Halloween might be over, but Sheffield has got tons on offer to help you fight the winter blues. From boy bands galore to celebrating local art, Steel City has an incredible penultimate month planned before the year ends.
Getting outside as the nights draw in is not an easy task – it’s dark, cold and you’d rather be rotting in bed with a hot chocolate and a film. However, Sheffield will force you to get out, wrap up and get all the vitamin D you can.
Bring a scarf and get stuck in
For those who fancy getting their hands dirty, SCC Community Forestry is inviting people to go down to Hillsborough Park and plant some trees. You’ll be making the area that little bit greener and might even make a new friend.
The Botanical Gardens is holding a wonderfully wholesome event on 25th November, taking people on a tour of their rarest trees for National Tree Week. With the leaves all turning golden, it’s a gorgeous time of the year to go along. If you’re looking for more of an evening activity, Illuminate the Gardens is taking its final bows between 7th and 9th November and will light up Botanical with lasers and fireworks. There are fairground rides and food stalls, perfect for a fun evening in the park.
Throwback after throwback
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With great new artists littering our line-ups weekly, Sheffield is pretty great for a gig. Indie kings Royston Club visited Foundry on the 1st, and Jamie Webster is set to follow on the 10th with an acoustic set. Fans of Irish country queen CMAT will know her Octagon gig in October was postponed due to an infected wisdom tooth. But don’t worry, a month and some dental surgeries later, and she’s now gracing the Octagon on the 26th.
Sometimes though, all you want is a nostalgia-fuelled sing-along. Utilita Arena has smashed the throwbacks out the park this month, with Busted VS. McFly playing on the 6th, JLS on the 14th, and Five on the 19th. That’s a Brit worthy line-up of boy bands right there.
Art and about
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If DIY-ing your Halloween costume has got you in the crafty mood, the city has got all art bases covered throughout the month. On the 8th Millennium Gallery will house the 12th Sheffield Print Fair, with over 40 stalls to peruse.
There are activities, prints to buy and a print raffle to (potentially) win. The weekend of the 15th and 16th brings Yorkshire Artspace Open Studios, where local artists in the city open up their studio doors to the public. The two Yorkshire Artspace buildings will have over 100 artists featured, with the opportunity to admire and possibly buy some local work.
Craft-lovers are spoilt for choice on the 22nd, with two big events on in the city. In the town hall, the annual Peace and Craft Fair will bring together art and solidarity. It features “a feast” of homemade crafts, many of them being from repurposed materials. There will be a few campaign stalls too, including Amnesty International and the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign. At 72 Arundel Street, the All Good Stuff Makers Market will be presenting work from its team of over 50, and will take place opposite two cafes. Hot Chocolate and a new homemade necklace? I’m there.
Pop-up picks
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Sheffield is a festivals all-year-round kind of city, and just because it’s colder doesn’t mean the fun stops. There are tons of fun markets and events this month to keep you going till summer comes around again.
Europe’s biggest food hall, Cambridge Street Collective, will be hosting a celebration of Caribbean food, culture, art and heritage on the 6th. Cooking workshops need to be booked and paid for but general entry is free, and you can enjoy a display of cuisine and brilliant Soca, Zouk and Reggae music.
City-wide favourite Peddler Market is back again on the 7th and 8th, presenting a wide range of street food, craft drinks and live music in Neepsend. Opening hours vary, but both days close the market at 11pm, making it a great evening activity if you want something chill, or a pre-night out event if you’re feeling adventurous.
Being green is a big theme in the markets this month, with veganism, conservation and sustainability being celebrated all over the city. Opposite Moor Market on the 9th, Sheffield Vegan Market will offer up a bunch of vegan treats, local art and will be championing some local environmental charities too.
Inner-city botanical event, Pollen Market, brings all things plants to Castlegate on the third Sunday of every month. Taking place on Sunday 17th, expect flowers, ferns and the odd sweet treat. On the 22nd, Sheffield Sustainability Market encourages the city to look after the planet, with an abundance of zero-waste and plastic-free stalls on display. A donation to Sheffield Action on Plastic is encouraged to support the event, and its BYORI or bring your own reusable items (cups, bags, containers and cutlery).
It’s time for the festivities!
I know you think it’s too early, but Mariah Carey has officially defrosted, so early Christmas celebrations are inevitable. The official Sheffield Christmas Markets open on the 13th, with a special opening weekend on the 15th and 16th. There’s live music, street entertainment and, of course, the festive stalls stretching from the Town Hall to the Moor. It’s a Sheff student tradition to go down the market, get some pictures under the lights and use your remaining loan for a fancy hot chocolate.
Towards the end of the month, some smaller events crop up around the city. The Burton Street Foundation, a local community benefit society that provides support for those experiencing disabilities in Sheffield, is holding its own Christmas market on the 22nd.
It will be the organisation’s 14th time holding the event and it plans to bring the community together with traders, tombolas and live brass bands and choirs. Entry is £2, which all goes back into the charity’s work. Sharrow Vale Market will also be getting a Christmassy twist on the 30th. Alongside their usual stalls, the tri-annual market will have live music and a Santa’s Grotto to get everyone in the festive mood.
