If you’ve been waiting for a weekend when Birmingham really earns its reputation as one of the UK’s great culture cities, this could be it. From huge cinematic music and a city-wide comedy finale to literature, live gigs, new cinema, family activities and free art, Friday 9th to Sunday 11th October is particularly busy.
Here’s our pick of what to put in the diary.
Laugh your way through Birmingham Comedy Festival
Birmingham Comedy Festival reaches its final weekend with events scattered around the city. Running until Sunday 11 October, the festival has brought nearly 100 performances to around 25 venues.
Friday includes Daniel Sloss: BITTER at Symphony Hall at 8pm, while The Glee Club Birmingham hosts Friday Night Comedy with Michael Legge, Javier Jarquin, Ian Smith, Blank Peng and James Barr. Doors open at 6.45pm. TICKETS
Saturday brings another Glee Club line-up, while Sunday offers COBO: Comedy Shutdown – Black History Month Special and Celya AB among the festival’s closing-day programme.
Explore Birmingham Comedy Festival
The World of Hans Zimmer goes big
Saturday night should sound spectacular at Utilita Arena Birmingham as The World of Hans Zimmer – A New Dimension arrives in the city.
The arena show takes audiences through the cinematic world associated with Zimmer’s scores, with the Birmingham performance beginning at 7.30pm on Saturday 10th October. Ticket availability was already listed as low when we checked, so this is one not to leave until Saturday afternoon. Ticketmaster UK
The World of Hans Zimmer – Birmingham information
Or make it an indie Saturday night
Over in Digbeth, O2 Institute Birmingham welcomes The Lemonheads on Saturday, with doors listed for 7pm. Friday at the same venue brings Midnight Til Morning, with Ryan Mack. TICKETS
Meanwhile, electronic pioneers Cabaret Voltaire bring their final UK tour to Birmingham Town Hall on Saturday at 7.30pm.
Birmingham Literature Festival takes over the city
Book lovers have plenty to explore too. Birmingham Literature Festival is back 8th to 12th October, presenting writers, thinkers and artists at venues across Birmingham.
There’s an added bonus for anyone travelling in: festival ticket holders can register for a scheme offering free bus travel to festival events, thanks to Transport for West Midlands.
Browse Birmingham Literature Festival 2026
Celebrate Benjamin Zephaniah at MAC
Saturday is also a lovely opportunity to celebrate one of Birmingham’s most distinctive creative voices. Midlands Arts Centre hosts Benjamin Zephaniah Day: Rhythm, Unity and Revolution on 10th October.
The programme includes free family-friendly activities. Bird Box Crafting runs from noon until 3pm, inviting visitors aged four and above to create bird boxes inspired by Zephaniah’s Nature Trail. There are also free art workshops celebrating Black history and African and Caribbean culture, plus an illustration session turning Zephaniah’s poetry into collage, prints and drawings.
See what’s on at MAC Birmingham
Catch the London Film Festival without leaving Birmingham
MAC is also one of the regional homes of the 70th BFI London Film Festival, bringing UK premieres to Cannon Hill Park. Friday features Wild Horse Nine, Saturday includes Ray Gunn and La Bola Negra, while Sunday brings I Love Boosters and Possible Love.
BFI London Film Festival at MAC
Finish the weekend with some free art
Finally, head to Ikon Gallery for Future Heritage, which closes this Sunday.
The free exhibition showcases work created by pupils from five Birmingham schools working with Ikon artists, encompassing photography, ceramics and other creative responses to the city’s heritage. It is open 11am–5pm, making it an easy addition to a Sunday wander around Brindleyplace.
Future Heritage at Ikon Gallery
Whatever you choose, Birmingham is serving up one of those weekends where the difficult bit isn’t finding something to do — it’s deciding what to leave out.
