Birmingham Hippodrome Sets Summer in Southside Lineup

Enjoy fun, food and quality time with the family for FREE on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August as Birmingham Hippodrome's Summer in Southside returns.

Birmingham's Southside district will be taken over by a host of international, national and local acts between 10.30am and 9pm on both days, with a special preview night on Friday 28 August from 5.30pm. If you're looking to plan a day out with the kids, or just want to see some fantastic street performances on the way to the shops then Summer in Southside is the place to be.

International highlights include Australian company Polyglot with Tangle; a giant weaving play space which will be taking over Birmingham Hippodrome's back dock on Inge Street. People will be given coloured elastic to weave in-between enormous gold posts to create a vibrant, live interactive artwork made by children and their families. Also appearing is Dolly the Giraffe by VIP Puppets, fresh from Glastonbury and ready to wander the streets of Southside with her dedicated keepers. Just watch out for those giraffe droppings!

There will be a special preview evening in Hippodrome Square and the Arcadian on Friday 28 August from 5.30pm. See a number of bite size performances from acts that will be performing over the main weekend including Orkestra Del Sol, Skate Naked and Bruce Airhead, plus a very special preview of Corey Baker Dance's exciting new piece Ature, a mixture of classic ballet with electronica and dub, starring Birmingham Royal Ballet Soloist William Bracewell.

Colours of Hip Hop returns to the Arcadian on Sunday 30 August. Spend an afternoon steeped in the many 'hues' of hip hop as Birmingham Hippodrome present an electrifying spectrum of live hip hop culture - dance,freestyle, beatboxing, B-Boying and plenty of participation, featuring some of the hottest hip hop talent in the Midlands. Plus City of Colours bring live street art from some of the city's most talented artists to the Arcadian, with an interactive graffiti wall and fun workshops for all ages to get involved with.

Unwind over the weekend with Birmingham Hippodrome Youth Ambassadors who will be on hand with refreshing drinks and treats for members of the public in their retro chrome caravan and summer garden on Inge Street. Join the Youth Ambassadors after the day's main events on Saturday 29 August as they take over our Stageside Bar on Thorp Street from 8pm for MIXUP, a night of poetry, music and performance.

Enjoy the finest street food and music that the city has to offer as Taste & Liquor have teamed up with Shaanti to present Playground Feastival. Taking over Hurst Street, Playground Feastival will showcase global street food, retro arcade games and The Beats Soundsystem present top DJ's. Inge Street will be filled with cake stalls, a mocktail bar and plenty of vintage stalls. Birmingham Promoters, who have helped pave the way for local artists such as Peace, Jaws & Swim Deep will also be showcasing some of the best unsigned musical talent Birmingham has to offer in the Arcadian on Saturday 29 August from 2pm to 6pm.

Birmingham Hippodrome's Director of Creative Programmes Graham Callister said

"In addition to a diverse programme of free high quality street acts and family friendly activity, this year we've also teamed up with some very talented local promoters to help extend the offer in terms of music and street food, so we really can cater to all tastes! If you're here for a whole day out with the family or just popping by on the way to the shops, there's something for everyone to see and get involved with at this year's Summer in Southside."