University is in full swing, bringing with it the turning of the seasons and the arrival of autumn. You’ve got your bearings at the beginning of the academic year, settled into classes, signed up to societies, and have got your study schedule lined up.
But just because summer’s over doesn’t mean life has to be all work and no play. Getting good grades comes with hard work, but also from having a healthy social life and quality downtime.
So to set you up for the new academic year in style, we thought we’d list a sample of the most fun autumn activities in Birmingham in the coming weeks.
So without further ado, dig in!
The spectre of Halloween is knocking at the door, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a frightening festival at the most historical landmark in the West Midlands.
Just a short train journey from Birmingham Moor Street, Warwick Castle is always a great shout for a day out, but when it comes to Halloween it’s second to none. You can immerse yourself in lots of spine-chilling stories and activities from the 22nd to the 31st of October. The scariest activities take place after dusk in the ‘Castle After Dark’ festival-themed evening event. It entails live music and entertainment, scare mazes, and local street food and drink stalls. If the castle’s year-round Warwick Dungeons is anything to go by, this will be an absolute scream!
As a bonus – if castles are your thing, then don’t neglect to discover the Weoley Castle in South West Birmingham. The ruins date back 750 years and are classified as a scheduled Ancient Monument of national importance, and it’s free to visit!
There are plenty of other fun autumn activities in Birmingham to help you get into the Halloween spirit!
One of the best is Luna Springs’ custom-built scare maze, which is open from the 18th of October to the 4th of November in Digbeth.
Set in an abandoned nuclear facility, the theme of the maze is ‘Meltdown’, an immersive horror experience.
Think live actors hiding around corners to jump out at you, plenty of shocks and screams, and other attractions like a fun fair, street food, DJs and a bar!
Number three on our list is one of the more laidback autumn activities in Birmingham. Hey, we’re thinking of you – you’ll probably need a chillout session after all the terror and adrenaline of numbers one and two!
If you don’t know who Hans Zimmer is, we can assure you that you’ve heard his works. He’s a legendary cinematic composer, and his music is the soundtrack to a multitude of films and TV programmes including Inception, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Simpsons, to name a few.
Head to Birmingham Botanical Gardens on the 26th of October to enjoy his music in a gorgeous candlelit setting.
We’re back to Halloween – ‘tis the season – but this time with a decidedly less terrifying ambience.
Pumpkin picking has become one of the most popular (and Instagrammable) of autumn activities in Birmingham, and there are various places to get down to it!
Essington Farm is open until the 29th of October, and you can choose from an immense variety of different pumpkins in all shapes and sizes.
Hatton Adventure World‘s Halloween Spooktacular is also running from the 28th of October until the day of Halloween itself, the 31st. So it’s not too late to carve out a pumpkin lantern to give an eerie glow to your Novel student accommodation in Birmingham!
On the 28th of October, you’re cordially invited to The Button Factory in the Jewellery Quarter for a blood-curdling brunch!
You can find it in The Yard, between 2pm to 6pm, with DJs providing a spooky soundtrack to an afternoon of street food and drinks. Your ticket also gets you a mini bottle of Prosecco and a drinks token.
Don’t forget to dress up – anything but pastel colours: remember, Wednesday Addams will be watching you!
Forget everything you’ve ever known about bingo, Bongo’s Bingo is not your average fare of elderly ladies with blue rinses in a bingo hall (although we’ve heard that they can be savage!)
Bongo’s Bingo is just about the most raucous, euphoric and hilarious game of bingo you’ll ever see in your life! No wonder it’s been winning awards!
It returns to The Forum for a Halloween special on the 28th of October. Get ready for rave rounds, dance-offs, and crazy prizes at undoubtedly one of the most unforgettable autumn activities in Birmingham this year!
We’re balancing out the Halloween events with yet another more civilised autumn activity in Birmingham. This time it’s a gentle stroll in one of Birmingham’s most picturesque spots: the Lickey Hills.
Take fresh lungfuls of crisp autumnal air and feel the crunch of leaves beneath your feet – and don’t forget to get some snaps of the bursting colours of the changing leaves around you. Your Insta account will thank you for it.
After the walk, head to the neighbouring village, Barnt Green, to cosy up with a drink and delicious grub by a crackling log fire in one of the local pubs. You don’t get much more autumnal than that!
Once Halloween’s out of the way, Bonfire Night takes its place on the calendar of fun autumn activities in Birmingham!
There are lots of different events taking place throughout the city, but one of the biggest will be at Edgbaston Stadium on the 4th of November. With your ticket, you can enjoy some of the most epic fireworks in Birmingham, along with funfair rides and mouth-watering street food.
Awesome autumn plans
So now you know about some of the biggest and best autumn activities in Birmingham, all that’s left is to open your uni WhatsApp group and start spreading the word to your mates!
However you decide to spend your autumn, you’re guaranteed to have an awesome time in Birmingham with these plans. Enjoy!