In Autumn, Cosy, Pottery workshops, Theatre, Tearooms, Film Screenings

As the evenings draw in, autumn in Stoke-on-Trent is a brilliant time to visit. As the home of British ceramics and a World Craft City, the Potteries has plenty of ways to get creative, get cosy and get out of the house. This year's programme includes pumpkin painting, a brand-new ceramic fair, cult film screenings, Stoke’s newest book festival, Halloween theatre and some of the most characterful tearooms in Staffordshire. 

Here are the highlights of what's on in Stoke-on-Trent this autumn. 

Autumn pottery and craft workshops in Stoke-on-Trent 

With its pottery heritage, Stoke-on-Trent is the ideal place for hands-on ceramics and seasonal crafts. 

Pumpkin Making Workshop at LoveClay, Sunday 20 September. Whether you're a beginner or have clay experience, LoveClay's expert tutors will guide you as you mould a ceramic pumpkin by hand and decorate it. A pumpkin spiced latte is on hand while you work. 

Pumpkin Painting Workshop at LoveClay, Friday 25 September (6.30pm to 8pm). Prefer an evening session? Decorate your own ceramic pumpkin in soft neutrals or rich autumn colours, and keep it to display all season. 

Autumn Wreath Workshop at Middleport Pottery, Saturday 3 October (11am to 1pm, £45). Design your own wreath with fresh seasonal foliage, scented decorations and ribbon, guided by an instructor. 

Stoke Ceramics Fair at Stoke Minster, Saturday 17 October. The city's first ever Stoke Ceramics Fair brings over 40 makers from across the country to the historic Minster. It's a great chance to meet the makers, and to find a handmade gift or a piece for your own collection. 

Theatre and live shows across the city 

If you'd rather see the action on a stage, Stoke-on-Trent's theatres have a strong autumn line-up. 

Romeo & Juliet at the New Vic Theatre (17 September to 10 October). A fast-paced retelling of first love, family feuds and streets on a knife edge, where the sparks fly the moment Juliet meets Romeo across a crowded dance floor. 

The Ghost Train at Stoke Rep Theatre (29 September to 3 October). Arnold Ridley's classic tale of a stormy night and a stranded station. 

At the Regent Theatre in Hanley, tribute act Queen of the Night (Whitney Houston) is on 25 September and Francis Rossi's Songbook show on 9 October. Annie runs from 13 to 18 October and Jersey Boys from 26 to 31 October. 

Halloween in Concert at Victoria Hall (26 October) gives you a live band and a spooky night out. 

Charm, elegance and passion on an autumn evening (3 October) with the City of Stoke-on-Trent Symphony Orchestra. Featuring a classical music performance by Mozart, Britten, and Grace Williams.  

Cosy film nights with Stoke Cult Film Club 

Autumn is made for film nights, and Stoke Cult Film Club brings the classics to the big screen at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Hanley: 

  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), 25 September. Spielberg's sci-fi that swaps terror for wonder. 

  • Ghostbusters (1984), 30 October. The ideal pre-Halloween screening. 

Books, heritage and culture 

  • Stoke Book Festival at Stoke Minster, from 3 – 10 October. Author events include Helena Attlee opening the festival, plus Jess Kidd, local writer Mel Sherratt, art historian and comedian Verity Babbs, and AJ West. 

  • Heritage Open Days this weekend. Visit the Victorian Gladstone Pottery Museum, Hanley Park and Bethesda Chapel, the so-called "Cathedral of the Potteries". 

Halloween and half-term fun 

  • Tim Burton's Universe at Stoke Minster, 31 October. A concert of Burton's film music in a historic setting. 

  • Trentham Halloween Festival (31 October – 1 November) where the gardens come alive after dark with spooky family entertainment!  

  • Scarefest at Alton Towers (26 September to 1 November). A short drive from the city if you want theme-park thrills. 

  • Hanley’s Halloween Street Party with spooky new Potteries Poltergeists Trail (31 October) full programme of spooky entertainment and performances in the city centre.   

Get out and about: autumn walks around Stoke-on-Trent 

When the leaves turn, the countryside around Stoke-on-Trent is at its best. These three spots make good autumn walks, and each is easy to reach from the city. 

Park Hall Country Park. Park Hall is Stoke-on-Trent's only National Nature Reserve, with woodland, heathland, wildflower meadows and dramatic sandstone canyons. Wander around the pools at Lady Corner for autumn reflections, or climb Park Hall Hill and Ford Hill for far-reaching views. Some paths are steep and muddy after rain, so wear sturdy footwear. 

Knypersley Reservoir, Greenway Bank Country Park. Just outside Biddulph, this Victorian reservoir was built in 1827 to feed the Caldon Canal. A loop around the water takes you through ancient woodland and past woodland waterfalls, with fallen leaves underfoot. It's a favourite with dog walkers and families, and the geese and ducks by the water are a hit with children. 

Biddulph Grange Garden and Country Park. The National Trust's Grade I listed garden is a spectacular autumn stop. Acers blaze red and orange in the China Garden, the Golden Larch adds a flash of yellow, and the beech hedge around the Egyptian Court glows golden orange. Lime Avenue is carpeted with fallen leaves. Next door, Biddulph Grange Country Park has woodland, meadow and lake paths, and a café, The Hideaway, for a warm drink afterwards.  

Prefer something more energetic? Runners can take on the Potters 'arf Marathon on 4 October, Staffordshire's biggest running event with its famous "Heartbreak Hill".  

Warm up in a Stoke-on-Trent Tearoom 

After all that, a cup of tea is in order. The city has a great choice of tearooms: 

  • The Rabbit Hole Tea Room. A family-run, Alice in Wonderland-inspired tearoom opposite Stoke Minster, with a life-sized dodo and an upside-down grandfather clock. Homemade cakes, scones and afternoon tea are on the menu. 

  • The Little Vintage Tea Room at Spode Museum. Homemade cakes on the original Spode factory site, best paired with a wander round the museum's ceramics collection. 

Browse more cafés and tearooms or find the perfect afternoon tea to end your day.

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