A trip to Margate, the best of the Solar Eclipse, and the Fringe enters its third week

Can you believe that it's the third week of August already? And with that, the third week of the Edinburgh Fringe. This week we bring you seven more shows that are worth your time. But if you're not heading to the Scottish capital, there's still plenty to do. Scroll down to see the newly expanded listings for cities across all four nations.

Here's what's coming up this week:

Darkroom: Our Solar Eclipse Special features twelve shots that capture the moment
Out of Town: Menissa Saleem takes us on a trip to Margate
En Route: A new way to book free BA flights, and earn 1,000 Avios on Hilton hotel bookings
On the Town: Seven unexpected delights of the Edinburgh Fringe, and all the usual listings across the UK

Darkroom

Photograph of the week, as chosen by Paperweight Magazine's picture bureau:

This week we bring you not just one, but twelve, breathtaking images of crowds across Great Britain coming together to view the solar eclipse:

See all twelve photographs in the Darkroom Solar Eclipse special.

Out of Town

The latest from Paperweight's Out of Town bureau:

In 1974, a BBC crew went to Margate and ended up writing one of the finest intros ever committed to film. "Just as some Victorian industrialists would keep a chorus girl for an occasional frolic, so some of the industrial cities have always favoured their own seaside towns - London's favourite bit on the side is Margate".

Menissa Saleem retraces their steps, taking us from beach to gallery to Dreamland via the many wonderful bars and restaurants Margate has to offer:

Greater Things

1001 ways to live your life greater:

Not everyone's at the Edinburgh Fringe, and this is the perfect moment to discover emerging talent by heading out to see a show in your local theatre or comedy venue:

En Route

The latest from Paperweight's En Route bureau:

If you've ever been frustrated by how difficult it is to book reward flights on British Airways, Aer Lingus or Iberia, you might have turned to third-party sites like SeatSpy. Thankfully, the airlines have acknowledged the problem and launched a proper reward flight finder of their own. In other Avios news, Pizza Express is now offering £10 vouchers in exchange for 1,000 points. Although we're still not sure that this is the best use of them. You'll get far better value redeeming them on flights and holidays. You've also got two weeks left to earn 1,000 Avios when booking a stay at Hilton hotels. You will need a Qatar Privilege Club account, which takes a few minutes to set up, but points can be transferred over to other Avios-earning airline accounts, such as the British Airways Club.

On the Grapevine

Gossip that we've been told this week:

On Friday evening, just as everyone was relaxing with a drink (or putting the kids to bed before relaxing with a drink), the UK Government sent out an emergency alert to warn about the risks of wildfires starting from flames, barbecues or even small sparks. That message clearly didn't reach North London, as Wembley Stadium erupted into a huge firework display only a few hours later...

On the Town

What's happening in town this week:

If you are lucky enough to be at the Fringe, here are seven unexpected delights that the Paperweight team went to this week:

London

Pophams, London Fields After a four-month landlord dispute, founder Ollie Gold's original bakery is back in its own building, having leaned on neighbours and a temporary railway-arch kitchen to keep the wider business running in the meantime. Walk-ins only. 197 Richmond Road, London E8 3NJ. Reopened Monday 10th August 2026.

Cinema in the Square The UK's only LGBT+ cinema takes over Bermondsey Square for the rest of August, showing daytime films suitable for all ages: Scooby Doo 2, Mary Poppins and Mulan. Evening showings include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (celebrating its 25th anniversary), The Birdcage, and a Madonna special screening of the Confessions Tour and her new album, Confessions II. The cocktail bar will be serving The Arzner's usual artisan fare. Tickets from £10. The Arzner, 10 Bermondsey Square, London, SE1 3UN. Until 31st August 2026.

The Cathedral of Sewage: Crossness Pumping Station The Victorian Society has bagged a steaming day at Bazalgette's wonderfully ornate cast-iron pumping station in Thamesmead, with an illustrated talk on the Great Stink, a guided tour of the engines, a ride on the narrow-gauge railway and an extraordinary collection of historic toilets. A vintage Routemaster ferries you in from Abbey Wood station, which is arguably worth the ticket alone. Tickets from £38. Crossness Pumping Station, The Old Works, Thames Water STW, Bazalgette Way, London SE2 9AQ (meet at the Beam Engine House). Sunday 23rd August 2026, 2.30pm until 4.30pm.

Museum Late at The Old Operating Theatre Europe's oldest surviving operating theatre is hosting its first ever museum late. Explore the Herb Garret at your own pace, grab drinks from the bar, and go to a curator's talk delivered from inside the theatre itself. Tickets from £17. The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret, St Thomas' Church, 9a St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY. Thursday 20th August 2026, 5.45pm until 8pm.

Marionettes: An Exhibition Celebrating String Puppets Little Angel Theatre turns 65 and marks it by bringing six decades of British marionettes into its Cross Street puppet workshop, from founders John and Lyndie Wright to Stephen Mottram and Sarah Vigars. Marionette-making is on the Heritage Crafts Red List and fewer than five people in Britain make a living at it, so this is well worth supporting. Free admission, booking required. Little Angel Workshop, 41 Cross Street, London N1 2BB. Saturday 22nd August 2026 until Sunday 6th September 2026.

Bar Trash: Silent Horror Double Feature Cabaret artist and trained knife-thrower, Maxim Melton, improvises a live score to The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, followed by foley artist Ruth Sullivan (28 Days Later, The World Is Not Enough) making the sounds to accompany Buster Keaton's The Haunted House. Genesis's queer cult-cinema strand throws in themed drinks and prize giveaways. Over-18s. Tickets from £5. Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End Road, London E1 4UJ. Wednesday 19th August 2026, 8pm.

Summer Open Garden Evening at The Charterhouse The hidden courtyard gardens of the 14th-century Carthusian priory turned almshouse, open for one of only three evenings this summer, with the Sol Grimshaw Band playing, a spritz bar, and a sourdough pizza van. Last entry is 7pm, so the golden-hour crowd should get moving. Tickets from £15. The Charterhouse, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6AN. Thursday 20th August 2026, 5.30pm until 8.30pm (last entry 7pm).

Milking Mother Earth: Fragments of an Investigation Kaisa Saarinen has written the debut pamphlet from Gauze Bonnet Press at King's Cross's venerable radical bookshop. The evening promises an interdisciplinary romp through rubber, taking in Vietnamese smallholder plantations, colonial latex extraction, Bangkok fetish bars and Victorian moral panic about what people were doing with the stuff. Readings from Bart Seng Wen Long, Cat Feliciano and Gabrielle Sicam too. Free entry, reservation required. Housmans Bookshop, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 7pm until 9pm.

Together We Felt The Bass, The Dance Floor is Black The club-night finale to Queer Frequencies, the third weekend of East Bank's Music is Black Festival; artist Zinzi Minott curates an evening of sets from DJ GIN threaded with poetry from Remi Graves and a Roxxxan MC appearance. Free admission. Sadler's Wells East, 101 Carpenters Road, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2AR. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 7pm until midnight.

MARIWÔ x Dalston Superstore Brazilian Black queer collective MARIWÔ bring their touring party to the Superstore basement with eight DJs, and two go-go dancers. Expect baile funk, Afro-house, amapiano and Brazilian electronic. Tickets from £8. Dalston Superstore, 117 Kingsland High Street, London E8 2PB. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 10pm until 4am. Last entry 11pm.

Ghost of Garage Rooftop Party The third edition of the garage-under-the-sun series on Brixton's big rooftop, with Plastician playing a UKG set, El-B back to back with J Da Flex, plus Mike Millrain, Lady Passion, Larishka and Rich Reason, hosted by Chunky. Tickets from £6, or free before 7pm. Freight Brixton, 33 Brixton Station Road, London SW9 8PB. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 5pm until 11.45pm.

Last chance to see:

The Importance of Being Oscar Tickets from £15. Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP. Until Saturday 22nd August 2026.
The Jonathan Larson Project Tickets from £35. Southwark Playhouse Borough, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD. Until Saturday 22nd August 2026.
The Enormous Crocodile Tickets from £15. Lyric Hammersmith, King Street, Lyric Square, London W6 0QL. Until Saturday 22nd August 2026.
Heathers the Musical Tickets from £55. The Arts at Marble Arch, Marble Arch, London W1H 7DX. Until Saturday 22nd August 2026.
Before We Forget Tickets from £10. Bush Theatre, 7 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush, London W12 8LJ. Until Saturday 22nd August 2026.
The Wind in the Willows Tickets from £18. Theatre on Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9 3AE. Until Sunday 23rd August 2026.

Manchester

Let Wildflowers Bloom / Que Esclatin Les Flors A multilingual poem strung across HOME's Arches Windows, co-written by Manchester City Poet Nóra Blascsók and Barcelona's Esteve Plantada. Free admission. HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Until Monday 31st August 2026.

Common Ground Manchester Met graduates Abbie Fowler, Freya Boothroyd and Joab Harrison turn wild clay foraged in the Peak District into an immersive, sensory response to its landscape. Free admission. Manchester Craft and Design Centre, 17 Oak Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 5JD. Until Friday 28th August 2026.

Butcher Brown Richmond, Virginia's jazz-funk crew, bring their loose, groove-heavy live show to the Northern Quarter's oldest music room. Tickets from £16. Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, Manchester M4 5JZ. Wednesday 19th August 2026, doors from 7.30pm.

Marie Davidson (LIVE) The Montreal producer known for deadpan, machine-driven electro, plays the Salford warehouse. Tickets from £20. The White Hotel, Dickinson Street, Salford M3 7LW. Thursday 20th August 2026.

Glasgow

The Dirty Work Jo Bannon's new solo show folds stage magic, a white rabbit, and a puff of smoke into a performance drawn from her own experience of visual impairment. Tickets from £13. Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, Glasgow G41 2PE. Thursday 20th to Friday 21st August 2026, 8pm until 9.15pm.

Liquid Land Jasmine Togo-Brisby unpicks the sugar trade and Pacific labour history through sculpture. Free admission. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow G1 3AH. Until 6th September 2026.

Zu The Italian trio bring avant-garde noise, jazz, punk and sound art to the venue better known for indie gigs on Monday night. Tickets from £18. Nice N Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3LG. Monday 17th August 2026, 7.30pm.

10 Years of Shredd Psychedelic garage rock band, Shredd, celebrate ten years since their first gig. Tickets from £10. The Hug and Pint, 171 Great Western Road, Glasgow G4 9AN. Friday 21st August 2026, 7.30pm.

Subculture Domenic Cappello's Saturday residency has been running since 1994 and is still, by most accounts, the best reason to be in the Subbie on any given weekend. Tickets from £10. Sub Club, 22 Jamaica Street, Glasgow G1 4QD. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 11pm until 3am.

Edinburgh

Katie Paterson: Afterlife A free solo show featuring 200 amulets in the old City Dome on Calton Hill. Paterson's work leans into the cosmic and geological - a tonic to the Fringe noise downhill. Free admission. Collective, City Observatory, 38 Calton Hill, Edinburgh EH7 5AA. Until 6th September 2026.

Rising Stars of Voice with Louise Alder An 11am recital of Brahms's Neue Liebeslieder from emerging singers mentored by soprano Louise Alder. Tickets from £15. The Queen's Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street, Edinburgh EH8 9JG. Tuesday 18th August 2026, 11am.

Gwen John: Strange Beauties The first major Scottish exhibition devoted to the painter, including a rarely seen portrait, in the quieter Modern Two building down the hill from the crowds at Modern One. Tickets from £14. National Galleries of Scotland: Modern Two, 73 Belford Road, Edinburgh EH4 3DS. Until 4th January 2027.

Athens of the North Disco Club (Festival Special) A six-hour, genre-agnostic set from two label owners and curators, Euan Fryer and Lel Palfrey, in one of the smallest, best-sounding rooms in the city. Tickets from £8. Sneaky Pete's, 73 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JW. Saturday 22nd August 2026.

The Cure Aftershow DJs who have run this night in New York, Paris, London and Glasgow bring an all-nighter of Cure deep cuts, Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy and Cocteau Twins to Edinburgh, timed for the morning after the band's Royal Highland Showground date. Tickets from £8.50. La Belle Angele, 11 Hastie's Close, Edinburgh EH1 1HJ. Sunday 23rd August 2026, 11pm until 4am.

If you missed last week's edition, here are Cal Roscow's top comedy picks:

Belfast

Museum Late: Ceol and Craic An adults-only evening opening with trad musicians scattered through the galleries, badge-making, willow-weaving of St Brigid's crosses, a DJ set and a "Cave Rave" corner, built around the books of Ciaran Carson and Cathal O'Byrne. Tickets from £10. Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AB. Thursday 20th August 2026, 6pm until 10pm.

Troubled Waters: The Rise of Aquatic Invaders A free natural-sciences display in the Belfast Room on how invasive fish, plants and molluscs are reshaping Ireland's waterways. Free admission. Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AB. Opens Tuesday 18th August 2026.

A House of Play: 75 Years of the Lyric Theatre A free exhibition tracing the Lyric from Mary O'Malley's front room to its current building, with works by Jack B. Yeats and Basil Blackshaw among others, running quietly alongside the main stage programme. Free admission. Lyric Theatre, 55 Ridgeway Street, Belfast BT9 5FB. Until 8th November 2026.

F*ckup Nights Belfast Vol. 4 Entrepreneurs and creatives get on stage to talk publicly about their failures rather than their wins at the Cathedral Quarter arts space. Tickets from £15. The Black Box, 18-22 Hill Street, Belfast BT1 2LA. Friday 21st August 2026, 7.30pm.

Grand Family Festival A week of family programming at the Grand Opera House, including a Play in a Day workshop on the Saturday, before the venue's autumn main-stage season takes over. Tickets from £8.50. Grand Opera House, 2-4 Great Victoria Street, Belfast BT2 7HR. Monday 17th to Saturday 22nd August 2026.

Birmingham

Diasporic Exchanges: India-Birmingham A cross-cultural gathering exploring the links between Indian and Birmingham diasporic communities, staged inside Ikon's galleries. Free admission. Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2HS. Thursday 20th August 2026, 12pm until 3pm.

A Walk in the Park A short performance piece staged within Ikon's galleries, part of the gallery's ongoing live programme. Free admission. Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2HS. Friday 21st August 2026, 2pm until 3pm.

Curious Minds: Exploring Art and Science with Ruth Millington A book launch of Millington's new children's read on where art meets science, with a hands-on creative activity and a signing. Free admission, booking required. Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2HS. Wednesday 19th August 2026, 11am until 12.30pm.

NYMT 2026: Every Day National Youth Music Theatre brings a new pop-scored musical, adapted from David Levithan's body-swapping teen love story, to the Patrick Studio, with a Saturday matinee post-show Q&A. Tickets from £17. Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB. Thursday 20th to Saturday 22nd August 2026.

Birmingham Techno with Laura Fox, N9ine, Luke Benjamin and iacomus_b. Komunal's Digbeth outpost hosts a free techno takeover with a livestream to komrad.net and 25% off the bar during happy hour. Free admission. Komunal, 11 Shaw's Passage, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5JG. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 7pm until 3am.

Brighton

John Finnemore: Among Other The Cabin Pressure and Double Acts writer performs his solo sketch and spoken-word material at Komedia's studio space. Tickets from £23. Komedia, 44-47 Gardner Street, Brighton BN1 1UN. Monday 17th August 2026, 8pm, doors 7pm.

Story Magic A magic show for children from 9 months to 5 years old, with two sessions to catch mid-morning. Tickets from £7.50. Komedia, 44-47 Gardner Street, Brighton BN1 1UN. Friday 21st August 2026, 10am and 11am.

Fleetwood Bac A tribute set to Fleetwood Mac's classic-era catalogue on Concorde 2's seafront stage. Tickets from £21. Concorde 2, Madeira Drive, Brighton BN2 1EN. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 7pm.

Dykes On Decks Boat Party A big gay sunset boat party off Brighton Marina, with an afterparty at The Oculist for anyone who wants to keep going until the small hours. Tickets from £31. Ross Boat Trips, Pontoon 5, Brighton Marina, Brighton BN2 5UP. Saturday 22nd August 2026, last boarding 4.30pm, sets sail at 5pm until 8pm. Afterparty until 3am.

Patterns Terrace Party: The Journey Men A daytime seafront terrace session of house and disco with local support DJs, finished in time for dinner. Tickets from £11.50. Patterns, 10 Marine Parade, Brighton BN2 1TL. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 2pm until 8pm.

Bristol

Rhapsody Wine Bar, Bristol The family behind Denmark Street's long-running Hat Bistro has opened a Greek wine bar next door, tucked behind the Hippodrome, majoring in award-winning Greek wines and meze for the pre- and post-theatre crowd. Reservations recommended; 10% off with a same-day theatre ticket. 6 Denmark Street, Bristol BS1 5DQ. Opened 13th August 2026.

Jonathan Baldock: Held A monumental wild bear sculpture, ceremonial costumes and a full sensory landscape of ceramics, textiles and scent fill Arnolfini's first-floor galleries. The Guardian's five-star review called it "weird, threatening, and utterly compelling." Free admission, donations welcome. Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA. Until 27th September 2026.

Polly Braden: Against the Tide Documentary portraits and testimony from young people in coastal towns from Weston-super-Mare to Blackpool, made with The Guardian's Seascape series. Free admission, donations welcome. Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol BS1 4QA. Until 27th September 2026.

Vierz Collective: Drenched A free foyer gig series showcasing fresh local artists, this instalment built around a "Drenched" album release. Free admission. Bristol Old Vic, King Street, Bristol BS1 4ED. Tuesday 18th August 2026, from 6.30pm.

Thomas Lobban A pay-what-you-can headline set at Bristol's scrappiest independent gig room. Tickets from £5, pay what you can. The Louisiana, Wapping Road, Bristol BS1 6UA. Friday 21st August 2026, doors 7.30pm.

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma Jane Schoenbrun's much-anticipated horror, starring Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson, opens at Watershed after a preview-night takeover party. Tickets from £9.50. Watershed, 1 Canons Road, Harbourside, Bristol BS1 5TX. Opens Friday 21st August 2026.

Peter Van Hoesen and Ayesha: RTN x System Revival RTN teams up with System Revival for a late-night meeting of two heavyweight techno and electro selectors. This is a phones-strictly-off dancefloor. Tickets from £9. Strange Brew, 10-12 Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3DB. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 10.30pm until 4am.

Cardiff

Dream Inheritances: Sophie Mak-Schram and Alice Rekab A new exhibition on mixed-race identity, cultural belonging and shared histories across Wales and Ireland. Free admission. Chapter, Market Road, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1QE. Opens Thursday 20th August 2026, runs until 27th September 2026.

Behind the Scenes: Roman Pottery A curator-led look at the museum's Roman ceramics collection. Tickets £8. National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP. Tuesday 18th August 2026, 2pm.

Noson Lawen: Folk in the Bar An open, informal Welsh folk session, all comers welcome whether singing, playing or just listening. Free admission. Chapter, Market Road, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1QE. Tuesday 18th August 2026.

Museum Sleepover: Under Helios An overnight stay for families beneath Luke Jerram's illuminated sun installation, torches and all. You will need to bring your sleeping bag. Tickets from £70 per person. National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP. Saturday 22nd to Sunday 23rd August 2026, from 5.30pm.

Liverpool

Liverpool Book Market Secondhand and antiquarian booksellers, including 'still Out-of-Print' and the Bolshie Bargain Bookstall, take over the Bluecoat's Garden Room. Free admission. Bluecoat, School Lane, Liverpool L1 3BX. Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd August 2026, 11am until 5pm.

Slavery Remembrance Day: Walk of Remembrance The extended route for the 25th year of Liverpool's remembrance walk now takes in Williamson Square, Clayton Square, the Bluecoat and Liverpool One, with Africa Oyé performances en route and a libation ceremony at Canning Quayside. Free admission. Starts Williamson Square, Liverpool L1 1RB. Sunday 23rd August 2026, 12 noon until 2.30pm.

Vivienne Westwood: Designer in Focus Craft and Design Gallery hosts rare Westwood-McLaren pieces, including a Keith Haring-decorated Koo tunic. Free admission. Walker Art Gallery, William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EL. Until October 2026.

John Akomfrah: Listening All Night To The Rain The multi-channel video installation that Akomfrah made for the British Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale gets a rare regional showing. Free admission. Walker Art Gallery, William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EL. Until Monday 31st August 2026.

RNB Day Party A Baltic Triangle daytime session of R&B classics and slow jams in contrast to the usual late-night techno grind. Tickets from £14. District, 61 Jordan Street, Liverpool L1 0BW. Saturday 22nd August 2026.

Led Zeppelin and The Doors performed by The Classic Double Band Tribute night held in the cavernous industrial halls of the Baltic Triangle's original warehouse venue. Tickets from £14. Camp and Furnace, 67 Greenland Street, Liverpool L1 0BY. Saturday 22nd August 2026.

Newcastle

Milly Thompson: My Body Temperature is Feeling Good A solo exhibition of new work in Baltic's free galleries. Free admission. Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays, South Shore Road, Gateshead NE8 3BA. Until 30th August 2026.

Martha Spencer Trio Old-time and Appalachian country from Whitetop Mountain, Virginia, in the Cluny's smaller room. Tickets from £15. Cluny 2, 36 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2PQ. Wednesday 19th August 2026, doors 7.30pm.

Trainspotting: 30th Anniversary Danny Boyle's 1996 film returns to UK screens in a new 4K restoration. Tickets from £14. Tyneside Cinema, 10 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6QG. From Friday 21st August 2026.

Slo Motion An intimate dance under the railway arches in Gateshead, with Sami J and the Slo Motion residents weaving through downtempo, leftfield chug and acid until close. Tickets from £7. Hidden Heights Creative Studio, Arch 4 Hymers Court, Brandling Street, Gateshead NE8 2BA. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 7pm until midnight.

Paint and Sip Vol 9 Vinyl and art lovers unite for the ninth edition of this paint and sip session hosted by Anna Victoriart. Guest DJs will bring a creative atmosphere and Acropolise are set to serve their famous Greek street food. Paints, easels, markers, vinyl and pencils all provided. Tickets from £20. Ouseburn Garden, Unit 12, 1 Stepney Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2PZ. Sunday 23rd August 2026, 2pm until 5pm.

Nottingham

Physical Culture A thrilling exhibition from Augustas Serapinas, recreating a gym where the weights are jesmonite replicas of famous statues, including Michelangelo's David. The opportunity to operate the weight machines, loaded with antiquities, is not to be missed. Free admission. Nottingham Contemporary, Weekday Cross, Nottingham NG1 2GB. Until Sunday 13th September 2026.

rarescale: And the music is for the birds A live music response to the Chico da Silva exhibition, threaded through Nottingham Contemporary's Studio 1 across three short sittings. Free admission. Nottingham Contemporary, Weekday Cross, Nottingham NG1 2GB. Sunday 23rd August 2026, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Maples Street Mondays Weekly creative workshops at the city skatepark, feeding into a New Art Exchange exhibition, part of the Art Your Way programme. Free admission, booking required. Maples Street Skatepark, 45 Maples St, Nottingham NG7 6AD. Monday 17th August 2026 (and every Monday in August).

A Love Letter To... Donna Summer A disco night dedicated to the Queen of Disco's back catalogue, from the euphoric anthems to the deep cuts. Tickets from free to £5. Movers, 15 Hockley, Nottingham NG1 1FH. Saturday 22nd August 2026, 7pm until midnight.

Sheffield

Lunchtime Talk: Cultural Interactions in Ancient Egyptian Burials Manchester Museum's Curator of Egypt and Sudan, Dr Campbell Price, drops into Weston Park on his lunch hour to explain that ancient Egypt was never quite the sealed-off culture the textbooks suggest, tracing burial goods back to Nubia, Libya, the Levant and the Aegean. Free admission, £5 donation suggested. Weston Park Museum, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP. Tuesday 18th August 2026, 1pm until 1.45pm.

Weston Park Museum at 150 Exhibition marking a century and a half since Sheffield's first public museum opened, built around the very first object ever accessioned into the collection: a platypus specimen numbered A1. Free admission, £5 donation suggested. Weston Park Museum, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TP. Until 30th August 2026.

The Bobeam Tree An interactive discovery world built for under-fives, in its final full week. Free admission, £5 donation suggested. Millennium Gallery, Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PP. Until 30th August 2026.

S&M x Beat Bunker x Nowt Daft present DJ Paypal Chicago footwork royalty and Teklife affiliate DJ Paypal, of Hyperdub and Planet Mu pedigree, headlines a stacked footwork and electronica line-up running into the small hours. Tickets from £5. Sidney & Matilda, Rivelin Works, 46B Sidney Street, Sheffield S1 4RH. Friday 21st August 2026, 11pm until 4am.