Berkshire is a county full of pageantry and ceremonial events, and this year it is also celebrating its close ties to Jane Austen with a host of new tours, events, and exhibitions. Home to a host of internationally renowned events, including Royal Ascot, Royal Windsor Horse Show, Royal Windsor Flower Show and Reading Festival, you'll find Berkshire's event calendar is full to bursting.
2025 is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, this world-famous author went to school in Reading, and her old school will be open for a series of tours for the first time. Believed to be the inspiration behind the school in her fourth novel Emma, this is the perfect time to discover more about the 18 months she spent here. Whether you're visiting Berkshire for the royal connections, spending time on or alongside the River Thames, exploring its history and culture, you'll surely find a festival or event to include as part of your visit.
Berkshire is easily accessible for day trips from London and there's plenty of fun activities for kids to do whether it's during the holidays or for a weekend break. You'll also find a host of free events (F) to help you stretch your budget a little further. To find out what's on in Berkshire today or this weekend, use the search box above to narrow down your required date.
Don't miss the Changing of the Guards on the streets of Windsor, or the chance to follow one of the free activity trails at Windsor Castle. Look out for the magnificent Red Deers and hand-crafted adventure playground in Windsor Great Park. Stroll along the Thames Path National Trail, or catch a boat and enjoy some time on the water, watching the iconic sights of this famous Royal Borough go by. Plan ahead so you don't miss out and book for some Royal Windsor's and Maidenhead must see events including Royal Windsor Horse Show (15th - 18th May 25), Royal Windsor Flower Show (7th June 25), Royal Ascot (17th - 21st June 25) or Windsor Championship Dog Show (26th - 29th June 25).
Reading a town full of surprises, with links to Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, King Henry I, football, and biscuits! Tours of Jane Austen's school open from April 25, discover more about the Jane Austen 250 events in Reading here. Discover some of Reading's top events to enjoy this summer including Death Comes to Pemberley Mill, The Mill at Sonning (1st May - 28th June 25), Reading Walking Festival (10th - 18th May 25), Reading Water Fest (28th June) (F), Reading Festival (21st - 24th August 25) combine your next event in Reading with a stroll along the famous St James Way, the UK's stretch of the Camino de Santiago.
Take a look at our featured events in Berkshire to get you started and then scroll to the bottom of the page for lots more events and activities to enjoy.
If you're travelling from outside the area for an event in Berkshire, there are numerous hotels and other accommodation options to suit your needs.
>>> Search & Book Berkshire Accommodation
The guide below shows our calendar of events in Berkshire. Whether you're local or visiting the area, find what's happening near you by clicking the Map View button.
Number of results: 49
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Festival
Reading
One of the biggest musical festivals in the world, every year over 90,000 people flock to the Richfield Avenue site to experience the iconic event.
Sporting Event
Ascot
Royal Ascot is one of the pinnacle events of the summer social season and is certainly a must-attend event of the year and a quintessentially British day out.
Festival
Reading
The Love Unites 2025 Reading Pride event and parade brings the spirit of Pride to the centre of Reading and provides an opportunity for groups, organisations and individuals to show their support for both Pride and the ongoing campaign for equality.
Family
Newbury
Celebrate the holiday season and treat your family to a day out at the Challow Hurdle Day.
Gardens
Windsor Great Park, Windsor
The Royal Windsor Flower Show returns with inspiring showcase gardens, fabulous nurseries, incredible speakers and our Honorary President Alan Titchmarsh. It’s a wonderful day out for all the family, so come along and join in the fun – everyone’s…
Easter
Marlow on Thames
Come and join our annual Easter egg hunt with our very own resident Easter Bunny! Kids aged up to 12 years will explore the house and more than 66 acres of gardens in search of brightly coloured eggs and bunnies.
Tour
Reading
Book now to enjoy an official Abbey Quarter Tour, Reading which includes exclusive access to Jane Austen's school.
Available from Saturday 5 April 25 until 27th September 2025, explore the heart of Reading with an official Reading Museum tour guide.
Heritage & History
Reading
In 2025, come and join the celebrations in Reading marking the 250th anniversary since the birth of Jane Austen, the treasured nineteenth century writer famed for Pride & Prejudice, Emma and Persuasion.
From April 2025, as part of the 250th…
Theatre
Bracknell
Proud-lay presenting…
Our award-winning pantomime returns in 2025 with Mother Goose and the Golden Egg – one of the original British pantos, first performed in London in 1806.
The traditional family story about an impoverished woman who hatches a…
Sporting Event
Ascot
The Jumps season returns with a bang to Ascot! Enjoy high-quality racing followed by one of the region's largest fireworks displays where the breathtaking pyro-musical show will feature over 20,000 fireworks.
Participatory Event
Windsor
Parallel Windsor is the UK's national celebration of disability inclusion and wellbeing. Our award-winning event is held in the grounds of the majestic Windsor Great Park and staged on the iconic Long Walk.
Sporting Event
Ascot
With the exception of Royal Ascot, King George weekend is the most important, historic and glamorous racing meeting on Ascot's calendar.
Food
Maidenhead
Buy direct from local farmers, growers and dedicated small artisan producers and benefit from fresh quality food, honestly produced with a known provenance.
Special Events
Marlow, Marlow
Step back in time and celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day at Danesfield House.
Brimming with history, Danesfield House was once home to the Intelligence Section of the RAF, known as RAF Medmenham. The unit specialised in photographic…
Music
Bracknell
Steampunk Orchestra reimagines rock anthems from legends like Smashing Pumpkins, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, and more with a bold orchestral twist. This immersive performance fuses rock's raw energy with symphonic grandeur and vintage Victorian…
Arts
High Street, Maidenhead
Step-by-step painting workshops in pubs and bars across Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and Kent. Even if you haven't painted since school you will be able to create your very own work of art at a pub with The Paint Club.
This is not your usual art…
Festival
Henley On Thames
With its wonderful range of entertainment in a breathtaking setting on the banks of the River Thames and with some of the best wining and dining seen at any Festival, Henley Festival makes for a highly glamorous party not to be missed, with stars on
Sporting Event
Windsor
Royal Windsor Horse Show is the UK’s largest outdoor premier Show and takes place in the private grounds of Windsor Castle.
Theatre
Reading
Enjoy a delicious two-course meal and tickets to enjoy the theatre show - Don't Rock the Boat at the Mill at Sonning near Reading.
This brilliant comedy follows the story of a property tycoon Arthur Bullhead is on a mission to seal the deal of…
Food
Reading
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and join us at The Reading Room Restaurant and Lounge for the best afternoon tea in Berkshire.