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Bonfires, bands, theatre, zines and a film festival: here's what's on in Notts this week 3 - 9 November 2025

Ignore the chilly weather, there's lots to indulge in this week in Notts. From fairs selling zines and crafts, to classic stories on the stage and a film festival. Check out some of our top picks...

Rap artist JayaHadADream on her debut record and the Nottingham music scene

Since winning last year’s Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent competition, things have only been on the up for Cambridge-via-Notts artist JayaHadADream. From collaborating with both local names and national heavyweights in dance music and hip hop, like Andy Zoutr, Gardna, and Flowdan, to receiving nods from the likes of Stormzy, there’s truly no stopping her. Wonderfully, she also got her start right here in Nottingham.

With her debut album Happiness From Agony now released, plus a Metronome show this month, she told us how life’s going at the moment.

Overheard in Notts: October 2025

For this month's Overheard in Notts, books are borrowed in Waterstones, cake gets stale, and family trips to Iraq are reminisced upon.

Carnival themed bingo, West End rock n roll and the Comedy Festival: here's what's on this week 27 October-2 November 2025

If you fancy starting Halloween off with clowns and digits or perhaps you're in the mood for some punk rock tickets, we've got you covered! Themed bingo or concert what will you choose, either way there's most definitely something for you.

LeftLion's Latest Listens #34: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this week's edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from flöat, The Missing Diamonds, Emily Sanders, Di$mal and Lucy Crisp...

Project bucket list: how one Notts man is changing his life one goal at a time

We all have life goals, whether they be modest or lofty – but how often do we put a plan in place to achieve them? Notts-based marketer Dan Davison is one man who is well on his way to fulfilling his ambitions. From trying out foraging, beekeeping, and rock climbing, to seeing the sunrise at Stonehenge, his Project Bucket List adventures are sure to provide a little inspiration…

Inside The Correction Unit, a new sci-fi thriller made in Notts

Released on 23 September, The Correction Unit is the latest project from talented Nottingham-based filmmaker Derry Shillitto. The film follows a group of young offenders forced into a brutal correctional system with an AI, voiced by Bella Ramsey, at the centre. When one teen starts resisting the institution, questions arise surrounding control and human rights. To find out more about the production, which has featured almost entirely Notts talent, we spoke to Derry and young actor Zak Hopkinson.

Artist Hetain Patel on his new audio visual show and his early career spent in Notts

Hetain Patel is an English visual artist specialising in performance, sculpture, video and photography. Born and brought up in Bolton, his work is influenced by identity, his family's Indian heritage and mainstream Western pop culture. Hetain came to Nottingham in 2000 as a Fine Art student and spent more than a decade here before spreading his wings; exhibiting in Norway, India, Belgium and more. He’s back with his latest work as part of nottdance Festival 2025…

Ballet Black founder Cassa Pancho on growing an inclusive dance company and bringing it to Nottingham's Theatre Royal

Ballet Black was set up in 2001, in response to a lack of black and Asian dancers working in professional ballet across the UK. It has since emerged as a pivotal force in altering the landscape of British ballet. With a new show heading to Nottingham’s Theatre Royal this month, we put some questions to Ballet Black founder Cassa Pancho…

LeftLion's Latest Listens #33: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Bored Marsh, George Gadd + The Aftermath, Molly Godber and The Red Line...

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #14: Artist, Performer and Filmmaker Hetain Patel on Inspiration, Superheroes, Nationalism and Nottdance

This episode we are joined by artist, performer, filmmaker, sculptor and general arts polymath Hetain Patel to talk about his time in Notts, his work, superheroes, nationalism and quite a lot more...

Actor Matt Gavan gives the inside scoop on Nottingham Playhouse's new play Eureka Day

Matt Gavan has acted in big hitting films and series like Christopher Robin, Masters of the Air and Pennyworth. But now he is treading the boards in Nottingham Playhouse's new comedy Eureka Day. Leftlion caught up with Matt on day two of rehearsals... 

Director Eoin McKenzie on masculinity, role models and The Show for Young Men

Glasgow-based theatre producer and director Eoin McKenzie’s The Show for Young Men – a GuestHouse Projects production – which comes to Nottdance in November as part of a national tour, uses dance to explore the friendship between a man and a boy. We chatted to McKenzie, who delves into the creative processes behind The Show for Young Men and shares his thoughts on masculinity and community among men...

We chat to Sonya Madan of Echobelly about touring, enduring friendships and the state of the nation

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...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #32: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this autumn edition of LeftLion's Latest Listen, our music team reviews new releases from Vona Vella, Cara Flynn and Dekker...

Comedian Carl Donnelly previews his new gig at The Squire Performing Arts Centre

TV and radio comedian Carl Donnelly is touring with his first new show in five years. So what kept him so long? It's quite a story and one he shares with Left Lion... 

Left Magpie: September 2025 - Sun Sets On Mid Table

Our Notts County columnist Julian McDougall, is back with a report on this month's action at Notts County FC and is somewhat confused to see the pies in mid-table...

We speak to Dekker about music, personality and artistic intention

With a new album Neither Up Nor Down under his belt, US-born Nottingham resident Dekker is preparing for a hometown show at Rough Trade. We caught up with Brookln to talk about his streaming platform success, the personal nature of his music persona, and the creative influences Nottingham provides...

Comedian and activist Mark Thomas talks Ordinary Decent Criminal

Cathy Symes interviewed Mark Thomas, the political activist, comedian, actor and director who is starring in Ordinary Decent Criminal, an award-winning play coming to Nottingham's Lakeside Arts in November...

The Thompsons on street art, Rocky Horror, and Notts venues

In late August, Nottingham's most opinionated grocers told us their opinions on September's hot topics - spanning street art, Nottingham venues, and surreal two trips that they made to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Theatre Royal...

We catch up with local punk outfit Sunk ahead of their gig at The Chapel

Punk is a rather strange genre: it leaks out of the idea of being a music style and instead lives its own existence as a lifestyle, a spirit, one that always exists in every social system in the world, in one form or another. Punk is also deeply intertwined into the music scene of Nottingham. One up-and-coming band, who boast loud, chaotic but intricate and charged live shows, is Sunk. We caught up with them at The Angel on a wet Saturday night, an hour before they took to the stage of The Chapel...

Wok This Way: The Seafood Guy Brings Hong Kong to Notts

There’s a new café in town serving Hong Kong classics. Our Food Co-Editor, Julia Head, AKA Nottingham Food Guide, met up with owner Johnny Tam to find out how he brought the flavours of Hong Kong to Nottingham with The Seafood Guy.

Seven great Notts spots for thrifted and vintage fashion

In celebration of Second Hand September, fashion editor, Addie Kenogbon-Harley gives us the lowdown on how to grab a bargain, look after the planet and get your hands on the best thrifted treasures this month.

LeftLion's Latest Listens #31: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Sancho Panza, Parisa East, Fools & Sages and Blackadder...