A Peterborough weekend doesn't have to begin with:

“How much?!”

If you're looking for something to do this weekend  Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2026 there are several options where entry costs less than £20.

Some don't cost anything at all.

We've got living history, Tai Chi, a candlelit medieval tower and a late-night DJ event where being fashionably late will actually cost you money.

Food, drinks, parking, travel and optional extras aren't included in the prices below, so think of this as your getting-through-the-door budget, rather than a promise you'll return home having spent precisely £0.

Here's what's happening.

FREE: Living History Day at Peterborough Museum

If you've been meaning to visit Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery, Saturday gives you a particularly good excuse.

The museum's Living History Day runs on Saturday 26 September from 10am to 4pm.

Entry is free and there's no need to book.

Historical characters and activities will be appearing alongside the museum's usual collections, making this more of an event than simply wandering around looking thoughtfully into display cases.

It's also on Priestgate in the city centre, so you don't necessarily have to dedicate the entire day to it.

Go for a couple of hours, combine it with lunch or carry on elsewhere afterwards.

Good for: families, history fans and anyone looking for a spontaneous Saturday activity.

Entry: £0.

FREE: Make your own afternoon at Ferry Meadows

No ticket.

No fixed start time.

No worrying that you're seven minutes late for something.

Ferry Meadows remains one of Peterborough's easiest answers when you want to get out without buying admission.

There are walking routes, trails, open spaces and play areas, so you can make the outing as ambitious as you like.

Proper walk?

Go for it.

Children need somewhere to run around?

Sorted.

Gentle wander followed by sitting down with a flask?

Also completely valid.

Take drinks and snacks if you want to keep the spending genuinely close to zero  because “free day out” has a habit of changing definition once everybody discovers the café.

And given that it's late September in England, sensible shoes wouldn't be a ridiculous idea either.

Good for: families, walkers and anyone whose weekend budget currently contains the figure £0.

Entry: £0.

FREE: Try Tai Chi at Ferry Meadows

Want slightly more structure than “we'll go for a walk and see what happens”?

A free Tai Chi session is listed at Ferry Meadows for Saturday 26 September.

Tai Chi involves slow, controlled movements and is generally a rather calmer way to spend part of Saturday than battling through a busy shopping centre.

You can also combine the session with a walk around the park afterwards without adding another admission charge.

Check the event information before leaving for the current session time and any instructions about taking part.

Because arriving perfectly relaxed 45 minutes after everybody else has finished would somewhat defeat the object.

Good for: adults wanting a quieter outdoor activity.

Entry: £0.

£10: See Longthorpe Tower by candlelight

Now for something you probably don't do every Saturday night.

Longthorpe Tower has a candlelight tour listed for Saturday 26 September for £10.

The medieval tower on Thorpe Road is already one of Peterborough's more unusual historic buildings.

Seeing it by candlelight makes it a rather different proposition from an ordinary daytime heritage visit.

At £10, it also fits comfortably inside our £20 entry limit while still feeling like you've booked a proper event.

Unlike wandering around Ferry Meadows, though, this isn't something to approach with a casual “we'll probably turn up around eight-ish”.

Check the event listing for the exact time, availability and booking requirements before travelling.

Good for: couples, history lovers and anyone wanting a Saturday evening that's slightly different.

Entry: £10.

FREE if you're early: The Get Down at The Brewery Tap

If your preferred history begins somewhere around the invention of the dance floor, there's another option.

The Brewery Tap on Westgate is hosting The Get Down with resident DJ MrNash on Saturday night from 9.30pm.

Here's where timing matters.

Entry is listed as

:

Before 11pm: FREE

After 11pm: £5

After midnight: £10

Which means being late has rarely been so clearly itemised.

If you're already heading into Peterborough for the evening, arriving before 11pm keeps the admission cost at zero.

Obviously, free entry doesn't mean a free night out.

Drinks, transport and the inevitable late-night food decision all count towards what you actually spend.

If you're trying to keep the whole evening below £20 rather than merely the entry fee, decide your spending limit before going out.

Your 12.30am self is unlikely to suddenly develop stronger budgeting skills.

Good for: adults wanting music and a later Saturday night.

Entry: £0 before 11pm, £5 after 11pm or £10 after midnight.#

Want to make a day of it?

You could spend remarkably little on Saturday if you plan it.

Start at Peterborough Museum's Living History Day.

Then head to Ferry Meadows for a walk.

Both have free entry.

For the evening, choose between the £10 candlelight tour at Longthorpe Tower or head to The Brewery Tap before 11pm and pay nothing to get in.

Or don't turn the weekend into an endurance event.

One free activity followed by going home, ordering something nice and putting your feet up is also an entirely legitimate Saturday.

One final budget check

There's an important distinction between a free event and a free day out.

Parking costs money.

Food costs money.

Drinks cost money.

Transport costs money.

And children can apparently detect a gift shop from approximately three miles away.

So if you're keeping the weekend genuinely cheap, decide what you're comfortable spending before you leave.

But as far as getting through the door goes, Peterborough has several options this weekend that won't leave your bank account looking haunted.

And three of them won't charge you anything at all.

Found another cheap Peterborough event this weekend or any weekend in October?

We're looking for Peterborough events happening on 26 or 27 September 2026 with confirmed entry of £20 or less.

If we've missed one, send us the event name, entry price and official booking or information page.

We'll use the best verified suggestions to make our next Peterborough weekend guide even more useful.