Autumn at Wakehurst: Your Guide to the 2026 Seasonal Events

Name: Autumn at Wakehurst
Start: 2026-10-02
End: 2027-01-02
Location: Wakehurst

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-20 09:56 2 min read

A winding road surrounded by vibrant autumn trees in the English countryside.

Wakehurst in West Sussex has unveiled its full autumn and winter programme for 2026, offering a series of events that span from early October through to the start of 2027. Running from 2 October 2026 to 2 January 2027, the schedule includes family-focused trails, outdoor cinema, and the return of the popular Glow Wild winter lantern festival.

Seasonal Event Highlights

The programme provides a variety of activities tailored to families, nature enthusiasts, and those seeking seasonal entertainment:

Autumn at Wakehurst: Your Guide to the 2026 Seasonal Events

Outdoor Cinema (2–4 October): Adventure Cinema returns to the grounds for a series of screenings under the night sky, featuring a mix of Halloween favourites and cult classics.
Wallace & Gromit: Fantastic Fungi Trail (17 October – 1 November): A family-oriented event inviting children to explore the grounds and uncover the secrets of fungi found across the Sussex landscape. Activity booklets are provided free for members, or available for £3 for non-members.
Henry Moore Sculpture Exhibition (Until 23 May 2027): This ongoing exhibition showcases four iconic sculptures by Henry Moore, displayed alongside contemporary commissions throughout the gardens. Access is included with standard entry.
Glow Wild (26 November – 2 January 2027): The annual winter lantern trail returns with the theme ‘In Search of Nature’s Gifts.’ The event takes place on selected evenings from 4pm to 10pm.

Practical Information for Visitors

Planning your visit requires attention to changing seasonal hours and ticket structures. Entry to Wakehurst is free for members. For non-members, adult tickets are £18.50, with a reduced rate of £9.25 available after 3:30pm. Children aged 5–16 are £4, while those aged 4 and under enter for free. A £1 ticket option is available for those on Universal or Pension Credit.

Visitors should note that garden opening hours shift from 25 October, moving to 10am to 4:30pm, with last entry at 4pm. On dates when Glow Wild is scheduled, the gardens will close at 3pm to allow for evening preparations.

Discovery, Access, and Ongoing Exhibits

The Mansion remains open daily, housing two immersive exhibition spaces that detail the history of the site and the work of the Millennium Seed Bank. For those interested in the scientific work conducted on-site, the Millennium Seed Bank Atrium offers free guided tours every Monday at 2pm, subject to availability. The site remains dog-friendly, though standard entry fees apply to all visitors. Tickets for the various seasonal events can be booked via the official Kew website.

Source: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Press and Media

Context & actions About this article

Source check Verified Event Schedule

Details sourced directly from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew 2026 press release.

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