Sheldon Country Park Fair is a yearly summer event that has turned into a tradition to me. It's a…read morehighlight of most people's festival season on the east side of Birmingham, and sees thousands enter the park gates to take part in a wide range of activities. The park is literally filled with events, from fairground rides to nature talks to local emergency service rides, which are both educational and entertaining for children of all ages. We're usually lucky because the fair more than often hits a lovely summer's day, which provides a real festival feel to the whole experience. My favourite part is the owl show, I love watching and holding them. I'm a kid at heart! During the day, there are also clown shows, dirt bike shows and pantomimes. These are perfect to keep children's attention, but for me, I personally find them a little tedious. The fairground rides are the usual ones you can find at any fair, and cost no more money either. There's also a bar there which is great for people who just want to soak up the vibrant atmosphere.

Tudor Grange park is home to one of Birmingham's most epic fireworks displays every year: The event…read morehere has become a ritual to my life. I've been an attendee since I can remember, and the climaxes seem to get grander and grander each time I go. As a child, I remember wearing moon boots to keep my feet warm while standing around in the park; It makes me chuckle to think about that now, my feet must've looked huge! Also, the event is free, which is absolutely brilliant, so you don't have to worry about paying a bomb to see some bright colours in the sky. Also, don't let the free entry fool you, the fireworks are always amazing and well worth seeing. I've been to different displays in the past, and they've had a few faulty fireworks, but Solihull Round Table's display is always surprising, beautiful and magical. The event literally fills the sky for as far as you can see, and the colours brighten up the entire park. Solihull Round Table also make sure that you are fed well, and sells delicious sausage rolls and warm donuts, so you'll never be cold standing around in November again!

This weekend was my second visit to MCM Comic Convention in Birmingham. Strange really, that I…read moreshould travel halfway across the country to Wales to go to SciFi Weekender in Wales, but only my second visit to the Birmingham edition of this event (which is also held in Manchester, London, Telford, Belfast and Glasgow). I can only put it down to the fact that I wasn't actually aware of the event or when it was until last year when I saw some advertising online and knew that I had to go and check it out... Now, I really like graphic novels, anime, SciFi and fantasy. This place is a mecca for buying the perfect accessories to go with that obscure cosplay and incredibly cute toys and collectables. Unfortunately this year there seemed to be less actual comic stands, but this was more than made up for by the fantastic line up of guests and talks. The best reason to go (whether you are necessarily a fan of comic books or not) is the amount of effort that attendees go to, to create their costumes. I spotted characters from films, books and TV shows (some mainstream, some obscure) but there was more than your fair share of "caped crusaders" and Marvel/DC characters which was inevitable since the classic hero on paper was transformed into blockbusting big screen action stars. This year I was very impressed by the addition of two popular anime voice stars which were doing signings for free (well, for £3 with the purchase of a magazine). I am a fan of both of these guys and ended up getting their autographs without too much queueing or trouble. They also had talks from Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) and RJ Mitte (Breaking Bad) and it seems they had really upped their game with (almost) the complete cast of Red Dwarf and Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) along for the fun as well. Now, one thing I did notice this year was how busy it was. Luckily, my partner had bought an advance ticket (highly recommended) and thus we were into the venue within a couple of minutes of approaching the hall. The wait to buy a ticket and get in was ridiculous and I can imagine some people queued for at least an hour to actually enter the event. This also meant there was hoards of people in the hall, which made it difficult to browse the stalls at some point. Again, this event is busy and you will probably end up spending a fortune if you are with/are a comic book/anime/superhero fan... However, if you can deal with the queues and the crush, it's well worth checking out MCM Birmingham (which takes place in both March and November each year).

I really wanted to enjoy MCM Birmingham Comic Con, but sadly it did not live up to my expectations…read more The biggest issue was the venue- two halls was simply not enough for the amount of people attending, and having other large shows on at the same time made public transport a nightmare. Being in a permanent crush made it difficult for me to see anything, but from what I could see there were little comics and board games. The majority of stalls were selling overpriced kawaii toys, and I left empty handed with no regrets whatsoever. The special guests held little appeal for me. I felt the autographs were over priced and I was particularly baffled by the presence of Eastenders actors Shane Ritchie and Jessie Wallace. I didn't feel they fit at all and honestly I would have rather they weren't taking up the already limited space. Still, some people must have wanted to see them as I could barely reach the bar thanks to the long queue right outside it. The events were similarly meh with the exception of the cosplay masquerade. The cosplayers are what made it in my opinion. The amount of effort they put into their costumes was astounding, and some were even in character which resulted in some funny moments. Unfortunately it just wasn't practical to ask/pose for photos in the crowds, and looking at the photos now I see I missed some amazing costumes. Until they improve their line up, I will not be attending again. I foolishly purchased a weekend ticket but was left so exhausted I couldn't face going again. If you do go, get a priority ticket and go early so you can leave before the crowds hit. I've been to cons before and I'm used to queues, but I don't see the point when you're queuing for a substandard con that offers very little.

Moseley Folk really are the Kings of the local folk revival and their main festival held annually…read morein Moseley Park and Pool is a real highlight on the Brum music calendar. Growing this successful brand this year they attempted their first camping festival and were wise enough to start with a very small acorn. Only 500 tickets were available and even though some of the names were fairly big (Fionn Regan, Scott Matthews, Benjamin Francis Leftwich) the festival had a lovely, intimate, family feel. The site itself is a real find, very near the home of Nick Drake, in Tanworth in Arden. There was yummy food from the Soul Food Project and local booze from Purity. They've started some nice traditions already including an outdoor fire that was kept alight the whole time the festival was running. No, the weather didn't help. But it is a great start from these chaps and I imagine a great oak will grow from this . . .

Newly launched in 2012, The Lunar Festival is run by the same team who brought us Moseley Folk…read moreFestival and the Mostly Jazz Festival. The setting was Nick Drake's spiritual home of Tanworth-In-Arden. A festival of acoustic music with folky-leanings, Scott Matthews, Fionn Regan and Benjamin Francis Leftwich headlined the main stage on each night, while singer-songwriters from the local area and further afield played sets on both the Northern Sky and the Riverman stages. With only 500 tickets on sale, most of them were snapped up by those preferring a more intimate festival, a welcome change from the corporate, sponsored rock-based behemoths. With this small amount of people you see familiar faces, the queues for food and toilets are small, and everything is more amiable and easier. Kids can get into Umberslade Farm Park to look at the animals and to play in the adventure playground. The highlight of the weekend for me was Fionn Reagan whose witty, wordy, highly poetic songs with references to literature, historical figures and odd places are among the best that I believe have been written. You don't believe me? Buy his 2006 album 'The End of History and you might be converted. Keep a watch of the website for details of next year's festival.

This is a community and arts festival that takes place in Moseley every late June/early July. I've…read morebeen here three years in a row now, and there seems to be more and more events each time. The main festival day clutters the streets of Moseley (and surrounding venues) with stalls and activities such as morris dancing and live cooking. The arts and crafts stalls are more on par with Moseley Arts Market (and some of the stall holders are often the same, which is a little bit of a let down for me.) Other stalls are set up by the community, selling car boot-type items such as toys and vinyl. It's a great place to hunt for hidden gems and sought after records. For me, the highlight of last year's fest took place in Moseley Park & Pool, where a free live jazz band played to chilled out visitors in the blaring sun. (If you get too hot, you can always cool down in the ice house underneath Moseley Park!). In addition to the main festival day, other venues open their doors for specific events throughout the seven days. These venues include Zen, Birmingham Buddhist Centre, O'Neils and The Fighting Cocks, which all put on unique celebrations, from yoga sessions to beer tasting. I think the most obscurest event as part of 'Moz fest' has to be ginger fest, which tooks place in The Prince of Wales a couple of year's back. It's a mini festival within a festival that allows red heads to unite. Let's hope it returns this year!

Local event based in the Moseley area, Moseley festival is quite a well-known event which occurs…read moreeach year. I've only been twice and both times I went to the festival I quite enjoyed it. The streets become jam packed and the residents from the area take part either by setting up a stall or taking to the streets. The fact that they have so many events which take place during the seven days; makes the festival more interesting. It can become a little repetitive each year but I guess many festivals similar to this become slightly repetitive too. When you attend the festival, be prepared to leave the event with at least an item you've purchased from one of the many stalls. You'll have a continuous temptation to buy something and you'll find many hidden treasures. When I last went, I bought a couple of things including some vintage looking candle holders. They were absolutely magnificent and I just couldn't resist. Also, if you do I recommend you take a look at all the other mini events taking place across the city in association with Moseley Festival.

Enjoyed the first night of the Godiva Festival very much. The bands are generally less famous than…read moreat the large, expensive festivals but I was happy as 1) the festival is completely free and 2) I got to see the Boomtown Rats, one of my favourite bands in my teen years! There are plenty of places to eat at the festival, and a bar )you aren't allowed to take your own booze and they check your bags and body search. Any booze found gets confiscated or you can't enter the festival). There is also a great vintage and craft goods tent. There are 2 stages, for different types of music, and another tent which has various other entertainment. Outside the festival there is a funfair. There is masses of parking on the site and that's completely free of charge too. The only thing that annoyed me was the amount of excessively drunk people, including people who are considerably old enough to know better!!

If you like beer....sausage and dancing on tables this is definitely your jam....lovely times last…read morenight with some mates at brums Oktoberfest. This is exactly what you expect from a celebration of this sort...loads of Lang table, slightly over priced beer and food and VERY German music played live and by the coolest of looking djs....all very confusing but definitely added to the vibe. The beer we had was spot on as was the bratwurst and sourkrout....the tent was really impressive as was the setting of cannon hill park....the service was also friendly and attentive once they got in the swing if things....just remember your wallet as this is not he cheapest of evenings if you are planning a big drink....of massively oversized beers. Why can't all beers be a pint and a half!!

It was a rather pleasant Sunday afternoon when a bunch of 20 'Yelpers' descended upon a tent, in a…read morerather muddy carpark. It was also the day of the Bupa half-marathon. As such, many of the roads around Cannon Hill Park were blocked. I decided to avoid the traffic and walk the 2.5 miles from Harborne. After a couple of miner trespass issues, I found myself one of the first to arrive, and ashamedly felt rather smug at hearing of people's traffic woes. "Oktoberfest on 20th October* surely that's too late?" I hear you cry. Well, Brum's Oktoberfest have been running this event every weekend in a different city for the last month. I believe the Birmingham one is the end of their 'tour'. Entrance was free on Wednesday, £5 on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and a whopping £10 on the Saturday. We (or rather Vicky O as CM) however, managed to blag some free tickets to the Sunday session. On entering we were greeted by buxom young women. It was later commented that their employment process probably included a series of questions involving 'hair colour' and 'cup size'. The tent housed long wooden tables with Bavarian blue and white diamond check print plastic tablecloths. The 'serving wenches' (I apologise if you feel I'm being sexist, but I'm trying to represent the sexist nature I felt in the organisation of the event) all had numbers on their backs. However in the VIP area, we served by a pleasant gentleman in a t-shirt (no lederhosen for him). Being in the VIP section meant that we were close to the stage, with a dance floor and had mud covered wood under our feet rather than just the bare mud. We're obviously here for some beer drinking. They serve only one beer, which is an Oktoberfest style from 'Festival Brew'. It costs £3 for a half pint, £8.50 for 1.5pt or £11 for a 2pt pour. Note no standard 1pint measure. There were also cider and wine available, but I didn't really pay attention to those. The beer was served in plastic jugs. Which is disappointing, but necessary at these kinda events, in case it all kicks off. Unsurprisingly, there have been lots of people posting how 'ripped off' they felt from the event. It has rained quite a lot recently. Ok so paying premium prices to sit at a rickety table, under a tent, in a muddy puddle filled carpark, is not everyone's idea of fun. The food was basically bratwurst, with fries or sauerkraut, and pretzels. There was a weisswurst on the menu but I didn't see anyone having this. They possibly missed a trick by not serving currywurst. I think currywurst would go down really well with British punters. I like currywurst, I might make currywurst for dinner tonight. Mmmm #currywurst The music drifted between a band playing trad German songs and getting everyone to sway, to those classics one remembers from holiday entertainment discos in the 80s. In fact the event had an atmosphere of a family function about it. It was like your girlfriend's, brother's, wife's, uncle's wedding. Despite all the extortionate prices, the cheesy music and the mud, I found the event rather enjoyable. I'm not sure if this is down to the company, and we could have enjoyed ourselves anywhere else? Or if it was the booze, which I'm sure did help. Or does standing on a rickety bench whilst swaying back and forth really put a smile on anyone's mouth? There seemed to be a united Yelp rendition of 'You Could Be Mine'. After which, I decided that it was time to merrily walk back to Harborne. Stopping of for a pint on the way back. Advice to anyone looking at attending next year, or another similar elsewhere: * Don't go with any pretentions of getting an authentic Bavarian experience. * Wear comfy shoes that you don't mind being covered in mud. * Expect to pay large amount for the beer * Don't take any food or drink with you as they make you throw it away at the entrance * Loosen up and enjoy it for what it is Advice for the organisers: * Lower drinks prices - I would have probably stayed for more had it not been so expensive. * More toilets - there was reports of huge queues for both ladies and gents Saturday night. * British weather is wet, more ground covering is required. * Currywurst. *Munich's Oktoberfest runs from late September to the first Sunday in October. This year it finished on 4th October.

This year will see the fifteenth edition of the Harborne Carnival, which literally takes over the…read moreentire high street of Harborne. The event was set up by Ron Hill in 1998, who took inspiration from the first Harborne charity fete in 1891, a carnival that had been revived several times, with the last in 1968. Last year's street party saw over 60000 attending what is often called the UK's second largest celebrations of its type. With the sun blaring, it was an absolutely perfect day out for friends and family alike. Taking to the streets are a wide range of floats and people, from dancers to old fashioned cars to bikes to brass bands, if you don't keep an eye on the road, you're sure to miss some of the most intriguing, artistic floats you'll ever see. Along with floats, the streets are also filled with fairground rides activities, and stalls which are all designed to raise money for local charities. The carnival is a hit with the kids, and the surrounding Harborne pubs are perfectly located for fueling the adults with alcohol to help them soak up the atmosphere. The smell of local grub sold on the street is also highly tempting, so be prepared to enjoy a jam packed, belly bursting event. My first experience of the carnival was last year, and I cannot wait for this years! Not long to go!

My friends and I only discovered the Harborne carnival last summer, which happened to…read morecoincidentally fall on my birthday, making all more reason to celebrate. The infamous high street is packed, whether it be floats or just people, it's seemingly one way traffic, but in all fairness, it's something that adds to the atmosphere if anything. Despite being a great day out, weather depending, you'll see your fair share of topless men/boys and drinking on the streets. With the pubs often closing for a few hours in the mid afternoon, people often take drinking outside, making the most of the Sainsburys towards the end of the street. Some people may find the off putting, but as my rating suggests, the day, overall, really is a laugh. I'd definitely recommend it, especially to anyone in their late teens, pushing 20. After all, it could fall on my birthday again, in which case you can buy me a pint..

One of the most traditional festivals in Birmingham, Mostly Jazz Festival should be a compulsory…read moreitem in your bucket list. It's an incredible event and a wonderful way of getting closer to what Moseley village is in fact. This is a very lively part of Birmingham. Many culture events, fairs and concerts are held in Moseley pubs, cafés and spaces open to art, in general. Such an eclectic festival like this wouldn't be held in a better place. I have been to Mostly Jazz Festival last year and it was the best choice in leisure for a very hot summer in Brum. The weather was amazing, which helped to enjoy the concerts outside. Moseley park is gorgeous and it has to be highlighted all amazing job done by the local community that keep the place preserved. Food and drinks are not a problem in the area. The festival itself caters for the public with plenty of choice. From curry to a simple ice cream for the kids. Refreshments and alcoholic drinks are also sold inside the venue. By if you want to have a look around, Moseley have plenty of bars, restaurants and cafés available and open during the whole three days of events. Sometimes it's much better to go for these places for a meal. We had more options of food and also caught up with the news about Wimbledon ( in the pubs) because the Festival is held at the same time the tournament is on. And what a vibe in the village. 2013 edition was pretty especial because we could see the legend Nile Rodgers ( and Chic) at the main stage of the festival and the experience was unique indeed. One of the best gigs I ever seen and according to Nile, one of the best audiences he had. ( You're welcome!). Mostly Jazz Festival is for everyone. families, young and elderly ones. Everybody in the same vibe, enjoying sunshine ( if you are lucky) and nice music. it is great to see kids running in the park with parents sharing their Pimm's without being worried about their security. It's a big family festival indeed. And everyone is more than welcome. After the gigs, transport is not a problem. Buses are running until late in the trajectory back to the city centre ( takes 10 minutes or less). But if you are young and still want to party, Moseley pubs and bars are going to be there to help you carrying on the night. I love it. And I think Birmingham should be proud of such a great event. If you still don't have the tickets for the event this year, hurry up! It's on days 11-13 of July!

This was my second year at Mostly Jazz festival and I am happy to report that the event just got…read morebetter. Tickets for the Friday and Saturday sold out fairly early this year, and I was gutted to have missed out, but I managed to secure a ticket for the Sunday. The entrance points were well managed meaning that there were no delays getting in. One good thing about this event is that you can bring in as much food and drink as you like (unfortunately no alcohol or glass bottles) which means that many people were tucking in to their own little picnics. For those who wanted something a little more substantial, there were a variety of street food vendors serving a selection of cuisines including pizza, Thai and Indian. The main bar was huge and I didn't have to queue at all. The event was busy but not overly crowded and there was a great atmosphere. The line up at Mostly Jazz is always great and this year did not disappoint. There were a selection of local and national acts keeping the crowd entertained, culminating with George Clinton on the Sunday night - a fantastic performance. I will definitely be booking this event again next year.

Only come here if you want to rescue their pets! I came here looking for a cage for my hamster and…read morefound that the animals have barely any room to move around and it's hard to believe they stay like that most of the day if not all the day. However they do have everything you need for basic pet care; from vitamins and minerals to massive cages, so I treated my hamster. They also have a small aquarium and reptile centre but for some reason that isn't always open. I wasn't surprised about the animal care because the staff didn't seem to care much either. I asked for a cage within my budget and the woman just pointed in the direction, not guide me there. Not only that I had to take it from the top shelf because there was no one there to help! Talk about breaking the safety rules. When I got the check out the woman could see I was struggling to fit the large cage in the bag so what did she do? Carried on serving other people whilst I was still at the check out! So I had to bag my purchases on the floor!! It would have been nice if she put a smile on her face, even if it were fake. Even though they have good prices, I won't be coming back here because I felt sorry for the animals and the customer service put me off.

As anyone who owns a pet will know, feeding and caring for them is an expensive business, which is…read morewhy I've always found myself pleasantly surprised by the prices at The Pet Centre. Their prices constantly outstrip those of bigger, chain pet stores, and I've bought a pet carrier (£17.85) and a hutch and run (£109.99) from there. Both are excellent, and still serve me now, and I'd certainly look to them if I needed similar equipment in the future. As well as this kind of product, they sell food, rugs, scratching posts, essentially anything you can name to do with pets. They also, of course, sell the pets themselves, with an impressive range covering everything from rabbits to rodents and birds to bearded dragons. The staff are also extremely helpful, even coming out of the shop to ask if you need help if you're looking at the various hutches at the front.