Calendar of Festivals and Exciting Events in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire

January

• January Sales - throughout January, all the main shops and department stores offer new savings as they clear out their stocks to make way for the new coming season

February

• Chinese New Year - mid-February, held at Highfields Park, with outdoor performances and a lakeside fireworks display

March

• Mother's Day Cards - mid-March, hands-on activities for children at Nottingham Castle, where they are able to create their own special card for their mother
• Full Steam Ahead - late March, the wonderful age of steam is celebrated at Wollaton Industrial Museum, with many working engines and displays|

April

• Easter Fun for Families - early April, a range of Easter-related family activities take place at the Brewhouse Yard and include a popular Easter egg trail around the museum itself, and also egg cup painting
• Easter Fun Day - early April, fun day out for all ages, with face paintings, an Easter Bunny and popular quiz
• St. George's Day Celebration - with dancing, re-enactments and many themed festivities suiting all age ranges. Booking ahead for this event is recommended

Robin Hood Month - May 2010

• Nottingham Arboretum Festival - early May, popular annual event held during the May bank holiday at the Nottingham Arboretum. Free of charge, highlights include live museum, traditional folk dancing, local groups and performers, and food stands
• Newark and Notts County Show, 8th and 9th May 2010, at the Newark Showground.
• Nottingham City Council has declared May Robin Hood Month in the City and has teamed up with Nottinghamshire County Council to bring a whole series of medieval events to the city and county during May. This is to coincide with the release of Ridley Scott's eagerly awaited movie Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe as Robin Hood and Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian. The film is expected to be one of the big blockbusters of 2010 and is a gritty modern retelling of the popular worldwide legend that is inextricably linked with Nottinghamshire.
  
  An exciting programme of major events will turn the back the clock in Nottingham and the wider county, and with something happening every day, the City and County will be transformed into a medieval kingdom. Highlights include:
  -Medieval re-enactments
  -Jousting
  -Archery
  -May Day parade led by Robin Hood
  -Family fun days
  For full details please visit Robin Hood Month events in Nottingham

June

• Autokama / Motor Show - early June, a host of classic and modern vehicles are displayed at the Wollaton Park
• Nottingham Tennis Masters - mid-June
• One World One City Festival - mid-June, a celebration of traditional music and dance, featuring Caribbean steel drums, brass bands, Irish dancing, choirs and more, at the Old Market Square
• Armed Forces Weekend - end of June.  Wollaton Park.
• Picnic in the Park, Greens Windmill.

July

• Nottingham Carnival, Forest Recreational Ground.
• Americana, 9th-11th July, at the Newark Showground.
• Newstead Summer Stage - mid-July, with a number of outdoor performances by local theatre groups at the nearby Newstead Abbey
• Splendour - 24th July, Wollaton Park.  Featuring The Pet Shop Boys, Calvin Harris, The Noisettes, Athlete, Talvin Singh and much much more
• Nottingham Pride - 31st July, the city's thriving gay community and many visitors celebrate at the Arboretum Park, with many open-air events, such as live music, dancing, food and a beer tent

August

• Robin Hood Festival - early August, attended by large crowds and held each year at Sherwood Forest
• Nottingham Riverside Festival - 6th - 8th August, with a range of festivities, street entertainers and food stalls, all on the Victoria Embankment, alongside the River Trent
• Caribbean Carnival - 14th and 15th August.  Major weekend event taking place each year at the Forest Recreation Ground, where the city's Caribbean population celebrate with floats, dancing and colour
• Moorgreen Show August Bank Holiday: Sunday and Bank holiday Monday

September

• The Big Wheel's Free Festival - Nottingham Castle
• Nottingham Food and Drink Festival 2010, 23-26 September, Old Market Square and Nottingham City Centre. The second annual Nottingham Food and Drink Festival will be welcoming a host of celebrity chefs including Gino D’Acampo, Ainsley Harriott and Nottingham’s own Sat Bains to the Old Market Square. Come along and enjoy cooking demonstrations, regional food and drink market and special offers at restaurants across the city.

October

• Goose Fair - 6th to 9th October.  A historic and extremely famous European travelling fairground at the Forest Recreation Ground, with fast rides, side stalls and a large 'Entertainment Marquee'
• International Antique & Collectors Fair, 7^th & 8^th October.  Newark Showground.
• Robin Hood Beer Festival, Nottingham Castle, 14-17 October.  - the Nottingham Branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale are pulling out all the stops to make sure 2010 will be even bigger and better! 2009 saw a world record 600 different top quality real ales on offer, plus an even larger selection of traditional ciders, perries and country wines than ever before. There'll be live entertainment at the Victorian bandstand and the majority of the beers will be served in the main marquee on the top green which will contain even more stalls. A variety of hot and cold foods will be available, both in the main marquee and spread around the grounds, with a much wider choice than before.
• Robin Hood Game and Country Show, 16th -17th October, at the Newark Showground.
• Boden Sale, 19^th – 21^st October, at the Newark Showground.
• GameCity 5. 27-31 October, venues across Nottingham - a unique festival celebrating the modern culture of videogames and interactive entertainment. GameCity explores videogames in new ways, uncovering the most interesting parts of their culture and inviting visitors to join in. There’s games to play, speakers to meet and learn from, music to dance to and plenty of surprises. Anchored around the city’s Old Market Square
• Robin Hood Pageant, 30th - 31st October. Medieval-style celebrations at Nottingham Castle, including jesters, juggling and jousting on horseback
• Festive Gift & Food Show, 30^th & 31^st October, at the Newark Showground.

November

• Bonfire Night ,5th November. Fireworks and Guy Fawkes celebrations at the Forest Recreation Ground
• Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show, 13th and 14th November at the Newark Showground.
• Diwali Gala, 21 November, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. Following the success of last years’ event, it'll again be hosted at the Royal Concert Hall.

December

• International Antique & Collectors Fair, 2^nd & 3^rd December, at the Newark Showground.
• Christmas Markets - early to mid-December, a traditional German-style market attracting a number of European and local traders, with plenty of craft stands, handmade jewellery and hot food
• Christmas Panto - throughout December to early January, all the usual family pantomime fun, at the Royal Centre on Theatre Square