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​The House That Brum Built takes over Birmingham's most iconic building on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th September 2026. If you've only ever seen the Council House from the outside, as a backdrop to a selfie in Victoria Square, this is your way in. Ten rooms. Two days. Every one of them handed over to a different corner of what makes this city worth shouting about: food, music, art, film, poetry, comedy, history, and the sort of thing that only makes sense if you're from here. It’s a cultural palace celebrating the people, the places, the creativity. A Birminghome from home, if you will. And we hope you do!

 

Passport please

Everyone who enters the house gets a Brummie Passport at the door.

 

It’s your map, your souvenir and your mission in one. Collect a stamp from each room and you're officially a True Brummie, with the chance to enter a prize draw for a frankly enormous swag bag of Birmingham merch and vouchers.

 

Most of the house is free to wander. Some individual events are ticketed, some need registration but won’t cost you a penny. And if that seems like hard work you can just rock up, although reserving your space in advance will guarantee you a place in your chosen room of the house. 

 

We’ve made it easy for you and brought some of Birmingham’s best independent businesses together under one roof. We’ve got collabs with: 

 

• The Heath Bookshop who are hosting a series of unmissable events in the Council Chamber

• The Mockingbird Cinema bringing their screen and their pick’n’mix to the Chamberlain Room for a non-stop Brum fest

• The Botanical Gardens relocating to the Glass Corridor for two days for a spot of horticultural heaven

• Birmingham Artisan Markets setting up a Brummie Bazaar in the Names Room; your one stop Brum-made souvenir shop

• Nortons Digbeth bringing the craic to the Council House, keeping everyone refreshed at their pop up bar in the Reception  

 

And before all that: the Flashbab

Outside, in Victoria Square, to kick off IDOB,  a crowd of Brummies will gather to shout "Alright bab" at each other in unison. Loudly and on purpose.

 

Celebrations will be led by the Lord Mayor and Mr Egg;  the double act of your dreams. Then the United States of Birmingham flag will be raised while the ceremonial bugler plays the specially composed IDOB anthem. It is, depending on your outlook, either completely ridiculous or the single most moving thing you'll see all year. Live music, free Curly Wurlys and Brummie pride in bucketloads. 

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What on earth is IDOB?

Fair question.

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In 2024, as the Lord Mayor’s chosen ambassador, Joe Lycett formed an official Treaty of Friendship with the world’s many Birminghams, thus creating the United States of Birmingham. On his travels (immortalised in the Sky tv series ‘Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham’) Joe discovered a shared Brummie spirit and introduced the Birminghams of North America to some cultural highlights from the Mother Brum, including custard, cobs and a Curly Wurly or two.

 

That could have been the end of it. It wasn't. IDOB is now a permanent fixture in the city’s calendar; a celebration marking the creation of the historic alliance of Birminghams and a chance to celebrate friendship and unity near and far. 

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Turns out we'd all been quietly waiting for a reason to make a fuss about Birmingham. Now 24th September is Birmingham's Christmas. And this year, we've given ourselves a Boxing Day too.

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Who's involved

Some of the Birmingham champions joining us in 2026: Poet Laureate Ayan Aden, film producer and astronaut Trevor Beattie, social historian Professor Carl Chinn MBE, collage agitator Cold War Steve, author and activist Kit de Waal, the extremely anonymous artist Foka Wolf, comedian Barbara Nice, chef Glynn Purnell, and papier-mâché pop artist Tat Vision. Plus the CBSO, Birmingham Royal Ballet and a whole raft of fabulous makers, musicians and all round top babs. For full line up head here. 

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We'll also be linking up live with our namesakes from some of the US Birminghams so you can say alright bab to a Brummie from another mummy.

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The serious bit 

International Day of Birmingham is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company. The event doesn't make money. Proceeds go to good causes, and this year that's the Lord Mayor's Charity.

 

With huge thanks for making this happen, a massive shout out to: Birmingham City Council and the Lord Mayor, The Beattie Foundation, Colmore Life, The Heath Bookshop, Hollywood Monster, Nortons Digbeth, UB40 and the University of Birmingham. And all the other local legends supporting us along the way. 

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