Your weekend in Watford: candlelight Friday, Hornets Saturday, Rak-Su Sunday

Hi. Welcome back to The Watford Brew. Issue 5.

Happy Thursday. If you want a head start, Barry From Watford brings Shooting From The New Hip to the Palace tonight (Thu 15 Oct, 7.30pm, from £27, 16+). After that the weekend builds nicely: candlelit soul on Friday, an early kick-off at the Vic on Saturday, and Watford's own Rak-Su coming home on Sunday. Navratri runs all weekend at Woodside too.

Scroll on and pick your plans. The Brew

FRIDAY

Luther: The Candlelight Concert, Watford Palace Theatre
Fri 16 Oct · 7.30pm · about 1 hour 40 minutes including the interval · tickets from £36 · box office 01923 225 671

A vocalist and a live band take on the Luther Vandross songbook by candlelight, from Never Too Much to Dance with My Father. It's a tribute show, not affiliated with the Vandross estate, and a very good excuse for a slow, glowing Friday night.

Also Friday: Navratri with Watford Hindu Group, Woodside Leisure Centre · Fri 16 Oct · 8pm to midnight · £5 (under 2s free) · book online, no cash on the door. More in What's New below.

SATURDAY

Watford vs Charlton Athletic, Vicarage Road
Sat 17 Oct · 12.30pm kick-off · Championship · tickets via the club

An early one, so plan breakfast rather than lunch. Check the club site for tickets before you set off, and give yourself time to get to Vicarage Road.

Also Saturday: Cassiobury parkrun · Sat 17 Oct · 9am · free, timed 5k · meet near the bandstand · register once online before your first run. Early enough to finish before the Hornets kick off.

Also Saturday: Watford FC Women vs Leicester City Women · Sat 17 Oct · 3pm · Players Cup group stage · at The Hive, so a short trip out of town.

Also Saturday: Simon Evans: Staring At The Sun, Watford Palace Theatre · Sat 17 Oct · 7.30pm · from £23 · about 2 hours 20 minutes including the interval · 14+. The Radio 4 regular on simulation theory, the AI future and the analogue world of his youth.

SUNDAY

Rak-Su: One For The Road, Watford Palace Theatre
Sun 18 Oct · doors 3.15pm · support from 3.55pm · Rak-Su on at 5pm · done by 6.15pm · all ages · tickets via the Palace

Ashley, Myles and Jamaal won The X Factor in 2017 with their own songs, and nearly a decade on they're back where it started. The Palace's own line: "This is Watford Palace Theatre. This is home." Hertfordshire's Formz is on the support bill, and a limited meet and greet runs from 2.30 to 3.30pm. Could be a goodbye, could be a restart. Either way, it's a Watford night.

Also Sunday: Navratri, Woodside Leisure Centre · Sun 18 Oct · 3 to 7pm · £5 (under 2s free) · book online.

WHAT'S NEW

Navratri 2026 with Watford Hindu Group. Three days of Navratri at Woodside Leisure Centre (WD25 7HH) this weekend: Fri 16 and Sat 17 Oct from 8pm to midnight, then a Sunday afternoon session on Sun 18 Oct from 3 to 7pm. £5 a ticket, under 2s free. Book online in advance, as there's no cash on the door.

New opening on your street? Reply and tell us.

EAT & DRINK

Unit Vii, Tolpits Lane
Sat and Sun: coffee from 8am, kitchen from 9am, until 3pm. Wed to Fri: coffee from 7am, kitchen from 8am. Closed Mon and Tue. A good post-parkrun stop before the early kick-off.

Tina Lake's Coffee and Cakes, Pump House
Sat 2-6pm (closed Sundays). Volunteer-run café in the Charles Room, Local Board Road. Mon / Wed / Thu / Fri 1-5pm · Tue 2-9pm.

COMING UP

• Tue 20 Oct: An Evening With John Lydon · Palace · 7.30pm · from £38

• Thu 22 Oct: Whitney: The Candlelight Concert · Palace · 7.30pm · from £28

• Sun 25 Oct: Grandslam Wrestling · Palace · 3pm · from £18

• Mon 26 to Fri 30 Oct: Trick or Treat Trail · High Street and The Parade · 10am-4pm · free · half term

• Tue 27 Oct: Dinosaur Adventure Live · Palace · 2pm · from £21

• Fri 30 Oct: Halloween Market Lates · Watford Market · 6-10pm · free entry

• Sun 1 Nov: Diwali Celebrations · town centre · 11am-7.30pm · free

DID YOU KNOW?

The Cassiobury Park bandstand was commissioned for the new park in 1912 and designed by Hill and Smith. After the Second World War it fell out of use, was dismantled and found a new home next to Watford Central Library and the Town Hall. It was restored as part of the Cassiobury Heritage Lottery project and now stands back in its rightful place in the park, Grade II listed. A homecoming of its own, and the one you meet near for parkrun.

Know something brewing? Reply and tell us. If this helped you plan even one evening, forward it to a Watford mate. That's how the Brew grows.

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Thanks for reading. See you next Thursday.
The Watford Brew