Jamaica In the Square 2, Street Festival in Victoria Square
A full weekend of carnival style celebrations for Jamaican Independence Day with an incredible line-up of free live music, food, performances, film (from the awesome Black International Film Festival), theatre, athletics, stalls, arts & craft and Jamaican cocktails at this open-air street festival to mark the 55th anniversary of Jamaican Independence. Hosted by the Association of Jamaican Nationals (AJN) this epic free event promises a jam-packed schedule of free events and activities, an authentic Jamaican celebration and plenty of free flowing good vibes over the entire weekend.
Fri 4 Aug – Sun 6 Aug, Victoria Square, Birmingham city centre.  www.jamaicainthesquare.co.uk

Digbeth First Friday arts events at various venues
A strong line-up of ace alt. arts events for free or minimal cost are in store this first Friday of the month with Eastern Bloc Disco celebrating the cutting edge creative Barbara Milhayi’s work at Centrala alongside ‘The Devils Advocate’ – a collection of artists exploring the themes of gender and culture through a mixture of work spanning painting, sculpture, jewellery. More details here.

Star Wars Outdoor Cinema Festival at The Cathedral
A free mini outdoor film festival in the auspicious grounds of Birmingham Cathedral with street food, live music, themed fun and more. A whopping great outdoor screen will light up the hallowed architectural masterpiece. Grab a blanket and someone to snuggle up to, this will be special. Full details here.

Music in the Square and Big Bike Day at Golden Square
Cycle owners rejoice. Get yourselves down to Golden Square and hand your two wheeled buddy over to the technicians from Urban Cycles who will perform a free service, including 43 point health check, on your free wheeling best friend. Best of all, whilst you wait several live bands will be brightening the square and your day. If you don’t have a bicycle it’s still worth a stroll to soak up the charm of one of the City’s loveliest spots and take in the free music.
Fri 4 Aug 12pm at Golden Square, 120 Vyse St, Birmingham B18 6NF www.facebook.com

Jamaican Independence Day Weekender at The Prince of Wales
To celebrate the anniversary of Jamaican independence The Prince has lined up a whole weekend of Caribbean fun with reggae music, jerk food, mind bogglingly strong rum and special cocktails, here’s hoping we get a hint of Caribbean sunshine too. Spice It Up Foods will be tickling your taste buds with authentic West Indian nosh, we thoroughly recommend their powerful Kicking Jerk Sauce on everything.
Fri 4 Aug to Sun 6 Aug at The Prince of Wales,  118 Alcester Rd, Birmingham B13 8EE www.facebook.com

Gorillabot EP Launch Party & The Bank Accounts at The Dark Horse
The most mysterious band in Birmingham descend on The Dark Horse for the launch of new EP Malware. Enigmatic to the point of insanity, Gorillabot’s unhinged live performances are a full on procession through the dark corridors of three very askew minds. The psychedelic fused mayhem they produce sounds to us like it may have spent a few moments on Planet Gong, wherever it was forged it’s a beautifully complex racket. True fact, Ben Bot is the best dancer in Birmingham. The Bank Accounts will be keeping spirits up before the main event with their inspired downbeat high jinks, if that makes sense. You will love them. Two of Birmingham’s best without troubling your pockets, what a city we live in.
Fri 4 Aug 9pm at The Dark Horse, 145 Alcester Rd, Birmingham B13 8JP www.facebook.com

Digbeth Arts Market at Spotlight
It’s time for Digbeth Arts Market and we’re very excited. It’s a wonderful event with always something to catch the eyes, ears and mind over several hours and that’s not including gourmet gorging on Digbeth Dining Club’s usual array of fine fittle. Expect live music, DJ’s, street art and beautiful wares from the likes of Martha’s Bazaar, Koo Arts, The Peaky Squirrel and Befaf amongst many others. It is one whole pound to get in but if you average that out across what’s on offer it actually comes to free anyway.
Sat 5 Aug 11am at Spotlight, Lower Trinity St, Birmingham B9 4AG www.facebook.com

Terrorsaurs at The Diskery
Birmingham’s own rock and roll swamp monsters have been forging a brutal path through garage, surf and rockabilly for some eight years now. For a band that never seems to stop gigging somewhere in the world we’re lucky they’ve been pinned down for an hour in their home city. A stripped down set will be followed by the chance to get a signed copy of new album Swap Beat.
Sat 5 Aug 2pm at The Diskery, 99-102 Bromsgrove St, Birmingham B5 6QB www.facebook.com

Shadow City Soundsystem takeover at The Old Crown
The Old Crown garden steels itself for yet another invasion from one of Birmingham’s funkiest party manoeuvre movers. In full swing the space behind the city’s oldest boozer is a special place to be, good vibes like this are worth millions but you lucky punters can fill your boots for free. This time the Shadow City Soundsystem crew are moving in to batter your dance muscles with a wide range of eclectic beats and bleeps. Why would you go anywhere else?
Sat 5 Aug 7pm at The Old Crown, 188 High Street, Deritend, Birmingham B12 0LD www.facebook.com

Make it Reggae at 1000 Trades
Every month Make it Reggae turn the 1000 Trades into a little island of deep West Indian dub sounds; as the MIR DJ’s keep it old school, with a strict vinyl only policy, and maintain a rocksteady vibe until the early hours.  Resident Joe Turner is joined by Simon Cobb. Your own blues party lite in the JQ’s funkiest new bar.
Sat 5 Aug 7pm at 1000 Trades, 16 Frederick St, Birmingham B1 3HE www.facebook.com

Pour on the Sauce at The Night Owl
It’s another DJ Joe Turner reggae weekend as he pops up again at The Night Owl after manning the rocksteady wheels of steel at 1000 Trades last night. Alongside Jodie Lamb and Simon Tipper it’s a guarantee that the tunes will be real and the soundtrack to the Pour on the Sauce jerk BBQ is going to be filled with Jamaican sunshine, even if the Digbeth version doesn’t want to play. Whatever the weather it’s a great place to spend your Sunday afternoon.
Sun 6 Aug 2pm at The Night Owl, 17 Lower Trinity St, Birmingham B9 4AG www.facebook.com