What's On in Romford
Things to do in and around Romford: events, days out and family activities, with the practical details.
Top story
Romford ice skating: Sapphire sessions, times, from £9.50
Sapphire Ice & Leisure in Romford has public skating every day: adults £11.50 to £12.50, juniors from £9.50, evening skates four nights. Christmas times TBC.
Dates for the diary
- On now to 19 Dec Exhibition: Filming Sense and Sensibility at Rainham Hall
- On now to 31 Oct Halloween Treasure Hunt, Elm Park Library
- On now to 22 Oct Silver: 25 years of textiles and mixed media art
- On now to 31 Oct The Disappearing Man
- 21 to 25 Oct Annie
- Wed 21 Oct Romford Market
- Thu 22 Oct Havering Tea Dance
- Fri 23 Oct Havering Museum reminiscence afternoon
- Sat 24 Oct Raphael parkrun
- Sat 24 Oct Harrow Lodge parkrun
- Sat 24 Oct Family Knees Up
- 24 to 30 Oct Pumpkin Carving for Halloween at Rainham Hall
More stories
Christmas
Christmas Land Hornchurch 2026: 27 Nov to 2 Jan, from £5.50
Christmas Land is back in Harrow Lodge Park from 27 November to 2 January. Walkway from £5.50, grotto £8 a child, arrival slots 4.30pm to 7.50pm, book ahead.
Christmas
Romford Christmas markets 2026: first fair dated, 28 Nov
First Havering Christmas fair of 2026: Stewart Avenue Allotments, Upminster, Sat 28 Nov, 10am to 1pm, free. Christmas Land opens 27 Nov; the rest are TBC.
Halloween
Romford Halloween 2026: £1.50 treat bags, £5 pumpkins
Halloween in Havering 2026: £1.50 sweet treat bags at The Mercury on 30 October, £5 pumpkin carving at Rainham Hall in hourly slots, £3 slime, Spooky Week.
Community
Romford Indoor Regatta: 150 Children Race at The Mercury
More than 150 Romford children raced dry-land boats at The Mercury until 3 October for Comic Relief, in a regatta run by the first ITV Gladiators champion.
Events
What's On in Romford: Halloween Week, Hornchurch v Blackpool
Halloween week in Havering: £1.50 sweet bags and £3 slime at The Mercury, £5 pumpkins, then fireworks 6 and 7 November and Hornchurch v Blackpool in the FA Cup.
Christmas
Santa's Grotto in Romford: The Mercury, £10, No Booking
The Mercury's grotto in Romford was £10 last year with no booking. Christmas Land in Hornchurch runs 27 November to 2 January, grotto £8 a child.
Rainham
Rainham Hall Winter Opening: Thu to Sat, Shut 24 to 31 Dec
Rainham Hall opens Thursday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm, through winter and closes 24 to 31 December. Prices from £3.25, the Sense and Sensibility show, RM13 free.
Heritage
Heritage Open Days Havering 2026: 7 free openings and times
Seven Havering places open free this September, from Bower House to Rainham Hall. Dates, times, which need booking and the one walk capped at 20.
Bonfire Night
Romford fireworks 2026: two dates set, no tickets yet
Two Havering displays have 2026 dates: Marshalls Park on Friday 6 November and Coopers' Coborn on Saturday 7 November. Neither has tickets on sale yet.
Christmas
Romford Christmas lights: no switch-on here since 2023
Romford's Market Place switch-on was cut in 2024 and has not returned. The seven Havering town centre events that did run last year, and when 2026 dates are due.
Christmas
Hornchurch panto 2026: Robin Hood cast, times, prices
Robin Hood opens at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch on 18 November and runs to 2 January. Every public show time, £14.70 to £36.70 prices, access dates.
Remembrance
Havering Remembrance Sunday: 8 Nov, seven parade times
Remembrance Sunday 2026 is 8 November. Romford steps off at 10.30am outside the Liberty, and six other Havering parades and services run to an 11am silence.