100,000 people danced at Birmingham Weekender

More than 100,000 people packed Birmingham city centre for this year's Birmingham Weekender, the free festival of music, dance and street performance held over the August bank holiday.

The festival took place from Saturday 29 to Monday 31 August at locations including the Bullring, Victoria Square and New Street station.

The city's biggest disco

Highlights included what organisers called Birmingham's largest open-air disco, with DJs including Huey Morgan and DJ Emkay, live music from emerging artists and dance performances. Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Talawa dance company were among the performers.

Families were entertained by giant characters including Hettie the Highland Cow and Epico the Dragon.

Accessible to all

The festival offered British Sign Language interpreted and audio-described performances, accessible viewing areas and a team of access hosts throughout the weekend.

Who made it happen

Birmingham Weekender is produced by Birmingham Hippodrome, with headline sponsorship from the Bullring and HSBC UK, and support from Without Walls and the Global Streets Festival.

Why free festivals matter

Free outdoor events bring people into the city centre who might not buy a theatre ticket, and they introduce new audiences to dance, music and street theatre. They also support city centre shops, cafes and bars during what can be a quiet time of year.

More free events this autumn

There are more free events coming up in the city, including many during Black History Month in October. The Frankfurt Christmas Market returns to the city centre from 5 November.