There’s plenty to be doing over the next few days.
Birmingham’s events line-up for this summer is heating up! Spanning the city centre and beyond, there are food festivals, cocktail trails, slam poetry evenings and fun fairs unfolding. There’s something for everyone next week, so get those diaries out and tickets booked!
The Ramblers Ball: The Blakesley Hall Takeover
Kicking things off with a little bit of culture, the incredibly popular open mic poetry night, The Ramblers Ball, returns and this time it’s hitting the road! Created by 
The stage will be set for three show-stopping main acts: Casey Bailey; Hannah Swings; and ThinkWriteFly, aka Adrian B Earle. Guests will be able to enjoy one of the city’s most treasured sites, while taking in the unrivalled verse, and even taking to the stage to give it a go themselves.
Tickets are £4 and all proceeds go directly towards Evolve, funding its mission of helping young people facing barriers to employment onto the career ladder. Book yours here
Birmingham Cocktail Weekend
Returning for a fifth year, Birmingham Cocktail Weekend will be leaving the city shaken and stirred, with four full days of cocktail-related fun. 50 of the best bars and restaurants will be flaunting their flair cocktail skills, each mixing up a signature cocktail exclusively for #BCW wristband-wearers at only £4. Birmingham Cocktail Weekend will be served from 11 – 14 July, and will see old favourites back again as well as a host of newbies – from Nocturnal Animals and Bank to Serve and Fumo Selfridges. What’s more, it’s not just the drinks to look forward to; there’s a jam-packed events schedule featuring pairings, dinners, and masterclasses (and even karaoke!) for you to enjoy.
It’s a menu not to be missed so you’ll want to get your hands on a Birmingham Cocktail Weekend wristband, which are priced at just £10 and available to buy from the website
Longbridge Food Festival
Transforming into a foodie haven, Longbridge will be bring live cooking demonstrations and street food to the town centre next Saturday afternoon. Fresh from his appearances on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, the one and only Yummy Brummie, Glynn Purnell, will be cooking up a storm on stage. Joining the highly-lauded chef, Andy Stubbs of Low N Slow and a host of award-winning street-food vendors from award-winning Digbeth Dining Club will be part of the stellar recipe… bringing sugar, spice, and all things nice for one day only. The festival goes beyond the set-menu of food, offering a healthy side of fun for all the family; guests will be able to enjoy DJ sets and even try their hand at arts and crafts.
All of this will be part of the mix at the free event, which will run from 11am-6pm on Saturday 13th July in Longbridge Town Centre, and welcomes everyone to get stuck in.
Wolverhampton Fiesta
The city’s favourite fun fair is back by popular demand for a fourth year running! Wolverhampton Fiesta will be making a grand return to West Park, for two days packed with entertainment, rides and performances, perfect for all the family. Entrants to the park will be welcome to enjoy a host of delights; from the mighty monster trucks and the amusing nun Musical Ruth, to the Bird of Prey exhibition and the death-defying Wayne Vander – a stunt artist all the way from South Africa who will take on the Wheel of Death – the fiesta stage will be a sight of delights.
Wolverhampton Fiesta will take place on Saturday 13 July and Sunday 14 July in West Park; entry is £3 for adults and £2 for children. More information can be found on their Facebook page.