Mirror balls, DJs and world-class performances: Birmingham Weekender reveals full August Bank Holiday line-up

Birmingham Weekender returns from Saturday 29 August to Monday 31 August, inviting audiences to disco-ver the city centre in a whole new light with live DJs, hundreds of shimmering mirror balls and a packed programme of free family friendly events.

• Birmingham Weekender reveals dazzling festival line-up for this August Bank Holiday, Saturday 29 August – Monday 31 August.
• Packed programme of free events, performances and installations showcasing hundreds of international, national and local artists across Birmingham city centre.

Image: Huey Morgan by Jody Hartley

Birmingham’s biggest city centre open-air disco, Mirror Bull City, will light up Rotunda Square with DJs, dancing and mirror balls. Daily takeovers include Always K-Pop hosted by internationally renowned DJ Emkay and Digbeth’s much-loved The Night Owl spinning soul, Motown, disco and northern soul classics. The programme will close with a Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul takeover with a headline set from legendary DJ, broadcaster and musician Huey Morgan, bringing an eclectic soundtrack spanning jazz, funk, soul and disco.

Victoria Square will be transformed into a vibrant hub of live music, creativity and family fun. Birmingham Hippodrome’s Young Advocates, a group of young people aged 16–25 who are shaping and influencing the work of the Hippodrome, have programmed the Young Creatives Takeover @ 0121 Stage, which will showcase the region’s most exciting artists, while The Ideas Factory by HSBC UK invites younger audiences to dream big, get creative and bring their ideas to life.

Visitors can experience ElevateHer – a striking aerial performance across three multi-height tightwire rigs by female-led circus company Daughters of the Wire – as well as street food, free face painting and family-friendly activities throughout the weekend.

Inside Bullring, an exciting programme of world-class dance awaits, including ballet showcases from Birmingham Royal Ballet, inclusive workshops and performance takeovers from Propel Dance, and a newly created performance brought to Birmingham by São Paulo Dance Company and performed by a talented group of emerging young dancers.

Talawa Theatre Company’s powerful Fragments of Us, and spoken word from Birmingham Weekender’s Poet in Residence, Zakariye, will perform across the weekend. Audiences can also enjoy a special performance from City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, as its musical takeover, CBSO in the City, reaches a spectacular finale, with up to seventy musicians performing orchestral favourites.

The Weekender Green Hub in Chaophraya Square invites visitors to discover how small actions can make a big difference with a pop-up pocket garden, supported by local environmental and community organisations. Audiences can also experience Walk of the Dandelion, an enchanting large-scale puppet performance by Luke Brown Dance Company.

For those seeking quieter moments, St Martin’s Square offers space for reflection with I Have No Name by El Conde de Torrefiel, an immersive audio-visual installation encouraging people to pause and observe.

At 1000 Trades Square, audiences can enjoy performances inspired by traditions from across the world, including GARBH by Shyam Dattani and Mira Salat, celebrating Gujarati folk dance, and Kismat Walla by Thingumajig Theatre, a charming puppet production inspired by South Asian market culture.

New Street Station will come alive with dance, movement and spectacle as visitors encounter Otempodiz by Ertza Dance, an energetic performance blending powerful physicality with driving rhythms, alongside surprise flash mobs from Marshon Dance Company.

Across the city centre, audiences can meet fun, curious characters including Hettie the Highland Cow and the spectacular roaming dragon Epico from Creature Encounters.

Matt Evans, Head of Festivals & Sites at Birmingham Hippodrome, said:

“Birmingham Weekender 2026 will transform the city centre into a playground of music, performance and creativity. From the spectacular Mirror Bull City open-air disco to breathtaking performances around every corner, our free programme invites everyone to come together and rediscover the city over the Bank Holiday weekend.”

British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted and audio described performances will take place throughout the weekend. Accessible viewing areas will be available, and a team of dedicated access hosts will also be on hand.

Birmingham Weekender is free to attend and runs from Saturday 29 August – Monday 31 August. For the full programme, visit birminghamweekender.com. Please note, not all events run daily.

Brought to audiences by Bullring and HSBC UK and produced by Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Weekender 2026 brings together DJs, world-class outdoor arts, theatre, dance, live music and family-friendly experiences into one unforgettable festival.

The festival is supported by Global Streets and Without Walls, with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham Royal Ballet as programme partners and Network Rail, Colmore Life, Central BID and United By 2022 as city partners.