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Sheff Herd.
We are a community magazine, bringing you the best of Sheffield.
Herd Hangouts - Venue Spotlights
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Scene and Herd
EVENT OF THE WEEK
w/c 2nd November 2026
Sheffield’s bonfire night celebrations get a musical twist on Saturday 7th November as Yellow Arch Studios hosts a Bonfire Party at its Neepsend venue. Expect an evening of fireworks, a roaring bonfire, live music and plenty of food and drink, with the popular independent music venue promising a lively alternative to the traditional fireworks display.
There’s also food from Slice Guys Pizza, serving 12-inch sourdough pizzas, alongside bars offering beers, cocktails and hot drinks.
The evening opens with Isaac Neilson - an indie artist who is trying to play a gig every day of 2026 and is on track to play 400 shows in a year. He is documenting this through Follow Me - a project supported by Radio X, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Introducing - which reflects on this journey and the compulsion to create on social media to get noticed.
More music comes courtesy of the Yellow Arch House Band. The Sheffield-based collective will be performing an eclectic selection of covers spanning artists including Blondie, Fleetwood Mac, The Smiths, Chappell Roan and Dolly Parton.
Doors open at 5pm, with advance tickets costing £12 for entry between 6pm and 10pm, allowing ticket holders to stay for the rest of the evening. Entry is free after 10pm, and under-18s are welcome when accompanied by an adult until that time.
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Herd the Word
EVENT OF THE WEEK
w/c 2nd November 2026
Mark Remembrance Sunday with a special guided walking tour of Sheffield General Cemetery on Sunday 8th November.
Starting at 10.30am, the free tour will explore the cemetery’s military history, remembering the millions of people who lost their lives or were wounded during the First and Second World Wars, as well as those affected by more recent conflicts. Visitors will have the opportunity to pause at the cemetery’s War Memorial for a two-minute silence, offering a moment of reflection and remembrance in this historic setting.
Following the tour, visitors are invited to enjoy light refreshments in the Samuel Worth Chapel, where history books will also be available to purchase. Among them is A Life Too Soon Done, a moving account of the lives of men connected to the cemetery who lost their lives during the First World War. Organised by Sheffield General Cemetery Trust, this volunteer-led event is free to attend, although donations are warmly welcomed to support the charity’s work preserving the historic site.
NOVEMBER 2026
TOP 4
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Your guide to the month ahead.
Check out our weekly event recommendations every Monday.
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Festival of the Mind
Sheffield’s Festival of the Mind returns from 6th - 15th November, bringing together the University of Sheffield’s researchers, local artists and creative communities for ten days of free exhibitions, performances, talks, films and interactive experiences. Now in its eighth edition, the festival features more than 40 creative collaborations, translating fascinating academic research into accessible experiences for the public. Venues include Millennium Gallery, Winter Garden, Persistence Works and Channing Hall, with additional events taking place across the city.
This year’s programme explores everything from artificial intelligence, robotics and virtual reality to history, nature, space and health. Some highlights include Orion: Animating a Stellar Nursery - an immersive installation exploring the birth of stars, Right Up My Street - Slambarz performers explore Sheffield's ties to empire and transatlantic slavery, an opportunity to discover the secrets of the 1,600-year-old Lycurgus Cup and The Sound of the Crowd, a unique musical experiment involving electronic music pioneers The Black Dog and an AI music-generation model. All exhibitions and events are free, although advance registration is recommended for some performances and activities. Find the full programme here
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Sheffield Christmas Market
Sheffield’s Christmas Market returns on Thursday 12th November, bringing more than 50 festive cabins to the city centre for the start of the Christmas season. Celebrating the city’s independent business community, more than 80% of this year’s traders are expected to be local, offering handmade gifts, artisan products, seasonal food and festive drinks. Visitors can look forward to traditional German sausages, Yorkshire pudding wraps, raclette, churros, toasted marshmallows, mulled wine and hot chocolate, alongside Alpine-themed bars and plenty of gift-shopping opportunities.
There’s even more to look forward to this year, with an artificial ice rink returning to Tudor Square for the first time in more than a decade, plus a snow slide on Surrey Street, a Big Wheel and Santa’s Grotto at Barker’s Pool. The opening celebrations continue across the weekend, with street entertainment, live music, children’s activities and a special festive lights event at Devonshire Green on Sunday 15 November. With attractions spread across several parts of the city centre, it’s set to be one of Sheffield’s biggest festive programmes yet.
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Echosound Winter Festival
Sheffield’s independent music scene takes centre stage on Saturday 14th November as Echosound Festival: Winter arrives at Network Sheffield. The festival brings together an impressive line-up of established and emerging alternative, indie and rock acts, headlined by Pen Tire and featuring Esmeralda Road, The Harbours, The Mercans, Carsick, Apollo Junction, Venus Grrrls and Leazes.
The extensive line-up also includes some other incredible acts - The Last Orders, ET Al., Tough Cookie, The Maritime County, Maybe Gold, The Public Eye, The Standers, local favourite Mat Hook, The Steelwaves, XL Poncho, Axis, The Smelters, Mad Love, Revert, Jonny Blade, The Radio Addicts, Bochum Parkway, The Kostanzas, Arson and Babies Floating in Outer Space.
With 28 bands performing across three stages, Echosound promises a full day of live music and a brilliant opportunity to discover exciting new talent alongside established favourites. At just £25 a ticket, it’s a fantastic opportunity to experience Sheffield’s thriving independent music scene.
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International Powerlifting Championships
Sheffield’s reputation as the City of Steel gets a suitably powerful celebration this November as the Sheffield International Powerlifting Championships returns for its fifth edition. Taking place at Utilita Arena on Saturday 21st November, the competition brings together 24 elite athletes - 12 men and 12 women - for an evening of extraordinary strength, with competitors battling for the coveted Champion of Champions title. Moving to the larger arena venue for 2026, the event promises an impressive spectacle for sports fans and anyone curious to see just what the human body can achieve.
Competitors will go head-to-head across the three classic powerlifting disciplines: squat, bench press and deadlift. Rather than simply comparing total weights lifted, athletes will be judged on how far they can surpass the world-record total for their respective weight categories, creating a contest between competitors of different sizes. With world-class lifters, significant prize money and the possibility of record-breaking performances, this is a major fixture in the international strength-sport calendar and a particularly fitting event for Sheffield.