The time of the year with the summer feeling yet the endless days give way to darkened evenings.
Up from the meadows rich with corn,
Clear in the cool September morn
John Greenleaf Whittir
September Almanac
September – late summer or early autumn? Well, it depends on the weather. September can have the most pleasant weather, with clear hot sunny days (without the stifling heat of summer) and pleasant evenings however, the end of the month can herald autumnal wind and rain. September is regarded as the start of the farming year, with the harvest all but complete. September is also the start of the time for traditional feasts, festivals, and fairs. Modern-day carnivals and fairs are rooted in the traditions of agricultural hiring fairs and feast celebrations of harvest home.
Dates, events, holidays and festivals.
September 2026
Public holidays
There are no public holidays in the UK in September 2026.
Seasonal, astronomical and nautical events
4th September – Last Quarter Moon
11th September – New Moon
12th September – Spring Tide
18th September – 1st Quarter Moon
23rd September – Autumnal Equinox
26th September – Full Moon, Harvest Moon
29th September – Spring Tide
Festivals and events, religious, traditional and sporting
TBA September – Great Dorset Chilli Festival
4th -5th September – International Ayr Show
4th – 6th September – Chatsworth Country Fair
5th September – World Stone Skimming Championships
6th September – Chillswim: Windermere
11th – 20th September – Heritage Open Days
12th September – Hurly Burly Swimming Event
12th September – Dock2Dock (London Swimming event)
12th – 21st September – Barmouth Walking Festival
13th September – Ironman, Wales
16th September – Owain Glyndŵr Day
16th – 19th September – Mid-Wales 4 Day Walking Festival
TBA September – Berwick Food and Drink Festival
17th September – Wheelbarow Race (Pewsey Wheel-Beero race)
18th – 20th September – Goodwood Revival
18th – 19th September – Llanbedr Beer Festival
19th – 20th – September – Abergavenny Food Festival
19th September – Pewsey Illuminated Carnival
19th – 27th September – Devizes Food & Drink Festival
20th September – Ironman 70.3 Weymouth
25th – 27th September – Malvern Autumn Show
TBA – Egremont Crab Fair & World Gurning Championships
TBA – Matlock Bath Illuminations
TBC September – World Cleanup Day
Find more events and notable dates throughout the year
In nature
The harvest of nature’s bounty
Find out more about seasonal foods throughout the year with a guide to Seasonal foods.
On the Farm in September
Harvest continues at full pace, remaining barley and wheat being cut. Straw bailed and removed or shredded in situ.
Whether lambs are sold as they finish or as store lambs for further fattening. Preparation for gimmer and draft ewe sales. Wean lambs.
Harvest Potatoes. Start harvest of beets.
Ploughing and harrowing (disc harrowing to quickly open compacted soil to reduce water runoff in heavy rains).
Drill oilseed rape, winter wheat and barley.
Find out more about what is happening in the Year on the farm
Things to do in September
In the September garden
What to plant and sow
Gardening hints
Ipsum text
Out and about
Days and nights draw even.
Recipe of the month.
West Country Apple and Cider Cake
Celebrate the West Country harvest with this delicious apple and cider cake. Perfect for autumn, this cake combines the tang of cider with the sweetness of apples, bringing a true taste of the region.
This recipe is inspired by Cedrics Somerset Cider Apple Cake
Ingredients
2 large cooking apples (e.g., Bramley)
200ml dry West Country cider
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
175g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
50g demerara sugar (for topping)
Equipment
20cm (8-inch) cake tin, mixing bowls, whisk, spatula, wire rack
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
Peel, core, and slice the apples. Soak them in the cider for about 30 minutes.
Cooking
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
Drain the apples, reserving the cider. Gently fold the apples into the batter and pour it into the cake tin.
Sprinkle the demerara sugar on top and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
Optional: Drizzle the reserved cider over the warm cake for added flavour.
Cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy with clotted cream or custard!
For more inspiration see the Food Blogs
September Jobs in the vegetable garden or allotment
General Jobs
Water plants that are still growing and young.
Ripen Squashes.
Sow green manures.
Turn Compost heap.
Cut down asparagus.
Harvest maincrop potatoes.
Sowing and Planting
Indoors and outdoors: Sow -Lettuces, Radishes, Rocket, Salad leaves, Spinach, Spring onions.
Plant: Cabbages (spring), Cranberries, Onion sets, Strawberries.
Harvest
Apples, Apricots, Aubergines, Beetroot, Blackberries, Blueberries, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Cauliflowers, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Chillies and peppers, Courgettes, Cranberries, Cucumbers, Endives, Fennel, Figs, French beans, Globe artichokes, Grapes, Kohl rabi, Leeks, Lettuces, Marrows, Melons, Onions, Oriental leaves, Pears, Peas Plums, Potatoes, Radishes, Raspberries, Rocket, Runner beans, Spinach, Spring onions, Strawberries, Summer squash, Swede, Sweetcorn, Sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, Tomatoes, Turnips, Winter radishes, Winter squash.
Find out more about what is happening in the allotment or vegetable garden
Activities, things to see and do in September
With lengthening days arise more opportunities to get out and about. To see what is happening in nature and the countryside. There is also a lot more to see as they year really starts to get going.
Thinking about getting out and about, then perhaps Buy OS Landranger maps direct from Ordnance Survey to discover new places or see the latest handheld GPS devices with bundled mapping from Ordnance Survey.
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September in pictures
