Weston Super Mare in Autumn and Winter: Things to Do from October to December
Most people think of Weston Super Mare as a summer town. Visit between October and December and you get something different: quieter sands, a busy events diary and a seafront full of lights. Here is what is on, and how to cope with the weather.
What is on in Weston Super Mare in October?
The Weston Super Mare Beach Race takes over the sands on 16 to 18 October. Motorbikes, quads and sidecars tear round a six-mile course of dunes and bogs, with hundreds of bikes setting off together. Friday has meet-and-greet sessions and free viewing of the SXS class, and the grandstands have doubled in size this year.
The Weston Super Mare Arts Festival also runs through September and into October, using the Playhouse, the Blakehay Theatre, All Saints church and local galleries.
What happens in November?
November is the busiest month. Weston Carnival is on Friday 13 November, when brightly lit carts roll through the streets. The first November carnival here was in 1891. There is no set entry fee, but spectators are expected to put money in the collection buckets. Rooms go fast, so book early.
The next night, Saturday 14 November, is Fireworks at Sea. Watching from the promenade is free. Knightstone Island and the clearing in Weston Woods give you other views. The Grand Pier sells ticketed packages that include rides, a hot meal or a balcony table. Dogs can’t come because of the noise, apart from assistance dogs. Visit Weston also lists Festive Weston at the Italian Gardens on the same day.
What can you do in December?
Sunday 13 December is the day to pick. The Junior Cracker starts on Weston Super Mare beach at 10am, and the Christmas Cracker 10K sets off from beneath Weston Super Mare’s Grand Pier at 11am, with fancy dress welcome. At 5.30pm about 150 decorated Volkswagens leave Queensway Retail Car Park for the Vee Dubs Christmas Cruz. They head through Worle, along the Boulevard and past the seafront, finishing at Gallagher Retail Park just before 6.30pm. The cruz has raised more than £84,000 for the Grand Appeal at Bristol Children’s Hospital. What is the weather like, and what do you do when it rains?
Daytime highs average about 15°C in October, 12°C in November and 9°C in December. November is the wettest month, and December gets only around 45 hours of sunshine. Pack a waterproof.
The Grand Pier is the obvious wet-day answer because it is all indoors. It has a 300-metre Glo-Kart track, dodgems, 500-plus arcade games, a three-level dinosaur soft play and five places to eat. Dogs are welcome too..
Weston Museum and The Helicopter Museum are other dry options. When the sky clears, walk up through Weston Woods to the Iron Age hillfort, or follow the Weston Wallz street art trail, which now has over 75 murals. You can also look across to Birnbeck Pier, where restoration began in February 2026 and reopening is expected in summer 2027.
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