Got any plans for the August Bank Holiday?

The three-day weekend is a chance for days out with family and friends.

But what's on in and around Birmingham?

READ MORE: Best country pubs to visit near you recommended by Good Pub Guide 2021

If you're staying local, here's our pick of events going on in and near the city over the August Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday, August 28 to Monday, August 30.

Whether you like shopping, street food, live music, clubbing, gardens, golf, history or heritage, Birmingham has plenty of choice for everyone this bank holiday. There's even the unlikely but appealing combination of pizza and Tolkien where you can delve into Middle Earth while munching on mouth-watering food.

So, whatever the weather, there's no need to stay indoors and slump on the sofa - get out there and make the most of what's on before summer comes to an end.

The Night Owl will be hosting Owl Stock

Owlstock 2021 at The Night Owl

WHERE: The Night Owl, Lower Trinity Street, Digbeth

WHEN: Sunday August 29

WHAT: Northern soul and retro club The Night Owl is bringing back its one-day tribute to the iconic Woodstock festival.

Owlstock 2021 takes place from 2pm to 10pm with live music, DJs, art, record & clothes stalls PLUS street food from Dining By Dalton throughout the day. The live music is from Dizzy Lizzy (Thin Lizzy tribute), Are You Experienced? (Jimi Hendrix tribute), Kirstie & Gene (60s & 70s covers duo) and up and coming local acts Jackie (tropicalia infused rock band) & Marc (inspired by T Rex). Tickets are £12.

Get ticke ts to Owlstock 2021 here and find out more here including the full programme.

The club has other things going on this weekend too. Saturday, August 28, sees Blank Generation, a night of classic punk anthems (£5 advance ticket / £7 on the door), and 11.59pm on Sunday, August 29 to 3am on Monday August 30, sees a dance night called Dig take over the venue.

Birmingham Weekender

WHERE: Bullring & Grand Central and the surrounding New Street Station concourse, Birmingham Markets and 1000 Trades Square

WHEN: Friday August 27 to Sunday August 29

WHAT: Birmingham Weekender is back this August with over 100 free events to enjoy. The cultural festival, funded by Bullring & Grand Central, Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Hippodrome and Arts Council England, will combine a mix of dance, music, film, performances and installations featuring many of the best artists from Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.

Activities include a silent disco, film screenings and tons more. See the full programme here.

Big Bank Holiday Weekend at Bar + Block Birmingham

WHERE: Bar + Block Birmingham, 3-6 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5PGE

WHEN: Thursday August 26 to Sunday August 29

WHAT: The Birmingham steakhouse Bar + Block is inviting people to "eat with a beat this bank holiday" as it unveils four days of live music from a talented line-up of young local musicians.

Part of the Summer + Music series, in partnership with local music promoter Brumbeat Music Ltd, the event will see musicians including the smooth country pop of Dan Roberts from the band Grafton Ash on Friday (6pm-8pm) and Sunday (4pm-6pm), folk and soul from award-winning singer Ben Drummond on Thursday (8pm-10pm), and an eclectic mix of covers from musician Anthony Price on Saturday (8pm-10pm).

Enjoy the show with a drink in hand - whether your choice is wines, craft ales or creative cocktails - accompanied by food from the menu of quality steaks, succulent burgers and a host of grills, salads, sides and sharing grazing plates. Book by calling 0121 227 5139.

The Canal House in Birmingham
The Canal House in Birmingham

Live Music at The Canal House

WHERE: 12 Bridge Street, Birmingham B1 2JR

WHEN: Sunday August 29

WHAT: The Canal House in Birmingham is bringing back its live music for the first time since August 2020.

The music is back from 2pm to 4.45pm on Sundays, starting with this August Bank Holiday weekend.

New Roast and Roots Throwback Party at The Botanist

WHERE: 16 Temple Street, Birmingham B2 5BG

WHEN: Sunday August 29 to early Monday August 30 for the Roots night

WHAT: Who doesn't love a Sunday roast? And if you fancy trying somewhere other than your usual carvery, The Botanist tells us they have a new roast on offer.

The Birmingham city centre venue provides what it calls "a secret garden of food and drink." The new roast has all the potatoes and vegetables served to table to share among your group.

August Bank Holiday adds a Roots 90s/00s Throwback Party hosted by Birmingham DJ Danny Deakins in the venue's Plant Rooms from 9pm on Sunday to 2am Monday.

Check out the Botanist menu and book a table here

Sunday roast at The Botanist
Sunday roast at The Botanist

Elements of Soul at Legacy CoE

WHERE: Legacy Centre of Excellence, Potters Lane, Birmingham, B6 4UU

WHEN: Saturday August 28 and Sunday August 29

WHAT: Aston Performing Arts Academy is putting on Elements of Soul: Birmingham's Best at the Legacy Centre of Excellence, which is described as Europe's largest independent black-owned business and arts centre. The venue opened in 2019 on the site of The Drum, which had closed in 2016.

There will be two nights of "live music and good vibes" from 6.30pm to 10pm in what organisers say is "our first internal event back from lockdown and we are welcoming some of Birmingham's best artists."

General admission £7, students and under-18s £5. Get tickets here

A spokesman said: "We delivered this event every week online and now it's time to do it on a live stage. We can't wait!"

The line-up is:

August 28: Harrison James, Conrad King, Aiyana K, Poet RS.

August 29: Call Me Unique, Indigo Marshall, Ashley Zeal, CGS Poetry

Pryzm is putting on a Utopia dance night for the August Bank Holiday weekend
Pryzm is putting on a Utopia dance night for the August Bank Holiday weekend

Utopia: Throwback at Pryzm

WHERE: Pryzm, 182 Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1DA

WHEN: Sunday August 29

WHAT: Utopia heads to Birmingham this bank holiday - and after all those grim months of lockdown a bit of hands-in-the-air utopia would be very welcome indeed.

The Pryzm club is hosting Utopia: Throwback, a night of Ibiza classics and dance anthems.

Organisers said: "Think the very best music from the 90s 00s and 10s all thrown into one production-heavy experience! Expect a full venue decor transformation - LED wall graphics, festival style production and the best soundtracks and DJs."

Tickets are £4 to £10 - get yours here.

Mini-Golf at Selly Manor Museum

WHERE: Selly Manor Museum, Maple Road, Bournville, Birmingham, B30 2AE

WHEN: Until Sunday August 29

WHAT: Explore Tudor heritage in the heart of historic Bournville - and enjoy nine holes of mini-golf in the Selly Manor Museum garden. Do battle with family and friends to see who can finish top of the leaderboard. Can you hit a hole in one and putt yourself to glory?

The mini-golf course will run until Sunday August 29, from 10am to 4.30pm every day (last entry at 3.30pm).

Tickets are £5 for both adults and children and include entry to this beautiful Tudor manor, where you can also take part in the Family Trail, dress up as a Tudor, try on armour and much more.

The cost is £5 per person and booking is essential. Book here

Get the latest updates

David Bentley is an SEO writer for Birmingham Live and Birmingham Mail, covering topics such as benefits and State Pension.

Follow David on Twitter here

Follow David on Facebook here

Read more of David's stories here

Contact David by email at david.bentley@reachplc.com

Beer Garden Foam Party at Reflex

WHERE: 36-37 Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2DY

WHEN: Sunday August 29 at 10pm to Monday August 30 at 3am

WHAT: Bonkers Bank Holiday Parties is offering loads of frothy fun at the Reflex club in Broad Street.

There's a beer garden foam party with "the biggest tunes of the 80s, 90s and 00s." Tickets are £4 here

R&B Brunch at Nightingale Club

WHERE: Nightingale Club, 18 Kent Street, Birmingham B5 6RD

WHEN: Saturday August 28

WHAT: Billed as the UK’s biggest R&B club daytimer, this event from Taste + Liquor is on from noon to 5pm and includes street food served all day plus complimentary bottomless rum punch from 12pm to 1pm.

Food and drink are to be purchased separately. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Playing everything in R&B and soul from the past few decades – think TLC to Mary J. Blige to Pharrell to SZA and all dancefloor heavy grooves in-between, with a sprinkling of old-school rap jams, UKG, dancehall, dance music and more.

Tickets are for entry only and cost £15 here

Lord of the Toppings? You can combine pizza with Tolkien in Sarehole Mill's August Bank Holiday tour event
Lord of the Toppings? You can combine pizza with Tolkien in Sarehole Mill's August Bank Holiday tour event

Pizza and tour at Sarehole Mill

WHERE: Sarehole Mill, Cole Bank Road, Birmingham, B13 0BD

WHEN: Sunday August 29

WHAT: Lord of the Toppings anyone? Enjoy a freshly made pizza and join a guided tour of Sarehole Mill with the attraction's new Pizza and Tour event.

The watermill has links to Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien and is part of Birmingham's Tolkien Trail, which follows the childhood footsteps of the writer and the places that influenced his work.

For this event, choose from a mouth-watering range of stone-baked Neapolitan pizzas and dine in the Mill courtyard before joining a guided tour of the 250-year-old mill and its grounds.

On the tour, you will experience the sights and sounds of a traditional working watermill, see the tranquil millpond – a haven for wildlife including herons and moorhens - and learn about the connection Tolkien had with the area.

The event is on from 1.30pm to 2.45pm and costs £13 for adults, and £10 for children.

Places are limited. and booking in advance is essential. Book here.

BBC Gardeners World at NEC

WHERE: NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT

WHEN: Thursday August 26 to Sunday August 29

WHAT: BBC Gardeners' World Live 'Special Edition' will take place as an outdoor event at the NEC this August Bank Holiday.

It will include the most-loved outside features of BBC Gardeners' World Live including Show Gardens, plants to buy, gardening advice, BBC Good Food Market and live entertainment, plus special guests including Monty Don (Fri/Sat) and Adam Frost (Thu).

Tickets cost £20. Book here

Frances Tophill, Adam Frost and Carol Klein pictured filming the closing scenes for BBC2’s Friday night episode of Gardeners’ World at BBC Gardeners’ World Live Special Edition. The scene features the ‘What Lies Beneath’ Show Garden, created by the Association of Professional Landscapers and Professor David Stevens, at the Show which opens on Thursday until Sunday August 29 at The NEC.
Frances Tophill, Adam Frost and Carol Klein pictured filming the closing scenes for BBC2’s Friday night episode of Gardeners’ World at BBC Gardeners’ World Live Special Edition. The scene features the ‘What Lies Beneath’ Show Garden, created by the Association of Professional Landscapers and Professor David Stevens, at the Show which opens on Thursday until Sunday August 29 at The NEC.

Summer Superhero Trail at Blakesley Hall

WHERE: Blakesley Hall, Blakesley Road, Birmingham, B25 8RN

WHEN: Until Sunday August 29

WHAT: This is the last weekend for Blakesley Hall's popular Summer Superhero Trail for kids - find all the clues in the garden to complete the trail and win a prize. And why not come dressed as your favourite superhero?

The cost of this activity is £2 per child and it runs from 11am to 4pm. Admission charges apply to enter the hall itself. Book here

St Paul’s Summer Fete

WHERE: St Paul's Square, B3 1QZ

WHEN: Monday August 30

WHAT: St Paul's Summer Fete returns for August Bank Holiday.

It's part of a fundraising effort that aims to collect £250,000 for St Paul's Church in the Jewellery Quarter, in the run-up to its 250th birthday.

There will be music, dance, food, craft stalls, classic cars, church tours and organ recitals as well as the official launch of the fundraising.

Local radio station BlueDot Radio will be providing the musical soundscape for the day including live performances by local entertainers. Hockley Social Club will be providing street food and drink for the event.

Organisers said: "Join the fun while contributing to an important project to mend the church and make it the community hub the Jewellery Quarter needs and wants."

Bounce away any bank holiday blues at Inflata Nation in Birmingham
Bounce away any bank holiday blues at Inflata Nation in Birmingham

Bounce around at Inflata Nation

WHERE: Unit E, Stechford Retail Park, Flaxley Pkwy, Birmingham B33 9AN

WHEN: Every day until 7pm, book in advance to avoid disappointment

WHAT: There's a chance to put some bounce in your bank holiday weekend at Inflata Nation theme park.

The site in Birmingham is aimed at the whole family, offering bouncy fun for all ages, shapes and physical abilities.

Among the activities are wrecking ball games, a giant slide into a ball pool, assault course, gladiator duel platform, bungee cord grab game, and a dedicated area for children under four

To make a booking visit the Inflata Nation website here.

Loads more free things to do

Looking for bank holiday fun on a budget?

As well as the free events we have mentioned above, there are plenty of things to do in Birmingham that are free all year round.

Be sure to check specific attractions are open before setting off for the day.

Note that Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is closed until 2022 while electrical upgrading takes place.

The Library of Birmingham will also be closed on August Bank Holiday Monday.

Take a look at the options here for free things to do in Birmingham

Car boot sales

If you're in the mood to browse for bargains - or sell off some of your unwanted clutter - then a car boot sale is the obvious answer.

There are several on over the bank holiday weekend.

On Saturday, there will be a car boot sale at Coppice Lane, Middleton, near Bassetts Pole, Sutton Coldfield, B78 2BU.

And on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, there will be car boot sales at The Belfry, Fazeley Belfry Road, off junction 9 of the M42.

Find out more details about your nearest car boot sales here.

The opening of the biggest Primark in the world in Birmingham.

Check out the world's biggest Primark

This might be the ideal chance to check out the Primark megastore in High Street, Birmingham.

The massive store is open from 8am to 9pm on Saturday and Bank Holiday Monday, and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday.

Spanning five floors, the store includes not just the usual ranges of fashion and homeware but also a Disney-themed cafe, Mezz restaurant, Primark's first own-brand cafe, Duck & Dry hair and beauty salon, Mills barber shop, Disney shopping area, and Harry Potter-themed Hogwarts Wizarding World experience.

There's also free wi-fi and recharge seating area for shoppers to relax and recharge.

  • The West Midlands is opening up - get the latest on pubs, restaurants and attractions in our What's On newsletter.