Festival Programme
WEEKENDER
CARNIVAL
ACE DANCE & MUSIC
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
NEW STREET STATION CONCOURSE
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 12pm - 6pm
A powerful, interactive public artwork which invites you to reflect, dream and add your voice to a growing wall of collective inspiration.
POETRY PERFORMANCE
AYAN ADEN
NEW STREET STATION CONCOURSE
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 3pm & 5.30pm
Birmingham’s Poet Laureate Ayan Aden will transform your responses from What Are You Waiting For? into powerful daily spoken word performances.
WAITING SONG
MISH WEAVER
NEW STREET STATION CONCOURSE
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 12.45pm, 2.45pm & 4.45pm
A lyrical conversation between two trapeze artists as they animate a metal crescent for Waiting Song.
DANCE FLASHMOB
MARSHON DANCE COMPANY
NEW STREET STATION CONCOURSE
SAT 23 - MON 25, 12pm, 2pm & 4pm
Marshon Dance Company is bringing electrifying flash mobs to New Street Station. What starts as an ordinary moment quickly transforms into highenergy street dance with powerful choreography.
FACEPAINTING
1000 TRADES SQUARE & CHAOPHRAYA SQUARE
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 12pm - 6pm
Join the colourful celebrations with free face painting at the festival!
STARTS EDGBASTON STREET, ENDS ROTUNDA SQUARE
SAT 23 AUG, 12pm, 2.30pm & 5pm
Join our Weekender Carnival procession from Edgbaston Street to Rotunda Square and experience pulsating rhythms and sounds of the Caribbean.
UP IN THE SKY
AUTIN DANCE THEATRE
ROTUNDA SQUARE
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 1.30pm & 4pm
Up in the Sky is a thrilling aerial adventure for families, where dance takes flight and imagination knows no bounds!
POSSÊ
SOUND DE SECÀ
STARTS EDGBASTON STREET, ENDS ROTUNDA SQUARE
SUN 24 & MON 25 AUG, 12pm, 2.30pm & 5pm
Join Sound de Secà to reclaim the Bullring’s public space though a fusion of percussion, dance, theatre and song.
DHOL & DANCE
ETERNAL TAAL
ROTUNDA SQUARE
SAT 23 AUG, 2.15pm & 4.45pm LOWER MALL WEST
SUN 24 AUG, 2.45pm & 5.15pm
Eternal Taal brings the energy with an upbeat performance combining high impact dhol drumming, choreographed dance and audience interaction.
HIPPODROME YOUNG DANCERS SHOWCASE
ROTUNDA SQUARE
MON 25 AUG, 2.15pm & 4.45pm
A vibrant showcase celebrating the next generation of talent from Birmingham.
INTRODUCING BIRMINGHAM OPERA COMPANY
MEETA RAVAL
ROTUNDA SQUARE
SUN 24 AUG, 2.15pm & 4.45pm
This captivating performance offers a glimpse into Birmingham Opera Company’s bold approach, featuring soprano Meeta Raval.
SQUAWKABOUT
CREATURE ENCOUNTERS
CENTRAL STREET
SAT 23 & SUN 24 AUG, 12.45pm, 3.15pm & 5.30pm
Join Captain Jon Voyage and his inquisitive, tropical birds of paradise for an encounter like no other!
SASHIMI
THE VORTEXES
CENTRAL STREET
MON 25 AUG, 12.45pm, 3.15pm & 5.30pm
In a fantastical display of whimsy and grace, pastel-coloured stilt-walking jellyfish gracefully traverse the landscape, their long, slender tentacles aglow with a soft, enchanting light.
THE MUSEUM OF MEMORABLE TREES
HARRY PIZZEY
CENTRAL STREET
SAT 23 & SUN 24 AUG, 1.30pm & 4pm
Take a visit to The Museum of Memorable Trees and let the curator guide you around this miniature exhibition.
JHAM!
SRISHTI DANCE
LOWER MALL WEST
SAT 23 AUG, 2.45pm & 5.15pm
Jham! is an upbeat, playful and energetic Indian dance and music collaboration that highlights the rhythmic play between the ancient and the modern.
CARNIVAL SHOWCASE
ACE DANCE & MUSIC
LOWER MALL WEST
SAT 23 AUG, 1pm & 3.45pm
Dynamic showcase performances bring the carnival spirit to life with infectious rhythms, extravagant costumes and electrifying dance.
A PLACE BETWEEN MASS & ECHOES
INVIKTUS COLLECTIVE
LOWER MALL WEST
SAT 23 & SUN 24 AUG, 12pm, 2pm & 4.30pm
A show that blends street dance, roller skating, live DJing and circus, transforming the dance circle into a site of joy, memory and resistance.
RO-TES– e
STOPGAP DANCE COMPANY
LOWER MALL WEST
SUN 24 & MON 25 AUG, 1pm & 3.45pm
Inspired by his Cambodian heritage, Nadenh reimagines his wheelchair as bold movement. RO-TES- e (Khmer for “wagon”) is a joyful celebration of progress, community and journey.
ESHU AT THE CROSSROADS THEATRE-RITES & MIGUEL ALTUNAGA
LOWER MALL WEST
MON 25 AUG, 2.45pm & 5.15pm
A tale of choice, trickery and joy. An enchanted crossroads, a magical rooster and a decision to be made.
GO GRANDAD GO!
COMPANY DHW
LOWER MALL WEST
MON 25 AUG, 12 pm, 2pm & 4.30pm
A heart-warming inter-generational family story embedded in love. This relatable Hip-Hop theatre dance show inspires the young and empowers the... not so young.
CARNIVAL CRAFT WORKSHOP
ACE DANCE & MUSIC
CHAOPHRAYA SQUARE
SAT 23 AUG, 1.30pm & 4pm
Get involved with community craft workshops and create unique items to wear during the carnival procession.
BRUM IN COLOUR
LAYLA SADIQ
CHAOPHRAYA SQUARE
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 12pm - 6pm
Brum in Colour is a bold, hand-drawn mural of Birmingham by local illustrator Layla Sadiq, that’s just waiting for you to bring it to life!
HYDROPUNK
ARTIZANI
ST MARTIN’S SQUARE
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 12pm - 6pm
A public, interactive installation where just 1000 litres of water power the fun. Once it’s gone, it’s gone so participants must team up to conserve and recycle.
WOMAN.LIFE.SONG COMES HOME*
BIRMINGHAM OPERA COMPANY
ST MARTIN’S CHURCH
MON 25 AUG, 4.30pm & 6.30pm
Join us for free live performances, and be part of a special film recording, of an especially Brummie woman.life.song - a universal story of womanhood by composer Judith Weir, created for Birmingham Weekender. *free ticketed event - please see website for details
THE HIDE
TILLY INGRAM THEATRE
EDGBASTON STREET
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 12.30pm, 1.45pm & 3.30pm
A live birdwatching experience, led by Tilly, who shares her love of birdwatching, her struggles as a woman with a non-visible disability and the story of a disabled white-tailed eagle.
WEEKENDER GREEN HUB
EDGBASTON STREET
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 12pm - 6pm
Join the hub and explore ways to reconnect with nature, whether it’s discovering local green spaces or getting inspired by eco-friendly ideas.
L’ATELIER
TOC DE FUSTA
EDGBASTON STREET
SAT 23 - MON 25 AUG, 12pm - 6pm
Part interactive experience part game, L’atelier encourages play and tells the story of a castaway and his isolation. 10 10 10
ACCESS HUBS
At our Access Hubs, you can meet our access hosts, find out about the programme, borrow ear defenders, fidget toys, audio description headsets and take a break in our chillout zone.
BIRMINGHAM WEEKENDER OFFERS
Scan the QR code to take advantage of exclusive special offers when you shop, eat or relax at Bullring between performances. Terms and Conditions apply.
We will have selected Relaxed Sessions for some of our performances at Birmingham Weekender These will include lower capacity and more staff on hand to support your experience. Find out more at birminghamhippodrome.com/BW25Relaxed
