The Countdown is on for Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter Festival

13th July 2016

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Jewellery Quarter is gearing up to welcome its second annual festival, which is set to be bigger and better than before. From Friday July 22nd – Sunday 24th July, the Quarter will be taken over by performers, food stalls, free activities and more, making it the stand out Jewellery Quarter event of the year.

The festival will kick start at 4pm on Friday 22nd July where there will be various live performances and food available on the Golden Square. Birmingham comedienne, Ms Barbara Nice, will be the host for the evening and Aston Performing Arts Academy will be taking centre stage to perform for the crowds. The evening will round off with a Burlesque performance and an after party at the Rose Villa Tavern, where festival revelers can enjoy its extensive range of vodkas.

Saturday 23rd July will be jammed packed with events that the whole family can enjoy. Starting at 11am with a Mad Science workshops, there will be plenty to keep festival goers entertained with stilt walkers parading the streets, face painters and unlimited free rides on the Helter Skelter. At 2pm, the Square will turn into a Big Top when CircusMASH will be running a circus performance workshop for anyone who wants to face their fears on the tight rope. Meanwhile, St Paul’s Square will become home to a grand band stand which will be hosting live music and Birmingham’s Jazz Legends for those who want to relax in the sunshine.

CircusMASH will be back and bringing with them an all new show called Hullabaloo!

Finally, the festival will round-up on Sunday 24th July, with a host of performances running from the band stand in St Paul’s Square throughout the day. For those looking to while away the hours, picnic blankets will also be on offer, and for cycling enthusiasts Urban Cycles will be setting up base on the Golden Square to run free bike maintenance sessions and fix any broken bike parts, while children can enjoy a free urban wildlife tour, to learn all about the creatures which inhabit the Jewellery Quarter.

Live Jazz will be on in St Paul's Square for visitors to enjoy while they catch some sun. — Live Jazz will be on in St Paul’s Square for visitors to enjoy while they catch some sun.

Speaking about the festival, Luke Crane, JQBID Manager, said: “We’re all extremely excited about the festival and can’t wait for it to start. The festival has been months in the making and we’re thrilled with the programme of events that will be taking place.

“We’re confident the festival will highlight everything the Jewellery Quarter has to offer and show that it is a great place to live, learn, work and visit. I hope all our visitors take this opportunity to explore all our hidden gems and have fantastic weekend with us.”

Throughout the weekend, visitors can also discover more about the Jewellery Quarter from behind the scenes in the annual Open Studios Trail, in which over 50 craftsmen, creatives, artists and artisans will be opening their studio doors and welcoming guests to learn more about the diverse range of trades on offer.

This year's Open Studios will feature a giant skittles game, demonstrations and activities. — This year’s Open Studios will feature a giant skittles game, demonstrations and activities.

Visitors can also take a break from the festival fun to explore the Jewellery Quarter heritage & cultural scene with the free heritage tours or visiting a local attraction. Taking place across the weekend, there’s loads to discover from folk music and bar at Newman Brother’s Coffin Works to art galleries, theatres, or even scalextric and flight simulators at Wonderful World of Trains & Planes.

For further information about the festival please visit our dedicated page and join the Facebook event for the latest updates.