5 Things to Do in Nottingham This Weekend

The country as a whole was shaken by the devastating fire that took hold of Grenfell Tower. The level of destruction caused is something which we hope nobody ever has to experience again. It’s easy in times like this to feel hopeless; like there is nothing we could possibly do to help. That’s where The Doghouse come in. They’ve organised a two-day fundraiser event, with all proceeds raised going straight to the victims and survivors of the disaster. Get down from 7pm on Friday to watch The SoapGirls and The Mockingjays take to the stage, alongside Uncle Talk and alt-rock grunge band, Puppet Paranoia. Then it’s back again on Saturday night for some classic rock and roll from The Chase, pop-punk from Distant Blue, and some classic grunge covers courtesy of Collision. There’s a £5 minimum entry donation required of you, and don’t forget to take some more cash money along to top up the funds.
Friday 30 - Saturday 1 July, 7pm, £5 minimum donation otd, The Doghouse, event link

If high-adrenaline sports are what get you riled up and ready to rock and roll of a weekend, then hoi paloi is this bogger right here a whopping great slice of everything you. The Hellfire Harlots, otherwise known as Nottingham’s baddest roller derby team are taking on the London Roller Girls Batter C Power in an all out battle to be crowned winner of the track. The Nottingham Roller Girls are also gearing up to kick some arse out there, as they race against Hulls Angels Roller Dames. There’ll be bruises, bumps and bare points to win. Round up the whole family and take ‘em along with you, cos there’s a whole bunch of cakes to eat, stalls to spend your pennies at and fun to be had by all. We’ll see you there.
Saturday 1 July, 12pm, £5 in advance, £6/£7 otd, u14s free, Lee Westwood Sports Centre, event link

We’re gearing up to celebrate the best in the biz. The initiative, set up by It’s In Nottingham, was created to support local, independent outlets in the city using the power of the people, with the chance to vote for Nottingham’s Independent Business of the Year. You’ll need to get yourself online to vote, and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 4 July. Then, the main event takes over the city centre on Saturday 8 July. It’s set to be an all-out celebration with music, food and street parties as standard. There’ll also be a whole heap of hefty discounts, freebies and one-off treats from said independent businesses across the city, including free 25-minute makeovers from the Beauty Temple on Queen Street, samples and discounts from the likes of the Ugly Bread Bakery, and even a gelato demonstration from new kid on the block, Dolcino. Dunno about you, but we’re right excited.
Saturday 1 - Saturday 8 July, Nottingham City Centre, event link

If there’s one thing we love about you lot, it’s your ability to mobilise and change the landscape of our city for the better. And that’s exactly what the gyaldem behind The Party Somewhere Else have done. Determined to revamp the Nottingham theatre scene, the sisters are well and truly doing it for ‘emselves by organising a theatre festival organised by and championing the work of women. The festival is set to take place next year, so in the meantime, The Party Somewhere Else have organised a scratch night in which five acts will present work made by women – and a few men – to an audience that’ll hopefully include yersen. There’ll be some polished performances, others will be works in progress, and the event will be hosted by everyone’s favourite feminist comedy troupe, Major Labia. Vaginal comedy as standard. Stick around after the event for an all-out party.
Saturday 1 July, 7pm, £5 a ticket, The Circus Hub, event link

Despite the skewed angle Channel 5 decided to take with their series of the same name, this event at The Angel is all about coming together to do some good as a community. This week, the Saturday night event will see both floors of the pub taken over with some top dollar local acts all in aid of solid local charities. Downstairs, Mark Shotter and Dave Expression are gearing up to perform, and you’ll just need to climb the stairs to the Chapel to catch the likes of Cookie, Pete Woosh and Andy Riley doing their thing. The event are asking for a donation on the door, with all proceeds being split between Nottingham for Palestine, The Phoenix Children’s Foundation and Together Against Cancer. Do some good and have some fun at the same time. Talk about two birds...
Saturday 1 July, 9pm, donation otd, The Angel Microbrewery, event link