A rainy local street scene with umbrellas, warm lights, and cosy indoor plans

Top Picks

Rainy Day Picks This Weekend

11–12 July Near New Village

Not every listing gets a golden ticket

We check the usual frankly silly number of local websites, then look for events that feel rainy-day friendly: cinemas, theatres, talks, workshops, galleries, concerts, cosy venues, and anything less likely to involve standing in a muddy field making brave weather noises.

Happening Saturday 11 July to Sunday 12 July.
Picked for New Village, not somewhere halfway across the county.
Only Local Gems and Curated venues make the cut, because standards are still a thing.
Listings with proper descriptions get bumped up the list. Three words and a shrug will not do.

Our 10 picks near New Village

The Robin1

The Robin

at Robin R&B 2

Soul’d Out UK Astonishingly energetic, entertaining and 100% LIVE, Soul’d Out UK are a 9-12 piece band featuring powerful male and female vocalists, funky rhythm section and a stonking full sax, trumpet and trombone horn section. Up to 2 hours of partying with soul and motown classics! Unlike other bands, we don’t use backing tracks, click tracks or synthesised horn sections to fill in the gaps. We are 100% LIVE with REAL instruments. We’ll guarantee a dance floor full of your guests, totally absorbed in the party atmosphere. Yeah, yeah! We don’t just like good music, we love it! Our repertoire delivers the best Soul, Northern Soul & Tamla Motown classics, taking our inspiration from the Motown and Stax labels, including artists such as Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Martha Reeves, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, The Four Tops and Al Wilson. Tickets for this show are non-refundable. In the event of a cancellation, ticket holders will be contacted. Share:

6.3 milesSat 11 Jul19:00
Local gemSee the details→
Live Music
community2

Hidden Spaces Roof and Basement Tours

at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Step beyond the gallery walls and into the hidden heart of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Our 'Hidden Spaces Tours' offer a rare opportunity to explore areas of the building that are usually closed to the public — including storerooms, tucked-away corridors, and architectural gems often overlooked.Join our expert guides as you:Wander through off-limits spacesSoak in the incredible Victorian architecture from a new perspectiveHear about recent and upcoming renovation projectsEncounter a few collection superstars along the wayEnjoy quirky tales from Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery's colourful past, from mysterious goings-on to hidden passagewaysThe building itself is one of our most fascinating artefacts, come and experience it in a whole new light.

7.8 milesSat 11 Jul12:00
Local gemSee the details→
Community

Don't miss the next one

Local events near you, in your inbox

One email a week with the local stuff worth knowing — before it's already happened.

Sign me up

Free. Unsubscribe whenever you like.

A Tango Night at the Museum3

A Tango Night at the Museum

at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Step into an unforgettable evening of passion, music and movement as Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery transforms into a vibrant Buenos Aires-inspired dance hall. The drama and romance of Argentine tango come alive beneath the museum’s grand architecture that immerses you in the mood of the dance.Enjoy a drinks reception with live music from 6pm and exclusive after-hours access to the museum. Surrounded by the rich history of Birmingham, guests can take in the elegance of the Edwardian Tea Rooms and dance under the dome of the iconic Round Room around the much-loved bronze statue Lucifer by Jacob Epstein — a striking and memorable setting for a night of tango.From 7pm to 12am, non-stop tango music curated by a renowned tango DJ, complete with fabulous cortinas, will create a rich and captivating soundscape throughout the evening. Whether you are an experienced dancer or simply curious to watch and soak in the atmosphere, this event welcomes everyone.Why not embrace the style of an earlier era — think Peaky Blinder–inspired elegance or just go all out with your tango bests for this atmospheric evening.Doors open at 6pm for a drinks reception, including a complementary drink with live musicFrom 7pm – 12am we'll be dancing the night away!This promises to be a truly unique cultural experience — a celebration of tango music, dance and community in the heart of Birmingham.

7.8 milesSat 11 Jul19:00
Local gemSee the details→
History & Heritage
The Fastest Bicycle + Q&A4

The Fastest Bicycle + Q&A

at mac

The Fastest Bicycle follows a London team of cyclists on a mission to 'go fast' and their journey to the 'World Human Powered Speed Challenge' on Route 305 in Nevada. There they discover an international community of speed freaks like no other. The Fastest Bicycle is a story of perseverance, as the team tackle a missing bike, high speed crashes, serious design flaws and injury. It’s also an exploration of community, as they discover that their competitors can also be their greatest allies. The screening will be followed by a live onstage Q&A with Sky Sports' regular contributor Raees Mahmood and 'The Fastest Bicycle' editor James Watson.

8 milesSun 12 Jul18:30£10.45
Local gemSee the details→
Talks & Lectures
community5

Kitchen Science

at Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

Join us every Saturday and Sunday for Kitchen Science — a hands-on STEM adventure where everyday kitchen ingredients lead to extraordinary discoveries!Each week, try a new experiment you can easily fizzy rockets and bubble snakes to density towers and slime, it's a different surprise every time.Grab a lab coat.Roll up your sleeves.Dive into science you can touch, mix, and test.New experiments weekly. Mess encouraged. Curiosity required.Perfect for budding scientists of all ages! Event InformationSuitable for all ages. Children must be supervised by an adult.Drop in and join us for activities every Saturday and Sunday from 26 April.Included in the admission price.

8.5 milesSat 11 Jul12:00
Local gemSee the details→
Community
community6

Kitchen Science

at Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

Join us every Saturday and Sunday for Kitchen Science — a hands-on STEM adventure where everyday kitchen ingredients lead to extraordinary discoveries!Each week, try a new experiment you can easily fizzy rockets and bubble snakes to density towers and slime, it's a different surprise every time.Grab a lab coat.Roll up your sleeves.Dive into science you can touch, mix, and test.New experiments weekly. Mess encouraged. Curiosity required.Perfect for budding scientists of all ages! Event InformationSuitable for all ages. Children must be supervised by an adult.Drop in and join us for activities every Saturday and Sunday from 26 April.Included in the admission price.

8.5 milesSun 12 Jul12:00
Local gemSee the details→
Community
community7

Hidden Spaces Roof and Basement Tours

at Aston Hall

Step beyond the gallery walls and into the hidden heart of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Our 'Hidden Spaces Tours' offer a rare opportunity to explore areas of the building that are usually closed to the public — including storerooms, tucked-away corridors, and architectural gems often overlooked.Join our expert guides as you:Wander through off-limits spacesSoak in the incredible Victorian architecture from a new perspectiveHear about recent and upcoming renovation projectsEncounter a few collection superstars along the wayEnjoy quirky tales from Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery's colourful past, from mysterious goings-on to hidden passagewaysThe building itself is one of our most fascinating artefacts, come and experience it in a whole new light.

8.8 milesSat 11 Jul12:00
Local gemSee the details→
Community
community8

Fusion @4

at St Chad's Church

Church but not as you know it. Every 1st or 2nd Saturday of the month. A service for all the family those who have never been in a church to regular members. It has crafts, games, worship, prayer and food at the end. A perfect service for those who find church daunting but have questions about God and who want to meet other people.

6.8 milesSat 11 Jul17:00
Local gemSee the details→
Community
St Giles Church Summer Fayre from 10.00am / 2.00pm All our welcome free entry9Free! (worth double-checking)

St Giles Church Summer Fayre from 10.00am / 2.00pm All our welcome free entry

at St Giles Church

Come along to our summer fayre at St Giles Church, where you can browse and buy lovely items from our tables of crafts, bric-a-brac, jewellery, flower displays, and more. Relax with a delicious refreshment, and enjoy the wonderful BBQ and Caribbean food outside. Everyone is welcome, entry is free, and as with previous fayres, it promises to be a warm and welcoming day at our church. 10.00 am/2.00 pm.

7.6 milesSat 11 Jul11:00
Local gemSee the details→
Markets & Fairs
Northern Soul: Still Burning10

Northern Soul: Still Burning

at mac

Leap onto the dancefloor and discover the enduring legacy of the cultural phenomenon that is Northern Soul. Ignited in the working class communities of the North and the Midlands in the late 60s and 70s, this underground scene brought together youth culture and rare, overlooked uptempo American soul music in a rush of exhilaration and high-energy dancing.

8 milesSat 11 Jul£11.95
Local gemSee the details→
Live Music

More Top Picks

Keep the good ideas rolling

If this page has done the trick, there is more where that came from.

Round-upFamilies This WeekendTen family-friendly picks with proper details, decent venues, and no mystery listings that leave you guessing.Round-upFree Things This WeekendA smarter list of local free picks for the weekend, chosen for quality, clarity, and the sort of detail that saves a wasted journey.All PicksBack to Top PicksSee all our curated round-ups in one place.