The seafront fireworks return on Saturday at 7.30pm, the Vulcan opens for its last visit day of 2026 on Sunday, Southend United host Barrow, and Sunday's c2c trains divert to Liverpool Street.

The seafront fireworks are back on Saturday night, the first of eight free Saturday displays running to 14 November. On Sunday the Vulcan Restoration Trust opens its hangar at the airport for the last Visit the Vulcan day of the year, and Southend United are at home to Barrow on Saturday afternoon.

One date to plan around: on Sunday, c2c trains run to and from Liverpool Street instead of Fenchurch Street. Details below.

This weekend in Southend at a glance. Friday 25 September: 42nd Street at the Palace Theatre and Michael Ball at the Cliffs Pavilion. Saturday 26 September: Leigh farmers' market 10am to 2pm, Southend United v Barrow 3pm at Roots Hall, seafront fireworks 7.30pm, free. Sunday 27 September: Visit the Vulcan day at the airport, gates 10am, last entry 4pm, adults £10, under-16s free; c2c trains diverted to Liverpool Street.
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Friday 25 September

  • 42nd Street at the Palace Theatre. Southend’s Players Theatre Company stage the Broadway musical at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff, tonight and tomorrow at 7.30pm, with tickets from £20 (Southend Theatres, 42nd Street).
  • Michael Ball at the Cliffs Pavilion. The Glow UK Tour 2026 is at the Cliffs tonight. The box office lists it as selling fast, online sales only (Southend Theatres, Cliffs Pavilion). The venue’s service road is still under a closure order, so allow time for parking; our roadworks page has the detail.
  • Ironworks Talent Show, Leigh Community Centre. Local singers, dancers and comedians. The council’s autumn listing gives the date and says it is ticketed, but the centre’s own what’s on page does not list it, so check with the Ironworks before travelling (Southend-on-Sea City Council, autumn events).

Saturday 26 September

  • Seafront fireworks, 7.30pm, free. The first of the season’s Saturday displays. The fireworks are fired from a barge in the estuary just east of the pier, and can be seen from anywhere along the seafront between Sea-Life Adventure and the Genting Casino. The council’s listing says this is the 30th year, and displays can be cancelled in bad weather (Southend-on-Sea City Council, seafront fireworks; Visit Southend). Displays run every Saturday to 14 November.
  • Southend United v Barrow, 3pm, Roots Hall. A National League fixture. Tickets are on the club’s ticket site (Southend United, match tickets).
  • Leigh farmers’ market, 10am to 2pm. At Leigh Community Centre (Leigh-on-Sea Town Council).
  • Tom Davis: Spudgun at the Cliffs Pavilion. Listed as selling fast (Southend Theatres, Cliffs Pavilion).
  • 42nd Street, final performance, 7.30pm at the Palace Theatre.
  • Ironworks fundraising quiz, Leigh Community Centre. In the council’s listing, ticketed; the same caveat as Friday’s talent show applies.

Sunday 27 September

  • Visit the Vulcan Day, London Southend Airport. The Vulcan Restoration Trust opens Hangar 5 on South Road, SS2 6YU, for what it calls “our final Visit the Vulcan Day of 2026”. Gates open at 10am, last admission 4pm. Adults £10, under-16s free, and a guided cockpit visit is an extra £8 a person, sold on the day only. Tickets on the gate or in advance. There is free but limited parking by the hangar, with overflow in the airport’s charged short-stay car park (Vulcan Restoration Trust).
  • Cloudbusting: The Music of Kate Bush at the Palace Theatre (Southend Theatres, Palace Theatre).
  • Party 101 Plus Special Guests at the Cliffs Pavilion.
  • Trains: Liverpool Street, not Fenchurch Street. Engineering work between Fenchurch Street and Barking means c2c services are diverted to Liverpool Street, calling at Stratford but not Limehouse or West Ham. Rainham line services are extended to Shoeburyness (c2c, service alterations).

Planning your weekend

The Queensway southeast slip road is closed until 2 October and Crowstone Avenue closes at the seafront from Monday. The full list is on our roadworks and travel page, and the parking guide sets out the seafront car parks by zone.

Looking further ahead, the Vulcan’s 40s and 50s Hangar Dance is on Saturday 3 October, and the Southend Food and Drink Festival runs on the High Street from 23 October to 1 November. Our October half term page is being filled as venues publish.

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