Birmingham Weekender is back with three days of free performances, installations, and pop-up experiences from a host of regional, national and international companies this August.

Running from Sat 29 Aug – Mon 31 Aug, this year’s programme is disco-inspired, featuring live DJs, hundreds of shimmering mirror balls and a packed line-up of free family-friendly events.

Mirror Bull City

Birmingham’s biggest city centre open-air disco, Mirror Bull City, will light up Rotunda Square with daily takeovers, including 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 DJ, broadcaster and musician Huey Morgan, who brings an eclectic soundtrack spanning jazz, funk, soul and disco.

Victoria Square

Meanwhile, 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.

Credit: Charles Gervais

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, while 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.

Credit: Ellie Kurtz

Pop-up green space

The Weekender Green Hub in Chaophraya Square invites all to discover 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.

There’ll be plenty of opportunities for quieter moments, too, as 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.

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 Sat 29 Aug – Mon 31 Aug. For the full programme, click here.

Featured image credit: Mike B Designs