This month is all about two things: Bristol‘s second biennial Circus City Festival, which takes place from 8-31st, and Halloween.

Circus City includes over 50 performances in 14 different venues across Bristol, both indoors and out, as well as cabaret, cinema, and seminars all tuned to the theme of circus. If you’ve ever been frustrated by the lack of knowledgeable circus writing available in the UK, there’s even a chance to learn how to write your own review with a critical masterclass presented by yours truly, following the matinee performance of the award winning Bromance on 23rd.

The festival also ties in with the Moscow State Circus visit to the city, who play at Durdham Downs 8-18th with Zhelaniy before they move up to the capital to perform at the O2 from 22nd-1st Nov. Elsewhere in London, Zippos are finishing up on Hampstead Heath on 4th, then moving to Brent Cross from 27th-1st Nov. Many of the other tenting circuses are still in action around the country as the season draws on, so to see who, where and when, check out the links here.

Returning to London for a sixth season are the La Soirée stalwarts, appearing in their own spiegeltent at the Southbank Centre with a new blend of circus, comedy and song from 27th, and playing until mid January 2016. There’s also magic in the air this month; a new stage show from TV’s Dynamo, Seeing Is Believing, takes to the Eventim Apollo stage from 22nd-8th Nov as part of a National tour, and the Magic Circle open up their doors for At Home With The Magic Circle on 6th and 20th.

We can always count on Jackson’s Lane to provide a little bit of something circus, and October is no different. Following their commission of Throwback to celebrate the venue’s 40th Anniversary this year, Silver Lining have been announced as Associate Artists, and are combining live music within their circus skills for Sound Box on 7th; from 21-24th, roller-skating duo Bella Kinetica bring their first full-scale theatrical show, Life On Wheels, to the Lane, moving through evolving friendships with vintage poignancy; when Halloween hits on 31st, things turn darker with Spooks! A Halloween Cabarethosted by Christian Lee, where guests are encouraged to ‘dress to distress’.

Another mysterious option for the 31st is the Dark Circus Party Halloween Special, to be held in a secret location styled as an abandoned circus. The night is produced by Bourne & Hollingsworth and Torture Garden, and the variety of circus and sideshow acts are to be hosted by the fabulous Ophelia Bitz.

The Great Yarmouth Hippodrome presents its annual Halloween Spectacular from 22nd-1st November and, if you are soaking up the circus smorgasbord presented in Bristol this month, then Circus City has it’s own Day Of The Dead themed The End Party on All Hallow’s Eve, to toast the soul of all that’s gone.

So muster up your Halloween spirit, get your glad rags on, and set your circus spirit free to roam. Don’t forget to add in any events we may have missed in the comments below.