The only problem with summer is that it goes 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 music festivals to ‘great value’ deals at incredible restaurants, Birmingham isn’t short of things to do this August!
1. Catch PAW Patrol Live! scampering into Birmingham
PAW Patrol is ready for action. Ryder, Chase, Skye and the rest of the squad are scampering out of the TV screen and embarking on an interactive adventure with PAW Patrol Live!. The live stage show will stop at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on August 10 and Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on August 16—and it’s the paw-fect way to introduce your kids to the world of live performance. To get your tickets to PAW Patrol Live! head here.
2. Jig to the UK’s biggest celebration of Irish culture
Páirc Summer Series, the UK’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture, is returning to the King’s Heath Irish Centre on the August Bank Holiday weekend (August 23 & 24). The two-day outdoor festival sees the Saw Doctors and Nathan Carter headline. Plus, a specially curated show from Sharon Shannon Big Band featuring Liam Ó Moanlai from Hothouse Flowers, Mundy, Camille O’Sullivan & Cait O’Riordan from The Pogues, on Sunday night.
Also performing at the independent Birmingham-Irish festival are The Undertones, The High Kings, Tumbling Paddies, Fin Furey, The Young Wolfe Tones and more. Elsewhere, an all-new Irish Village will promote Irish culture with tin whistle workshops, soda bread making classes, kids’ GAA and hurling activities, and more. Plus, there’s plenty of Guinness on tap!
3. Tuck into Michelin star-quality food at ‘great value’ prices
Birmingham Restaurant Festival returns for the whole month of August to make eating out more accessible for all. With 50 participating restaurants taking part—including the Michelin-starred Adam’s and Simpsons—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.
4. Enjoy an atmospheric Candlelight concert
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 Bollywood and sounds of soul to tributes to Queen and The Beatles, don’t miss out on these candlelight performances this August.
5. Head to a colourful free festival
Birmingham Weekender, the team-up between Birmingham Hippodrome and Bullring & Grand Central, returns August Bank Holiday weekend with colourful installations, pop-up performances, interactive games and plenty of unique experiences. The three-day festival (August 23 – 25) 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!
6. Take your seat among the jury
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.
7. Catch Moseley’s family-friendly folk music festival
Inviting the very best of contemporary folk music to Birmingham’s intimate 11-acre woodland glade in the heart of Moseley Village. Moseley Folk & Arts Festival (August 30 – September 1) returns once again with a stellar line-up. This year, playing at the family-friendly festival are the likes of The Waterboys, Father John Misty, Doves, Lightning Seeds, Peter Doherty, Mercury Rev, This Is The Kit and more. A world away from city life, it’s not all about the music either – with plenty of focus on arts and crafts too! To learn more head here.
8. Enjoy a new family-friendly festival full of ‘Good Stuff’
Digbeth Dining Club is launching a new one-day festival, Good Stuff, on August 30. Taking place at the popular DDC location, Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club, the day-long ‘summer send off’ is promising a wide range of sweet and savoury traders, the region’s best grassroots musicians, and a whole lot more—with a circus workshop, silent disco, performers, inflatables, bubble machines and a world record attempt on offer.
9. Stare directly into this giant floating sun
Luke Jerram’s ‘Helios’ offers a detailed view of our solar system’s star. This seven-metre sculpture—scaled so that each centimetre represents 2,000 kilometres of the real sun’s surface, and even includes rare features like sunspots—combines solar imagery, light and sound to highlight the sun’s intricate details. It’s stopping by the West Midlands in August (July 31-August 3, August 7-10), when it will appear at the Grade I-listed 14th-century former monastery The Charterhouse in Coventry.
10. Enjoy the thrills and spills of the UK’s best rides
Indoor Funfair is finally visiting Birmingham for the first time—with over 25 exciting rides all under one roof, including Ferris Wheel, Dodgems and Waltzers! It’s heading to the NEC for a two-week extravaganza (August 5 – 17) and also bringing the UK’s largest obstacle course, The Realm, along with it. Plus, there are trampolines, inflatable slides, bouncy castles, and soft play areas for the younger children.
11. Cheer on the Birmingham Phoenix
Birmingham has always been cricket-mad, but The Hundred has only increased its popularity. The 100-ball cricket tournament kicks off at Edgbaston Stadium on Friday, August 8, with a local derby between Birmingham Phoenix and Nottingham’s Trent Rockets, with both the men’s and women’s teams playing. Birmingham will also host Oval Invincibles (August 12), London Spirit (August 17), and finally Welsh Fire (August 22). To learn more about The Hundred head here.
12. Be amazed by this mammoth exhibition in Birmingham
The immersive, touring exhibition, GIANTS, will make its UK debut in Birmingham this August. The exhibition features life-sized 3D models and nearly complete skeletons, alongside immersive projections to transport audiences into the natural habitats of the awe-inspiring creatures that roamed the Earth after the extinction of the dinosaurs. GIANTS will include the mightiest shark of all time, the woolly mammoth, and an Asian primate comparable in size to three orangutans.
13. Get your little ones excited about sport
Whether trying a new sport for the first time or perfecting old skills under expert coaching, your kids can turn their hand to rugby, hockey, cricket, football, netball, rowing, athletics, lacrosse, trampolining, boxing, archery, dodgeball and more this August. From August 1-4 at Packington Estate, Warwickshire, about halfway between Birmingham and Coventry, Festival of Sport is aimed at children aged 5 to 17, but there is a host of adult-focused activities to try out–like fun runs, wellness workshops, and taster sessions.
Your children could tackle rugby pros Ben Youngs and Alex Goode, and spar with British boxing champion Rachael McKenzie, while hockey’s Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh pass on their tips. Meanwhile, you can check out the pop-up sauna or listen to a talk from ice bath coach and anxiety specialist Anna Gough. When the sports sessions finish, it’s time to party with live bands, DJs, open-air cinema and circus performers.
14. Get ready for a bingo experience with a twist
Bingo meets basslines in the heart of Birmingham on August 23. UKG BINGO—one of the biggest bingo events of the year—is a celebration of all things UK Garage. With your favourite old-school tunes blasting, while you’re marking your bingo cards, this one-of-a-kind lively event lets you re-rewind the glory days! To get your tickets to UKG Bingo in Birmingham, head here.
15. Catch the UK’s most popular beer festival
After 34 years in London, the UK’s most popular beer festival is abandoning the capital for Birmingham. The Great British Beer Festival will take place at the NEC from August 5 to 9—with tens of thousands stopping by to enjoy more than 500 cask and other beers. Plus, a dedicated cider and perry bar, ‘no and low’ beer, wine and cocktails—catering for everyone!
16. Visit Birmingham’s very own beach
You’re not dreaming. Birmingham now has its very own beach. Birmingham Beach and FunFair at Pype Hayes Park is now open until August 31 and completely free to visit! You’ll find a sandy beach, classic funfair rides, a swimming pool and more in Erdington.