Tuesday, 20 October, 18:30
Dirty Dancing
The stage version of Dirty Dancing returns to Cardiff on its UK and Irish tour, for a week at the Donald Gordon Theatre.
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Events in Cardiff
Cardiff is Wales' vibrant capital and the beating heart of Welsh culture. Home to iconic venues like the Principality Stadium, Wales Millennium Centre, and Cardiff Castle, the city hosts world-class e...
South East Wales
What's on in Cardiff?
Cardiff has the busiest events calendar in Wales, with something on most nights of the week. The Principality Stadium hosts rugby internationals and stadium concerts, Wales Millennium Centre covers opera, musicals and touring theatre, and Clwb Ifor Bach and Tramshed carry the live music and club nights. Cardiff Castle stages outdoor concerts and the free Welsh-language festival Tafwyl each June. Cardiff Bay runs food festivals, maritime events and outdoor cinema through the summer, while the Victorian arcades host artisan markets and street performance year round. Most weekends offer a mix of sport, live music, comedy, theatre and family activity, and a large share of it is free to attend. Every listing below is available in both English and Welsh, with a filter for events run in Cymraeg.
About Events in Cardiff
Cardiff is Wales' vibrant capital and the beating heart of Welsh culture. Home to iconic venues like the Principality Stadium, Wales Millennium Centre, and Cardiff Castle, the city hosts world-class events year-round. From the roar of rugby internationals and sell-out concerts to intimate theatre performances and cutting-edge exhibitions at the National Museum, Cardiff offers something for everyone. The Cardiff Bay waterfront transforms into a festival hub during summer months, hosting food festivals, maritime events, and outdoor cinema. The historic arcades of the city centre provide a backdrop for artisan markets and live music sessions, while Bute Park stages major outdoor gatherings. Whether you're seeking Welsh-language eisteddfodau, contemporary art exhibitions, comedy nights, or family fun days, Cardiff's diverse events calendar celebrates both Welsh heritage and international culture. The city's excellent transport links make it accessible from across Wales and beyond.
60 events
Thursday, 22 October, 18:00
Autechre — Live
Electronic pioneers Sean Booth and Rob Brown bring Autechre's expanded 2026 live run to Cardiff: a full-immersion, complete-focus live show.
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Thursday, 22 October, 19:00
Rachel Fairburn: Vexy Beasts
Following her acclaimed 2025 show Side Eye, comedian Rachel Fairburn returns with a new stand-up hour.
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Friday, 23 October, 19:00
A Vaguely SpooOooky Halloween
A night of cabaret-tinged Halloween warm-up chaos: part gig, part glorious curveball.
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Saturday, 24 October, 09:00
Time of Your Life Pilates Class
A Dirty Dancing-inspired Pilates class in Awen Bar at Wales Millennium Centre.
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Saturday, 24 October, 17:00
Bingo Lingo — Oktoberfest Special
Rave bingo with a Bavarian twist: steins, a live oompah band, festive games and themed decor at Depot.
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Saturday, 24 October, 19:00
How To Survive a Horror Movie
A cabaret night for horror fans: do you have what it takes to survive a horror film — are you the final girl, or the killer?
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Sunday, 25 October, 10:00
Cardmania — Pokémon, Trading Cards & Collectables
A daytime fair with 30+ specialist vendors selling Pokémon and other trading card games, rare singles, graded cards, sealed products and collectables.
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Sunday, 25 October, 15:00
Aberfan 60
A concert marking 60 years since the Aberfan disaster, built around Paul Mealor's new requiem From Darkness into Light, with the Aberfan Schools Choirs, Ynysowen Male Voice Choir and the BBC National Chorus of Wales.
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Sunday, 25 October, 19:00
Gagged! A Queer Comedy Night
Cabaret and Little Wander, the team behind Machynlleth Comedy Festival, present a night of queer stand-up comedy.
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Tuesday, 27 October, 12:00
FRAMERATE: Pulse Of The Earth
An immersive installation of hypnotic imagery across an array of screens, showing landscapes in flux and the force of nature, in WMC's Annwn immersive space.
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Thursday, 29 October, 20:00
Harriet Kemsley
Multi-award-winning stand-up Harriet Kemsley asks what happens when life, after years of chaos, finally starts going right.
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Friday, 30 October, 20:00
Shangri-La Presents: Bullet Tooth
Bullet Tooth makes a Depot debut on Halloween weekend, with support from Cam Stockman.
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Friday, 30 October, 20:00
You Shall Not Yassss!
A fantasy-themed cabaret night: saddle the horses, gather your fellowship and go there and back again.
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Saturday, 31 October, 13:00
Halloween Spooktacular
A family afternoon of Halloween favourites and mysterious music, as the orchestra conjures up ghosts and goblins in BBC Hoddinott Hall.
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Saturday, 31 October, 15:00
Bingo Lingo — Halloween Special
Bingo Lingo: Halloween House of Horrors — rave rounds, on-stage battles, scary surprises and Halloween anthems. This is the afternoon session; the evening session is sold out.
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Free
Thursday, 5 November, 08:30
Clockwise x FinTech Wales: FinTech Mingle & Show and Tell
A relaxed morning of networking and member showcases for FinTech Wales and Clockwise Cardiff members, with short show-and-tell talks where selected speakers introduce their business, demo a product or share a practical lesson.
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Thursday, 5 November, 19:30
Owain & Henry
An epic new play about power, national identity and the price of silence, co-directed by Michael Sheen and Steffan Donnelly. Evenings Tue–Sat 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinées.
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Friday, 6 November, 20:00
Laura Lexx: Yo-Yo Tour
Comedian Laura Lexx on ten years of marriage, every bad idea and unfiltered thought included.
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Saturday, 7 November, 20:00
The Pearl Revue
A night of cabaret, variety and burlesque, tied together with comedy.
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Wednesday, 11 November, 19:30
War and Peace
An orchestral programme of remembrance and hard-won joy, opening with Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin and turning to Vaughan Williams.
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Free
Thursday, 12 November, 09:30
AI in Financial Services: From Pilot to Production
A speaker session followed by roundtable breakouts on Consumer Duty, fraud detection and credit decisioning, with FCA regulatory context included.
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Thursday, 12 November, 19:30
Hay Festival After Hours: Cardiff
Hay Festival after dark: pantomime with Craig Revel Horwood, the stories behind Christmas number ones with Bob Stanley, and live music from Betsan.
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Thursday, 12 November, 20:00
The Rock & Roll Magic Show
West End 'rockstar magician' Arron Jones attempts a magic trick so good it reaches number one in the UK singles chart — with the audience's help.
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Friday, 13 November, 18:00
Bingo Lingo
Not your nan's bingo: a full-blown party with huge anthems, on-stage battles, the legendary rave round and prizes, run regularly at Depot.
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Friday, 13 November, 20:00
Christopher Hall — Pizazz
Showman Christopher Hall hosts a comic 'hometown holiday' cabaret night out.
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Saturday, 14 November, 15:00
Shangri-La Presents: Sasha & John Digweed
Electronic music pioneers Sasha and John Digweed make their Shangri-La debut with a night of progressive house and their trademark back-to-back sets.
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Sunday, 15 November, 20:00
7 Steps: The Music of Miles Davis
Trumpeter Tomos Williams and his band return to Cabaret, after a sold-out show in February, to play the music of Miles Davis.
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Thursday, 19 November, 20:00
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story
A cabaret show promising a story of Diana you almost certainly don't know.
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Friday, 20 November, 20:00
Deeva D
International cabaret star Deeva D in a night of sultriness and camp comedy.
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Saturday, 21 November, 15:00
Paradisco presents Todd Terry, Mousse T. + More
Paradisco's Cardiff debut: New York house pioneer Todd Terry, Grammy-winning producer Mousse T., vocalist Julie McKnight and the Paradisco DJs.
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Saturday, 21 November, 20:00
Tez Ilyas: Tez Things I Hate About You
Comedian Tez Ilyas returns with a brand-new stand-up show of fresh jokes, furious rants and ridiculous stories.
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Sunday, 22 November, 19:00
Avatar — Don't Go In The Forest '26
Swedish theatrical metal band Avatar bring their Don't Go In The Forest '26 European headline tour to Cardiff, with special guests Neckbreakker.
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Monday, 23 November, 19:00
Little Angels — Big Bad & Back Tour
UK hard rock band Little Angels return with the full original line-up for a rare UK tour. Their 1993 album Jam went to number one.
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Tuesday, 24 November, 19:00
Fat Dog
The London five-piece return to Cardiff with new music and a European headline tour, for their biggest Welsh show yet.
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Wednesday, 25 November, 19:00
Midge Ure — A Man Of Two Worlds
Ultravox frontman Midge Ure blends his hits with atmospheric instrumentals from his solo albums, many never performed live before.
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Thursday, 26 November, 19:00
The Abominable Snowman
Music theatre makers Gagglebabble combine the adventure and heart of Raymond Briggs' The Snowman with their own humour and anarchy.
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Thursday, 26 November, 19:30
BBC NOW — NOW!
BBC National Orchestra of Wales and conductor Simon Crawford-Phillips in a contemporary programme with two UK premieres and a world premiere, opening with HK Gruber.
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Thursday, 26 November, 20:00
Cardiff Comedy Club
Cabaret and Little Wander, the curators behind Machynlleth Comedy Festival, present weird, wonderful and wildly funny stand-up.
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Friday, 27 November, 18:00
Bingo Lingo Christmas: The Greatest Show
Bingo Lingo's Christmas show, inspired by The Greatest Showman: circus-style performances, big anthems and bingo, on several nights through November and December.
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Friday, 27 November, 20:00
Sleigh Miserables
A festive cabaret night out for musical theatre fans.
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Sunday, 29 November, 12:00
GirlyPop Live: Xmas Takeover
A Christmas pop party for young girls, with music, dancing and festive sparkle from midday to 4.30pm.
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Monday, 30 November, 19:30
MAMMA MIA!
The ABBA musical comes to the Donald Gordon Theatre for one week only, from 30 November.
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Thursday, 3 December, 19:30
Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker
A festive, family-friendly concert of seasonal classics conducted by Luis Castillo Briceño, opening with the Prelude from Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel.
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Thursday, 3 December, 20:30
Camille O'Sullivan — Loveletter
A love letter in song, celebrating Shane MacGowan, Sinéad O'Connor, David Bowie, Radiohead, Brel, Nick Cave and more.
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Saturday, 5 December, 17:00
Dance, Queen!
An ABBA-inspired party in Cabaret from 5 to 7pm, timed to go with a visit to MAMMA MIA!
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Sunday, 6 December, 16:00
Beefy's Comedy Club: Guz Khan
An afternoon of stand-up from Guz Khan, creator and star of the BAFTA-nominated BBC Three series Man Like Mobeen.
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Sunday, 6 December, 20:00
Leroy Brito — Halftime
Comedian Leroy Brito, seen in Netflix's Baby Reindeer and on tour with Rhod Gilbert and Mo Gilligan, with his biggest show to date.
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Tuesday, 8 December, 19:00
James B Partridge presents The Big Christmas Assembly
A nostalgic festive singalong of school-assembly Christmas classics, mashups and stories, from the teacher turned TikTok and Glastonbury favourite.
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Wednesday, 9 December, 19:00
The Hunna — Final Tour
After more than a decade together, The Hunna play their final tour: the last chance to see the band live.
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Wednesday, 9 December, 19:30
Matilda The Musical
The Royal Shakespeare Company's multi-award-winning musical, based on Roald Dahl's book, returns on tour over Christmas and New Year.
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Free
Thursday, 10 December, 17:00
Year in Review: What Welsh AI Actually Did in 2026
A reflective evening where community members each present one honest lesson from their AI work this year. Relaxed festive format, with community awards.
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Thursday, 10 December, 19:00
One Night In Nashville: A Very Country Christmas
A honky-tonk Christmas party of modern country hits and classics, including music made famous by Shania Twain and Luke Combs.
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Sunday, 13 December, 16:00
For Wales, See Wales — Christmas Live Show
The For Wales See Wales trio get merry with a Christmas live show in Cabaret.
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Sunday, 13 December, 19:00
Christmas Sing-A-Long
A festive evening of Christmas classics with a Welsh male voice choir and a live band.
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Wednesday, 16 December, 20:30
Barrylesque
WMC's own Christmas burlesque night out: glamorous, outrageous and unmistakably Welsh. 18+.
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Free
Thursday, 21 January, 09:00
AI Strategy Masterclass for Leaders
A half-day facilitated workshop for C-suite and directors on building a 90-day AI roadmap, governance frameworks and change management. Small cohort, maximum 20.
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Free
Thursday, 15 April, 09:00
AI in Welsh Public Services: A Frank Roundtable
A facilitated discussion for NHS, local authority and Welsh Government teams on what's working, what isn't, and how to procure and deploy AI responsibly.
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Free
Thursday, 20 May, 13:00
State of AI in Wales: Live Report Presentation
The annual research presented in full: findings, sector snapshots, skills gaps and recommendations. A panel responds and the audience votes on top priorities for 2027–28.
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Free
Thursday, 17 June, 13:00
AI & Net Zero: What's Working in Wales
A speaker session and live Q&A on grid management, demand forecasting and carbon accounting, with case studies from Welsh energy operators and developers.
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