Closing Ceremony and other things to do at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham today?

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We’ve reached the final day of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Here’s the latest updates on sports being played today, what’s happening at the Closing Ceremony, free entertainment and travel advice for Monday (August 8)

Birmingham is in the spotlight with over a million visitors in the city for the Commonwealth Games and over half a million tickets sold to locals - making it the best attended EVER!

The city is buzzing with spectacular events featuring sporting expertise, live entertainment, festivals, big screens and more. Team England are glowing with gold after winning the hockey at the University of Birmingham and local sports hero Delicious Orie is also among the gold medal winners for heavyweight boxing at the NEC.

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There’s still plenty of sport today with swimming at Sandwell Aquatics Centre, badminton and table tennis at the NEC and squash and hockey at the University of Birmingham - see below for full details.

Tonight sees a star studded Closing Ceremony at Alexander Stadium, with local stars UB40, Laura Mvula, Jorja Smith and a nod to the Peaky Blinders with a sequence from the much-anticipated theatre show Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby.

Here’s our final daily update on what’s happening at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham today.

UB40’s new track Champion is the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games anthemUB40’s new track Champion is the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games anthem
UB40’s new track Champion is the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games anthem | Agility PR

Closing Ceremony at Alexander Stadium

Jorja Smith, Beverley Knight and UB40 are among the acts confirmed to perform at the 2022 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Birmingham.

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The closing ceremony, at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, will see performances from artists including Jorja Smith, UB40, Apache Indian, Beverley Knight, Dexys Midnight Runners, Goldie, Jacob Banks and Jaykae.

Laura Mvula, Ash, Mahalia and Musical Youth will also be performing, along with Neelam Gill, Panjabi MC, Talulah-Eve and The Selecter.

In a tribute to one of Birmingham’s major exports of the past decade, the closing ceremony will also feature a sequence from the much-anticipated theatre show Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby.

British singer Mvula will give a special performance of a newly commissioned track inspired by Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand, the TV series’ theme song.

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Written and adapted for the stage by the show’s creator Steven Knight, the theatre production will receive its world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome on September 27 as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.

The Closing Ceremony will also include a formal handover to the state of Victoria, Australia, which is hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Dancers at Victoria SquareDancers at Victoria Square
Dancers at Victoria Square | BirminghamWorld

Free Entertainment

Victoria Square - Closing Ceremony Watch Party

A collection of artists from the global diaspora and the West Midlands will be concluding the Commonwealth Games for this year. Celebrate Brum like never before!

9.30 am:Sunrise Stretch: Drum n Bounce with Emma Smallman

10.30 pm: Perry’s Playtime Disco

A collection of artists from the global diaspora and the West Midlands will be concluding the Commonwealth Games for this year. Celebrate Brum like never before!

9.30 am:Sunrise Stretch: Drum n Bounce with Emma Smallman

10.30 pm: Perry’s Playtime Disco

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Throughout the day: Games action on screen, Piing, Screen Spotlights, food & drink. Click on our link for the full schedule of free events at Victoria Square.

Commonwealth Games Festival of Festivals at SmithfieldCommonwealth Games Festival of Festivals at Smithfield
Commonwealth Games Festival of Festivals at Smithfield | Birmingham 2022

King Kong Pop Up Park on Great Hampton Street in the Jewellery Quarter

The open-air park is surrounded by food trucks, live music, and great coffee from The Borrow Shop. There’s food options from the Hockley Social Club, Meat Meets Bun, and others. The park his open from 10am to 11pm.

For the more news on King Kong’s return to Birmingham followin him on social media here @KingKongBrum

 Team England fans show their support during Women's Beach Volleyball - Quarter-Final match between New Zealand and England on day eight of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Smithfield on August 05 Team England fans show their support during Women's Beach Volleyball - Quarter-Final match between New Zealand and England on day eight of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Smithfield on August 05
Team England fans show their support during Women's Beach Volleyball - Quarter-Final match between New Zealand and England on day eight of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Smithfield on August 05 | Getty Images

Selfridges Creative Playground for all ages

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The dazzling department store at the Bullring is transforming into a hub of creativity for the Games - and it’s inviting customers of all ages to visit and enjoy live music, beauty workshops, pop up shops and curated food menus.

Here’s what’s happening each day

  • A Day of Play – Floor 1: Connect 4, See Saw, Noughts and Crosses, a Beads Board, and a Lego Table. 
  • Gaming Arcade – Floor 2: Air Hockey, Step Maniax, PAC-Man, Temple Run or Speed of Light. 
  • Dine Around The World – Sample food from around the globe, including from restaraunts Tonkotsu, Ed’s Diner, Kouzina, YO!, Fumo and Gran Café. Book a table at Selfridges.com
SWNS

Ward End Neighbourhood Festival

Opening times: Sunday 7 Aug 12PM-8PM; Monday 8 Aug 10AM-6PM

On August 7 and 8, Ward End Park will celebrate everything it means to be a part of a proud Commonwealth Games host city. The Ward End festival site programme will champion multiculturalism and be full of colour and excitement, as the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games come to a close. Honouring equality and youth within the neighbourhood, the site will celebrate champions of both community and sport.

Ward End Programme Highlights:

Impact Steelband - Will bring the love for steelpan music to Ward End this summer. With the motto of ‘Peace, Love and Pan’, the band will invite the community to join the party, bringing an incredible infectious energy to the site.

Aayushi - Will perform a blend of acoustic folk, poetry and soulful music at the Ward End festival site. The Walsall-based singer-songwriter takes influence from the likes of Neutral Milk Hotel, Rachel Sermanni and Corinne Bailey Rae; all of whom inspire her to craft songs that are gentle, honest and heartfelt.

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How to get there on public transport:Bus Routes: 94, 95, 11A/11C; Nearest rail service: Adderley Park Rail Station then 20 min walk

Trams and buses in BirminghamTrams and buses in Birmingham
Trams and buses in Birmingham | Transport for West Midlands

Travel Information - road closures, free bike hire, Voi scooters and more

Road closures

There are 200-plus road closures in place for the Commonwealth Games. You can see the full list here.

The final set of closures begin around Sutton Park today (Friday, July 29) as the Triathlon gets underway.

Free bike hire

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Transport for West Midlands has also announced that the West Midlands Cycle Hire (WMCH) is offering everyone in the region two free half-hour rides per day during Birmingham 2022.

Under the new cycle hire offer, available across the West Midlands from 27th July to 8th August, anyone over 16 who signs up for WMCH via the Beryl app will be able to ride a bike or eBike for 30 minutes twice a day free of charge –  whether or not they are attending a Birmingham 2022 venue. WMCH has 1,500 bikes for hire across the region, including 150 eBikes and more than 200 docking stations.

Pop-up and virtual cycle hire docking stations are also being set up near five key venues across the West Midlands; Alexander Stadium (athletics, Para athletics and Opening and Closing Ceremonies), Smithfield (3x3 basketball, 3x3 wheelchair basketball and beach volleyball), Sandwell Aquatics Centre (swimming, Para swimming and diving), Arena Birmingham (gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics) and Coventry Arena and Stadium (judo, wrestling and rugby sevens).

Free public transport for Commonwealth Games ticket holders

Birmingham 2022 visitors have local bus, rail and tram travel included with their event tickets

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There are 19 park and ride, or park and walk, venues offering 60,000 free spaces and shuttle bus links to venues during the Games.

There are Spectator shuttle bus services from Birmingham city centre to the Alexander Stadium and from the Hawthorns Transport Hub to Sandwell Aquatics Centre and from Coventry city centre to the Coventry Stadium & Arena.

Network Rail has installed QR codes - with the help of tech experts Whoosh - at Birmingham New Street for spectators to access which offer a wealth of network information for the Games.

For full details check out the dedicated Get Set website and online journey planner which has been set up for spectators and locals to ensure they are kept up to date on transport services.

Voi Scooters

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Birmingham’s scooter scheme is operating 24/7 throughout the games. You can hop on and hop off at a series of hubs throughout the city.

New riders are being offered 15 minutes of free riding. To claim this offer, just enter the code ‘GAMETIME’ into their in-app wallets. The offer is only available to new riders until Monday 8 August 2022.

Existing riders can now save money on their journeys as Voi has reduced the price of three Day Passes by 50% (£10 to £5 per day) for the duration of the games, until Monday 8 August 2022. Please see in-app messaging for further details.

Manolina Konstantinou of Team Cyprus plays a shot during the Women’s Quarter-Final match on day eight of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Smithfield on August 05Manolina Konstantinou of Team Cyprus plays a shot during the Women’s Quarter-Final match on day eight of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Smithfield on August 05
Manolina Konstantinou of Team Cyprus plays a shot during the Women’s Quarter-Final match on day eight of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Smithfield on August 05 | Getty

All the Commmonwealth Games Sports Competitions today (Saturday, August 6)

Aquatics at Sandwell Aquatics Centre, 10am to 1pm:

Mixed Synchronised 10M Platform Final,

Mixed Synchronised 10M Platform Medal Ceremony,

Mixed Synchronised 3M Springboard Final,

Mixed Synchronised 3M Springboard Medal Ceremony.

Badminton at The NEC Hall 5, 8am to 2.15pm:

Men’s Doubles Gold Medal Match,

Men’s Doubles  Medal Ceremony,

Men’s Singles Gold Medal Match,

Men’s Singles Medal Ceremony,

Mixed Doubles Gold Medal Match,

Mixed Doubles Medal Ceremony,

Women’s Doubles Gold Medal Match,

Women’s Doubles Medal Ceremony,

Women’s Singles Gold Medal Match,

Women’s Singles Medal Ceremony.

Hockey at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre, 9am to 11.30am:

Men’s Bronze Medal Match.

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Hockey at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre, 12.30 to 5pm:

Men’s Gold Medal Match, Men’s Medal Ceremony.

Squash at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre, 10am to 2.30pm:

Men’s Doubles Bronze Medal,

Men’s Doubles Gold Medal,

Men’s Doubles Medal Ceremony,

Men’s Doubles Plate Final,

Women’s Doubles Bronze Medal,

Women’s Doubles Gold Medal,

Women’s Doubles Medal Ceremony,

Women’s Doubles Plate Final.

Table Tennis at The NEC Hall 3, 9.30am to 1.15pm:

Men’s Singles Bronze Medal Match,

Men’s Singles Gold Medal Match,

Men’s Singles Medal Ceremony,

Women’s Doubles Bronze Medal Match,

Women’s Doubles Gold Medal Match, Women’s Doubles Medal Ceremony.

Closing Ceremony at Alexander Stadium, 8pm to 10pm. 

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