Hippodrome’s annual event goes online and beyond.
Birmingham Hippodrome’s annual B-Side Hip-Hop Festival is back to celebrate its fifth year, with a combination of online dance battles, DJ sets and special events.
Taking place over Friday 25th–Sunday 27th September, this year the festival is going In-Side with a host of online performances and events.
The festival will kick off with a special event hosted at Millennium Point with Hip-Hop’s Black Empowerment Evening on Friday 25th September at 6.30pm, which will premiere new films, alongside talks and Q&A sessions with prominent figures in the hip-hop 
Over the course of the weekend, festival co-producer Break Mission’s legendary breakin’ competitions will be streamed live through the B-Side Hip-Hop festival Facebook page from 1pm on Saturday 26 September, with the very best dancers battling one on one from a Covid-safe local studio.
The In-Side digital programme will close on Sunday 27th September at 6pm with an exclusive performance of Between Us by world champion dancers The Ruggeds who will be streaming in from The Netherlands. The dance crew have international recognition, thanks to their appearance in Justin Bieber’s music video Where Are U Now and NBC’s World of Dance Season 2.
Graham Callister, Director of Festivals at Birmingham Hippodrome said: “B-Side Hip-Hop Festival is one of our favourite events each year and whilst it was disappointing to postpone the festival earlier in the year, we are delighted to be bringing this event online to showcase the amazing talent and celebrate our fifth year in a unique way.
“This is the first time we have streamed our breaking battles and we are proud to be able to live stream so much of the festival, making it more accessible than ever.”
The full programme for B-Side Hip-Hop Festival can be viewed here.