Not sure what things to do in Birmingham this weekend? Well, whatever the weather’s like, however, your mood is, we’ll always have you covered here at Secret Birmingham. Be it the best restaurants and gigs to cultural events or bottomless brunches, we’ve got your weekend sorted below.
Things to do with kids this weekend
1. Light Cycles
Get ready for a mesmerising, multisensory light trail to illuminate the wilds of Stonebridge Golf Course. Light Cycles winds for one kilometre through five multi-sensory experiences inspired by trees, sunsets, and plant life, while melodic folk music brings each artwork to life. This isn’t your classic Christmassy light trail but will bring plenty of festive cheer to these dark autumnal evenings. To learn more about Light Cycles head here.
Free things to do in Birmingham
2. Rubbish Redesigned
Birmingham’s bin strikes continue, so why not discover an innovative way to reuse your rubbish? Rubbish Redesigned brings together designers from the West Midlands using imaginative approaches in circular design and waste innovation. Curated by design researcher Sarah King and held at Midlands Arts Centre, the group exhibition highlights creative uses of common waste materials, from orange peel to cow manure, and asks visitors to reconsider how we best use our planet’s resources.
Where to have a drink this weekend
3. Exhale Conscious Bar
Birmingham’s non-alcoholic bar, Exhale Conscious Bar is helping Brummies reach the end of Dry January with a pop-up at the Bullring this week. Bringing alcohol-free beverages to busy shoppers, try a health-conscious alternative to booze like a non-alcoholic craft beer infused with ‘cognitive-boosting’ lion’s mane mushrooms, or savour handcrafted alcohol-free cocktails, like the Tropical Paradise infused with CBD.
There’ll also be several sober activities on a the pop-up throughout the week. Saturday afternoon sees a casual meet-up for sober and sober-curious individuals, hosted by the Midlands Sober Society from 2pm to 4pm. While on Sunday, its hosts a soothing mini-Kirtan event. Two one-hour sessions, held at midday and 3pm, explore the meditative and musical traditions of this practice.
Where to celebrate Burns Night in Birmingham
4. Grain & Glass
Scotland is a long, long way away from Birmingham. But Burns Night (Saturday, January 25) – the celebration of the poet Robert Burns – is still a big event in the West Midlands. Many will be gathering at home to tuck into haggis, shortbread and a wee dram of whisky or two, before belting out Auld Lang Syne and reading aloud the Scot’s poetry. But events at Grain & Glass (January 23 & 24), Moor Hall Hotel & Spa (January 24 & 25), and whisky tasting at OIKOS Cafe (January 25), will also bring Brum’s Scottish communities together.
What to see in Birmingham this weekend
5. Speaking In Tongues
It’s been 46 years since Talking Heads played in Birmingham at the Odeon in 1979. But the band’s best live tribute act, Speaking In Tongues, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend at XOYO (Saturday, January 25). This special performance sees the band recreate the spectacle of Talking Heads at their peak, playing hits from ‘Stop Making Sense’, the seminal concert film, as well as groundbreaking albums like ‘Fear of Music’ and ‘Remain in Light’. To get your tickets head here.