The only problem with summer is that it flies by too fast. Plenty of excitement just flew by in Birmingham in June and July, and I barely had time to do it all. Luckily, the summer fun doesn’t stop there, and the (hopefully) sunny month of August still has plenty in store to keep us entertained. From sporting fever and arts festivals to ‘great value’ deals at incredible restaurants, Birmingham isn’t short of things to do this August!
Step back in time to ancient Egypt through VR, immersive projections and real artefacts. I recently checked out this immersive, multi-media Tutankhamun exhibition at the NEC, which combines VR, authentic artefacts, a 30-minute 360° projection, and an AI photobooth. The roughly two-hour experience blends education and entertainment and is running until September.
Birmingham Restaurant Festival returns for the whole month of August to make eating out more accessible for all. With 60 participating restaurants taking part—including the Michelin-starred Adam’s and The Wilderness—tuck into exclusive, great-value dinners and lunches from some of Birmingham’s best restaurants. Just book your table at as many participating restaurants as you like to take advantage of these exclusive menus.
Can you picture this? A four-string quartet with a stunning performance of your favourite music in one of Birmingham’s most beautiful buildings. Oh, and all under the gentle glow of candlelight. That sounds pretty special, right? Plus, there’s something for every type of music fan, too! From the best of Bridgerton to tributes to Michael Jackson and Fleetwood Mac, don’t miss out on these candlelight performances this August.
Birmingham Weekender, the team-up between Birmingham Hippodrome and Bullring & Grand Central, returns for the August Bank Holiday weekend with colourful installations, pop-up performances, interactive games, and plenty of unique experiences. The three-day festival is free to attend and will spread across the whole city on streets, in squares and shopping centres, and even in the sky above the city!
You’ve been called for jury duty. The case: a disgraced ex-driver stands trial for stealing global superstar Lana Tonneti’s £20m necklace. In this live theatre courtroom drama where you decide the final verdict, listen to testimonies, examine the evidence, and deliver the verdict: guilty or innocent. To get your tickets for The Jury Experience: An Immersive Courtroom Trial, head here.
Cheer on the Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston
Birmingham has always been cricket-mad, but The Hundred has only increased its popularity. The 100-ball cricket tournament kicks off at Edgbaston Stadium, with a local derby between Birmingham Phoenix and Nottingham’s Trent Rockets on July 24, with both the men’s and women’s teams playing. But in August, Birmingham will also host Welsh Fire (Saturday, August 1), Sunrisers Leeds (Friday, August 7), and MI London (Wednesday, August 12). Tickets for all four home fixtures start at just £5 for children and £14 for adults, here.
Joe Lycett is holding his first major solo exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. EVERY THING MUST GO explores the theme of ‘things that are no longer with us’ and is inspired by objects from the city of Birmingham’s collection. The ambitious new mixed media exhibition will include subjects such as deceased celebrities, discontinued chocolate bars, extinct animals and destroyed buildings.
Keep an eye out for the brand-new Disney Store opening at Selfridges Birmingham at the end of July. To celebrate opening weekend (Saturday, August 1 to Sunday, August 2), shoppers spending £50 or more who are members of the free Selfridges Unlocked programme will receive a Disney and Pixar Toy StoryLotso plush keyring mystery box, while stocks last.
The UK is set to host the European Athletics Championships for the first time at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham this month. Packed with medal events, see some of Europe’s biggest stars in action—including Mondo Duplantis, Nadia Battocletti, Josh Kerr, Femke Bol, Mattia Furlani, Isaac Nader, Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell, among many others. Can’t afford it? You can watch the elite marathon and race walk taking place in the city centre for free!
Just eight seats and one sitting per service — an immersive, low‑waste tasting menu. For a special night out this August, try Sǣl: an intimate, low-waste eight-seat chef’s table from Jonny Mills opening at The Goodsyard in August, serving a single hyper‑seasonal tasting menu with dinner services, opening this month.
For a free, family-friendly activity in the city centre this August, hunt down the ‘Snoopy in Birmingham’ art trail, which runs across Birmingham city centre. It features 12 uniquely themed Snoopy sculptures and raises funds for Acorns Children’s Hospice via QR donations on each statue.
There’s a handy way to cut travel costs this August: children aged five to 15 will be able to travel for free on participating local buses across England from August 1 to 31, with no registration required. The month-long scheme aims to help families with holiday costs and could save a typical two-child family around £27.
Hundreds of thousands of dahlias will bloom at Webbs Garden Centre, for a summery day out just outside Birmingham. Flora Fields in Wychbold opens to the public on Saturday, August 15. Expect over 60 dahlia varieties and an estimated 200,000 flowers across the season, plus plenty to do beyond wandering the blooms — including PYO flowers, photographic installations, seasonal picnics, masterclasses and special events through the summer.
If you fancy escaping the city for something a little different, go screen-free and lose yourself in 11 hours of music in a hidden patch of Warwickshire. Off Grid is a one-day, screen-free electronic music festival taking place in a secluded woodland near Sutton Coldfield on this August Bank Holiday, featuring artists like Example, Hannah Wants, Todd Edwards, Sam Divine and Majestic.
Taste award‑winning plums and enjoy classic cars on the August bank holiday Monday. The Pershore Plum Festival takes over Pershore, celebrating the Vale of Evesham’s famous plum varieties with market stalls, cookery demos, live music, fairground rides and a classic car show. The event stretches from Abbey Park to Broad Street and includes month-long lead-up activities such as a shop-window competition and motorbike display.
Step into the iconic Gladiators arena for only one more month. If you’ve ever wanted to see how you’d fare on the show, the Gladiators Experience at NEC Birmingham lets visitors try classic TV challenges — Hang Tough, Duel, The Wall and the Eliminator — plus explore behind-the-scenes features like The Vault, a Gladiator training facility and a large superstore.
