When summer arrives in Birmingham so to do a whole array of fantastic festivals for everyone to enjoy.
An eclectic range of unique, surprising and downright fun collection of activity awaits; covering everything from live music, food & drink, arts, cinema and erm…wool?
You’ll be hard pressed to miss many of them, as the fun spills out into the public spaces and some unlikely pop-ups around the city – lots of the activity is FREE to enjoy!
So, let’s go….
Birmingham Cocktail Weekend
11-14 July | Ticketed (or wristbanded!)
Summer is thirsty work, so thank goodness for this long weekend dedicated to Birmingham’s best cocktails!
The premise is simple, buy a £10 wristband here, strap up and head out to the numerous awesome venues who are mixing up signature £4 cocktails. Established favourites and new openings are on the extensive list of participating bars, pubs and restaurants, so you are never far away from your next mouth-watering concoction. We recommend you embark on a crawl, so you get a true flavour of what’s on offer in Birmingham. And to get the most of the four days on your wristband, why not book an overnight stay? This way you 're back in the cocktaily based action from the off! Well approx 11am!
Mostly, Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival
12 – 14 July | Ticketed
Each year Moseley Park unlocks its gates to become the backdrop for this weekend of incredible live music. The festival attracts international acts from around the world and for this (and many other reasons) it's usually a sell-out – so get your ticket stat*
Previous acts have included Chaka Khan, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Soul II Soul and Fun Lovin’ Criminals!
Bigger with each incarnation, a new addition – the ‘Off-piste Area’ houses dance sessions, artist Q&A’s, music workshops and more.
*If you miss out on getting a ticket, I always like to head to Moseley anyway to soak up the atmosphere the festival brings to the leafy suburb. Here’s some places you can go.
Brindleyplace Film Festival
15-21 July | 6pm weekdays | 1pm & 4pm weekends | FREE
A mash up a celluloid and sunshine as Brindleyplace erects a big screen in Central Square and presses Play on some of cinema's classics – old and new.
There are a limited number of deckchairs available, so we recommend you get there early, or bring something soft to sit on if you don’t want piles with your popcorn! – Oh yes, they sell popcorn!
After your film a £2.50 evening return from West Midlands Railway will make this trip to the cinema a bargain night out.
Birmingham, Sandwell and Westside Jazz Festival
19-28 July | FREE & ticketed
England’s largest celebration of Jaaaaaaaaaaaaz - is right here in Birmingham!
Running since good ol’ 1985, this is a free party you don’t want to miss – you’ll probably find it quite hard to miss – let me explain… More than 150 crazy cats/ bands perform in Birmingham’s streets and squares, shopping centres, restaurants, bars, hotels, art galleries, markets, libraries, parks, railway stations, canal boats and even buses and trains. You could abridge that last sentence by saying EVERYWHERE! Booo de de bop bop da boooo – yeeeeah!
Ola Sandwell & Birmingham Mela
21 & 21 July | 12-7pm | Ticketed (minimal charge)
This celebration of Asian music is the largest in Europe!
Attracting international stars there’s music, dance, food and traditional arts and crafts which brings the sights, sounds and spice of South Asia to Victoria Park in Smethwick.
There are eight Zones for everyone to enjoy – including a bazaar!
Simmer Down Festival
21 July | 12:30-20:30pm | FREE
Get down to Simmer Down this summer – it’s one of the most diverse festivals on Birmingham’s calendar.
Handsworth Park is your setting for this FREE family festival that showcases the breadth of Birmingham’s cultural scene – with a healthy dose of Reggae!
There are several stages and family activities that include workshops, face-painting, arts and craft stalls, plus a fantastic selection of cuisine from the city’s eclectic range of international flavours.
Festival of Audacity
18-21 July | FREE
Bringing art to the people, this festival is a stage for the audacious activist art!
Eschewing exclusive venues, the public can experience a FREE programme of activities in everyday spaces such as New Street Station, National Express buses and Rotunda Square in the Bullring.
The festival includes theatre, spoken word, installation art, dance, VR, film, music and interactive workshops.
Birmingham Beer Week
19-28 July | Mostly FREE
Birmingham is now home to 15 independently operated breweries and in recent years we've seen our independent scene grow substantially.
This festival celebrates the scene with a whole host of events including tastings, pairings, takeovers and debates which bring beer, music and food into one magnificent whole and a truly tasty event.
Get on a West Midland's Railway train on the way back - it won't be much of a beer festival if you can only have one larger dash!
We hop you have fun - sorry...keep going....
Yarningham
13 & 14 July | Ticketed
Wool isn’t something that immediately springs to mind when you think of summer, but if you like knitting, you’ll be yarning for this one!
Grab your wool and patterns and head to Moseley to meet with dyers and independent producers from across the UK.
That sounds wool-ly good!
Summer in Southside
13 & 14 July | FREE
Each year the marvellous Birmingham Hippodrome host a free festival, that transforms the streets around the theatre into a giant interactive playground for kids of all ages.
A whole weekend of performers, workshops, games, food and a picnic area make this a treat for the kids, and kicks off the summer hols in style.
Tilt Festival
15-21 July | Ticketed
Get high in life at this aerial and physical theatre festival. Seven days of masterclasses and performances from some of the world’s best performance and circus artists await.
Whether you’re a beginner or a professional performer, there’s a comprehensive programme to cater for your abilities.
Solihull Summer Fest
27 & 28 July | 12-10:30pm | Ticketed
This annual 2-day festival in Solihull’s leafy Tudor Grange Park brings together some big names from an eclectic mix of genres. Alongside the music there’s street food, bars and an exclusive VIP area.
Tolkien 2019
7 - 10 August | Ticketed
Tolkien fans, this is the The largest celebration of Tolkien ever held by the Society! Come along and celebrate 50 years alongside hundreds of other fans, scholars and artists from all over the world.
Jerk Festival
10 August | Ticketed
In celebration of Jamaican Independence Day, Taste and Liquor present Birmingham's first ever Caribbean Smoke and Fire Festival!
There will be a selection of mouth-watering BBQ Jerk meats, from chicken, ribs and lamb to everything else in between. Plus, rum cocktails, more sensational Caribbean dishes and the sounds of the best tunes from The Shabba Soundsystem.
The day will attract a mix of foodies, music lovers, dance fanatics and cultural enthusiasts, so come along and enjoy a taste of Jamaica. Get your tickets here.
Moseley Craft Beer Festival
23 - 25 August | Ticketed
For the third year running, Moseley craft beer festival returns so it must be doing something right! Local draught, worldwide craft beer, street food stands, retro gaming, foosball, beer infused cocktails (in case there aren’t enough beer options already), competitions, DJs… do you need any further persuading, we think not. See ya there.
Insomnia 65
23 - 26 August | Ticketed
Bigger and better than ever, gaming fans are invited to come to NEC to see your favourite YouTubers from across the globe, play some of the latest games, experience virtual reality, relive the past in the retro gaming zone, and try a new level of gaming in the table top zone! Best of all it’s all under one roof.
10 years of Glas
25 August | Ticketed
10 years ago a brand new concept for a Sunday daytime party began beneath the railway arches in Digbeth with parties held at Rainbow Warehouse & Beach kick starting a new era of clubbing in Birmingham and beyond. Fast forward 10 years and Glas are responsible for some of the craziest parties in the UK and Ibiza.
On Sunday 25 August get ready for the BIGGEST party in Glas history celebrating 10 years of unforgettable memories, madness & mayhem! Past meets future and there will be a never seen before stage/venue!
The Gin to my Tonic Festival
31 August | Ticketed
Imagine a festival that has chosen over 100 different gins based on exceptional craftsmanship, divine flavours, each taking you on a smooth journey of gin discovery…well imagine no further. In the creative and digital hub of Birmingham, Custard Factory, come along to enjoy gin sampling, live entertainment, food stalls, access to over 100 amazing gins, stainless steel straws! (Hooray no soggy paper) and fabulous party vibes.
Moseley Folk and Arts Festival
30 August - 1 September | Ticketed
Returning for the 14th year, expect three days of family-fun, activities, undeniable talent and sizzling summer vibes.
Showcasing unsigned acts right next to well established international artists makes for a really exciting festival!
And lucky for you we’ve got six top restaurants and a pub crawl in some of the best locations in Moseley village if you want even more fun from your visit.
Summer at Bullring
Until 1 September | FREE
Bullring & Grand Central certainly know how to spoil us this summer!
Not content with selling us shorts, dresses and sun cream, they go the extra mile and build us a Heavens-to-Betsy beach!
This summer visitor’s will be able to enjoy a host of special performances and installations including: Big screenings of Wimbledon, performances from the Festival of Audacity programme, a Summer Food Festival with offers and discounts from the centre’s many restaurants and cafés, CircusMASH performances and a mojito beach bar!
Arrive pretty much in the centre of the summery action at New Street Station via West Midlands Railway.
Leave the car at home this summer, hop on a West Midlands Railway train and keep Birmingham greener. With special discounts you’ll save money on parking, plus the festivities can go on for longer and an extra beer or cheeky mojito is not out of the question - you won’t need to concern yourself with driving home! Book your tickets here.
Related
Birmingham Cocktail Weekend is a long weekend of sampling the best of Birmingham’s cocktail scene!
Set in the idyllic Moseley Park, just two miles outside of Birmingham city centre, the independent festival has built a reputation for presenting iconic and up-and-coming artists in an intimate outdoor setting.
TILT is a 2 week festival of aerial circus and physical theatre for adults and young people featuring masterclasses, seminars, networking, and performances...
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