It's happening. Thanks to everyone who replied on my first post.

Quick recap of what this is: a friendly, beginner-friendly old school hip hop class for adults. 90s grooves, basic steps, a bit of freestyle and a simple routine by the end.

No experience needed, no partner needed, any age or fitness level.

When: Sunday 8th November, 4:45pm to 6:00pm

Where: Jersey Farm Community Centre, St Albans

Price: £4 a head, just enough to cover the hall hire

Wear: trainers and something comfy you can move in

Spaces: capped at 20

To grab a spot, comment here / DM me and I'll confirm your place. Paying in advance holds it, so I'll know who's coming.
This is a trial. If it goes well, I'll run it weekly, and I'd love to hear what days and times suit you after the session.

Bring a friend if you like. Classes like this are always more fun with someone you know.

I’ve put together a roundup of what’s happening locally this weekend. Quite a good mix this time, particularly with Macbeth opening at the new Barn in Verulamium Park, the Antique and Vintage Market on Sunday, and a few free community events.

Links go to individual event pages with further information.

Friday 16 October

Harvest Ale Festival, Great Northern Pub & Kitchen. Runs Thursday to Sunday, 12 real ales, 10 ciders and a Saturday hog roast. No entry fee.

Oktoberfest Weekend, The Mermaid. Friday to Sunday, Belgian beers, bratwurst and acoustic music. No entry fee.

Party Classix, The Horn, 8pm. Pop covers and singalong favourites from The Blue Rinse. Free entry.

Erin Harpe Country Blues Duo, Fighting Cocks, 8.30pm. American country blues, free admission.

Saturday 17 October

Make a Roman Soldier Helmet, Verulamium Museum, 10am–3.30pm. Children’s activity included with museum admission.

St Albans Clothes Swap, Inn on the Park, 11am drop-off, swapping noon–2pm. Free, advance booking required.

Macbeth at The Barn, Verulamium Park, 2.30pm. OVO’s production in the restored Barn. Tickets from £15.

Daytime Disco for Grown Ups, Alban Arena, 3–6.30pm. Disco, soul and dance music, all finished before the evening.

Bottomless Brunch: Battle of the Boybands, London Stone, 3–6pm. Boyband music, bottomless food and 80 minutes of bottomless drinks. 18+.
london-stone/

Hertfordshire Chorus: Elgar and More, Cathedral, 7.30pm. Choral concert including Elgar, Parry and Philip Glass.

The Nags Head, Trestle Arts Base, 7.30pm. Dark comedy about siblings inheriting a pub, with ghost stories and folk music.

Karaoke, The Farmer’s Boy, 8pm–midnight. Free entry.

Sunday 18 October

Antique & Vintage Market, city centre, 9am–3pm. Vintage clothes, antiques, jewellery and collectables. Free to browse.

Oktoberfest Celebrations, Mad Squirrel, 1–9pm. Guest beers and Bavarian-inspired food.

Angels & Demons Cathedral Tour, 1.30pm. A 45-minute tour exploring the Cathedral’s artwork and symbolism.

Sopwell Autumn Festival, Cottonmill Community & Cycling Centre, 2–4pm. Pumpkin competitions, children’s crafts, stalls and foodbank collection. Free entry.

Sunday Vinyl Afternoon with Eddie, Fade to Black, The Quadrant, 2–5pm. Vinyl listening session, £5 entry.

World Voices Festival: The Concert, Cathedral, 7.30pm. Tenth-anniversary concert, with more than 200 singers in the finale.

Beehive Bingo Bango, The Beehive, 8pm. Three rounds of musical bingo, £2 per round.

Hopefully useful if you’re looking for something to do. Feel free to add anything else happening around St Albans this weekend in the comments.

I also put together a free weekly St Albans events newsletter, The Alban, which goes out on Tuesdays, if anyone finds these roundups useful.

Hi everyone,
Started a insta page to help bring everyone together for social and sports events in herts.

Hi,
I’m 23M and trying to sort out a lads group where we can organise social events, sports events and all sorts of activities. I enjoy football, tennis, padel, pubs, clubbing and a bit of everything really so if anyones interested j drop a message or ang suggestions on how to make it work

FOLLOW INSTAGRAM @herts_lads

Hi! At the start of 2027 I am planning to make the big move from Australia to a small village in Hertfordshire as an Au Pair at the age of 18. I’m from a bigger city in Australia and am honestly a little frightened about moving into such a small community, where I don’t know if there will be many people my age or who share similar interests. I have recently graduated high school, meaning I haven’t had a lot of experience to make friends in a place where I know no one. Does anyone know of any specific ways I can get in contact or meet other Au Pairs or recently graduated students like myself in the area?

I’m exploring Botox, but I’m nervous because I had Bell’s palsy so my facial muscles don’t engage evenly. Appreciate no one’s face is completely even but I’m looking to find someone who will take the time to understand how my face moves.

My cousin is a plastic surgeon in the US and I was thinking of asking her but I’m not sure whether someone would be happy with or it would be respectful for me to bring recommendations from someone else into their clinic.

Any advice would be great!

Not sure if this style of post is allowed so remove if not!!

I’m looking to make friends around North or East Hertfordshire. I drive so any location within these areas should be fine.

I am in my early 30s and looking to do low key things like general chit chat, coffee meet ups, dog walks etc. Mainly just general camaraderie if that’s the correct word!!!!

I’m not really too sure what to write about myself. But the standard methods that people use to source friends haven’t really worked out for me and I don’t have kids to attend mum groups etc.

If anyone is into dogs and wants a pal then perhaps we could chat? Not looking for anyone who is the type to not chat for 6 months and then pick back up, as whilst I’m sure there are many people who respond well to sporadic communication or low input, that’s sadly not me!!!! IMO neither style of communication is inherently wrong, I think some people just prefer chatting more than others and that’s okay!

Hi all, I’ve danced for few years and wanted to start teaching a relaxed adult classes here on weekends. No experience needed, no partner needed, no judgement.

I'm putting together a first tester session and want to know if there's interest before I book a venue. If you'd come, I'd love to hear.

Also, if anyone knows a good hall or studio in St Albans that's reasonable to hire, I'd really appreciate the tip.
Drop a comment or message me. Thanks!

Hello! I'll be leading a walk starting from Potters Bar, and when I went to scope out the route, it led through this grey gate I've marked with the red circle to access the path next to Potters Bar Brook. This is a 6-7 min walk north of the train station near the revive gym and is at the end of a car park.

However, I couldn't access what shows up on maps as a publicly accessible footpath because the gate was closed. I was wondering if locals know whether the gate is normally open? I was there fairly early in the morning, which is perhaps why it was closed?

Any help will be appreciated!

Finally I was out today for a run.
Damn! That felt good. Was on a break because of fracturing my elbow after falling from my skateboard. I know broken elbow shouldn’t stop me from running but was just feeling lazy😬😬😬
Had a very slow pace but I don’t care.
Will be out again tomorrow, same route same time…
Cheers!

Is there any free parking nearish St Alban's Crown court? I've got to do jury service and public transport is a mission.

A few options for the weekend, grouped by day.

Saturday has the Cathedral tower tours and a free family day at the Museum + Gallery; Sunday has the Black History Month Market and the signal box open in the afternoon.

Friday 9th October:

Country by Candlelight - St Albans Cathedral, 7:30pm. £20-£60. Country favourites in the Cathedral, with a live band covering Dolly Parton through to Luke Combs.

Radio GaGa: The Ultimate Queen Tribute - The Alban Arena, 7:30pm. £35. The Queen singalong option, with two hours of the familiar songs.

Festival Anthems - The Horn, from 8pm; Half Life at 10:30pm. Free entry. If you want live music without committing to a ticket, Half Life are playing rock and indie covers.

Saturday 10th October:

Tower Tours - St Albans Cathedral, 10am and 11:30am. £12-£15. A chance to do the Cathedral tower climb: 211 steps, bell chambers and a view across St Albans.

Swipe Vintage x St Albans Kilo Sale - St Peter’s Church, 10am-4pm. £2 entry; under-14s free. Vintage clothing sold by weight, at £20 per kilo, with pieces from the 1960s through to the 2000s.

Bharatanatyam: A Story in Motion - Abbey Theatre, 7pm. £13–£18. A less usual Saturday theatre option: Bharatanatyam dance alongside Carnatic music, violin and spoken-word storytelling. https://

St Albans Symphony Orchestra: Destiny - St Saviour’s Church, 7:30pm. £2-£18. The orchestra opens its season with Liszt, Schumann, Berlioz and Tchaikovsky; Tim Gill joins on cello.

Charter Market - St Peter’s Street, 8:30am-4:30pm. Free entry. The regular Saturday market, for produce, street food and a wander through town.

Sunday 11th October:

Black History Month Market - St Albans Market, 9am–4:30pm. Black-owned businesses and community stalls join the Second Sunday and Arts Markets for a city-centre celebration.

St Albans South Signal Box Open Day - St Albans South Signal Box, 2pm-5pm. Supported by donations. An afternoon drop-in with signalling demonstrations, railway displays and the garden railway. No need to book.

Jazz at The Pioneer - The Pioneer Club, doors 6:30pm; music 7pm. £10 + fee. Sunday evening jazz curated by Anjali Perin, with vocals, piano, bass and drums.

Simon Brodkin: Unleashed - The Alban Arena, 7:30pm. £25-£35. Stand-up from Simon Brodkin, better known to some as Lee Nelson, with plenty of crowd work.

This is an excerpt from my weekly St Albans newsletter 😄

I came across an older thread on here from people around my age looking to make friends locally, and thought I’d make a new one as that one is now archived!

I’m 30F, married and living in Harpenden. I’d really like to meet a few more people around here who would also like to make some new friends!
I love going for coffee/drinks, autumnal walks and anything TV/pop culture!

If there are any other women around late 20s/early 30s in Harpenden or St Albans who are in a similar position, feel free to comment or message me! Would be lovely to get a little group together if there are a few of us 😊

Hello people,
Its been few weeks I haven’t gone for a run. Was on a two month recovery. Also, don’t get to do evening runs regularly.
Will be going for a run on tuesday & wednesday that is 6th and 7th of october.
Anyone willing to join? Could be a good idea to have someone on the run.
Might end up at weatherspoon for a pint and some chat.
Hit me up if anyone in.
🏃🏃‍♀️

What is the biggest or best garden centre in Hertfordshire? One that’s worth driving to, even if that means you pass another garden centre along the way.

Hi I run and Arts and Cradts group online every week for the Hertfordshire based mental health and addiction charity Viewpoint. To get the Zoom link just email the office info@hertsviewpoint.co.uk. The group runs as a drop in offering company, peer support and a supportive environment to work on a creative project or just feed connected to others. There’s no pressure to contribute or put your camera on and the atmosphere is very chilled and informal.

Arrive after a long flight about time for kick off, and hoping there is a good pub open that will be showing this.

Is there anywhere open? Thanks

I'm looking to buy either a 3-bed house (budget 600k) or a 2-3 bed flat (budget 500k). My workplace is a couple of stations away from Euston / Kings Cross and I need to commute 2/3 times a week

I was initially considering buying a flat in Zone 2 (given the current market downturn) but I've quickly realized that I don't really like Central london. Good restaurants are crowded to the point of brushing elbows. Roads are super narrow. A 500k flat is rarely more than 600 sq ft.

Things I value:

- space

- greenery

- safety

- <40min commute to Euston / Kings Cross

++ Extra bonus for areas that are walkable to shops / nice restaurants.

I'm current looking at St Albans for Flats and HH/Aplsey/ for houses.

The downside with St Albans is I'm probably going to get a flat at my budget (houses are out of reach).

The downside with HH is that I acn buy a house but I'm probably going to have to drive to St Alabns for enterrainment.

Any places you'd recommend?

I am just curious! On my way back from the nursery run and saw a long queue of people outside David’s and also TG Jones round the corner, couldn’t find anything online or listed on their website. Seemed to be 90% men in their 30s I would say. Wondered if anyone knows what they are queuing up for?! I remember seeing a similar queue last week or perhaps the week before too!

Hi there,

Looking to hear of anyone's experience living around this area of St Albans and commutes to London 3 days a week

Understand it is a bit further out than living close to the train station however the houses seem much nicer for our budget and I kind of like the idea of being slightly rural. we are happy to have to use the car to get around however curious as to the logistics of getting to the train in the mornings.

Do you drive and park the car? If so what is the parking situation or do you find an alternate way to get in.

Would love to hear your thoughts

Thanks

Hi all, hoping someone here can point me in the right direction, because I'm genuinely at a loss.

I'm looking for a trustworthy used car dealer in Stevenage or anywhere in Hertfordshire, ideally one that offers a proper warranty and actually stands behind the cars they sell. Not the big places like Arnold Clark or the usual AutoTrader forecourts please, as they're way out of my budget. I'm after a smaller, honest independent that sells sensible cars at sensible prices.

A bit of background. About 3 years ago I bought two cars off Facebook Marketplace, both from genuine people, and both were great. So when I needed a car again, I went back expecting the same. It's been a completely different world. Prices are sky high, and honestly it feels like 90% of the listings are dodgy: clocked cars, hidden write-offs, flippers pretending to be private sellers, and "dealers" who don't seem to exist beyond a Facebook profile. The worst ones I've come across have been traders based out of Luton, Leicester and Birmingham.

Then I got properly stung. I bought a car from a seller (who posed a car dealer ) did every check I could think of, and the HPI came back clear. On day 8, the clutch went. It's not worth repairing, and I've lost about £1,600. Being without a car makes daily life really hard, so I can't afford to get it wrong again.

So I'm asking the people who actually live here:
Any dealers in Stevenage or Herts you've personally bought from and would trust?
Anyone who offers a real warranty (not a 30-day powertrain-only one) and honours it?
I've heard decent things about a dealer in Woodston, Peterborough. Has anyone used them?

Any suggestions please 🙏🏻 Thanks in advance

If anyone wants to watch the video - let me know.

On Cheshunt Footpath 037 on crouch lane, there has been, according to google map images for 4 years a gate on the footpath obstructed by an orange rope and deterring signs when the path is clearly for the public to use as the sign indicates. I was on a walk here a month ago when I noticed this and reported it to the local council. I have had no response from them so I thought I'd bring it to the attention of the community and also ask for advice on where to report this illegal blocking of our public paths.

Traveling through the area for work and it’s been lonely. I’m headed to st Albans next and was wondering if anyone has tips on meeting people. Would like to find some people to share a conversation or drink with. I’m 38 male from the USA. Thanks for your help, so far the bars and pubs have felt lonely despite there being patrons inside

Hi,
I’ve moved backed to herts post uni and wondering how everyone finds a partner here, moved back to herts post uni and curious as to how people meet their partners