Good Morning Cheshire! 👋 

Friday brings indie double-bills, salsa by the lake and a brewery tap night; the weekend peaks with Tatton’s Hawk Walk (Editor’s Pick), the Chester Marathon and Apple Day. Midweek, Goosfest rolls on while Bents flips the switch to Christmas and Very Santana lands in Chester.

Let’s dive in!

🎉 What’s On In Cheshire

💃 Salsa Cubana: Latin by the Lake
3 Oct, 7-11:30pm, Birchwood Park, Warrington
Live Cuban music, beginner mini-lesson and social dancing to Salsa, Cha Cha & more - friendly, all levels.
👉 Details

🎶 Fine Lines + Joel Gardner (Goosfest Opening Night)
3 Oct, 8-10:30pm, Goostrey Village Hall
Roots/Americana from Cheshire’s own - opening night of Goosfest.
👉 Details

✨ Taylormania - The Taylor Swift Tribute
3 Oct, 7:30pm, Northwich Memorial Court
The eras, the outfits, the bangers, a proper Swiftie night out in Northwich.
👉 Details

🍺 Tap Night at Wincle Brewery
3 Oct, from 5pm, Wincle Beer Co. (nr Macclesfield)
First-Friday brewery night: fresh cask, wood-fired pizza and live tunes from the Cor Bach Band.
👉 Details

🎤 Friday Night Comedy
3 Oct, 8pm, Alexander’s Live, Chester
Weekend warm-up: pro comics, cabaret-style seating, pints within reach.
👉 Details

👵👴 Grandparents’ Weekend - Nan & Grandad Go FREE (Gulliver’s World, Warrington)
4-5 Oct, 10:30am-5pm, Gulliver’s World
Two grandparents go free when accompanied by one full-paying person - rides, shows and family time all day.
👉 Details

🎃 Halloween at BeWILDerwood (Opening Weekend)
4 Oct, daytime, BeWILDerwood Cheshire
Spooky-fun trails and storytelling in the woods - perfect for younger adventurers.
👉 Details

🏃 Tatton 5K/10K (Tatton Park)
4 Oct, Tatton Park, Knutsford
Fast, scenic laps through the deer park - PB potential?
👉 Details

💥 Bootleg Blondie (Alexander’s Live, Chester)
4 Oct, 8pm, Alexander’s Live (Chester)
The world’s official No.1 Blondie tribute - all the hits with Debbie Harris fronting.
👉 Details

🥨 Oktoberfest Finale: Live Bavarian Oompah Band
4 Oct, 9pm, Swan & Chequers, Sandbach
Raise a stein for the send-off, 5-piece oompah brass, giant pretzels and festival vibes in the town centre.
👉 Details

🎸 PQA Chester: School of Rock
4 Oct, 6pm, Ellesmere Port Civic Hall
One-night-only youth production packed with big laughs and bigger riffs - come cheer on the cast as they rock the house.
👉 Details

🍎 Apple Day (Tatton Park Gardens)
5 Oct, 10-4pm, Tatton Park
Tastings, expert advice and orchard tours - peak autumn vibes.
👉 Details

🚌 Wirral Transport Show
5 Oct, 10-4pm, Hooton Park Hangars
Free admission, vintage buses (with free rides), classic vehicles, model railway and more; park at Hooton station and take the shuttle.
👉 Details

🦅 Hawk Walk (Tatton Park)
5 Oct, sessions vary, Tatton Park, Knutsford
Handle and fly a hawk on a guided walk - proper falconry thrills in gorgeous parkland.
👉 Details

🧺 Walton Hall & Gardens Artisan Market
5 Oct, 10:30am-4pm, Warrington
Browse makers, local produce and street food in a pretty estate setting - free entry.
👉 Details

🎭 Shrek The Musical - Final Day
5 Oct, times vary, Storyhouse, Chester
Big-hearted family musical wraps up its Chester run - grab a last-chance seat.
👉 Details

🌿 An Evening with Adam Frost (Storyhouse) - Tue 7 Oct. Gardener’s World star on design, inspiration and practical tips. 👉 Details

🎸 The BellRays (St Mary’s Creative Space, Chester) - Tue 7 Oct, 7:30-10:30pm, St Mary’s Creative Space. Blues-punk-soul with huge energy from the cult California outfit - intimate Chester date. 👉 Details

🎙️ It’s A Beautiful Noise - The Neil Diamond Story (Crewe Lyceum) - Wed 8 Oct. All the hits, big band feel. 👉 Details

🎄 Christmas Opening at Bents - Wed 8 Oct, from 11am, Bents Garden & Home. Brass band, roller-skating elves and ribbon-cutting with the Mayor; be inspired members get a mince pie & prosecco from 10:30am. 👉 Details

🎶 Very Santana - Carlos Santana Tribute (Alexander’s Live, Chester) - Thu 9 Oct, 8:30pm, Alexander’s Live (Chester). From Black Magic Woman to Smooth: Latin-rock classics with extended, improvisational jams. 👉 Details

• Chester Makers Market - Sat 4 Oct | 👉 Details

• Knutsford Makers Market - Sun 5 Oct | 👉 Details

• Blakemere Makers Market - Sun 5 Oct | 👉 Details

🌲 Local Spotlight: Restore Habitat UK (Cheshire)

Cheshire has a new, home-grown charity with a big, practical mission: Restore Habitat UK works to preserve and enhance wildlife habitats and “restore and rejuvenate ecosystems” so native plants and animals can thrive. They’re local (based in Cheshire) and officially registered as a charity (No. 1209108).

The team focuses on restoring natural environments, creating breeding grounds, securing land from development, and sharing conservation know-how. It’s a clear plan aimed at turning fragmented greenspace back into living, connected habitat.

It’s refreshingly action-led for residents, too. You can sponsor a robust bird box (with slate hole protectors to deter predators) and get updates on usage, or follow their Help at Home guides - think bug hotels and hedgehog shelters that kids can build at the weekend. Small steps, real impact.

Why now? Because the UK’s nature crisis is here: Restore Habitat highlights that 1 in 6 species faces localised extinction without change. Their message is simple - local people can help tip the balance, starting on their doorstep.

❤️ Why We Love It: A Cheshire-based, do-something-today charity - clear projects, family-friendly actions, and tangible results you can see (and nest in).

👉 Learn more here

🗓️ Dates for the diary

• Bowie by Candlelight (Chester Cathedral) - Fri 10 Oct, 7:30pm. 👉 Details

• Goosfest (Goostrey) - Until 12 Oct. Music, comedy, arts across the village. 👉 Details

• Goostrey Graveyards Scare Park (Cranage) - 9-31 Oct, Goostrey Home & Leisure. Immersive Halloween attraction with haunted mazes. 👉 Details

💎 Hidden Gem: Macclesfield Forest to Shutlingsloe

I did this walk with my son (6) recently and he loved climbing ‘a mountain’ and reaching the summit stone. It’s a nice and easy walk with just one steep ascent right at the bottom of Shutlingsloe.

Start at the forest car parks by Trentabank and head out on well-made trails that quickly rise onto open moor. In under an hour you’re on the sharp little summit of Shutlingsloe (506m) - a proper peak with a trig point and huge views across the Cheshire Plain, Peak District and Jodrell Bank. It’s the kind of walk that feels “big mountain” but fits neatly into a morning or afternoon.

The route’s a classic short circular (around 5km / 3 miles; 1½-2 hrs at family pace). Follow waymarked paths from Trentabank Reservoir up through the pines, then on the flagged moorland path to the summit.

Drop off towards Wildboarclough and loop back via forest tracks with plenty of spots to pause. Keep an eye out for red deer in autumn and the famous heronry at Trentabank.

Terrain is mixed but friendly: firm forest tracks, some stone flags and a steep, stepped final pull to the top. It’s exposed and breezy up there (that’s half the fun), so pack a windproof and shoes with grip.

Dogs on leads near livestock and during ground-nesting bird season, and stick to paths to protect the moor.

Make it a treat day: call in at Leather’s Smithy by Ridgegate for a post-walk pub stop, or head over the hill to The Stanley Arms (Wildboarclough). If you’ve got kids in tow, a short drive to Blaze Farm for Hilly Billy ice cream seals the deal.

Practical bits

• Start/Parking: Trentabank or Standing Stone car parks (Macclesfield Forest; pay-and-display).

• Distance/Time: 5km / 3 miles; allow 1½-2 hrs.

• Grade: Moderate; one steep ascent/descent; can be muddy after rain.

• Kit: Windproof, grippy footwear, snacks/water; map/app useful (OS Explorer OL24).

• Add-ons: Short detour to the Forest Chapel, or extend via Shutlingsloe’s ridge for a longer loop.

❤️ Why we love it: Big views and suitable for all the family - a mini mountain day with wildlife, woods and a summit selfie in under two hours.

🔗 Shutlingsloe Walk

That’s it for this week.

Thanks for reading The Cheshire Buzz! See you next Thursday - same time, same inbox.