Entertainment News

Birmingham’s internationally renowned Christmas Markets return to the city for almost six weeks from Thursday, 12 November, to Tuesday, 22 December. Consisting of both the Frankfurt Christmas Market and the Christmas Craft Market and spanning approximately a mile through the city centre, the Birmingham Christmas Markets will be open from 10am to 9pm each day, offering visitors the chance to sample an array of delicacies and delights from around the world. Last year’s event drew 5.5 million visitors to the city.

The University of Warwick is set to welcome families for another weekend of festive fun centred around Warwick Arts Centre on Sat 28 and Sun 29 Nov 10am – 5pm.  Enjoy first-class family craft, sporty activities, food, drink and entertainment – with many activities free.

A Birmingham-based theatre company delivered a bespoke performance to the day hospice this week as part of its Home Theatre project. Performers Emily Buckler and Jane English from the Birmingham Repertory Theatre visited the hospice on Grange Road once a week throughout October so that they could get to know patients and gather content for the show.

An interactive map bringing Shakespeare’s world to life on a large touch table is to be installed at the Library of Birmingham. The announcement was made at an event attended by Royal Shakespeare Company artistic director Gregory Doran and BBC director general Tony Hall.

Dynamic arts agency Sampad Arts is celebrating its 25^th anniversary on Sunday 15 November with a thrilling line up of lively entertainment that features outstanding music, dance and spoken word artists from Birmingham and beyond. Established in 1990 by Piali Ray OBE, Sampad has played a significant role in helping to establish South Asian arts and artists within mainstream culture in Birmingham and across the UK.

TV favourite David Hasselhoff will arrive in Wolverhampton on Tuesday 17 November as part of the world premiere of a brand new musical - LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE.  The explosive new production opened at the Blackpool Opera House in October and audiences in Wolverhampton will be among the first to see it when the production plays at the Grand Theatre from November 17 – 21.

Brits are not waiting for Christmas to get spending at the shops. New research by intu, the owner, developer and manager of many of the UK’s prime shopping centres, shows the majority of British adults have a full shopping list to complete before the end of November – and what you are planning to buy often depends on where you live. 

Representatives from more than 15 historical organisations will be taking part in Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies' popular Local History Fair on Saturday 14 November. Visitors will be able to explore Wolverhampton's fascinating past, with experts from various organisations on hand to talk to them about different aspects of local heritage.

Freedom from Torture, a national charity supporting survivors of torture with a treatment centre in Birmingham, is marking its 30th anniversary with a celebratory art auction to raise funds to support its work here in the Midlands.

Members of the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, students at the Royal College of Music and musicians of the London Vegetable Orchestra have launched the Get Creative Family Arts Festival by playing some delicious-sounding instruments. They played carrot recorders, courgettes, peppers and even pumpkin percussion.

The nation’s favourite pet show is gearing up to open its doors at the NEC, Birmingham on 7-8 November. With hundreds of different animals, amazing animal action displays and fun and informative talks and demonstrations.

A Paralympian and Birmingham ex-student (now film maker)  has been short-listed for the prestigious Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs 2015, soon to be announced November 4 2015. Gilbey Films, created by founder Andy Gilbert, specializes in disability access films. The company makes short films for venues and attractions, hotels and hospitals, to use on their websites to showcase their accessible features and facilities.

The 12th annual Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) concluded earlier this month. The industry event, hosted by the Adventure Travel Trade Association was held over the course of five days in Puerto Varas, Chile. Chile has been a long-time partner of the ATTA and offered the organization's inaugural AdventureWeek product in 2013.

It’s been three years in the making, and now people can enjoy for themselves a new art trail which will be officially unveiled this weekend.

The Wednesfield Art Trail is a community-led public art project encapsulating what the area means to local people.

Since November 2012, more than 1,000 residents including pupils from local schools have taken part in the project, which has seen five pieces inspired by the people of Wednesfield completed by Black Country-based Planet Art.

Consultation found that residents associated Wednesfield with their networks of friends and family and the people they know locally rather than other aspects such as local industry, so Planet Art responded by creating sculptures featuring the diverse population of the area and everyday activities and exchanges.