What's on in Birmingham, United Kingdom through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in United Kingdom, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

• Rule

  Clean Air Zone charge

  1 Jan – 31 Dec

  Everything inside the A4540 ring road is a charging zone, every day of the year. Older cars pay per day and the cameras bill you whether you knew or not; hire cars are usually compliant, an old diesel of your own is not. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Eid in Small Heath Park, February half-term in United Kingdom

• Holiday

  Eid in Small Heath Park

  20 Feb – 10 Apr · usuallyRamadan & EidCrowdedClosures

  The morning Eid al-Fitr prayer in Small Heath Park draws tens of thousands, the largest gathering of its kind in Europe, and the roads around the park shut for a few hours. The date moves earlier each year. Source ↗

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Eid in Small Heath Park, Crufts

• Festival

  Crufts

  5–15 Mar · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Four days at the NEC in March and the largest dog show in the world. Hotels out by the airport and around the centre fill, and the trains to Birmingham International run with dogs on them. Source ↗

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Eid in Small Heath Park (20 Feb – 10 Apr (usually))

Peak crowds — Eid in Small Heath Park, Vaisakhi

• Festival

  Vaisakhi

  13–27 Apr · usuallyMajor festivalCrowded

  Two Nagar Kirtan processions set off from gurdwaras across the city in late April and converge on the Vaisakhi Mela at Handsworth Park, with free langar along the route. Source ↗

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Eid in Small Heath Park (20 Feb – 10 Apr (usually))

Peak crowds — Birmingham Pride, Late-May half-term in United Kingdom

• Festival

  Birmingham Pride

  20 May – 1 Jun · usuallyCrowded

  The late May bank holiday weekend, with a parade from the centre and a ticketed festival site in the Gay Village. Rooms in the centre are gone weeks ahead. Source ↗

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Birmingham Pride, Cricket at Edgbaston

• Festival

  Cricket at Edgbaston

  1 Jun – 10 Sep · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  England play a Test and usually a white-ball match here each summer. The Hollies Stand is the loudest in world cricket and the city prices its rooms for those five days. Source ↗

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Birmingham Pride (20 May – 1 Jun (usually))

Peak crowds — travelers describe it as peak season, Cricket at Edgbaston

• Festival

  Birmingham Jazz Festival

  18 Jul – 5 Aug · usuallyMajor festival

  Ten days from late July into August with most of the programme free and outdoors in the squares and shopping streets, which makes it the easiest festival in the city to stumble into. Source ↗

• Holiday

  English summer holidays

  20 Jul – 2 SepSchool holidaysCrowded

  Six weeks in which Cadbury World, the Sea Life Centre and the Legoland Discovery Centre run at capacity and the centre fills with families. Timed slots sell out; turning up is not a plan. Source ↗

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Cricket at Edgbaston (1 Jun – 10 Sep (usually))

Peak crowds — Cricket at Edgbaston, English summer holidays

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Cricket at Edgbaston (1 Jun – 10 Sep (usually)), Birmingham Jazz Festival (18 Jul – 5 Aug (usually)), English summer holidays (20 Jul – 2 Sep)

Peak crowds — Cricket at Edgbaston, English summer holidays

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Cricket at Edgbaston (1 Jun – 10 Sep (usually)), English summer holidays (20 Jul – 2 Sep)

Busy — October half-term in United Kingdom, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — Frankfurt Christmas Market, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Frankfurt Christmas Market

  5 Nov – 24 DecChristmas & New YearCrowded

  The largest German market outside Germany and Austria runs down New Street and Victoria Square for seven weeks. Weekday afternoons are walkable; Saturdays are not. Source ↗

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Frankfurt Christmas Market, Christmas holidays in United Kingdom

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Clean Air Zone charge (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Frankfurt Christmas Market (5 Nov – 24 Dec)