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Festival Review: Dot To Dot 2026

One of the hottest weekends of the year – what could possibly make it better? I know – Dot to Dot Festival! Always one of the best days in the musical calendar, the sun was shining bright this May Bank Holiday for the annual, jam-packed day of venue-hopping, new music discovery and general good times with good friends. Immersing ourselves in the festival’s unrivalled party atmosphere, this is what we encountered at another incredible Dot to Dot in 2026…

A First-Time Traveller’s Guide to Handling Airport Transfers Smoothly

Airport transfers can feel confusing if you’re on your first international trip, especially after a long flight. A busy arrivals hall, unfamiliar signs, different payment habits, and several transport options can make a simple journey feel harder than expected. A little preparation before landing helps you leave the airport with more confidence and reach your accommodation without unnecessary delays.

Dot To Dot Festival Nottingham 2026

Here's why you cannot miss Dot To Dot Festival in 2026

Dot to Dot is a very special sort of music festival. Held in Bristol and Nottingham over a single weekend, it brings together local scenes and underground darlings, the concrete and the extreme. This year’s lineup is especially strong, with its mix of sleazy electroclash, Irish alt-grunge, rough and tough punk, and Americana emo, all culminating in a once in a lifetime experience...

Comedy, music festivals and local talent: Here's what's on this week in Nottingham 18 -24 May

 This week in Notts! Enjoy local theatre performances and live comedy, or head to Dot to Dot music festival and dance the night away in various venues across Nottingham. Here's our top picks...

Class of 2026: six local music acts set to take Notts by storm in 2026

2025 in Notts music was mostly defined by awards. Rave-metal sister duo ALT BLK ERA won a MOBO award, rapper Jayahadadream won two Youth Music Awards including the Rising Star prize – and beloved venue The Bodega was crowned Grassroots Champion at the LIVE Awards.

Locally, we also saw the return of Splendour Festival with the Future Sound of Nottingham winners Saffron Gray and Archie & The Astronauts opening the festival main stage. This got us thinking – who are the next breakout stars from Nottingham and who can we expect to shine in the year ahead? After much deliberation, here’s six artists we expect to have a big 2026…

Love at first sight: a look inside Southwell's newest vintage boutique

Fashion editor Addie Kenogbon-Harley catches up with Lottie Baxter, owner of one of Notts’ latest vintage boutiques, Love at First Sight, to find out more about how her teenage dream became a reality in the form of a small but mighty fashion hideaway in Southwell with a cult following.

“It’s time to restate the case for the nature-first approach to Broad Marsh” - Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust urge local people to have their say on Homes England consultation

As Homes England moves the Broad Marsh development forward, public consultation continues. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s Erin McDaid argues that whilst the UK Government continues to push the false narrative that nature is a blocker of growth, Nottingham’s Green Heart shows that nature can unlock a once in a generation transformation of our city. 

Trentbarton has announced its bus services for Christmas 2025 and over the New Year...

Trentbarton has announced its bus services for Christmas 2025 and over the New Year. Here's everything you need to know about how to get around on their network over the festive period...

Gig review: Home Counties at The Bodega, with My First Time

Home Counties dropped by The Bodega on their tour for their second album, Humdrum, which has been generating some serious excitement for alternative music fans across a range of genres. Joined by new kids on the block My First Time, a funked-up, energy-packed evening was in store for the Pelham Street punters…

Bastille | Songs From the First 15 Years

Unspeakable Acts & Being In the Dark at Nottingham Comedy Festival 2025

Project Lab - Professor Veronica Pickering: First Black Female High Sheriff Of Nottinghamshire

We chat to Death Of The High Street about life, music and taking things just seriously enough

Death Of The High Street are a force to be reckoned with: a hard grafting, guitar-based rock band with bags of energy, a distinct social conscience, and a desire to spread their message far and wide. We caught up with founding members Scott Baxter and Ash Simpson to talk about hard work, music with a message, and why they chose Nottingham for their album launch show…

In photos: Happy birthday to The Grove!

In just a year, The Grove has become one of Nottingham's success stories: a truly independent, DIY music space with an open, supportive and inclusive ethos. Run by Dan Cunningham and Cam Worne, this is a place of hard work, joy and community. We were there to capture the vibe of their first birthday bash...

Cara Thompson Announced As Nottingham's First Nature Poet Laureate

We speak to Cara as her new 18 month position with Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature begins...

Left Magpie: August 2025 The First Match

Julian McDougall is back with his thoughts on the opening game of the season (Notts County v Newport)...

How to Edit the First Draft Of Your Novel

Festival Review: Dot To Dot 2025

The Sunday of the late May Bank Holiday in Nottingham – often the greatest day of the year in our city. Why? Well, because of Dot To Dot of course! Arguably the greatest metropolitan festival in the country, it takes place in multiple venues throughout Bristol on Saturday and right here in Nottingham on Sunday. With the 2025 edition marking the festival’s 20th Anniversary, there was an even greater sense of occasion at this year's event. Heading out to take in the sights and scope out the very best emerging talent from the local scene, the UK and some artists from even further afield, here’s the LeftLion live report from Dot To Dot 2025…

Dot to Dot Festival

We chat to Davoli about music, life and Dot To Dot

Dot To Dot Festival is almost upon us! One of the hundreds of musicians performing at the day-long musical extravaganza is local artist Davoli. We spoke to him about his brand new EP, his inspirations, and what DTD means to him...

Connecting the Dots: Celebrating 20 years of Dot2Dot Festival

From intimate beginnings to sprawling across iconic venues in Nottingham and Bristol, Dot to Dot has become a cornerstone of the UK’s festival calendar. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, the festival has been championing emerging artists since the mid-00s indie boom, many of which have risen to international acclaim. 

With this in mind, we decided to take a look back at the festival’s history, speaking to the team behind the UK’s best metropolitan festival and explore the global superstars that have emerged from Dot To Dot over the last two decades…

Cosmic Titans: Art, Science and the Quantum Universe Evening Talk - the First Second Of the Universe

A new play shines a light on the first pioneer of film-length animation and it is not Disney!

Lakeside Arts hosts this intriguing and inspiring play about Lotte Reiniger...

Splendour 2025 Line-Up Announced: Bloc Party, Jake Bugg, Clean Bandit, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis, Levellers & More

Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis and Jake Bugg will headline Splendour Festival this July along with Clean Bandit, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Natasha Bedingfield, Echo & The Bunnymen, Seasick Steve, The Levellers, The Fratellis and many more...