PoliNations at Victoria Square: Full list of free events in September

Birmingham’s Victoria Square has been transformed into a green wonderland and has a range of different activities and events for people to take part in. The event will run from September 2-18 and will mark the end of the cultural fiesta in Birmingham.

With the close of PoliNations, Birmingham 2022 Festival will also end. However, there is loads of things you can still do before that happens, and it would be a crime not to take advantage of all that the city has to offer right now.

Starting on September 2, the PoliNations project will entertain and educate people. It highlights the complex history of migration and diversity in the UK and also celebrates our differences, roots, and future. The main emphasis is on the access to green spaces and a healthy planet. The pop-up garden in the heart of the city will be an urban oasis while telling the stories of where the various plants originated from.

You can take part in it at Victoria Square, where all events are free. Here is the full schedule:

Friday 2 September -

Plant Up! - Join 60+ community groups from around the city to by planting a marigold in the super garden between 2pm and 6pm. No need to book.

Mother Tree - Lunchtime talk with Claire Ratinon and Sam Ayre: environmental responsibility in the creative world between 2pm and 3pm.

Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah is offering free cups of chai from 3pm-4pm everyday.

Iconic Plant Audio Tours - Collect free headsets from the information point for 40mins – 1 hour to travel through the super garden while listening to audio responses to the plants and how they came to be here. Available from 2-9PM.

Sunset Shift is a light and sound show from 19:53 - 20:23.

Saturday 3 September -

The awakening - From 08:00 - 08:10, a beautiful soundscape will welcome the new day, every day.

Yoga / Meditation - From 8-9am enjoy some free yoga and meditation at the square.

Iconic Plant Audio Tours - Collect free headsets from the information point for 40mins – 1 hour to travel through the super garden while listening to audio responses to the plants and how they came to be here. Available from 8am-9pm.

Plant Up! is available from 10am-4pm and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla from 11am-12pm and again from 3-4pm.

Lunchtime talk with Sui Searle and Dr Ros Gray: decolonising the garden - how imperialism shaped the British garden from 1-2pm.

Sunset Shift the light and sound show will be from 19:51 - 20:21.

Sunday 4 September -

The awakening - From 08:00 - 08:10, a beautiful soundscape will welcome the new day, every day.

Iconic Plant Audio Tours - Collect free headsets from the information point for 40mins – 1 hour to travel through the super garden while listening to audio responses to the plants and how they came to be here. Available from 8am-9pm.

Yoga / Meditation - From 8-9am enjoy some free yoga and meditation at the square.

Plant Up! is available from 10am-4pm.

Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla from 11am-12pm and again from 3-4pm.

Lunchtime Talk with JC Niala and Dr Alex Mayhew: Pandemics - drawing closer to nature from 1-2pm.

Sunset Shift the light and sound show will be from 19:48 - 20:18.

Monday 5 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Yoga, Plant Up!, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 4.

From Soil to Sip, which is Spectra’s accessible, multi-sensory tour of PoliNations, exploring Tea will be from 10-11am.

Lunchtime Talk with Jon Drori and Advolly Richmond: Iconic Plants - the Stories of our Garden from 1-2pm.

Into the Garden - You can also join the daily horticultural tours of the super garden led by our expert gardeners from The Birmingham Botanical Gardens. From 3-4pm.

Sunset shift will take place from 19:46 - 20:16.

Tuesday 6 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, From Soil to Sip, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 4.

Lunchtime Talk with Jon Alexander and Imandeep Kaur: Thriving in a civic society - Co-Founders and directors of the New Citizenship Project Jon Alexander and Civic Square Imandeep Kaur (respectively) explore thriving in a civic society from 1-2pm.

Sunset shift will be at 19:44 - 20:14.

Wednesday 7 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, From Soil to Sip, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 4.

Sunset shift will be at 19:41 - 20:11.

Thursday 8 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, From Soil to Sip, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 4. Sunset shift will be at 19:39 - 20:09

Lunchtime Talk with Owen Griffiths and Davinia-Ann Robinson: Connecting to the earth- art and social practice - Artists Owen Griffiths and Davinia Ann-Robinson discuss the cross over in how their practices explore nature and colonialism. From 1-2pm.

Friday 9 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, From Soil to Sip, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 4.

Contains Strong Language: Poetry and Performance Festival will be held at different times. From 8am to 10pm.

Contains Strong Language: BBC Words First Reading - In association with BBC 1Xtra, BBC Contains Strong Language presents the Words First Reading, celebrating the most talented poets and spoken word artists aged 18-30 from across the UK from 7-7.30pm at the mother tree stage.

Contains Strong Language: Soweto Kinch - White Juju - Live performance of critically acclaimed ‘White Juju’, especially adapted for PoliNations from 8.10-10pm at the main stage.

Sunset shift will be be at 19:37 - 20:07.

Saturday 10 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 4.

Contains Strong Language: Poetry and Performance Festival will be held at different times. From 8am to 10pm.

Gong Bath - 8-9am - In every session, to start the new day, be guided on a special meditation accompanied by an original piece, to lay the foundations for a practice consisting of breath work, yoga and gong, depending on the day you visit.

Contains Strong Language: BBC Words First Reading - In association with BBC 1Xtra, BBC Contains Strong Language presents the Words First Reading, celebrating the most talented poets and spoken word artists aged 18-30 from across the UK from 11-11.30am at the mother tree stage.

Contains Strong Language: Across Borders Poets land at PoliNations in partnership with Birmingham 2022, connected poets across the Commonwealth. From 1-2pm at Mother Tree Stage.

Contains Strong Language: Jasmine Gardosi: Dancing to Music You Hate (extracts) - From 8.10-10pm at the main stage.

Sunset shift will be be at 19:34 - 20:04.

Sunday 11 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 4.

Touch Tours for those who are Blind or partially sighted and would enjoy taking in the site using texture, sound and other senses. From 11am to 12 pm.

Contains Strong Language: Plot17 - This is a mobile block party travelling the world raising awareness, inspiring action and spreading the message of “making things green”, with a soundtrack guaranteed to make you want to plant a tree and sure to help the seeds grow. Perfect for ages 7 – 11. From 12-1pm and 2-3pm.

Contains Strong Language: India/UK Exchange Poets land at PoliNations - Contains Strong Languages’ Language is a Queer Thing project pairs three UK poets with three Indian poets in an exchange that explores the queer experience in two very different countries. From 4-5pm at Mother Tree Stage.

Contains Strong Language: Luke Wright - Luke Wright performs funny poems set against a backdrop of pandemic politics, ageing parents, and an endless droning culture war at Mother Tree stage from 6-7pm.

Sunset shift will be at 19:32 - 20:02.

Monday 12 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, From Sip to Soil, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 4.

Rangoli - Marvel in the creation of five beautiful rangoli artworks created by Guinness World Record breaking Rangoli artist Ranbir Kaur from 8am to 10pm.

Lunchtime Talk with Jo Capper and Marlon Patrice: Growing and Healing in the Outdoors from 1-2pm at Mother Tree.

Sunset shift from 19.30-8.00pm.

Tuesday 13 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Rangoli, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, From Sip to Soil, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 12.

Lunchtime talk with Kevin Buckle and Ahmed Mudawi: Language and colonialism - History and Oppression from 1-2pm.

Touch Tours for those who are Blind or partially sighted from 6-7pm.

Sunset shift from 19.27-19.57pm.

Wednesday 14 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Rangoli, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, From Sip to Soil, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 12.

Lunchtime Talk with Professor Duncan Cameron and Dr Moaed Al Meselmani: Growing food in mattresses - the future of food sustainability - From 1-2pm.

Sunset shift at 19:25 - 19:55.

Thursday 15 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Rangoli, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, From Sip to Soil, and Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will take place at the same times as September 12.

Gong Bath will take place from 8am to 12pm.

Tuk Tuk Chaiwallah Performance - An uplifting performance using influences of Kathak and live Indian classical music with the award-winning Jaivant Patel Dance from 11.10-11.40am and 3.10-3.40pm.

Iconic Works of Plant Life - Walkabout performers will dazzle and amaze in bespoke costumes for the Ballistic Seed Parties finale weekend! - From 12.30-7.50pm.

Lunchtime Talk with Paul Harfleet and Carl Robertshaw: The Pansy Project - Resistance in Nature and Design from 1-2pm.

Family Fun Workshop: Feel Fabulous - Learn to feel fabulous and be introduced to queer movement and dance before shimmying the night away! From 4-4.40pm.

Catwalk Extravaganza - Fashion, lip sync, make up and dance battles from the fiercest performers on the scene from 8-10pm.

Sunset shift at 19:22 - 20:02.

Friday 16 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Rangoli, Yoga, Into the Garden, Plant Up!, and From Sip to Soil will take place at the same times as September 12. Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will be available from 11am-12pm and 2.30-3pm.

Henna - Celebrate South Asian culture with a traditional henna design by accomplished artists in partnership with Birmingham Mela. From 1-6pm.

Glam Up - Glam-up with our drag inspired face-painting professional make-up artists from 1-6pm.

Iconic Works of Plant Life - Walkabout performers will dazzle and amaze in bespoke costumes for the Ballistic Seed Parties finale weekend! - From 12.30-7.50pm.

Def Motion: Cog in the Wheel by Billy Read - An outdoor street dance performance, critiquing capitalism and modern smartphone technology by Deaf choreographer and street dancer, Billy Read. - From 2.15-2.30pm and 4.30-4.45pm.

Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla performance from 2.30-3pm.

The Album: Live, Sarah & Yuki - Dancers Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui will be setting contemporary dance to underground music from 6-6.30pm.

Asian Summer - Birmingham Mela will be programming their Mela vibes for the PoliNations super garden for this from 8-8.30pm.

Sitar, Tabla, Sarangi Band - Sandeep Kandola, Harkiran Sahota, and Akash Parekh are an upcoming group of dynamic musicians trained in Indian Classical Music. They will perform from 8-8.30pm.

Sunset shift from 19:20 - 20:00.

Bollywood dreams - The largest Bollywood Dance organisation in the West Midlands will be performing from 8.30-8.50pm.

Flute Performance by Robin Christian - He is one of the most sought after Bansuri players in the country. Performance from 8.50-9.20.

Saturday 17 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Rangoli, Yoga, Henna, and Glam Up, will take place at the same times as September 16. Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla will be available from 11am-12pm and 2.30-3pm.

Drag Queen Story Time - Storytelling at its finest with PoliNations’ very own Yshee Black leading a flourishing themed ‘Drag Queen Story Time’ for the young ones from 9.30-10.30am.

Ultimate Bhangra performance from 12.15-12.30.

Asian Summer from 12:00 - 13:30.

Caribbean Carnival from 1.30-3pm.

Bollywood Dreams performance from 1.10-1.25pm.

Iconic Works of Plant Life from 1.25-2.25pm.

The Turbans -International legends The Turbans bind together music from ‘manywhere’ with their interstellar live show at main stage from 4-4.45pm.

The Destroyers - Forged in the same fires as Tolkien’s One Ring, Birmingham’s leading Doom-Pah band The Destroyers are THE exemplar of Megafolk. From 5.30-6.15pm at main stage.

The Album: Live, Sarah & Yuki - Dancers Sarah Golding and Yukiko Masui will be setting contemporary dance to underground music from 5-5.30pm.

Balimaya Project - London-based 16 piece collective, fusing West-African folkloric music and jazz, will perform from 19:15 - 20:00.

Yshee’s Ballistic Drag Party from 9 - 10pm.

Sunset shift from 20:15 - 20:55.

Horse Meat Disco - Blending disco and dance with Italo disco, house, oddities and punk funk, Horse Meat Disco present a queer party from 10pm to 12am.

Sunday 18 September -

The awakening, Iconic Plant Audio Tours, Tuk Tuk chaiwalla, and Yoga will take place at the same times as September 16.

Rosie Tee - Avant-pop wunderkind Rosie Tee brings a special musical set to PoliNations from 12-12.30pm.

Plant giveaway from 12-5pm. Take home a plant.

Tuk Tuk chaiwalla performance from 11:10 - 15:40.

NeOne the Wonderer - Travel through dreams, nightmares, myths and reality with NeOne’s election fusion of musical genres from 1.15-1.45pm.

Iconic Works of Plant Life from 12:30 - 19:00.

Cariss Auburn - Wolverhampton native Cariss Auburn brings some of the most exciting alt-R&B at the main stage from 2.30-3pm.

Tuk Tuk Chaiwalla performance from 3.10-3.40pm.

TrueMendous - Birmingham’s own TrueMendous brings her own brand of grime, trap and pop to the PoliNations super garden! From 15:45 - 16:15.

Birmingham’s own Sanity delivers her distinctive blend of grime, hip-hop and jazz embodying storytelling as a true artform. From 5-5.45pm.

Kofi Stone - Birmingham’s Kofi Stone is described as an artist with an intro-spective and relatable brand of soulful honest hip-hop. From 6.30-7.15pm.

Sunset Shift - From 7.15 to 7.55pm.

For more information, check the website.

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