Woking

Visit Woking to experience the very best the county has to offer, whatever the season.

Early in the year, visitors can enjoy the spectacle of Chinese New Year.  On Shrove Tuesday, local businesses and organisations enter teams in the very entertaining Pancake Race, which is always well supported by an appreciative crowd.

On Easter Weekend, families can visit the Woking Canal Festival at the Bridge Barn, or join in our traditional St George’s Day celebrations in Town Square in April, which promise to delight old and young alike.

In June, the Tour Series one-day professional cycling event returns to the heart of Woking, including a whole afternoon of music and cycling-related activities, including youth and amateur races, demonstrations and skills sessions, before the exciting high-speed race around the streets of Woking in the evening.

Mid September hails Heritage Open Days, when around a dozen unique properties which are usually closed to the public or charge for entry will open their doors for free, to help celebrate the Borough’s fantastic architectural and cultural heritage. Although Woking is a modern town, the Borough has a long and rich history, which is best explored on foot or by cycle to the nearby villages and sites of historic interest. Why not visit the fascinating Dhammakaya Centre for Buddhist Meditation in a Victorian decommissioned church, or the Art Deco splendour of Southern Railway’s Electrical Control Room?

In October, the H. G. Wells Conference and Events Centre is the venue for Woking Means Business -  a free, day-long exposition of local businesses and organisations, alongside complimentary seminars and workshops.

Woking Park is the venue for the spectacular annual fireworks display and traditional fun fair in early November, organised by Woking Round Table. If you visit The Lightbox  later that month, you can experience the wonder of an illuminated boat cavalcade on the Basingstoke Canal   - as the sun sets, seasonal music heralds the parade of festively decorated boats, lighting up the waterway from Town Quay to Arthur’s Bridge in Horsell.

And winter is always a good time to visit Woking’s shopping malls, home to many high street names with the added convenience of being under cover. Our popular monthly Farmers’ Market  is held in Mercia Walk on the third Thursday and fifth Saturday of the month. This covered venue also hosts seasonal markets, selling continental produce, and craft and gift fairs.

Or why not book some seats for the biggest and brightest pantomime in the region, at The Ambassadors?  Stars of stage and screen always wow their audiences in this superb, fully accessible venue.

In addition, visitors to Woking who have mobility problems can take advantage of Shopmobility,  which offers scooters and other mobility aids to hire, and the free, town centre buggy. Parking is plentiful, available 24-hours a day and under CCTV surveillance for added reassurance.