About The City Brief Harlow

Your Personal Newsletter For All Local Events in Harlow

In Harlow, keeping up with local events is part of everyday life across its distinct neighbourhoods. The City Brief covers updates from Barrows Farm to Old Harlow, Newhall and Church Langley, including listings that reflect civic engagement in areas like Templefields, Parndon Mill Park and Harlow Town. Weekly highlights include the monthly community market on the second Sunday, featuring local produce, handmade crafts and street food, along with seasonal events such as Light up a life at St Clare Hospice, an annual gathering marked by spoken word performances, choirs and reflection just before Christmas.

Harlow’s development began as Old Harlow, a settlement with Neolithic roots, before being designated a new town under the 1947 New Towns Act. The modernist plan by architect Frederick Gibberd shaped Harlow into self-contained communities linked by green wedges, centred around civic hubs like The High, Harlow Quarter and Templefields. Landmarks such as Sir Frederick Gibberd College remain part of town memory despite its closure in August 2023 due to structural issues traced to poor workmanship.

Civic life continues through venues including Victoria Hall, host to the annual winter pantomime, and Jaywick Martello Tower, where open mic nights and community discussions take place. The Harlow Arena hosts live music performances across genres, while events like In My Steps: Radical Walks in Essex bring public engagement with history and politics. At locations such as Gibberd Garden or St Mary’s Church, cultural activity persists without needing detailed routing.

The City Brief delivers a steady presence by curating what is on, no speculation, just verified details about walks at The Water Gardens or art displays near Harlow Museum. It supports residents across areas from Mark Hall to Netteswell and connects people through accessible information that reflects Harlow’s layered identity: a town shaped both by post-war planning and ongoing community effort.

What we Cover

Each week The City Brief highlights events happening across Harlow – live music, theatre, food, family activities, markets and more.

Have a look at what's happening this week and this coming weekend.