Colours Wargames Show, Newbury

Colours is a wargames show held in Newbury each September. Its focus is mainly historical, so expect the hobby's long tradition of ranked-up armies, carefully researched uniforms and big tables of terrain to be front and centre. If you've ever wondered why people spend an evening on the cuffs of a single regiment, this is the sort of show that explains it.

Who runs it

Colours is organised by the Newbury & Reading Wargames Society, a local club, and the show lives on the club's own website at nrwc.org.uk. The site keeps a page for each year's show, along with pages for the traders, the demonstration and participation games and the bring and buy. It also still lists a page for Colours 2016 next to the 2026 show, so this isn't a newcomer to the calendar.

Because it's run by a club, the show also works as a shop window for local wargaming. If you live around Newbury or Reading and fancy regular games, it's a friendly way to see what the society plays before you get in touch.

Colours 2027: Usually early September. The organiser hasn't published the next date yet, and we'll add it here when they confirm. For reference, the last show was on Saturday 5 September 2026, which fits the usual early September slot.

Where to check the date

The organiser's website is the only place we'd trust for the date. The club gives each show its own page, named after the year (the last one was titled "Colours 2026"), so look on nrwc.org.uk for a page called Colours 2027.

One practical note: the club's site builds its pages with JavaScript, so open it in an ordinary web browser with scripts turned on. Reader modes, text-only browsers and some link previews show nothing but the page title, which can make it look as if the details are missing when they're not.

Opening times

We couldn't read the opening times from the organiser's site, so we won't guess them. Check the Colours page for the year before you set off, especially if you're travelling a long way or want to be there when the doors open.

We'd rather tell you plainly what we don't know than fill the gaps. When we checked the organiser's website in October 2026, we couldn't confirm any of the following, so each one is a job for the organiser's page.

The organiser's website has separate pages for the Colours traders, for demonstration and participation games, and for the bring and buy. That tells you the shape of the day, even before the programme is out. We couldn't read the contents of those pages, so here's what each part usually means at a club-run historical show, and where to look for this year's details.

Putting on a game

If you're part of a club and would like to run a game at Colours, the organiser's site has a demo game request form. Shows like this fill their tables well ahead, so ask early in the year rather than in August.

Trading at Colours

Traders apply through the organiser's trade stand request form. That's also a handy hint for visitors: the trader list tends to grow as the show gets closer, so check it again in the last week or two.

Competitions

We didn't find a page for painting or gaming competitions on the organiser's site. If you're hoping to enter one, ask the club rather than turning up with a mini in your bag.

Colours is mainly historical. If you game or paint any historical period, it's the kind of show where you'll meet people who know your period inside out and are happy to talk about it, from flag colours to the right shade of a horse.

If you mostly paint fantasy or sci-fi, a historical show is still a lovely day out. Painting techniques travel well between genres, and many people find a new period to fall for once they've seen it on a table.

Is it good for beginners?

Yes, in the way club shows usually are. Participation games let you try a set of rules without owning an army, and the demonstration tables are a free lesson in what a finished force looks like. Go with a few questions in mind, such as which period or which rules a club would recommend for a first army.

Can children go?

We couldn't read the organiser's policy on children or child tickets, so check before you go. In general, wargames shows are happy to see young visitors with an adult, and a participation game is the best way in for a curious ten-year-old.

If a show gets you thinking about playing more often, our guide to finding or starting a local club is a good next read.

Details checked against the organiser's website in October 2026. Always check the official site before you travel.

Planning more of your hobby year? Our miniature events around the world page lists shows by region and month, and the UK hobby calendar covers shows and deadlines closer to home. If historical shows are your thing, these are worth a look too: