WHAT'S ON
Last entry to The Council House is 18:30 on both days, unless you have tickets to one of our evening events
September 24th
FlashBab
Victoria Square
13:00 - 14:00
The IDOB Opening Ceremony with The Heavy Beat Brass Band, Antonio Socci playing the IDOB anthem, the raising of the United States of Birmingham flag by The Lord Mayor and Mr Egg. Join in with the communal chant of Alright Bab and grab yourself a free Curly Wurly and a goody bag.
The Commentators
The Council House
From 13:00
Providing commentary on the proceedings in their role as professional people watchers.
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Big Brummie Pub Quiz
The Banqueting Room
20:00 - 23:00
Test your 0121 knowledge with the Professor of all things Brum, Carl Chinn, aided by some VIBs (very important Brummies.
Made by Brum
Victoria Square
From 14:00
What does Brum mean to you? Pop on down to Victoria Square and tell us, as we collect hundreds of Brummie voices in this interactive art piece
Foghorn Unscripted
The Drawing Room
18:00 - 19:30
What better in a city famous for inventing Cluedo than a Brum-themed murder mystery, improvised live! With no script and no plot, comedy improv masters, Foghorn Unscripted, together with the audience, create a classic whodunnit.
CBSO
The Drawing Room
16:00 - 17:00
Bringing a bit of Symphony Hall down the road to the Council House, Birmingham’s world class woodwind quintet play CBSO's greatest hits.
Heavy Beat Brass Band
The Drawing Room
14:15 - 15:00
Mardi Gras comes to Brum as the brassy 6-piece set the Drawing Room stage on fire.
Molly Cleaver mural
The Drawing Room
From 14:00 - 19:00
Pick up a paintbrush and be part of Molly's expanding mural.
Cluedo
The Drawing Room
From 14:00 - 19:00
Solve the murder on the Drawing Room dancefloor and play a game of Cluedo in the city of its birth.
Foka Wolf exhibition
The Reception
From 14:00 - 19:00
The satirical street artist brings a brand new Brummie ad campaign to the Council House.
Nortons
The Reception
From 14:00 - 23:00
Pop along for one of the Irish bar's famed creamy pints.
Trevor Beattie: From Balsall Heath to Outer Space
(and Back)
The Council Chamber
18:30 - 19:30
An out of this world perspective on the best city on the planet from Brummie ad man / astronaut Trevor Beattie, as he tells the very strange story of his life.
Bingo with Barbara Nice
The Council Chamber
16:30 - 18:00
Calling numbers from the Lord Mayor’s chair, Barbara will bring her hilarious game to the council chamber for a truly one-off experience.
Brum's The Word
The Council Chamber
15:00 -16:00
In a poetry first, witness a transatlantic collab between the Poet Laureates of Birmingham UK and Birmingham Alabama, followed by a tribute to Benjamin Zephaniah featuring Ayan Aden, Salaam Green, Bradley Taylor.
Poetry on Demand
The Council Chamber
From 14:00
Receive your very own bespoke poem from award-winning Birmingham poet Bradley Taylor! Give him a prompt on anything at all and he'll create your unique poem on the spot, on his typewriter.
Brum on Screen -
Mockingbird pop up
The Chamberlain Room
From 14:00 - 19:30
A mini Birmingham film festival at the mini Mockingbird puts the city on the big screen. Expect features, shorts, archive gems and filmmaker Q&As including Reel Brum and Overlap showcases, Telly Savalas Looks at Birmingham, Moon, I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle, Made in Birmingham: Reggae Punk Bhangra, Joe Lycett's United States of Birmingham , Joe Lycett shorts, Dion & The Unicorn, Rise of the Mixy.
Pop Up Botty Gs
The Glass Corridor
From 14:00 - 19:00
The Botanical Gardens come to B1! Relax amongst the greenery whilst experiencing Sounds of Birmingham, a specially created soundscape by Martyn Stewart, whose collection is considered one of the world's most important sound archives. Look out for the secret door.
Brummie Bazaar
The Names Room
From 14:00 - 19:00
One stop souvenir shop for all things made in Brum c/o Birmingham Artisan Market.
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Make Your Mark: Made in Brum
The Lord Mayor's Suite
17:00 - 18:30
Hands on jewellery making with the Quarterworkshop where you will use traditional jewellery tools, hammers and punches to create your own unique sterling silver souvenir.
Tat Vision's Wearable Birmingham Landmarks
The Lord Mayor's Suite
14:30 - 16:30
Join the cardboard king and create your own Birming-homage then parade it down the tatwalk.
Museum of BAM
The Lady Mayoress' Parlour
From 14:00 - 19:00
Wander through the fictional museum devoted to Brum brought to you by BAM! BAM!. Through photographs, films, found objects and fabricated artefacts, you decide where documented history ends and folklore begins. Grab yourself a selfie with Mr Egg.
The Brummiverse
The Deputy Lord Mayor's room
From 14:00 - 19:00
Enter the Brumhole and Say Alright Bab to a Brummie from another Mummy. See behind the scenes photos and props from Joe Lycett's United States of Birmingham along with the official Treaty of Friendship which binds us all together.
Desert Island Dinners
The Banqueting Room
From 15:00 - 16:00
A unique opportunity to learn about Birmingham through the tastebuds of our very own Jess Phillips MP as she's interviewed by BBC radio host Ed James. Jess will reveal her 5 favourite dishes from her life in Birmingham and tell us the food stories closest to her heart.
September 25th
Molly Cleaver mural
The Drawing Room
From 12:00 - 19:00
Pick up a paintbrush and be part of Molly's expanding mural.
Poetry on Demand
The Council Chamber
From 12:00
Receive your very own bespoke poem from award-winning Birmingham poet Bradley Taylor! Give him a prompt on anything at all and he'll create your unique poem on the spot, on his typewriter.
Foka Wolf exhibition
The Reception
From 12:00
The satirical street artist brings a brand new Brummie ad campaign to the Council House.
Brum on Screen - Mockingbird pop up
The Chamberlain Room
From 12:00 - 19:30
A mini Birmingham film festival at the mini Mockingbird puts the city on the big screen. Expect features, shorts, archive gems and filmmaker Q&As including Reel Brum and Overlap showcases, Telly Savalas Looks at Birmingham, Moon, I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle, Made in Birmingham: Reggae Punk Bhangra, Joe Lycett's United States of Birmingham , Joe Lycett shorts, Dion & The Unicorn, Rise of the Mixy.
Pop Up Botty Gs
The Glass Corridor
From 12:00 - 19:00
The Botanical Gardens come to B1! Relax amongst the greenery whilst experiencing Sounds of Birmingham, a specially created soundscape by Martyn Stewart, whose collection is considered one of the world's most important sound archives. Look out for the secret door.
Brummie Bazaar
The Names Room
From 12:00 - 19:00
One stop souvenir shop for all things made in Brum c/o Birmingham Artisan Market.
Museum of BAM
The Lady Mayoress' Parlour
From 12:00 - 19:00
A fictional museum devoted to Brum brought to you by BAM! BAM!. Through photographs, films, found objects and fabricated artefacts, you decide where documented history ends and folklore begins.
The Brummiverse
The Deputy Lord Mayor's room
From 12:00 - 19:00
Enter the Brumhole and Say Alright Bab to a Brummie from another Mummy. See behind the scenes photos and props from Joe Lycett's United States of Birmingham along with the official Treaty of Friendship which binds us all together.
Album Club
The Council Chamber
13:00 - 14:00
Be part of Switch Radio's music review show featuring On Record, a multi-artist, multi-genre album featuring eleven original tracks dedicated to Brum. Tales of canals, Sparkhill at midnight and Bedders Chip Shop on the Coventry Road.
CBSO
The Drawing Room
13:00 - 14:00
Grab a cob and a drink from the bar then settle in for a lunchtime session with the fabulous CBSO woodwind quintet.
Hot Ones: Pip's Hot Sauce x Bonehead
The Banqueting Room
14:00 - 15:00
The ultimate spicy collab; how hot can you handle it?
My Own Private Birmingham – an elegy for the overlooked
The Lord Mayor's Suite
15:00 - 16:00
Creative Writing workshop with Catherine O'Flynn, sharing and documenting your own idiosyncratic selection of Birmingham’s delights. Participants will explore ways of conveying the magic of place in writing.
Benny's Babbies: The Reunion
The Council Chamber
18:00 - 19:30
Cold War Steve (Christopher Spencer) the creator of Benny's Babbies, is joined by three of the iconic authors featured in his unique work of art: Kit de Waal, Mike Gayle and Catherine O'Flynn.
The Big Brum Night Out
The Banqueting Room
20:00 - 00:00
The ultimate Brummie variety show with a lovely line up of local legends including BING0121, Lindsey Santoro, Tal Davies, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Jetz Quartet from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, DJ Cheese Dip, Raffle and free Dim Sum from Chung Ying. Hosted by Yshee Black.
From Rag Market to Riches
The Lord Mayor's Suite
16:30 - 18:00
Got a lampshade that needs a new life? Some jeans that need jazzing up? Bring your clothes, accessories or even small bits of home decor / homeware to this unique workshop hosted by master interior designer, decorator and stylist Richard O'Gorman. Let Richard know what you're bringing on our Insta and he'll come loaded with ideas to add some life and colour to a much-loved item that needs some dazzle.
The Archers 75th Anniversary Takeover!
The Lord Mayor's Suite
12:30 - 14:45
The world's longest running drama is a Birmingham success story and you can come and learn about the history, have a go at reading a script and experiment with the sound effects that make this household staple so enduring.
A Dinosaur on Broad Street
The Council Chamber
16:00 - 17:00
Unlock your unconscious with Sally Chidlow's fascinating insight into the Birmingham Surrealists and play the world's biggest game of Exquisite Corpse.
Brief Encounters: Birmingham In Passing
The Banqueting Room
All day
Photographer, and IT Project Manager at Birmingham City University, Matt Peers, exhibits candid portraits of the people he has encountered on the streets around BCU and beyond. Shot on black and white film, the project provides a timeless vision of the people and life in Birmingham.
Birmingham United: celebrating football in Brum
The Council Chamber
14:30 - 15:30
From local legends to famous fans, explore Birmingham’s love of football through the stories and experiences of players, supporters and community voices.
Featuring
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Sukh Singh and Paul Delves (BCFC Supporter's Club)
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Siraj Hussain (Birmingham United)
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Hijab Shah (researcher and podcaster)
Join in to cast your vote on a Brummie Dream Team of local celebs and footballers in the Council Chamber!
Made By Brum - Big Screen Brummies
The Banqueting Room
From 14:00 Thursday | 12:00 Friday
See the city in a new light, as we celebrate our people and places, with breathtaking visuals and intimate photography.
Desert Island Dinners - Dan Lee with Lyle Bignon
The Banqueting Room
16:00 - 17:00
A fun and cheeky chance to learn about Birmingham's food scene through the tastebuds of Master Chef UK winner and proud Brummie, Dan Lee as he's interviewed by Night Time Economy Ambassador Lyle Bignon. Dan will reveal his 5 favourite dishes from his life in Birmingham and tell us the food stories that have changed his life.