Birmingham New Street station’s concourse will play host to a variety of acts and activities during the city’s biggest culture and arts festival this August bank holiday weekend.
Passengers and people travelling through the station are being advised of the activities as part of the ‘Birmingham Weekender’ so that they can enjoy them as part of train journeys between Friday 27 and Sunday 29 August.
The cultural festival will combine a mix of dance, music, film, performances and installations across Birmingham city centre, featuring many of the best artists from Birmingham and the West Midlands.
The free festival is funded by Bullring & Grand Central, Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham City Council and Arts Council England.
A range of acts will be performing on the Birmingham New Street station concourse, as well as across the Bullring & Grand Central footprint, Birmingham Markets and 1000 Trades Square.
Patrick Power, Network Rail’s head of stations and passenger experience, said: “Since the redevelopment of the station in 2015, we’re really pleased to have become such a key public space in the city centre, and we’re proud to have hosted such a diverse range of activities and events, including this year, the Birmingham Weekender.
“It’s been fantastic to work together with our partners to provide a stage for so many brilliant performers, encouraging people to get back onto the rail network and enjoy our thriving city.”
Stephanie Lacey, general manager at Bullring & Grand Central, commented: “We’re so excited to be hosting Birmingham Weekender this Bank Holiday weekend throughout Bullring & Grand Central and the surrounding areas including New Street Station.
“With over 100 free performances, installations and events from local groups and artists to discover across the weekend we’re looking forward to bringing some festival fun right into the heart of Birmingham city centre.”
Rail passengers are advised to follow government guidance and wear a face covering in busy indoor settings unless they are exempt.
With good ventilation systems on trains, extra cleaning and improved information about quieter times, passengers can continue to travel with confidence.
Meanwhile, passengers are also urged check before they travel as engineering work taking place over the bank holiday weekend will impact some journeys.
People can find out if their journeys will be affected by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk , contacting their train operators, National Rail Enquiries, or following #AugustBHWorks on Twitter.
Photo credit: Network Rail
