi award winning double act who push the boundaries of sketch, improvisation, and character work to the absolute limit!
Heritage Walk, Lost Pubs of Cockermouth, Kirkgate Centre, Cockermouth
Monday 14 September
Join our Community Projects Officer and archaeologist, Helen Johnston for a walk around Cockermouth to learn more about some of the many pubs, taverns, inns and brew houses in the town. We’ll find out how pubs and inns have played a crucial role in the town’s development and social life.
Alasdair Beckett-King, King of Crumbs, Old Fire Station, Carlisle
Wednesday 16 September
ABK is the crumbliest comedian in the game: a multi-award-winning stand-up comic and (occasionally) an internet sensation. Come vagabonds, come mountebanks, come coney-catchers and cutpurses and meet the King of Crumbs!
An Evening with Jude Davidson and Craig Bell, The Old School Hall, Front Street, Armathwaite, Carlisle
Saturday 19 September
Award-winning songwriter and recording artist Jude Davison joins local singer-songwriter Craig Bell for a special live show celebrating Craig’s acclaimed Americana album Tomorrow’s Rain, alongside a selection of Jude’s standout originals. With Mike France and Jonathan Brett-Young completing the band, expect an evening of brilliant music from four exceptional local musicians.
Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World, Multiple Locations
Tuesday 22 September – Friday 25 September
Join Duane Forrest on an acoustic journey through the roots of reggae to the global influence of Bob Marley. Experience acoustic renditions of legendary reggae songs that have reshaped countless lives, including Duane’s own. From the origin of reggae to Marley’s transcendent legacy, immerse yourself in the soulful melodies and transformative power of this iconic music.
Sean Walsh: This Is Torture, Brewery Arts, Kendal
Wednesday 23 September
After his sell-out 2023 tour, the UK’s dishevelled king of stand-up, award-winning Seann Walsh returns with a brand-new hour of side-splitting comedy. Don’t miss his trademark high-energy exasperation and razor-sharp observations that leave audiences in stitches and on their feet all around the country.