by Katie Thompson
This August we’re blessed with 5 weekends and a bank holiday! And with the summer holidays in full swing too, you can guarantee there’ll be loads of exciting events here in Norwich and Norfolk.
For starters, Norwich Summer Sessions (pictured) moves to Sundays for afternoons full of free entertainment (12.30pm – 4.30pm), and Thursday 7 August marks the highly anticipated reopening of Norwich Castle Keep! On top of that, you can expect brand-new events and fun festivals, fascinating exhibitions and performances, live music, delicious food and much more.
Read on for our top picks this August!
Head to The Forum for Sue Lambert Trust’s silent disco!
Try something new this month and support a great cause at the same time! Norfolk charity Sue Lambert Trust is partnering with award-winning nightclub Gonzo’s to bring a silent disco to the centre of Norwich (Friday 1 August, 7pm – 12am, 18+ years, £20)! Supporting survivors of sexual violence, you’ll find this inflatable nightclub space outside The Forum, complete with world-class music, mobile cocktail bar, giant glitterballs, glitter face paint and live sets from Gonzo’s own DJs! What’s more, you can join a sponsored five-hour danceathon and on Saturday 2 August, the fun continues with a daytime, family-friendly inflatable disco (10am – 3pm, £10 for the day, £5 per hour, under 5s FREE).
Anton Forde’s piece features 81 larger-than-life wooden figures
As part of the Sainsbury Centre’s upcoming exhibition season ‘Can We Stop Killing Each Other?’, sculptor Anton Forde’s monumental installation of 81 over-life-size figures, Papare Eighty.one (2024), will be shown in the UK for the first time. This includes one of the earliest surviving wooden Māori figures in Europe from the art museum’s own collection. Forde’s work connects the peaceful actions of Māori communities with British colonial invasion, exploring how powerful non-violent responses can safeguard future generations without the need for killing.
All aboard the Railway 200 exhibition train!
Did you know 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the modern railway? Celebrate this amazing engineering feat for yourself at Norwich Train Station with Inspiration: The Railway 200 Exhibition Train (7 – 10 August, 10am – 5pm, FREE). With interactive displays and hands-on activities on the railway’s groundbreaking innovations, the science behind it and the people who keep it all going, this is a fascinating exhibition for all ages!
With songs like ‘Tradition’, ‘Matchmaker’, ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ and ‘If I Were A Rich Man’, Fiddler on the Roof is a must-see musical
If you were a rich man, how many times would you got to see Fiddler on the Roof at Norwich Theatre Royal (12 – 16 August, 2.30pm & 7.30pm, from £20)? After an electrifying sell-out season at the Regent’s Park Open-Air Theatre, this critically acclaimed production is arriving in the City of Stories. Following the story of Jewish milkman Tevye and his family, this classic musical is an exuberant celebration of love and life.
Rock N Roll Circus promises a weekend full of wonderful performances
Roll up! Roll up! The circus is in town! For three days this August, Rock N Roll Circus is at Earlham Park for their inaugural Norwich event (14 – 16 August, adults from £66.10, children from £27.45). Experience live music with amazing circus performances from skilled acrobats, aerialists, fire breathers and more. Try it for yourself at a circus workshop before popular headliners McFly, Courteeners and Olly Murs end each evening with a bang!
Head to Redwell Brewery for bank holiday pints and live music
Surely there’s no better way to celebrate the bank holiday than with good tunes and a crisp pint in hand? Across the weekend, Redwell Brewery are extending their opening hours (and opening on Monday) for their Summer Beer Festival (22 – 25 August, from 12pm)! Come and try 50 craft beers, real ales and ciders, and enjoy a line-up of local music talent (Saturday and Sunday), as well as a residency all weekend from mouthwatering restaurant Brix & Bones.
Elsewhere, keep a look out for Norwich Yoga Festival at Whitlingham Country Park (Saturday 2 August, 8.30am – 8pm, £32.99), Afri Fest East in Chapelfield Gardens (Saturday 16 August, 11am – 10pm, £25) and Lookout Illustration Fair at The Shoe Factory Social Club (30 & 31 August, 10.30am – 4.30pm, £2.50).
Head to Banham Zoo for a wild after-hours event
Kick off August with a wild night out- literally! Banham Zoo’s Zoo Fest (1 & 2 August, 4.30pm – 8.30pm, £15) is a one-of-a-kind event where the stage meets the safari. Think top tribute acts of iconic performers, over 15 street food vendors to tuck into, and exciting funfair rides and carnival games! And as this is Banham Zoo, you’ll also get the chance to encounter hundreds of amazing animals after hours.
Retro ROARR! is one for the adults- full of throwback tunes, delicious food and fun attractions
If you love a night of classic hits, throw it back at Retro ROARR! (Saturday 2 August, 7pm – 11pm, £15.95). Dance the night away at this adults-only after-hours event to live music, a silent disco and DJ with tunes from the 80s and 90s. Fuel your night with a sizzling barbecue, before late-night access to attractions like the Predator High Ropes, Retro ROARR! Event trail (with a special prize) and a Foam Zone finale!
Gone Wild is a festival for families who love to get outdoors, explore and gone on adventures
Following a fantastic first year last summer, Gone Wild Festival is returning to Holkham for another four-day adventure (7 – 10 August, 11am – 12am, from £49.84)! This unique outdoor festival has so much to offer, with activities like abseiling and quad biking for the thrill seekers, creative crafts and circus workshops, the popular colour run and so much more. Pair this with music from stars like Dick and Dom, Clean Bandit, Professor Green, Blue and Lightning Seeds, and it’s sure to be an unforgettable event.
Enjoy an outdoor performance in the leafy surrounds of Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden
Make the most of the balmy summer weather with outdoor theatre at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Graden. For one evening only, you can experience Immersion Theatre Company’s larger-than-life musical adaptation of The Wind in the Willows (Wednesday 20 August, 4pm, adults £14, children £12). Bring your picnic blankets as Mr Toad and his friends battle to save Toad Hall- you’ll laugh out loud at this high-energy adventure!
