In Events, music, theatre, sport, museums, exhibition, Festivals

This May there's so much going on we've struggled to keep it to one post, but we have and as always, for the full event listings, just head to our events calendar!

BIG EVENTS

Leicester City have taken the Championship by storm and after their win they will lift the trophy at home after the match against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday 4 May. Then on Sunday the 5 May the whole city is invited to celebrate with the team as they parade through the streets on open top buses before a party at the Clock Tower! Pre-parade entertainment starts at the Haymarket at 11.30am, the buses set off from Northampton Street at 12pm, with celebrations on the Haymarket balcony from 1.15pm. The event concludes at 2.30pm.

From the 18-25 March is the 21st Spark Festival. Celebrate Joy, Freedom, and Choice at the country’s leading children’ arts festival. This year's festival offers 34 performances, 15 "Give it a go" activities and workshops, and two exhibitions.

The biggest street art festival in the land comes to Leicester this May. From 20-26 May, Bring the Paint is going to transform the city with amazing large scale murals and artworks across the city, live demonstrations and chances to have a go yourself. Check out all the details here!

At the Space Centre on the weekend of the 4th and 5th May, may the fourth be with you as a Star Wars extravaganza comes to Leicester. The Galactic gathering – Festival of the Force runs all weekend and gives you the chance to see all your faves from the films and TV shows!

Celebrate the Bank Holiday Weekend in style with the Belvoir Castle May Day Garden Party. There's loads happening around the castle and gardens for the whole family with morris performances, live music, tips from expert gardeners and lots more. 

OUT AND ABOUT

Open Streets is a celebration of cycling with loads of great fun activities across the city. It takes place on the last Sunday of the month across the summer and it returns to Leicester on Sunday 25 May. It’s time to get outside and walking with two fantastic festivals aimed at getting you out and moving. The Walk Leicester Festival runs all throughout May and there are loads of guided walks around the city which are all free to join!

If you want to get out into the countryside then the National Forest Walking Festival is running from 18-30 May. Covering the whole of the National Forest, all the way into Derbyshire, there are loads of treks to go on and exploring to do. Check out their free guide for ideas, or join one of the guided walks and explore some of the most ancient countryside our country has to offer.  

On the 1-2 June the Riverside Festival returns and it’s celebrating 25 years of water based fun, canal boats, music, stalls, performances and much more. Come down to the River Soar for the weekend and get involved in one of Leicester best family friendly festivals.

MUSEUMS AND EXHIBITIONS

Want a bit of culture? Well there’s loads on around Leicester and Leicestershire. Through May there are the final editions of the Thursday lectures by Peter Liddle – former County Archaeologist for Leicestershire A series of 6 lectures on the archaeology of Leicestershire and Rutland, following a series of themes through the ages, by - on Thursdays from 2 – 4pm at Leicester's medieval Guildhall.

The Leicestershire Society of Botanical Illustrators exhibition of Plants With A Dark Side will be at Leicester Guildhall from 8-14 May. This group of local artists meet weekly at the University of Leicester Botanic Gardens and create amazing botanically accurate artworks.

A bona fide masterpiece is coming to Leicester Museum and Art Gallery this summer. Thanks to the National Gallery’s 200th anniversary tour, you will be able to see Renoir’s Umbrellas right here in Leicester from the 10 May.

The perfect way to spend a Saturday with the kids, Cultural Quarter earlies are a regular event at the LC Depot and surrounding areas! Held on the second Saturday of every month, these are fun, free, and creative sessions for children and families. This month’s is on the 11 May, find out more here.

Heritage Sundays are back! Your chance to explore the hidden areas and historic buildings of old Leicester. Tour Leicester Castle’s Great Hall, St Mary de Castro church and the Magazine Gateway to name but a few. Running on the 26 May, you can either explore for free or book a guided tour.

THEATRE

Live on stage this month it’s musicals, live shows and ballet! The Science Museum comes alive with their special Live Stage Show at De Montfort Hall on the 18 May. It’ll be the one that you want at the Little Theatre from 21-25 May where they’ll be putting on Grease! It’s comedy at De Montfort Hall on the 25 May as Ed Gamble brings his show Hot Diggity Dog to Leicester. Our great comedy keeps going all year round, not just for the Comedy Festival.

At Market Harborough Theatre on 26 May you can enjoy the Royal Ballet production of Shakespeare’s The Winters Tale. A profound story of love and loss, artfully adapted into a contemporary three-act narrative ballet.

This June, Nevill Holt Opera House is proud to welcome a lineup of internationally renowned artists to Leicestershire for the inaugural Nevill Holt Festival. Alongside opera the Festival will now also host classical music, theatre, art, jazz and contemporary music, alongside conversations with leading novelists, historians, broadcasters and artists. Running from 1-26 June

MUSIC

There’s loads of music this month! At De Montfort Hall on the 16 May, leave your 9 to 5 worries at the door and get ready as Country Roads celebrates the Kings and Queens of country music. Also at De Mont on the 17 May, the London Symphonic Rock Orchestra perform classical renditions of AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Iron Maiden and many more.

Just a stone’s throw away at the O2 Academy on the 17 May, Ocean Colour Scene are performing, and it’s a bit of a night of indie rock as over at the Soundhouse, James Walsh, the former frontman of Starsailor will be playing a special show, supported by some great local acts. If you prefer a bit of world music, then on the 18 May Vieux Farka Touré, son of the legendary Ali Farka Touré will be performing traditional Malian folk at the Y Theatre on the 18 May

There are loads of great festivals going on. The best tribute festival in the land, Glastonbudget, is back from 23-27 May with the very best tributes to some of the greatest bands of all time. At Stoughton Grange Farm Park from 24-26 May the Booze and Blues Festival will have the very best blues and roots artists from here in Leicester and across the country, plus great locally produced ales.

The annual Uprising event at the O2 Academy has a reputation for attracting the very best in heavy music and this year is no exception with Brujeria, Breed77 and Discharge all appearing on the 25 May. If dance and electronic music is more your thing, then the Forbidden Forest Festival at Belvoir Castle on the 31 May and 1 June brings some of the top names in the genre to the beautiful gardens. And the month of May is rounded out by Britpop darlings The Bluetones at The Musician on the 31 May.

SPORTS

It’s not only the Foxes we’re excited about, there’s loads of sporting action this month. Armageddon Darts comes to the Mattioli Arena, with some of the biggest stars of the sport stepping up to the oche on the 17 May. Leicester City Women take on Liverpool at the King Power stadium on the 18 May. The ladies have had a mixed season, with a first FA Cup semi final mixed with on and off form in the league, but they’re hoping for a positive end to the year.

And it’s the return of T20 Cricket at Grace Road as the Foxes take on the Yorkshire Vikings. There’s a 'Sporting Capital Takeover' theme, so put on your Leicester colours, blue, green or red as they celebrate the city's great sporting sides.

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