Two years ago Birmingham cried for the loss of one of the most significant events celebrated in their town. The City council decided to cancel Birmingham Artfest, the largest free art festival in UK celebrated since 1997 and which had become a full-blown institution.

This event attracted more than 200.000 visitors yearly motivated to enjoy an eclectic programme of dance, theatre, music, film and concerts that had legendary Centenary Square as the hotspot of the event and included other open-air stages.

After this sad loss, there was a new proposal, Birmingham Fest; an independent performing arts festival that this time was not free but very affordable as tickets where from £3 to pay what you can. This fringe festival brought more than 30 national productions plus one from Croatia Dance Centre during its first edition. After the success, the festival has been running for a couple of years and this year will already be its 3rd edition with dozens of shows from all over the UK and one South African that also came last year. This year the JQ Festival will also be taking part on the opening weekend (17-19 July) and free performances will be presented in the Jewellery Quarter.

If after Christmas season you are still passionate about gifts, make sure you do not miss the most important date of the year for retailers which takes place, for 66 years already, in Birmingham. Spring Fair is the largest UK buying event for retailers and one of the most outstanding in Europe. UK and international designers will exhibit during five intensive days, their latest products from new and popular brands. These are the impressive facts:

300.000 new products

3.000 different suppliers

100 exclusives brands that can´t not be found anywhere else

13 different sectors including: gifts (in all its forms), furniture, jewelry, luggage, body&bath, art &framming and The party show!

If you are an authentic trendsetter, your will be fascinated with this event taking place at National Exhibition Centre (NEC) as you will be able to be amongst the first persons to see the new products that will occupy the stores windows of 2016.

Birmingham has been home to more sport events than any other city in UK and throughout time, has become an international capital for sport events. The offer of competitive sports is so broad that there are events to suit all tastes: from golf to cricket; from horsing to athletics.

Athletics

 Besides being the hotspot for UK athletics, Birmingham has hosted many World and European championships. There are 4 big clubs, being Birchfield Harriers the most outstanding with world champions such as Denise Lewis and Ashia Hansen, among others. Can´t miss Sainsbury's British Championships!

If you are an amateur runner join the Bupa Great Run, the biggest half marathon in The Midlands.

Golf

The Beltry course has hosted four times the Ryder Cup, so it goes without saying that a visit to this course must be on the bucket list of every golfer. Other interesting courses are: Nailcote Hall, Harbourne and West Midlands Golf Club.

Cricket

Edgbaston Cricket Ground is England´s most famous sporting venue for this amazing sport, which was born in this country.  This stadium has hosted Test Match Cricket for over a century.

This English city is world-known as a venue for competitive sport, plus the fact that the sports offer is as rich as you can imagine, makes paying a visit to Birmingham a must for every sports fun. Let´s take a look at the impressive sport milestones that have made this city so re-known internationally amongst the sports community.

• Birmingham was the first city to be awarded National City of Sports.
• Has been home to more sports events than any other city in UK.
• Was the birthplace of the English Football League in 1888.
• Lawn tennis was first played in Birmingham in 1865 and therefore it has the oldest Lawn Tennis Club: The Leamington Tennis Club.
• The Edgbaston Priory Tennis Club has hosted 5 Davis Cups and each year welcomes Aegon Classic Tennis Tournament.
• 12 world athletic records have taken place at Birmingham´s NIA, the country´s only six-lane 200metre track.
• The Belfry Golf Course has hosted 4 Ryder Cups.
• In 1850, an annual sports event in Shropshire served as inspiration for modern Olympic Games.