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Our June cover artist Lily Keogh talks festivals and perfectionism

This month’s cover artist Lily Keogh talks about festivals, neurodivergence and perfectionism.

"You okay mate?" The Notts pub that’s getting men talking about their feelings

The national mental health crisis and its profound effect on men is a phenomenon widely talked about that lots of people have posed different solutions to. In Sneinton Market however, LeftLion neighbours The Fox and Grapes pub are tackling the problem in a concise and simple way, inviting local blokes into the space to openly chat about whatever might be bothering them. Matteo D’Alesio went down to speak to the team about how to Get Men Talking…

Three days of darkness and light: the Nottingham attacks as they happened

Two years on, Benedict Cooper remembers how the city came together in the wake of the Nottingham attacks, in which students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber and caretaker Ian Coates were tragically killed.

These streets are ours: Sherwood's Haydn Road

Boasting independent bars and restaurants, plus a great selection of charity shops for the thrift-lovers among us, the Nottingham suburb of Sherwood has been a popular destination for a leisurely afternoon for many years now. But just off the high street, Haydn Road offers a surprising selection of local staples. In this new regular feature - celebrating lesser-known but much-loved areas of Nottinghamshire, Sophie Gargett meets the traders of Haydn Road and muses on the merits of local shopping.

Words to live by: marking one decade of the Nottingham Poetry Festival with poet Ben Macpherson

This month marks the tenth anniversary of Nottingham Poetry Festival - a kaleidoscopic set of events that sees poetry collide with activities like musical open mics, meditation and arts and crafts, all the while celebrating the art form, and its age-old centrality to the city of Nottingham. To mark the occasion, festival producer and local poet Ben Macpherson told us about the festival’s importance to Nottingham, and what people can expect from this year. 

The Official LeftLion Guide To 2025 Festival Season

Can you hear that? It’s finally in the air – instruments reverberating across wide open fields, the chimes of communities singing and laughing together, the sound of footsteps as friends stumble back to their tents or homes, ready to do it all over again the next day, or the following weekend. That’s right, the 2025 summer festival season is finally here, and with the return of Splendour Festival right here in Nottingham, it’s shaping up to be a big one!

To give you the lowdown, here’s our ultimate guide to the best local festivals taking place in the city of Nottingham and the surrounding areas over the next few months…

"I love an ethical hacker": Overheard in Notts May 2025

Ethical hackers, Yorkshire Terriers and jacket potatoes feature in this month's Overheard in Notts...

Documentary Review: Ocean with David Attenborough

Join us as we review David Attenborough's new documentary, Ocean, which doesn't hide the destruction of the natural world, but inspires and motivates too...

"I'm the one with the torch": local boxer Ezra Taylor's journey to fighting at Motorpoint Arena

While the headline story from Queensberry Promotions’ recent Nottingham show may have been Leigh Wood’s unfortunate defeat to Anthony Cacace, in the same arena Ezra Taylor stepped into the spotlight - not just to win, but to announce himself. While it didn’t have the exclamation mark moment, it was a solid performance that marked a quieter moment of transition - a fighter beginning to find his rhythm on the big stage - and in doing so, offering Nottingham a glimpse of his next chapter. LeftLion was fortunate to be in the Taylor camp in the weeks leading up to, and on, fight night...

Our May cover artist Becky Appleyard talks comic books, table-top games and advice

This month’s cover artist Becky Appleyard talks comic book art, inspirations, and advice for artists…

Green Hustle Festival Returns to Nottingham's Old Market Square at the End of May

Music, food, fashion, art and environmental action will once again all come together at the free entry Green Hustle Festival in Nottingham city centre on Saturday 31 May

Out of Time: A gander down the history of Goose Gate

History writer David Hunter takes a wander through the historic district of Hockley to find out the story behind the curious street name ‘Goose Gate’, and the industries and architecture which defined the area.

Review: Opera Cocktail at Mansfield Palace Theatre

OperaUpClose return to Mansfield Palace Theatre with an hour-long show composed of translated operatic pieces, performed by a cast of lovers and friends sharing a picnic...

The founders of outreach website Nott Alone tell us about their mission to demystify mental health support

Back in 2021 educational psychologists Dr Maddi Popoola and Dr Orlaith Green launched NottAlone: a website aggregating mental health resources across the city and county in the most compassionate, clear and accessible way possible. Initially just a resource for young people, the website has since expanded to encompass adults’ mental health needs and linked live events with schools across Nottinghamshire, seeing huge traffic the whole time. With even more on the horizon for NottAlone, we spoke to Maddi and Orlaith about its inception and their outlook on tackling mental health issues.

Overheard in Notts: March 2025

From the Lion King to lost blueberries, here's what we overheard in Nottingham in April...

Gig review: Seas of Mirth, Bethlehem Casuals and The Barnacles at The Old Cold Store Nottingham

The merry-makers of Nottingham were out on Friday night as promoter I’m Not From London presented local legends Seas of Mirth, with support from The Barnacles and Bethlehem Casuals at The Old Cold Store...

Gig review: Chris Miggells at Sherwood Observatory

At the age of 12, Chris Miggells began to play the piano – something which was encouraged by his parents to keep him out of mischief. From that point on, the Mansfield composer fell in love with the instrument, channelling his synaesthesia into writing classical works and performing candlelit concerts across the county and beyond. With word out about his incredible talent, Chris brought “The Piano Experience” concert series to the recently renovated Sherwood Observatory for three sold out shows in their new Planetarium. A candlelit concert under the moon and stars? This is one show we simply couldn’t miss…

93-year-old Edna Owen recounts meeting her husband at The Palais in 1950

This month's cover, illustrated by our designer Natalie Owen, draws inspiration from the generations of dance at The Palais. Adding a personal touch, Natalie spoke to her grandma, Edna Owen, about how her grandparents first met there.

Big bands, Bingo and Bali Hai: A 100-year history of The Palais de Danse Nottingham

From a prison to PRYZM, we take a look through a century of dancing, drinking, entertainment and glamour at Nottingham’s The Palais de Danse…

Theatre Review: Only Fools and Horses: The Musical

Why do only fools and horses work? Well, perhaps Del Boy and Rodney can answer that as Britain's most beloved market traders ride again... 

We meet Re-Engage, the charity helping combat loneliness in older people through tea parties

No one is immune to loneliness, and in fact, around 10-20,000 older people in Nottinghamshire are affected by loneliness according to the Loneliness and Social Isolation in Older People report (2016). Writer Frances Danylec travelled to Hucknall to meet Re-Engage, a national charity supporting isolated people aged 75 and over to make new connections; solving the social problem in a most delightful way.

Film Review: The Return

We review The Return, a stripped back take on Homer’s classic The Odyssey…

Nature, rituals, misconceptions and community: we hear from the organisers of Nottingham Pagan Market

After a long winter it’s easy to see why our ancestors created rituals and festivals to celebrate the coming of spring. With the Pagan festival of Beltane on the horizon, the Nottingham Pagan Market returns to Sneinton Market  later this month with a Beltane special. With live music, independent makers, dance, talks, guerrilla theatre, and more, we spoke to organisers Dee Miller and Esme Knight to find out what to expect and discover why more people are turning to Paganism to find a spiritual connection…

Our picks from the 2025 event calendar of the Malt Cross: Nottingham's preserved Victorian music hall

There are few locales near Old Market Square quite like the Malt Cross. As a nearly perfectly preserved Victorian music hall, the building toes the line between its status as a treasure trove of architectural history, and an epicentre of some of the city's most enjoyably 'out-there' occasions. Below, we've provided a rundown of what they have coming up this year...

Exhibition review: The Lovers at New Art Exchange chronicles LGBTQI+ couples over the years

New Art Exchange presents The Lovers, an exhibition of photographic works by Sunil Gupta and Charan Singh. Bringing together two collections of photographs taken forty years apart, the exhibition depicts LGBTQIA+ couples alongside a slideshow of images and a vitrine of publications featuring Gupta’s work.