Colchester is comfortable from late spring through early autumn — Castle Park is at its best in May and June, and the open-air events in the park run from June to August. The Roman Circus centre is fully staffed in summer; in winter it opens only sporadically and the ruined priory looks dour in the rain.
The town's biggest event is the Oyster Feast in late October, when the Mayor and 200-odd guests open the season for the native Colchester oyster — a tradition with documented origins in the fifteenth century. Public oyster-themed events run alongside the feast.