What’s on in the Windsor area

Take a look at the great range of events taking place in The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and plan some fabulous and memorable experiences with family and friends. 

Our superb events programme features one-off events as well as major, world-class events that take place every year meaning there’s plenty of ideas and inspiration for all ages and interests, whether you are visiting us or you live locally.

Search our ‘What’s On’ calendar above to see what’s happening on a visit to Windsor, Eton, Maidenhead, Ascot or one of our local villages such as Cookham or Bray.

If you are planning your visit around a special event in our annual events calendar, check our 'What’s On' calendar to see when it’s on.  Maybe add in some other great activities, good food and drink and a comfy place to stay and make a short break of it!

Visit our Windsor Online Shop where you can book tickets in advance for many events and attractions, including all horse racing meetings.

Use the ‘What’s on Search’ above to search the events calendar and start planning and read on for inspiration.

Top events with a royal connection in the Windsor area

Windsor Castle is a gem in the Royal Borough’s crown and as such the link between town and the royal family is a very close one.  The eyes of the world have been on Windsor for royal events such as state visits, royal weddings and, of course, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Look out for special events and activities at the Castle, such as behind-the-rope evening guided tours, or events in St George’s Chapel such as the annual Festivo concerts.

The Guard March and Changing the Guard ceremony is one of Windsor’s most unique and best loved events that takes place through the year.

Royal Windsor Horse Show is a top-class equestrian competition that takes place in the private grounds of Windsor Castle each May.  It was a favourite event of Queen Elizabeth II.  Visitors can enjoy show classes, jumping, carriage driving, endurance as well as entertainment and a great shopping village against the backdrop of the famous Castle.

Members of the royal family attend every day of the world-famous Royal Ascot race meeting in June so why not put on your finest outfit and join in the fun?

The King, Prince William and Prince Harry are fine polo players and you can watch polo, also known as the ‘sport of kings’, being played at Guards Polo Club Windsor between April and September. 

King Charles III is patron of the Royal Windsor Flower Show, a blossoming one-day show which takes place each June in Windsor Great Park.  Alan Titchmarsh, widely regarded as ‘gardening’ royalty, is the show’s honorary president.

The annual Garter Day procession (June), where The King and the Knights of the Garter process in grand velvet robes, glistening insignia and plumed hats, is one of the most traditional ceremonies in the royal calendar.  A limited number of tickets are available for members of the public to watch this procession within the grounds of Windsor Castle (applications accepted 1 January to 1 March, find out more on the Order of the Garter page.

Between May and September, you can join a heritage tour of Eton College where Princes William and Harry went to school.

Family-friendly events and activities in the Windsor and Maidenhead area

Windsor and the Royal Borough is filled with fun events and things to do for families with children of all ages! 

Whether you are looking for ideas and inspiration for a day trip, a weekend away or a family short break, we’ve got plenty to keep you occupied throughout the different seasons and especially in the school holidays, half term breaks and over the bank holiday weekends! 

Check out our family-friendly events for inspirational family fun, whatever the weather.

Top theatre, music, concerts, arts and cultural events in the Windsor area

Windsor's historic Theatre Royal nestles at the foot of Windsor Castle and offers its audiences a new production every fortnight before heading to the West End or on national tour.  You’ll also discover comedy nights, dance, tribute bands and one of the best pantomimes in the local area.  (Oh yes it is!)

We have two dynamic arts centres in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead: Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead and the Old Court in Windsor.

Enjoy live performances, comedy, music, film, exhibitions, classes and family activities all year round.

Read more about live entertainment and film in the Royal Borough.

Free town centre events in the Windsor and Maidenhead area

Take your pick from a range of fun town centre events throughout the year in Windsor, Maidenhead and Eton – as well as many of our towns and villages – many of them free of charge to attend.  These include Lunar New Year, Easter Trails, Pumpkin Carving, Pancake Racing, food and craft markets and Christmas-themed events, such as the Windsor and Eton Living Advent Calendar and Carols on the Hill.

The best equestrian events in the Windsor area

If you love horses then you’ll find plenty of equestrian-themed events to enjoy here!  The Royal Borough has two racecourses: Ascot (famous for Royal Ascot) and Royal Windsor.  They offer both flat and jumps racing meetings with themed seasonal raceday entertainment throughout the year. 

Why not enjoy Windsor Great Park in a unique fashion from the comfort of a horse-drawn carriage? 

Or take your seats at Royal Windsor Horse Show and experience thrilling show jumping, top showing classes and thrilling displays.

Between April and September thrilling polo matches take place at Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park.  During half time, spectators take to the polo field to participate in the long-standing polo ritual of divot stomping!

Top sporting events in the Windsor area

If you prefer taking part rather than watching sport then Windsor is home to the Royal Windsor Triathlon every June; participants swim in the River Thames, cycle then finally run in the town and Windsor Great Park.  

The Long Walk is the setting for July’s Parallel Windsor, the UK’s national celebration of disability inclusion and wellbeing featuring a range of challenge events for everybody of all ages, health conditions and abilities.  

Autumn sees both Windsor and Maidenhead Half Marathons, and the Windsor 10K event taking place in Windsor Great Park.

Nearby Dorney Lake – Eton College’s rowing lake where Olympic dreams were made real in London 2012 – hosts many events throughout the year.

The best festivals in the Windsor area

Here in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead we are lucky to have very different types of events that fit under the 'festival' heading embracing not just literature, music and the arts but food and drink too!

Parallel Windsor is the UK's national celebration of disability inclusion and wellbeing.  This award-winning event is held in the grounds of the majestic Windsor Great Park and staged on the iconic Long Walk.  Parallel features a range of challenge events for everybody of all ages, health conditions and abilities so participants can 'start together, finish whenever'.

In addition to the fine racing at Ascot, visitors can enjoy themed weekends such as the Big Ascot Food and Wine weekend – featuring stalls, displays and live cooking demos – and the Ascot Beer Festival, a traditional style CAMRA beer festival with over 160 different beers, lagers, real ales, ciders and perries to sample!

Celebrating music, literature and the arts across two weeks, the Windsor Festival Autumn Festival is dedicated to delivering high-calibre performances in magnificent and historic venues which include Windsor Castle, Eton College and Windsor Guildhall.

Windsor Fringe offers a mixed programme of the arts and entertainment: music of all kinds, drama, visual arts (including photography and sculpture), film, poetry, informative walks in Windsor and gastronomy.

Read more about annual festivals in the Windsor area.

Top outdoor events and activities in Windsor’s parks, gardens and open spaces

Enjoy the great outdoors throughout the year.

Enjoy the sculptures dotted around The Savill Garden for the annual Art in the Garden event.  

Listen to free summer weekend band performances in Alexandra Gardens for Live at the Bandstand. 

Marvel at the dazzling lights, breathtaking projections and floodlit fountain shows as Windsor Great Park Illuminated shines bright between November and January. 

Discover more outdoor events and activities in the Windsor area.

Top events on the river in the Windsor area

In addition to scheduled river trips, look out for special events organised by our boat operators including steam boat trips, seasonal cruises and dawn kayak adventures! 

The third week of July sees the annual census of swans on the River Thames as the Royal Swan Marker and his team carry out ‘swan upping’, checking the health and welfare of these magnificent, graceful birds that call the River Thames their home.

Buy tickets for events in the Windsor area

Visit our Windsor Online Shop where you can book tickets in advance for all race meetings and many other events and attractions.

Plan your visit to the Windsor area

We have all the information you need to help you plan your visit to the Windsor area.  Take a look at our getting here and getting around pages, car and coach parking and our travel information.

If you are travelling with a disability and need some extra help then you can also look at our AccessAble Destination Guides.

Book accommodation in the Windsor area

Whatever your reason for coming to Windsor and the Royal Borough, why not stay a bit longer?

We have a great range of places to stay overnight for all budgets and tastes including rural retreats and town centre hotels.  Just take a look at our accommodation pages and also our special offers pages for the latest deals.

Keep updated on what’s on in Windsor and the Royal Borough

Why not sign up for the official Visit Windsor Enewsletter?  We’ll keep you updated about what's on in the Royal Borough of Windsor.  Follow us on our socials too!

Submit an event

Are you organising an event that will appeal to visitors to the Windsor area?  If so, please follow the instructions to submit an event for our consideration – thank you!