Birmingham has a full calendar and a real mix of festivals. You’ll find live jazz in city squares, Caribbean street parties in local parks, and indie films screened in old factories. Music, food, art, and culture all get their moment. These are the best festivals in Birmingham: well-organized, well-attended, and worth your time.
Held every May, Birmingham Pride is loud, proud, and one of the biggest LGBTQ+ events in the UK. It’s more than just a parade, though that’s a highlight, with floats, dancers, and plenty of glitter flooding the city center. Across the weekend, you’ll find live music, DJs, drag acts, street food, and club nights that stretch well into the early hours.
The festival takes place across Birmingham’s Gay Village, with the main stage and community spaces in and around Hurst Street. Acts range from pop headliners to local artists, and the atmosphere is open, inclusive, and full-on fun. Tickets sell fast, so book early if you want to catch the headline performances.
If you’re looking for one of the best things to do in England that celebrates diversity and knows how to throw a party, Pride delivers.
Flatpack isn’t your typical film festival. It pops up every spring with a mix of short films, documentaries, animations, live performances, and workshops, often in venues you wouldn’t expect. Think old warehouses, bars, galleries, and community halls across Digbeth and the city center.
The focus is on creativity and curiosity. Some events are ticketed, others are free, and many include Q&As with directors and artists. You might stumble into a screening in a church, then find yourself talking about it over a pint nearby. It’s a great way to experience film outside the usual cinema setting.
Flatpack is one of the most original festivals in Birmingham, especially if you're into film, design, or just trying something different. It draws a mix of locals and visitors, and it’s ideal if you prefer your culture with a bit of edge.
Birmingham, England, UK @ Shutterstock
This free one-day event brings Caribbean music and culture to Handsworth Park every summer. The main stage leans into reggae, ska, and dancehall, with sound systems blasting across the park. There’s also a strong family focus, with workshops, kids’ zones, craft stalls, and food vendors serving up everything from jerk chicken to vegan Ital stew.
The atmosphere is welcoming, and the setting, a green space surrounded by one of Birmingham’s most diverse neighborhoods, adds real local flavor. You don’t need to plan much. Just turn up, find a spot on the grass, and take it all in.
If you're exploring England with kids, Simmer Down is worth penciling in. It’s one of those rare festivals that balances music, food, and family-friendly fun without feeling watered down.
Held in July in Moseley Park, Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival is small, smart, and full of groove. The lineup blends legends with new talent, think Chic one year, Ezra Collective the next. There’s one main stage, no long walks, and a lake in the background that makes it feel more like a chilled-out garden party than a packed-out festival.
What makes it stand out is the crowd. You’ll see serious music fans, families with toddlers, and students all dancing side by side. The street food is decent, bars are local, and the park itself is only open to the public during the event, which adds a touch of exclusivity.
If you’re planning to spend a weekend in Birmingham and want a relaxed festival with great music and no drama, this is a strong bet. It’s easy to get to, easy to enjoy, and big on atmosphere without being overwhelming.
Birmingham canals - Gas Street Basin © Tupungato/Shutterstock
This free two-day food event in July pulls together some of the best restaurants, cafes, and bars in the city, all serving street food-style dishes in Victoria Square. Everything is priced under a tenner, which means you can eat your way through the city’s top spots without blowing your budget.
Expect everything from tandoori lamb skewers to handmade cannoli, often served by the chefs themselves. Drinks stalls, live cooking demos, and local musicians round things out. It’s walkable, central, and very easy to spend a whole afternoon snacking your way around.
If you’re looking for the best places to eat in Birmingham, this is a smart place to start. You get to sample multiple menus in one go, and you might just discover a favorite you’d never have booked otherwise.
This city-wide celebration of jazz takes over pubs, libraries, train stations, parks, and plazas every summer. Most gigs are free, and they happen all over the place, so you might catch a saxophonist warming up outside a deli or stumble on a swing band in a shopping arcade.
The music leans classic, but you’ll also hear Latin jazz, blues, and even gypsy jazz depending on the day and venue. While there are bigger concerts in formal settings, the real charm lies in how the festival brings music into everyday city spaces.
Of all the festivals in Birmingham, this one has the broadest reach. It turns the whole city into a stage, and you don’t need to plan or pay to enjoy it. Just walk, listen, and follow the sound.
Big wheel in Birmingham © dzphotogallery/Shutterstock
Running each October, this festival brings writers, poets, journalists, and artists to venues across the city. Expect a mix of readings, talks, workshops, and panel events covering everything from fiction to politics to pop culture.
It’s thoughtful and well-paced. You can dip into a lunchtime reading at the Birmingham Museum, then catch a headline speaker at the Rep Theatre in the evening. Past guests have included Malorie Blackman, Bernardine Evaristo, and Benjamin Zephaniah.
If you're planning a trip to England and want something more low-key and reflective, this festival offers an inside look at the country’s creative scene. It’s smart, accessible, and a great way to explore the city’s cultural side beyond the usual sights.
Birmingham Heritage Week takes place every September and is one of the city’s most overlooked events. Over ten days, historic buildings, museums, mosques, canals, cemeteries, and even Brutalist tower blocks open their doors to the public, often for free.
You can climb the clock tower at the University of Birmingham, explore the city’s old metalwork factories, take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Council House, or join a walking tour focused on the city’s LGBTQ+ history. It’s low-key and local but packed with variety. Some events require booking, but many are drop-in.
If you're into architecture, industrial history, or just curious about how the city ticks, this is a brilliant time to visit. Birmingham might not market itself like Oxford or Bath, but this festival proves it’s one of the best places to visit in England if you want history with grit and character.
Birmingham Library © SilvanBachmann/Shutterstock
Chinese New Year has been celebrated in Birmingham’s Southside district for years, often with a packed day of lion dances, martial arts, music, and street food. When it runs, the event takes over Hurst Street and the Arcadian Centre with a lively, family-friendly atmosphere.
It’s not an official city festival on the same scale as Pride or Flatpack, and future editions can vary depending on funding and organizers. Still, if you're in the city around late January or early February, it’s worth checking local listings or the Southside BID's site to see what’s planned.
Among the many festivals in Birmingham, this one offers something more grassroots. It’s a chance to experience the city’s Chinese culture up close, with steamed buns, traditional performances, and a mostly local crowd. Just don’t bank on it running every year at the same size or scale.
Birmingham Mela is one of the UK’s biggest South Asian festivals, held each summer in Victoria Park, Smethwick. It celebrates music, food, dance, and culture with an enormous mix of live performances, from Punjabi pop stars to Bollywood DJs.
The festival runs over a full weekend, and tickets are affordable; some activities are free. Food is a major draw, with dozens of vendors serving biryani, kebabs, sweets, and regional specialties you won’t find in restaurants. There’s also a funfair, arts zone, and plenty of family-friendly areas.
This is one of the liveliest festivals near Birmingham, drawing tens of thousands from across the Midlands and beyond. If you’re in England during the summer and want an experience that blends live music with street food and local energy, the Mela delivers.
written by
Olga Sitnitsa
updated 14.07.2025
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