The International Day of Birmingham is set to return this September, unveiling a packed programme that celebrates the people, places and culture of the city.

Taking place on Thu 24 Sep, plus a bonus day of festivities on Fri 25 Sep, this year’s International Day of Birmingham takes over the Council House, transforming ten of the city’s grandest rooms into The House That Brum Built.

Visitors can expect a Brummie bazaar, art exhibitions and interactive murals, a botanical garden, a community cinema, a performance theatre, creative workshop spaces and a pop-up Irish pub, all to be installed across the Grade II-listed building, with some of the biggest independent brands in the city involved.

Notable figures confirmed for ‘The House That Brum Built’ event programme include Poet Laureate Ayan Aden alongside poet Bradley Taylor; astronaut, film producer and creative director Trevor Beattie; social historian Professor Carl Chinn MBE; authors Catherine O’Flynn, Mike Gayle, and Kit de Waal; comedian Barbara Nice; politician Jess Phillips, chef Glynn Purnell, and artists Bam! Bam!, Cold War Steve, Dion Kitson, Fokawolf, Goldship, Molly Cleaver, and Tat Vision.

International Day of Birmingham 2026 revellers will have unprecedented access to the Council House and can collect a free Brummie Passport designed by Colour Palette Company and Draw My City artist Stacey Barnfield to secure stamps in each room as part of their visit.

Forming a key part of the programme, Birmingham’s independent Mockingbird Cinema will host two packed days of features, shorts, archive gems and filmmaker Q&As, including Reel Brum and Overlap showcases, Telly Savalas Looks at Birmingham, Dion & The Unicorn, United States of Birmingham, Made in Birmingham: Reggae Punk Bhangra, Joe Lycett shorts, Trevor Beattie-produced Moon and the gloriously bonkers cult classic I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle.

In a first for the Council House, Birmingham Botanical Gardens will take over the impressive greenhouse-style Glass Corridor with a selection of tropical and native British plants for sale, with horticultural experts on hand, accompanied by a Birmingham Soundscape. A secret door to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery will also lead to more Brummie treasures, including current Ozzy Osbourne and Joe Lycett exhibitions.

Independent Birmingham Irish Quarter community music venue and bar Nortons Digbeth will install a pop-up Irish pub in the reception space adjoining the building’s grand Banqueting and Drawing Rooms, complete with Guinness on tap and classic Brummie cobs available throughout both days.

The Chamber, at the heart of the Council House, will host a series of free and ticketed events including a tribute to Benjamin Zephaniah featuring Poet Laureate Ayan Aden and Bradley Taylor, Bingo with city favourite Barbara Nice, and ‘From Balsall Heath to Outer Space (and Back)’, a talk by film producer, creative director and Brummie astronaut Trevor Beattie.

The Heath Bookshop – the UK’s first winner of the Best Independent Bookshop of the Year Award – will curate a special one-off event reprising members of Cold War Steve’s joyful, satirical collage Benny’s Babbies, featuring famous Birmingham figures set against a 19th-century cityscape. For this very special event, Cold War Steve (Christopher Spencer) is joined by three of the iconic Birmingham authors featured in this unique work of art – Kit de Waal, Mike Gayle and Catherine O’Flynn.

Speaking ahead of International Day of Birmingham 2026, Robin Campbell, founding member and guitarist of UB40 – key supporters of the event – said: “No matter who you are or where you are from, there is a welcoming place for you here.

“If you explore the city you’ll meet some of the most incredible people, eat some fantastic food, listen to some great music and see the cities’ rich and dynamic legacy in action.”

“Birmingham means the world to us. It’s a beautiful multicultural melting pot, which we are proud and lucky enough to call our home.”

Kicking off the International Day of Birmingham 2026 programme is the ‘FlashBab’ in Victoria Square, where all are invited to join in with a communal chant of “Alright bab”, before the official International Day of Birmingham flag-raising ceremony with the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, much-loved city legend Mr Egg, dignitaries, and representatives of Birminghams across the world.

Goody bags and free Curly Wurlys will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to all who attend.

Nicola Silk, producer of International Day of Birmingham, said the Council House takeover will be a celebration of Brum in microcosm: “We invite Brummies and visitors to immerse themselves in the city’s creativity and have a laugh at the same time.

“Where else could you see Birmingham Royal Ballet and Mr Egg on the same bill?!

“This is also a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play bingo in the seat of local government, which is no doubt the best use of the space.”

Bookings for free and ticketed events as part of International Day of Birmingham 2026 are open now. Find out more and book below. 

Image credit: Katie Hollingsworth