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Hustle Up: Queer Hustle, bands not to miss and what to expect from Hockley Hustle 2025

It’s hard to find a better way to describe Hockley Hustle than by its own succinct label: Nottingham’s arts and music festival. It’s a day of creativity, showcasing the best of our city and at the same time letting us give back to Nottingham – while having loads of fun. We all know the drill by now, but before you start planning your itinerary, why not check out what’s new this year and some of our recommended highlights…

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #13: Filmmaker Adam Curtis on Shifty, politics, filmmaking and Wollaton Hall

For our latest episode we are joined by veteran BBC documentary filmmaker, whose latest project Shifty promintently features some 1980s footage of Nottingham's Wollaton Hall...

Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival Returns to Trent Bridge, for it's fifth year in a row at the venue

The Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival returns to Trent Bridge Cricket Ground from Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 October 2025, bringing with it over 600 beers and 100 ciders and perries from some of the UK’s most celebrated breweries; including Nottinghamshire favourites like Castle Rock, Lincoln Green, Blue Monkey, Batemans, Lenton Lane, and Shipstones

Film review: The Correction Unit

In 1999 we had The Matrix, in 2015 we had Humans (TV series) and now we have The Correction  Unit. Psychiatric ward meets young offender’s institute, with a touch of A.I. thrown in for a contemporary and modern take, this is certainly a glimpse of our future AI prisons, hospitals and rehabilitation centres. Thomas Ince shares his thoughts on this locally made sci-fi thriller…

Lola Young, Day Fever and the Festival of Food and Drink: Here's what's on in Notts this week 15-21 September 2025

Nottingham is hosting a diverse range of events this week, from back-to-back musical performances arranged by Rough Trade to a majestic murder mystery dinner night and a 2000s emo festival. Be it enjoying comedic nostalgia with Friends on stage or witnessing an epic confrontation between local poets, there is something for everyone and this week's top picks from our city are...

We chat to Day Fever co-founder Jonny Owen

Day Fever is less than two years old but has already become a cultural sensation. Launched in early 2024 with a debut event in Sheffield’s City Hall Ballroom and growing to a nationwide tour that’s sees thousands around the UK hit the dance floor each month, the message is clear: people everywhere are craving a space to let loose, laugh, and dance, all before 8pm. Ahead of Day Fever's return to Nottingham on 20th September, We sat down with co-founder Jonny Owen to discuss how the event came about, how it has become so popular and why Nottingham is the ideal venue...

Follow the stickers: Notts filmmaker Matt Watts on the stories behind sticker art on the streets

Hidden amongst the barrage of commercial advertisements and billboards that dominate our city landscape, the more curious among us may be drawn to some unusual markings; the plethora of quirky stickers plastered on lampposts, signs and electrical boxes. Follow the Stickers is a short film by Nottingham-based documentary filmmaker Matt Watts. Here he shares his journey of tangents, discovering artists, events and more obscure messages of the underground sticker world, and telling us why we should keep an eye out for them too… 

Theatre review: Momentos de la Vida at Squire Performing Arts Centre

The Robin Hood Improv Festival is in full swing in Notts. Our reviewer Sam Harvey went along to check out Momentos de la Vida, a deceptively simple concept inspired by black-and-white photography...

Art is the heart: what to expect from year two of Art Fest in Notts

With its first year in 2024 bringing 34 new murals to Nottingham’s streets, Art Fest is back this month to splash more colour and creativity on walls throughout the city. Festival Director Benjamin Kay, who co-runs The Carousel in Hockley, tells us why he set up the festival and what to expect from this year…

Festival review: Foolhardy Folk Festival 2025

Feeling supersonic: how Sonic Boom Festival is boosting the arts in Burton-on-Trent

Sonic Boom Festival might only be in its second year, but it’s already made a mighty bang in the nearby Burton-on-Trent — and if founders and organisers Chris Baldwin and Andi Jepson have anything to do with it, the aftershocks are just getting started.

By youth, for youth: Nottingham celebrates 25 years of International Youth Day

This year marked the 25th anniversary of International Youth Day; we headed down to the pop-up shop organised by Nottingham City of Literature’s Youth Board to join in with the celebrations...

Gloworm Festival Review

Gloworm Festival made its vibrant return from 8–10 August at its beloved home, Thoresby Park! Our very own Natalie took her family along to dive into the fun and experience all the magical moments the weekend had to offer…

Festival review: LeftLion at Y Not Festival 2025

This year, the turnout for Y Not Festival was unmatched and another big musical step forward for Nottingham artists. Along with huge bands including The Prodigy, Courteeners, Franz Ferdinand, The Last Dinner Party, Sigrid, and Madness, the festival audience from all over the country witnessed many of our own city's top bands in a diverse, friendly and passionately musical environment. LeftLion was there to sample as much of the local action as possible...

The Thompsons on Splendour Festival, street names, and the Major Oak

Here's what Nottingham's most opinionated grocers had to say about this month's topics in LeftLion...

Festival review: Sunday at Splendour 2025 in Wollaton Park

Film Review: Jurassic World Rebirth

“It’s a bird, it’s a plane…no, it’s another Jurassic World movie.” Join us as we review Jurassic World: Rebirth to see if it was worth making… 

Festival review: Saturday at Splendour 2025 in Wollaton Park

After a year away, the biggest weekend in the Nottingham musical calendar returned – Splendour Festival. With a stellar line-up of indie legends, pop icons, local heroes and the very best emerging talent from the Midlands and beyond, we headed down to Wollaton Hall to catch all the Saturday action…

Festival review: Nottingham Chamber Music Festival – Tunnel Vision

The Nottingham Chamber Music Festival is an annual series of concerts put together by a team of dedicated volunteers, bringing classical music artists to some of our city’s most beautiful and historical spaces. For the closing concert of the 2025 edition, the festival worked with the Nottingham Park Residents Association to host string quartet, The Le Page Ensemble, in the stunning surroundings of the Park Tunnel. A special one-of-a-kind concert not to be missed, we went along to experience this cave-dwelling performance first-hand…

We Chat To Wellington Films About Their 25th Anniversary

For 25 years, Wellington Films has been producing films in Nottingham’s Broadway Cinema. I caught up with Al Clark to hear what producing ten feature films and over forty short films has been like...

Musicals, festivals, and local legends: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 14 -21 July

From a musical about the life of a music legend, to the long-awaited return of a local one, if you're stuck for things to fill the coming week in Nottingham then you're certainly in the right place. Here are our picks...

The Sneinton Dragon: delving into local myths and legends ahead of the Sneinton Festival

Ahead of the Sneinton Festival this weekend, organiser Kathryn Cooper delves into local myth, the story of the Sneinton Dragon and our collective unconscious, with resident and local historian, Tom Huggon...

Interview : Film and Play Director Atticus Orsborn

He may be directing films and plays in New York now, but Atticus Orsborn grew up in Nottingham. Fiercely proud of his roots, he shares the journey with Left Lion...  

Ten reasons not to miss the return of Splendour Festival this year

After a brief hiatus, Nottingham’s much-loved Splendour Festival is back and ready to reclaim its place in the East Midlands’ cultural calendar. On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 July, the two-day music extravaganza returns to its original home in Nottingham, Wollaton Park. With expanded stages, some very well-known names in UK music, and plenty of surprises in store, Splendour 2025 is more than just a returning festival — it’s a celebration of live music, community, and Nottingham culture. 

Whether you’re planning to go for the sing-alongs, the new discoveries, or just a great pint with friends in the sun, this one’s not to be missed. To help get you hyped, here are ten very good reasons why you should mark your calendar now.

Review: Gate To Southwell Festival's 18th Birthday 2025

The charming Gate To Southwell Festival has become a LeftLion summer favourite: a vibrant, family-friendly event pushing the boundaries of roots and folk music, and only a few miles from Nottingham. We visited the festival's green fields on Saturday to help celebrate its 18th birthday...