SOLIHULL town centre will come alive this summer with international jazz, continental food and charity bear sculptures as a host of family-friendly free events take place throughout July.
The town centre will once again take centre stage for the 33rd Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell International Jazz & Blues Festival, with more than 20 performances in Mell Square, Touchwood, and many of the towns bars and restaurants, between Friday, July 14 and Sunday, July 16.
The acclaimed Festival, formerly the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival, has over the years presented more than 5,800 performers to 2.5 million people with acts from across the world taking part.
The open-air Mell Square stage will be at the heart of the Solihull activity, with a variety of free shows.
Solihull’s new Continental Street Market is supporting the festival with a host of food delights, craft gifts, and quirky bars.
The food on offer will range from cakes and pastries for those with a sweet tooth, to barbecued treats for those craving a meat feast as well as authentic Chinese street food, the market is on from Thursday, July 13 until Sunday, July 16.
Solihull’s Jazz Festival performances are being arranged by Solihull BID (Business Improvement District).
Meanwhile, after months of ‘hi-bear-nation’, The Big Sleuth will launch on Monday, 10 July.
The free, 10-week public art trail, named because ‘sleuth’ is a group of bears, will see Solihull welcome six of the 165cm-tall colourful sculptures.
Solihull BID’s two bears will be situated on the High Street, while Touchwood and Mell Square will welcome two bears. National Grid and Solihull College and University Centre will also be hosting two of the sculptures.
The Big Sleuth is the highly-anticipated sequel to The Big Hoot, which attracted more than 800,000 visitors to Birmingham and beyond in 2015 and raised over £625,000 in total for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
At the end of the free public art trail the bears will be auctioned with all proceeds once again going to Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
Melanie Palmer, Solihull BID Director, said “What a sizzling summer we have planned for Solihull town centre!
“We are looking forward to welcoming the Jazz Festival, Continental Street Market and The Big Sleuth bears to Solihull.
“We are actively promoting Solihull as destination for quality events and festivals and hope that the diverse range of performances and unique attractions on offer will attract visitors.”
Solihull Jazz Festival schedule:
Friday, July 14:
2pm:
Cyril et Lelia Duclos [France] – The Core Theatre, Theatre Square, Solihull
4pm:
The Busquitos [Holland] – Mell Square Stage, Solihull
6pm:
Red Lips – Mell Square Stage, Solihull
7.30pm: Cyril et Lelia Duclos [France] – Chimichangas, Touchwood, Solihull
8pm:
Shelia Waterfield Duo – Cafe Rouge, Solihull High Street
Saturday, July 15:
12pm:
The Catfish Kings – Mell Square Stage, Solihull
1pm:
Boperator Boogie Band – John Lewis
2pm:
Ricky Cool and The In Crowd – Mell Square Stage, Solihull
4pm:
Pepper and The Jellies [Italy] – Mell Square Stage, Solihull
5pm:
The Boperator Boogie Boys – Slug and Lettuce, Touchwood, Solihull
6pm:
Fraser & The Alibis – The Beech House, Warwick Road
Sunday, July 16:
10.30am:
Roy Forbes Duo – The Beech House, Warwick Road
12pm:
The Busquitos [Holland] – Mell Square Stage, Solihull
12.30pm:
Suzi Woods Trio – The Ramada Hotel, The Square, Solihull
1pm:
The Whiskey Brothers – Royal British Legion, Union Road, Solihull
2pm:
The Authentic Function Band – Mell Square Stage, Solihull
4pm:
The Emma Jonson Band – Mell Square Stage, Solihull
The Whiskey Brothers – Flave Cocktail Lounge, Station Road, Solihull
6pm:
Roy Forbes Trio – Missoula, Solihull High Street
The Grey Goose Blues Band – O’Neill’s, Poplar Road, Solihull
Florence Joelle [France] – Coast to Coast, Touchwood, Solihull
6.30pm:
Lee Jones Trio – The White Swan, Station Road, Solihull
7pm:
Suzi Woods Trio – Walkabout, Poplar Road, Solihull
