Birmingham Beach Returns to Digbeth High Street
Birmingham Beach offers a large sandy beach, deckchairs, fairground rides and stalls selling candy floss and doughnuts. Entry is free and it is open every day from Friday July 17 until Bank Holiday Monday on August 31. It's being held on Digbeth High Street, having previously been at Smithfield and then Pype Hayes Park in previous years. There's parking in Digbeth, or it's just a short walk from New Street and Moor Street train stations.
Snoopy in Birmingham Trail
The Snoopy in Birmingham Trail runs over the school holidays from now (July 13) until September 1. Download a free map, or pick one up in town, to find all 12 sculptures of Charles M Schulz's popular cartoon beagle lying on brightly painted doghouses, designed by local artists. Created by Central BID Birmingham and art producer Wild in Art, there are opportunities to donate money to Midlands-based Acorns Children’s Hospice on the trail.
Free Outdoor Cinema at NEC Lakeside
NEC Lakeside is a fun new space that opened at Birmingham NEC at the end of spring. It boasts an outdoor cinema with a full programme of films you can enjoy al fresco, completely for free over the summer. There are places to sit and have a picnic, a children's play area and an activity trail to enjoy.
Birmingham Weekender: Bank Holiday Festival
Birmingham Weekender is the city's big Bank Holiday weekend festival, held in the streets around Birmingham Hippodrome and Bullring. There will be free performances, installations and pop-up experiences. Running from August 29 - 31, it's well worth a trip into town to explore this colourful event.
Touchwood Summer Sessions in Solihull
Solihull's Touchwood Shopping Centre is having a beach this year and it's completely free. Touchwood Summer Sessions launch on Saturday July 18 and continue daily until Monday August 31. There will also be free activities taking place throughout the school holidays, such as a K-Pop party, bubble shows, drama tots, a Jamaya BBQ and beach-themed arts & crafts.
Hot Air Balloon Festivals in the Midlands
There are two hot air balloon festivals happening in the Midlands over the summer and they're both free to attend. Oswestry Hot Air Balloon Festival Carnival takes place on August 22 and 23. This pretty market town is around an hour and 20 minutes from Birmingham and is full of independent shops, friendly cafes and bustling street markets, making it a nice day out for all the family. Telford Hot Air Balloon Fiesta runs from August 28 to 30, and will fill the skies with colourful balloons during the day and as illuminations at night.
Free Mini Golf and Beach in West Bromwich
New Square Shopping Centre is bringing back its manmade beach and, new for 2026, there's free crazy golf and Toy Story themed activities. The West Bromwich beach launches on Monday July 20 and runs through to Sunday August 30, 2026. There’s free face painting every Wednesday from 11am to 4pm, a special Buzz and Friends event on August 11 and crazy golf on August 28. It's all free, you just have to pay for rides.
Northfield Beach Returns
The much-loved Northfield Beach event is back for summer 2026. Organised by Northfield Community Partnership, it will run from July 23 to 26, 2026, bringing four days of fun to Victoria Common in Church Road. Free to attend, there will be lots to do for all the family, including arts and crafts, live music, performances, and activities for all ages. The park has a playground, an outdoor gym, football pitch and open fields for games and picnics.
Rutland Water Park and Cotswold Country Park
There's a lakeside beach just 90 minutes away at Rutland Water Park in Leicestershire. Here you can swim and paddle in the lake, build sandcastles, have picnics, play and tuck into barbecues. It was given Blue Flag status a couple of years ago and has maintained this title ever since. If you drive 90 minutes in the opposite direction, you'll find Cotswold Country Park and Beach in Cirencester. This is the UK's biggest inland beach, meaning there's lots to do here from swimming and pedalos to minigolf.
Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival
There are also lots of free festivals too, such as the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival from July 24 to August 2 at various venues across the city. This is England's longest established jazz and blues festival and one of Europe’s 'biggest free jazz parties'.
Saltwich Splash and Other Splash Pads
Saltwich Splash is a new £550,000 water play area that opened at Droitwich Lido Park in the spring. It's nature-themed and has water sprays, a tipper bucket, a water run and games in the park. Other splash pads worth a visit include Willenhall Memorial Park Splash Pad, which is set within a Green Flag award-winning park, and Brinton Park Splash Pad in Kidderminster which boasts jets, slides and water cannons plus a boat and shallow play areas for little ones. In nearby Stourport-on-Severn, the Riverside Paddling Pool has reopened for the first time in two years.
Summer 2026 in Birmingham: More Free Activities
Garden centres around the Midlands offer a good place to take the kids out, especially as many have free play areas and pets to visit. There is a guide to the best adventure playgrounds for kids in the area and a stunning protected park that’s ‘like Blenheim’ but only down the road in Halesowen. The Bring it on Brum! holiday activity programme offers children and young people the chance to enjoy fun filled holiday clubs free of charge.
