Stuck for things to do this weekend? You shouldn't be...
BIRMINGHAM
JAZZ HANDS
At the 28th Birmingham International Jazz & Blues Festival there will be over 170 performances at 70 venues. Grab a programme and choose your favourites – we’ll be tapping our feet to The Swing Ninjas on Saturday at Harvey Nichols (1pm) and Bar Risa (6pm). 6-15 July; most events free; citywide
FILM NIGHT
At Shock and Gore 2012 there will be a mix of film, comedy and magic not for the squeamish. Settle on comfy sofas for short film screenings and drink specially-designed cocktails at Saturday’s all-nighter. 6-9 July; £8-£14; The Electric Cinema, 47-49 Station Street, B5
EUROPEAN THEATRE
Creatives from across Europe gather for BE Festival, a theatrical celebration of universal language amid cultural difference. Don’t miss the UK premiere of Sagra by Progetto Brockenhaus (Thursday). Until 7 July; £15; A E Harris building, 109-138 Northwood Street, Birmingham, B3
DIRTY DANCING TOURS
Baby and Johnny come to the Birmingham stage in Dirty Dancing’s first ever national tour. Romance, dancing and songs you won’t be able to get out of your head all week. Until 25 August; £20-£55; Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Birmingham, B5
GYMNASTIC TALENT
Can’t wait for the Olympics to begin? Head to the NIA to watch some of the nation’s best gymnasts battle it out in the British Trampoline, Tumbling and DMT Championships. 7-8 July; £13; National Indoor Arena, King Edward’s Road, Birmingham, B1
LEEDS
HAREWOOD FESTIVAL
Texas, Scouting for Girls, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and The Human League are among the acts playing live at The M Fest, which takes over the grounds of Harewood House this weekend. There will also be foodie tents and comedy. 7 and 8 July; £49.50/£95; Harewood House, LS17
OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE
Choreographer Rachel Dean takes A Midsummer Night’s Dream as her inspiration for promenade dance theatre piece, Love In Idleness, in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park this Saturday. 7 July; 2pm and 4pm; £5; Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, WF4
DONKEY DAY
Tombola, a dog show, karate demos and barbecue food: we love a good summer fair and the Leeds Donkey Sanctuary fair also includes awesome horse tricks from Galloping Acrobatics [pictured left]. 8 July; 11am-4pm; free; EST Leeds, Eccup, LS16
SEASONAL MARKET
The Cross Keys hosts its quarterly seasonal market on Sunday. Expect handmade crafts and arty bits alongside fresh summer produce in the courtyard. If you get peckish, the gastro pub’s famed roasts are served 12 until 5. 8 July; 12pm-4pm; free; The Cross Keys, 107 Water Lane, LS11
PENGUIN CAFE
Spiegeltent, a stand-alone, intricately-designed pavilion, returns to the Harrogate Festival this Sunday, playing host to Penguin Cafe frontman Arthur Jeffes on piano and Sundog member Oli Langford on violin. 8 July; 8pm; £12; Spiegeltent, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate, HG1
MANCHESTER
JEWEL-BRIGHT PRINTS
Liz West’s richly saturated photographs are created through unusual compositions of everyday objects found in shops, markets and museums. Her new exhibition Chroma explores systems of ordering and classification. 5 July-29 July; free; Blankspace, 43 Hulme Street, M15
RETRO PARTY
Start with a barbecue on the terrace before Adam P Gorman of The Travelling Band plays all his favourite obscure records from the Seventies at Cheeseburgers in Paradise. 6 July; 5pm-1am; free; The Salutation, Higher Chatham Street, M15
COMPLIMENTARY SHOES
Manchester’s most notorious celeb haunt plays host to the Nelly High Heels tour party. Be among the first 150 guests through the door and choose your favourite pair of heels from the new collection. 7 July; 7pm; free with RSVP; Panacea, 15 John Dalton Street, M2
THEATRE FINALE
It’s your last chance to catch Manchester Lines, the critically-acclaimed drama by Jackie Kay that explores the lives of a diverse cast of characters in an inner city lost property office. Until 7 July; times vary; £22; Number One First Street, M15
AFFORDABLE ART
After weeks of waiting patiently, The £1 Art Show is here, offering you the chance to own a unique one-off artwork for less than the cost of a cup of tea. 8 July; 1pm-6pm; £1; Night and Day Cafe, 26 Oldham Street, M1
SCOTLAND
GET YOUR SKATES ON
Possibly the best fun you can have while nearly falling over, Roller Disco Glasgow is a must-try. Hire or bring your own skates for two hours of fun. 6 July (8pm-10pm) and 8 July (4pm-6pm); £7 (plus £3 skate hire); Kelvinhall, 1445 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3
TEALIGHTS AS ART
Lit on Tuesday, William Mackrell’s ‘1,000 Candles’ is exactly that: 1,000 tealight candles in a circle. Come see this and other works, including one made of chocolate chip cookies, at Infinite Jest. Until 26 August; 11am- 6pm; free; Dundee Contemporary Arts, 152 Nethergate, Dundee, DD1
TOGS AND TUNES
Get down to Gin in Teacups for 20 stalls of vintage and crafty goods, a DJ set, a buskers’ corner and giveaways (including their covetable tote bags). 7 July; 12pm-5pm; free; The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2
SPOIL YOUR TASTEBUDS
Get ready to be wined and dined as top chefs take over The Meadows for Taste of Edinburgh. Look out for the Fabulous Baker Brothers and Loyd Grossman sharing their cooking secrets too. 6-8 July; various times; £12 (standard ticket); The Meadows, Edinburgh, EH9
SPORT STARS
In honour of the Olympics, In It To Win It showcases new paintings and portrait photography of Scotland’s sporting stars, including Andy Murray and Chris Hoy. Until 7 October; 10am-5pm (until 7pm Thursdays); free; Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2
LONDON
£5 FASHION TREATS
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Prices at the Designer Sales UK sample sale start from a trifling £5 with up to 90% off labels including Westwood, DKNY and Jimmy Choo. Time to clear some space in your wardrobe. 6-8 July; £2 admission; The Chelsea Old Town Hall, Kings Road, Chelsea, SW3
MICHELIN-WORTHY
Eloise Schwerdt is a chef you need to know about. She has worked with Skye Gyngell at Petersham Nurseries and she is behind this fun pop-up restaurant at the rather swanky The Cuckoo Club. A Piece on the Side; until 7 July; 8pm-11pm; £45 set menu; The Cuckoo Club, Swallow Street, London, W1B
THE POWER OF POETRY
The London Literature Festival brings together a host of literary names for not-to-be-missed events. On Sunday four London bards will read their own works as well as their poems that celebrate our fair city. London in Verse; 8 July, 7.45pm; £8; Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, London, SE1
POP-UP THEATRE
Marylebone Gardens Revival Festival is “reviving all things gin-soaked, delightful and a little bit naughty”. Drop by the gardens for drinks and snacks or see a funny show by Theatre Delicatessen. Until September; Marylebone Gardens, 35 Marylebone High Street, London, W1U
COME ON, MURRAY!
The Wimbledon singles semi-finals and finals are being shown on an outdoor screen at Duke of York Square. Bring a picnic, eat strawberries and cream, drink fizz from the Pommery champagne tent and hope it stays dry. 6-8 July; 1pm-7pm; free; Duke of York Square, Chelsea, SW3
