Summer fun in the city!

It’s finally starting to feel like summer, and it’s that time of year where the city is packed full of vibrancy and energy.

We’re excited for the events planned in Norwich over the coming months; from markets to festivals, performances to sporting events! There’s something for all the family to enjoy & experience. So you don’t miss a thing here’s our round up of just some of our highlights at The Forum and surrounding areas this summer.

Big city events

The Lord Mayor’s Celebration weekend takes place on the second weekend of July this year, with the theme ‘Sights of the City’. Norwich is promised “a feast for the senses” with an array of talent, a carnival atmosphere and community spirit.

Adding to the atmosphere of the city celebrations, the ever popular and annual Norfolk Deaf Festival will be taking place at The Forum on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 July. This year’s theme is ‘comedy’ and the infamous Gavin Lilley will be hosting! Free to attend, the Deaf Festival celebrates the world of hearing loss with informative, interactive fun. Everyone is encouraged to come along, share experiences & meet new people. There is also opportunity to access support from a wide range of local and national organisations. Everyone is welcome, whether you are directly affected by hearing loss or not.

You can enjoy the inspiring spectacle of Run Norwich race day on Sunday 16 July, where you can see over 8500 people take the challenge of the 10-kilometre course. The race starts outside the Theatre Royal at 9.30am, with runners passing in front of The Forum for the finish line from 9.55am onwards. Come & cheer them on, and good luck to everyone taking part!

Norwich Pride is back for its 15th year on Saturday 29 July. The perfect time to get dressed up and march with friends and organisations alike, all in the spirit of unity and equality. Expect music, pop-up shops, dancing, inspiring speeches from influential members of the community, and of course, a spectacular march through the city - starting from The Forum and ending at Chapelfield Gardens.

Performance, music & more!

Help raise funds for The Hamlet charity, which offers support to children and adults living with disabilities and their families in Norfolk, by taking the ultimate challenge – abseiling down the outside of The Forum on Saturday 1 July! You can get involved by filling out a form – spaces are limited and first come, first served! If you don’t fancy taking the challenge yourself, you can still come along on the day to cheer them on and offer support for the Hamlet’s Abseiling Fundraiser. 

Promising songs, terrible jokes, enthusiastic performance and a message that is more relevant today than ever, The Common Lot theatre group will be performing their latest show “The Great Estate” in The Atrium on Wednesday 5 July. This original community theatre show is celebrating 100 years of Mile Cross: the first large purpose-built housing estate in the country.  Full of great songs, comedy and documentary fact, the show explores the story of the people, the power and the political will that built it. Suitable for all the family, and completely free, “The Great Estate” will be performed in nine different locations between 29 June & 9 July.

Originally “Head Out, Not Home” Norwich Business Improvement District bring us free summer street theatre & performances under the new title “Summer Sessions” on Sundays starting 30 July, across five city centre locations. Outside The Forum, you’ll find Folk, Jazz and Country music performances, plus the EFDSS Ceilidh Band on 20 August!

Shop (local) till you drop

We are completely spoiled for choice here in Norfolk for brilliant local makers & crafters… and markets for that matter!

On Saturday 9 July, you’ll find the Norwich Vegans Summer Fayre with an array of stalls outside and inside the building. Browse, try and buy ethical food and gifts; from hot and cold food offerings, sweet treats, homeware, clothes and more.

Drop by on Saturday 12 August for the Local Makers Market, where each maker has been hand picked carefully to ensure a mix of the very best local, modern craft. If you like handmade ceramics, prints, jewellery, homewares and textiles all produced by talented artisans, then you don’t want to miss this one!

On Saturday 19 August, not only can you discover 20 incredible producers showcasing Norfolk's finest flavours at the popular Native2Norfolk Farmers Market, you’ll also see art, crafts, textiles and jewellery from local craft and gifts makers at the Jabbawockycrafts Summer Fair, so there will be heaps to see and local makers, producers and crafters to support.

Admire & be inspired

Painting, photography and sculpture galore! Take a quieter moment to amble around the exhibitions inside, and outside, the building this summer.

Presented by Historic England in partnership with Norwich BID, the Picturing High Streets exhibition celebrates city life in Norwich with 65 photographs taken by members of the general public and collected through a national call out, including three winning photographs from the Picturing Norwich competition. Sure to evoke memories and a sense of pride, catch the exhibition outside The Forum from 26 June - 5 July.

From 29 June – 2 July you’ll find a selection of paintings, prints & cards by four members of the Institute Of East Anglian Artists (IEA) for their exhibition titled 'Connected Four’. A beautiful selection of paintings and prints, all of which will be for sale.

See amazing scale models and dioramas in a wide range of subjects, from squadron planes to tractors, created by the Norfolk Scale Model Group on Saturday 1 July. Some of the models you’ll see on display are award winning and have been featured in prestige modelling magazines. The Norfolk Scale Model Group will be joined by Members of the Model4Heroes (M4H) charity displaying their work. Interesting for all the family!