Birmingham Festivals Guide 2019

1 Why is such Perhaps some of that helps to fertile ground for festivals? explain the depth and variety It’s a big, sprawling place, full contained in this handy booklet. of unusual buildings, railway Whether you’re seeking viaducts, leafy parks and cocktails, warehouse parties, distinctive neighbourhoods. outdoor film, brain food, It’s culturally mixed, with performance art or just great people from all over the world music in the sunshine, there building their lives here. And will be at least one event here it’s a city with a history of to catch your eye - and the list making its own entertainment is growing all the time. - if we spot a gap, more than For more events go to likely we will organise a birminghamfestivals.com. festival to fill it. Produced by Flatpack Projects on behalf of Birmingham Festivals Registered charity number: 1162754 Supported by West Midlands Growth Company as part of the Cultural Destinations initiative

2 BookFest 2019 Venues14–24 across March Birmingham Still Walking Festival bit.ly/BournvilleBookFest2019 Friendly, affordable, 100 event September 2018 – storytelling family festival AcrossSeptember Birmingham 2019 for children, with world-class bit.ly/StillWalking2019 authors to meet, interactive Birmingham’s annual workshops to take part in and programme of exploratory new books to discover. guided tours and walking events, which since 2012 has been Birmingham Wine Weekend encouraging visitors and local residents to experience the city’s culture more closely.

March St Patrick’s Festival Digbeth9–17 March High Street bit.ly/StPatricks2019 Birmingham The largest St Patrick’s Wine Weekend celebration in the UK, including Venues22–24 across March Birmingham a parade through the city centre bit.ly/BWW2019 and a festival of music, dance Showcasing hand-picked and performance which takes venues across Birmingham, the over venues across Digbeth. festival will see beginners and connoisseurs alike come together to enjoy the city’s favourite wines.

Still Walking Festival

4 5 CineQ Queer Birmingham Gin Vaisakhi Film Festival and Rum Festival Handsworth28 April Park bit.ly/Vaisakhi2019 Venues22–24 across March Birmingham Edgbaston19–20 AprilCricket Ground bit.ly/CineQQFF2019 bit.ly/GinRumFest2019 This open-air celebration is a Launching for the first time in The festival brings to not-for-profit community event, 2019 after a series of popular one- Birmingham not only unique allowing citizens of the second spirits from around the globe city to celebrate their heritage off events, CineQ focusses on new Asian Woman Festival stories and QTIPOC perspectives, but a great selection of some together. showcasing some of the best of the best entertainment and LGBTQ film past and present. Asian Woman Festival food from around the UK. The30 New March Bingley Hall Salaam Pakistan bit.ly/AsianWomanFest2019 Insomnia Gaming Film Festival Combining culture, conversation Festival and art the Asian Woman 24–30 Mar 19–22 April MAC Festival is the UK’s first of its NEC, Birmingham bit.ly/SalaamPakistanFF2019 kind, smashing stereotypes and bit.ly/InsomniaGamingFest2019 Celebrating the best of Pakistan’s stigma to empower and celebrate A chance to see your favourite Flatpack Festival new independent film making, Asian women. YouTubers, play the latest games, providing audiences with experience virtual reality and so a rare chance to see award- much more all under one roof. Flatpack Festival winning films, Oscar winning Venues30 April across – Digbeth 5 May & Birmingham documentaries and special Q&A’s. bit.ly/FlatpackFestival2019 April Eclectic feast of moving image creativity, with everything from Thinking/Not live soundtracks to cat bento Thinking Festival taking over archways, bars, warehouses and cinemas across Centrala12–14 April the city. bit.ly/TNTFest2019 Festival of contrasts, curveballs and juxtapositions in Birmingham. Thinking/Not Thinking Festival

6 7 Swingamajig B-Side Hip Hop May Festival Birmingham3–12 May Hippodrome bit.ly/BSide2019 Expect explosive dance battles and live graffiti art, music and DJ performances on an outdoor stage as well as talks and workshops with high-profile BEAST FEaST guests from the international hip hop scene. BEAST FEaST University2–4 May of Birmingham bit.ly/BEASTFEaST2019 A festival of electronic and electroacoustic music, exploring the idea of the modern and the futuristic. Join us for three days of music, meeting and ideas. B-Side Hip Hop Festival

Swingamajig Viva Magical Birmingham5 May Botanical Gardens Vegan Festival bit.ly/Swingamajig2019 The18 MayNew Bingley Hall All about the sights and sounds bit.ly/VivaMVF2019 of the 1920s with a modern Come along and indulge in the twist, this heady blend of music, most delicious food and vegan dance and cabaret is moving to delicacies and shop for ethical Botanical Gardens for clothing, cruelty-free cosmetics the first time. and much more.

8 9 Birmingham Design Festival Independent Rum & Reggae Birmingham Festival Festival June The18–19 Bond May The18 MayMill, Digbeth Arts & Science bit.ly/IndependentBham2019 bit.ly/RumReggaeFest2019 Festival A jam-packed line-up of pop-up The festival will showcase a restaurants, cocktail bars, street selection of rums from across UniversityJune 2019 of Birmingham – May 2020 food, craft beer, artists, designers the globe, as well as live music, bit.ly/ArtsandScienceFest2019 and makers, along with a full carnival dancers, steel drum bands, A celebration of research, culture programme of live music and and traditional Jamaican food. and collaboration across campus entertainment. and beyond. Birmingham The Migrant Festival Arts and Science Festival Design Festival Digbeth6–8 June Birmingham Pride IKON30 MayGallery – 2 June bit.ly/DesignFestBrum2019 Birmingham25–26 May Gay Village bit.ly/MigrantFest2019 bit.ly/BhamPride2019 Four-day event celebrating our Second edition of an event Birmingham Pride is now the diverse roots, welcoming new highlighting the international UK’s biggest two-day LGBTQ+ arrivals to the city by fusing design industry, featuring talks, festival, held annually in the themes of migration with workshops, exhibitions and Gay Village. Expect music acts, visual arts, music, film and screenings in venues across the a dance arena with DJs, funfair, performance. city centre. cabaret and stalls. The Green Birmingham A Matter of Life and Death Festival Heart Festival A Matter of Life Coffee Festival UniversityJune 2019 of Birmingham – May 2020 Custard7–9 June Factory and Death Festival bit.ly/GreenHeartFest2019 10–19 May bit.ly/BhamCoffeeFest2019 Venues across Birmingham To mark the formal opening of Featuring the top 40 bit.ly/BrumYODO2019 the university’s new parkland, independent coffee shops and A unique event tackling the this year-long festival will kick coffee culture experiences taboos around death and dying, off with a celebratory weekend from the local area and beyond. encouraging open and honest of free activities, incorporating a Sample specialty coffee and food conversations through a city-wide prom, performances, interactive from all around the world. programme of creative events. demonstrations and more.

10 11 Birmingham Coffee Festival Junction Festival Foodies Festival Digbeth7–9 June Cannon21–23 Hill June Park bit.ly/Junction2019 bit.ly/FoodiesFest2019 New festival exploring the unique Family food festival featuring spaces found around the Digbeth a number of guest chefs, Cake through a mix of street art and & Bake theatre, kid zone, street graffiti activities, art walks, film, food, artisan produce and live workshops and a pop-up gallery. music.

Brindleyplace Family Festival Brindleyplace15 June bit.ly/BrindleyplaceFamilyFest19 Back for the second year running, the event is in support of Cure Leukaemia and will Foodies Festival include a jam-packed schedule full of family fun as well as the renowned Dragonboat Race. Birmingham Indian Film Festival Independent Venues21 June across – Birmingham 1 July bit.ly/BIFF2019 Birmingham Festival A thought-provoking line-up of at Hall independent films offering a rare Aston20 – Hall 21 July insight into South Asian lives in bit.ly/IndependentBham2019 the sub-continent right now. Independent Birmingham take over the grounds of Aston Hall with their customary mix of cocktails, street food, indie retail and live music.

12 13 CoCoMAD Open Studios July Cotteridge6 July Park 29–30 June; BE FESTIVAL bit.ly/CoCoMAD2019 23–24 November The small but perfectly formed Jewellery Quarter 2–6 July bit.ly/JQOpenStudios2019 Birmingham REP festival in Park. Free, bit.ly/BEFestival2019 Twice a year, JQ Open Studios family-orientated music, art, A week-long feast of culture, dance and science fun. invites you to see beyond the BE FESTIVAL window displays by opening bringing the best of European studios and workshops to the performance to Birmingham. A CoCoMAD public. twenty-show spread of new work from the continent, in a head- Beer Central Festival spinning takeover of The REP. Digbeth5–6 July Celebrating bit.ly/BeerCentralFest2019 The Midlands’ brand new Sanctuary celebration of beer, food, and music Venues23 June across Birmingham bit.ly/CelSancFest2019 A world music festival that Colmore Food focuses on the music of refugee- Festival producing countries and the 5–6 July Birmingham work of refugee musicians. Victoria Square Jewellery Quarter Festival bit.ly/ColmoreFFest2019 Cocktail Weekend An annual free event showcasing Venues11–14 acrossJuly Birmingham bit.ly/BCW2019 Jewellery Quarter food and drink in Birmingham’s Music for Youth business quarter, Colmore Business An annual festival exploring Festival National Festival District. All dishes are under £4. new venues and sampling the 29–30 June best of Birmingham’s cocktails. Jewellery Quarter 3–6 July bit.ly/JQFestival2019 Venues across Birmingham Discover all that is great about bit.ly/MfYFestival2019 The Jewellery Quarter Festival Festival the city’s cocktail scene. celebrates the best of the Quarter A four day feast of live music, 5–7 July featuring performances from the Moseley both past and present. Discover bit.ly/MoseleyFest2019 the JQ and enjoy free entrainment finest jazz, brass, classical, folk, An annual community festival of for all including our brand new choral and contemporary young arts, culture and music taking place Sunday heritage programming. musicians. in the lively suburb of Moseley.

14 15 Summer In Southside Summer in Southside Southside13–14 July bit.ly/SummerinSouth2019 Birmingham Hippodrome’s free family festival blasts off into outer space in 2019, with the streets around the Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival theatre transformed into a lunar landscape packed with performances and extra- Mostly Jazz Funk terrestrial endeavours. & Soul Festival Moseley12–14 ParkJuly bit.ly/MostlyJazz2019 Yarningham A three day celebration of jazz, Uffculme13–14 July Centre, Moseley funk & soul in one of the most bit.ly/Yarningham2019 beautiful parks in the UK. The fourth edition of Birmingham’s fibre festival for knitters, stitchers and crafters, Birmingham Fest featuring an eclectic marketplace alongside workshops and talks. Birmingham12–28 July City Centre & the Jewellery Quarter bit.ly/BhamFest2019 Two-week fringe theatre event Brindleyplace featuring artists and companies Film Festival from across the UK. Brindleyplace15–21 July bit.ly/BrindleyplaceFF2019 Now in its 8th year, this popular and completely free outdoor festival will showcase a wide selection of fantastic movies on a big screen in Central Square.

16 17 Sandwell and Birmingham Mela Tilt Festival Birmingham, Digbeth15–21 July Sandwell & Westside bit.ly/TiltFestival2019 Jazz Festival A week-long programme of Venues19–28 across July Birmingham, aerial circus masterclasses, Solihull & Sandwell performances and workshops bit.ly/BirmJazzFest2019 from renowned international Europe’s largest and longest artists. running free jazz party, taking place in over 100 venues across the West Midlands. Festival of Audacity Venues18–20 across July Birmingham bit.ly/FestofAudacity2019 Sandwell & A multidisciplinary festival Birmingham Mela of activist art moving beyond Victoria20–21 Park July traditional arts venues and bit.ly/SBMela2019 making Birmingham its stage. Music, dance, food and traditional arts and crafts bring the sights, sounds and spicy Supersonic Festival aromas of South Asia to Victoria Digbeth19–21 July Park, Smethwick. bit.ly/SupersonicFest2019 Named as the UK’s premier experimental music festival, Supersonic brings together live performances by some of the world’s most extraordinary artists alongside visual art and audience participation.

Supersonic Festival

18 19 High Vis Festival Simmer Down MADE Festival Festival Perry27th Park July August Handsworth21 July Park bit.ly/MadeFest2019 Moseley Folk & bit.ly/SimmerDown2019 Birmingham’s biggest music Arts Festival A free family festival which festival showcases the best in celebrates our cultural diversity electronic music, street art and Moseley30 August Park – 1 September by paying tribute to the centrality the creative industries. Followed bit.ly/MoseleyFolk2019 of reggae and other musical by clubbing all-dayer Legends in Showcasing unsigned acts genres that have contributed to the Park on 28 July. right next to well-established Birmingham as an international international artists in the city of culture. MADE Festival beautiful setting of Moseley High Vis Festival Park, this weekend event has Digbeth7 September become a popular annual fixture bit.ly/HighVisFest2019 Birchfield in the UK folk calendar. A day-long Digbeth celebration Jazz Festival of all things street culture, from street art to street food, graffiti to 26–27 July Holy Trinity Church, Birchfield graphic novels, skateboarding to bit.ly/BirchfieldJazz2019 breakdancing. A celebratory weekend of free September live music based at St Mary’s In:Site Festival Church in Handsworth, north Birmingham5–7 September Cathedral Square Birmingham. Solihull Summer bit.ly/InSiteFest2019 Street Festival Festival Taking place annually in 8 September 27–28 July York Road, Kings Heath Tudor Grange Park, Solihull Birmingham Cathedral Square, bit.ly/KingsHeathFest2019 bit.ly/SoliSummerFest2019 In:Site presents contemporary Annual street festival in south A two-day event offering craft for all to encounter and Birmingham, featuring a music the people of Solihull the experience. stage, street food and children’s opportunity to experience the entertainment. fun and excitement of a festival within their own town.

20 21 Fierce Festival Birmingham Birmingham Heritage Week Comedy Festival Venues12–22 across September Birmingham Venues4–13 acrossOctober Birmingham bit.ly/BHeritageWeek2019 bit.ly/BhamComFest2019 Discover Birmingham’s vibrant Award-winning city-wide arts history and culture through festival featuring both big name inspiring events such as walks, acts and the fast-rising stars talks, open days and visits to of tomorrow. With stand-up, hidden gems across the city. theatre, improv and much more.

Birmingham Music Festival Ruddock12–13 OctoberPerforming Arts Centre, Edgbaston bit.ly/BhamMusicFest2019 An annual competitive festival of Birmingham Literature Festival public performances and recitals by amateur musicians from across the UK. October Fierce Festival Birmingham Venues15–20 across October Birmingham Literature Festival bit.ly/FierceFest2019 Venues3–13 Octoberacross Birmingham Fierce shines a spotlight on some bit.ly/BhamLitFest2019 of the most unusual, thought- The annual celebration of books, provoking and downright writers, ideas and conversations. outrageous performance from across the globe.

22 23 Birmingham African Weekender BASS Festival Birmingham Birmingham Venues16–21 across October Birmingham International Improv Festival bit.ly/BASSFest2019 Piano Festival VenueOctober TBC 2019 Showcasing the best Black music University25 October of Birmingham - 8 Nov bit.ly/BhamImprovFest2019 and arts through unforgettable bit.ly/BIPFest2019 A whole week of live live events, gigs, exhibitions, Two-week event which performance including commissions & masterclasses. welcomes some of the world’s improvised plays, musicals, finest pianists and keyboard sketches, cabaret, workshops players to Birmingham. and more. Birmingham Birmingham Photography Festival African Weekender 19–20 October Birmingham Venues across Birmingham VenueNovember TBC 2019 bit.ly/BhamPhotoFest2019 Fashion Festival bit.ly/AfricanWeekender2019 An annual festival that aims to VenueNovember TBC 2019 African Weekender is a educate and inspire all members bit.ly/BhamFashionFest2019 three-day festival dedicated of the wider photography A community-focused festival to celebrating African dance, community from beginners to featuring runway shows by local, music, storytelling, visual art professionals. Birmingham Improv Festival national and overseas designers, and performances from some of stores and boutiques, along with the finest local and international trunk shows and great parties. artists. November Screening Rights Film Festival VenuesNovember across Birmingham 2019 and Coventry bit.ly/ScreeningRights2019 A space to inspire and develop debates on the relationship between film, vulnerability, human adversity, and social action.

24 25 SHOUT Festival Behind the Curtain Birmingham Film Festival Trad Fest VenuesNovember across Birmingham 2019 Digbeth21–24 November bit.ly/BtCFF2019 bit.ly/BhamTradFest2019 A unique film festival which The UK’s newest traditional Irish brings high quality films and music festival. A weekend full of new media from Central and top class concerts, instrument Eastern Europe to venues across workshops and trad sessions. Birmingham.

SHOUT December Festival of Queer Arts and Culture Magic Lantern Festival Venues5–17 acrossNovember Birmingham bit.ly/ShoutFest2019 BirminghamDecember Botanical 2019 Gardens bit.ly/MagicLanternFest2019 Celebrating 10 years in the city, SHOUT is an annual celebration A stunning outdoor Xmas of LGBTQIA+ arts and culture. themed event, a festival of light Bringing the best queer theatre, and illumination in Birmingham performance, film, and visual Botanical Gardens. arts to Birmingham, whilst platforming the voices of Midlands artists and unearthing Magic Lantern Festival local LGBTQIA+ heritage.

26 27 Birmingham Swing Festival Verve Poetry & Great British Beer 2020 Spoken Word Festival Festival Winter Chinese New Year Old20–23 Rep Theatre February New4-8 Bingley February Hall Festival bit.ly/VervePoetryFest2019 bit.ly/GBBFW2020 A four day festival of poetry and The winter edition of this Venues23–26 across January Birmingham spoken word, with readings, annual beer jamboree lands in Expect performances across performances and workshop. Birmingham next year, boasting the city from University of over 400 beers, ciders and Birmingham to Colmore Row, perries along with tastings, Bullring Grand Central to Birmingham talks, food stalls and musical Birmingham Hippodrome and Swing Festival entertainment. Southside as we celebrate the February 2020 Year of the Rat. Venue TBC bit.ly/BirminghamSwingFest2019 Birmingham A weekend of Swing dance International Ideas of Noise workshops for all levels, with late-night parties, live bands and Verve Poetry and Spoken Word Festival Dance Festival DigbethJanuary/February 2020 competitions. VenuesJune across 2020 Birmingham bit.ly/IdeasofNoise2019 bit.ly/BIDF2020 A festival of experimental sound, Whisky Birmingham Taking over Birmingham’s connecting audiences and 7 March theatres, streets and squares performers of different genres The Bond, Digbeth every two years with show- across the West Midlands. From free bit.ly/WhiskyBham2020 stopping performances and great improv and electronica to sound The city’s flagship whisky festival choreography. art, a mixture of performances, returns for its eighth year. installations and more. Featuring major whisky brands, independent bottlers, local experts, creative masterclasses, collaborations with local bars, music and street food.

Ideas of Noise Birmingham International Dance Festival

28 29 Dance Outdoor Music Birmingham International Birmingham Pride 10 BASS Festival 23 Index Dance Festival 29 CoCoMAD 15 BEAST FEaST 9 Birmingham Swing Festival 28 Film The Green Heart Festival 11 Birchfield Jazz Festival 20 Swingamajig 9 CineQ Queer Film Festival 6 High Vis Festival 21 Birmingham International Piano Festival 24 Flatpack Festival 7 Kings Heath Street Festival 21 Birmingham Music Festival 23 Birmingham Indian Film Festival 12 Magical Lantern Festival 27 Food & Drink Birmingham Trad Fest 27 Brindleyplace Film Festival 17 Beer Central Festival 15 MADE Festival 20 Birmingham Sandwell & Screening Rights Film Festival 25 Birmingham Cocktail Weekend 15 Moseley Folk 21 Moseley Folk & Arts Festival 21 Westside Jazz Festival 18 Behind the Curtain Film Festival 27 Birmingham Coffee Festival 12 Birmingham Swing Festival 9 Salaam Pakistan Film Festival 6 Birmingham Gin and Rum Festival 7 Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival 17 St Patrick’s Festival 4 B-Side Hip Hop Festival 9 Birmingham Wine Weekend 15 Celebrating Sanctuary 14 Colmore Food Festival 15 Summer in Southside 17 Ideas of Noise 28 Theatre & Performance Foodies Festival 12 BE FESTIVAL 14 MADE Festival 20 Great British Beer Festival Winter 29 Birmingham Comedy Festival 23 Community Moseley Folk & Arts Festival 21 Independent Birmingham Festival 10 Birmingham Fest 17 A Matter of Life and Death Festival 10 Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival 17 Independent Birmingham Festival Asian Woman Festival 6 Music for Youth National Festival 14 Birmingham Improv Festival 24 at Aston Hall 12 Birmingham African Weekender 25 Simmer Down 18 Festival of Audacity 17 Rum & Reggae Festival 10 Birmingham Heritage Week 21 Supersonic Festival 18 Fierce Festival 23 Viva Magical Vegan Festival 9 Brindleyplace Family Festival 12 Swingamajig 9 SHOUT Festival of Whisky Birmingham 29 Queer Arts and Culture 27 Chinese New Year Festival 28 Thinking/Not Thinking Fest 6 Tilt Festival 17 CoCoMAD 15 Visual Art Craft & Design Jewellery Quarter Festival 14 Museums & Heritage Birmingham Design Festival 11 Kings Heath Street Festival 21 Literature & Spoken Word Birmingham Heritage Week 21 Birmingham Fashion Festival 24 The Migrant Festival 11 Birmingham Literature Festival 23 Still Walking Festival 4 Birmingham Photography Festival 24 Moseley Festival 15 Bournville BookFest 4 High Vis Festival 21 Sandwell & Birmingham Mela 18 Verve Poetry Festival 29 In:Site Festival 21 Simmer Down 18 LGBTQIA+ Jewellery Quarter Open Studios 25 Solihull Summer Festival 20 Birmingham Pride 10 Junction Festival 12 Still Walking Festival 4 Science & Technology CineQ Queer Film Festival 6 Arts & Science Festival 11 The Migrant Festival 11 St Patrick’s Festival 4 Vaisakhi 7 SHOUT Festival of Insomnia Gaming Festival 7 Yarningham 17 Queer Arts and Culture 27

Information correct at time of going to press but is subject to change. Check website for details. 30 31 birminghamfestivals.com