5 best things to do next week in & around Preston & Blackpool as kids go back to school

Preston

First up in Preston, a musical called Come From Away is on at Preston Playhouse between Tuesday, September 2 and Sunday, September 7.

Presented by the Preston Musical Comedy Society, this is a heart warming and uplifting musical that celebrates the power of human kindness in the face of adversity.

Come From Away tells the true story of the remote town of Gander, Newfoundland opened its doors to 7,000 stranded travelers during the 9/11 crisis, forming unexpected bonds that would last a lifetime.

The show starts at 7:30pm each night and is expected to finish at 9:30pm.

Tickets are £19.40 including the booking fee.

Chorley

In Chorley, The Importance of Being Earnest is on at Chorley Theatre between Monday, September 1 and Saturday, September.

Considered by many to be the greatest English-language comedy play of all time, Oscar Wilde's play about love, identity and social conventions is as popular today as it was 130 years ago.

Presented by CADOS, the play tells the story of two young gentlemen in London who each lead a double-life.

The runs between 7:30pm and 10:00pm each night.

Tickets are £12, apart from Monday when they are £10.

Blackpool

Over on the Fylde Coast, the actress Miriam Margoyles brings her show ‘From A to X’ to the Winter Gardens Opera House on Tuesday, September, 2.

Off the back of her sold-out 2024 tour and Edinburgh show, the 84-year-old star returns, this time spinning her A-Z wheel, diving headfirst into an eclectic alphabetised mix of life's standout moments.

During the show, Miriam will invite audiences deeper into her world, sharing new cherished memories and razor-sharp observations – and of course, a little bit of smut.

The show starts at 7:30pm and as of Thursday, August 28, only five tickets remain.

Also in Blackpool, Oktoberfest at Pleasure Beach Resort kicks off on Saturday, September 6.

Included with your eticket, Oktoberfest will be in the Hub every Saturday in September and will offer everything you’d expect, from traditional Bavarian sausages, pretzels, and steins of beer to the resident oompah band, The Amazing Bavarian Stompers.

Currently Pleasure Beach tickets start from £35 if buying in advance.

Lytham

Finally, in Lytham, Calendar Girls The Musical is on at the Lowther Pavilion between Wednesday, September 3 and Saturday, September 6.

Following their highly successful and critically acclaimed production of Calendar Girls in 2022, St Annes Parish Operatic Society are delighted to bring this wonderful musical back by popular demand.

The death of a much loved husband prompts a group of ordinary women in a small Yorkshire Women's Institute to do an extraordinary thing in this true story.

The show runs between 7:30pm and 10:00pm each night and tickets start from £16.50 .