Following the announcement of its opening event, One City, A Thousand Memories, Birmingham Festival 23 has announced the full programme of events for the 10 day festival which takes place from 28 July - 6 August in Centenary Square.

A packed programme will run daily from 11am - 9pm catering to all ages and interests, each day beginning with welcoming participatory activities, including a regular morning slot hosted by Games Mascot Perry.

Back-to-back live and on screen performances throughout each day including projects commissioned through the Made In Brum open call; and each evening a strand under the umbrella title Twilight Takeovers will feature new partnerships, collectives and artists creatively collaborating to bring each day to a fabulous close.

The 6pm Power Hour sees a range of fun workouts and easy-to-follow classes that you can make the most of in that post-work diversion from the gym. There’s masses of music, a deluge of dance and a plethora of performances.

With just 1 month to go until it starts, Birmingham Festival 23 will welcoming audiences, artists, local communities and volunteers, reflecting the diversity of the city, to come together to watch, listen, relax, dance and play. It will be a joyous, fun and heartfelt celebration to mark the one year anniversary of the Commonwealth Games in 2022, and is another bold showcase of Birmingham’s talent, character and reputation as a world-class destination for major events.

The Festival will open on Friday 28 July with One City, A Thousand Memories which will feature performances from Birmingham’s musical talent including Bambi Bains, SANITY and Friendly Fire Band, and more. Mezzo-Soprano Samantha Oxborough will perform with The Choir with No Name supported by community BSL choir Music in Motion (Made in Brum).

The festival site on Centenary Square will feature a big screen where audiences can expect to see
newly-commissioned short films, B2022 highlights and messages from a few familiar faces which will be kept a surprise until the night.

Programme highlights include:

- Paul Ramírez Jonas / Fierce Public Trust (29 July - 5 August): an interactive artwork by the New York-based artist behind 2022’s brilliant Key To The City, asks everybody to examine the value of their word. 

- Sampad Takeover Day (29 July): Get ready for some amazing South Asian dance and music from Festival Partners Sampad and friends.

- Fabric Takeover Day (30 July): A day of dance for ‘every body’ from festival partner Fabric, the Midland’s strategic dance development organisation.

- Sense and wellbeing soundbaths, party picnics, yoga sessions, Rainbow Voices (the West Midlands’ community choir for LGBTQIA+ people and their friends) and much more.

For the full programme, visit: birminghamfestival23.co.uk