Entertainment News

A Sandwell project which created a garden of 1,200 hand-made ceramic flowers has won a top award from the Royal Horticultural Society. Success has come in the Society’s Britain in Bloom Award for the It’s Your Neighbourhood category. The project has achieved a Level 3 award. Council-run Creative Arts, which provides day opportunities for people with disabilities, led the project with support from Creative Black Country.

As the UK prepares for a weekend of thrills and chills this Halloween, Original Murder Mystery Weekend is hosting two weekend breaks for those wanting to get in the ghostly spirit. The Halloween weekends will take place in the characterful and historic Ettington Chase and Horwood House hotels, situated in Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire respectively. Invented in 1981 by Joy Swift MBE, the Original Murder Mystery Weekend has satisfied more than 150,000 guests and celebrates its 35th birthday this Halloween.

October is Black History Month and the University of Birmingham is again celebrating the culture and histories of Black and Minority Ethnic communities with a comprehensive programme of events which are open for all to visit and participate in the celebrations. One such event is the Maori History (1863-2016) as during this Black History Month, the city will be hosting Maori tribal chiefs for an afternoon of Maori history at the University of Birmingham with the opportunity of meeting the team who returned the tattooed heads home and see awesome Maori performances from Ngati Ranana.

It's back. In The Space, hosted by local BBC Radio presenter, Nikki Tapper. An evening of live music, conversation accompanied by dance and poetry in front of a live audience. Come willing to participate, laugh and be blessed. Live music, live chat, life stories.

The University of Wolverhampton is delighted to be supporting this year’s Wolves Pride event as a major sponsor. Students, staff and friends of the University will take part in the parade in Wolverhampton City Centre on Saturday 1st October, 2016. The parade will be followed by an afternoon fair at the Network House on School Street. The University has been a proud supporter to the city’s biggest equality and diversity event since its inception in 2012.

Set to be one of the most eye-catching events of the winter, The Festival of Light at Longleat will bring the curtain down on the Safari Park's very own 50th birthday celebrations in truly spectacular style.Starting on November 11th, and running through to January 2nd, the winter spectacular will once again take the age-old tradition of the Chinese lantern and completely transform it for today's modern audience.

Soap star royalty arrived in Birmingham as Britain’s favourite soap baddie, Steve McFadden paid an exclusive visit to the city’s premiere theatre in countdown to the arrival of Birmingham’s biggest panto. Best known for playing 'hard man' Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ‘EastEnders,’ Steve will swap the streets of Albert Square for the sewers of London this Christmas in the role of the villainous King Rat in Dick Whittington, running at Birmingham Hippodrome from December – January.

The Nutcracker, a firm family favourite, will be screened live into cinemas around the world on Wednesday 16 December at 7.15pm with a repeat screening of the quintessential festive treat on Sunday 27 December at 2pm.

From family fun to terrifying tours of some of the city’s most haunted places, visitors to Birmingham Museums will be in for a treat (and trick) this half-term. For those families looking for an extra thrilling treat during the holidays there will be ghostly fun for visitors all week at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, and at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (Mon 24^th – Fri 28^th Oct), with special Halloween events such as, scary storytelling, creepy crafts and spooky experiments taking place.

Named by The Times as “one of tomorrow’s great artists”, Chinese-born British artist and social commentator Aowen Jin will be creating a unique installation called The Ritual at the historic Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park as part of Museums at Night festival in October. Compton Verney won the Museums at Night Connect competition, beating off four other museums and heritage venues across the UK to ‘win’ an Aowen Jin artist event for the venue. The Ritual will open on Saturday October 29 (until November 13).  

Apple Tree is an unprecedented collaboration between Keneish Dance and The Glee Club, Birmingham. The partnership has come together to present a distinctive live art night featuring a mix of music, acrobatics, dance, spoken word and comedy. Apple Tree is unique in its ambition of bringing together an impressive roster of local and national artists to create a dynamic cabaret night with a difference.  

Platinum selling singer Mica Paris is to star in the hit musical Chicago at Birmingham’s New Alexandra Theatre later this year.  Paris, who had hits with ‘My One Temptation’, ‘Back Angel’, ‘Stay’ and ‘Carefree’, will play the role of Mama Morton when the show comes to the Second City from 12 to 31 December. Also starring in Chicago are John Partridge as Billy Flynn, Hayley Tamaddon as Roxie Hart, Sophie Carmen-Jones as Velma Kelly, Neil Ditt as Amos Hart and A.D. Richardson as Mary Sunshine.

The annual Diwali celebrations on Soho Road will take place on Sunday 16th October 2016 on one of Britain's most diverse streets. The event is set to start at 12pm and end at 6.30pm with the Diwali lights switch on.  Soho Road BID hosts West Midlands largest Diwali festival which attracts thousands each year. The organisation consists of 560 independent businesses that spread from Holyhead Road all the way to Soho Hill and caters to approximately 250,000 residents in the vicinity.

The NEC has been chosen by Raccoon Events as the hosts of the inaugural National Running Show, thanks to its location in the heart of the UK and its flexible event space. The launch show will take place from 20-21 January 2018. National Running Show is the first large-scale running expo of its kind in the UK and is designed by runners, for runners. The event will provide all of the kit, advice and support needed to achieve running goals.

The Repertory Theatre, renowned for its year round programme of theatrical events, was named Venue of the Year at the 2016 Birmingham Awards. The award was presented for its ability to host exhibitions, company events and functions. Stuart Rogers, executive director at The REP, said: “A big thank you to everyone who voted for us and a huge congratulation to the events team and everyone else at The REP who helped us to win this award.