5 Unmissable Events in Nottingham in 2018

The fireworks fizzed, the champagne corks popped and the dancing continued well into the small hours. Nottingham’s New Year celebrations proved once again the city knows how to party – but now it’s time to fill the social calendar for 2018!

With so many awesome events already scheduled for the coming months, there is no time like the present to get those crucial dates in your diary.

Our guide to the prospective highlights of the first half of 2018 in Nottingham hopefully gives you a taste of what’s to come.

X-Factor Live Tour

The ever-popular X-Factor Live Tour lands at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Friday 23 February, and this year’s version comes with a twist. For the first time ever, the audience will choose their own winner!

Host Becca Dudley joins contestants on the tour and will present the competition, which will see the Nottingham natives turn into judges at the end of the concert and choose their favourite act.

The 2018 line-up features Sean and Conor, Rak-Su, Grace Davies, Kevin Davy White, Lloyd Macey, The Cutkelvins, and Matt Linnen. For more information and ticket details, visit www.motorpointarenanottingham.com

Gin Festival Nottingham

Raise a glass – the largest gin festival in the UK is heading to Nottingham for the weekend of 7-8 April, armed with a huge range of one of the nation’s favourite tipples.

The two-day event at Nottingham Conference Centre gives visitors the chance to taste gins from across the globe, including beverages that are exclusive to the festival, and you will be treated to live music throughout the weekend.

Tasty food, a gin cocktail bar and gin masterclasses – in which you will meet gin distillers and try free samples – complete a fun-filled agenda. For further details visit www.ginfestival.com/events/gin-festival-nottigham-2018

Em-Con

The latest instalment of Em-Con promises to be the biggest and boldest Nottingham has seen. Once again, the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham will be brimming with television, film and pop culture fandom in the popular annual celebration attended by enthusiasts, traders, cosplayers and celebrity guests.

This time around the famous faces are none other than Jason David Frank, who was the original Green Power Ranger, along with Denise Crosby and LeVar Burton from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

More guests will be revealed between now and the event, which takes place on the weekend of 5-6 May. For more information visit www.em-con.co.uk

Open Nottingham

You know summer is in full swing when the Open Nottingham serves up another delightful dose of thrilling tennis.

Get the sun hats ready for Saturday 9 June to Sunday 17 June, when Nottingham Tennis Centre will be home to some of the best players on the planet, who will battle it out for the grass court crown in the combined women’s and men’s event.

Every year the eyes of the sporting world are fixed on Nottingham for this competition, as it is players’ final preparation for the big Wimbledon showdown. For more details about the Open visit www.lta.org.uk/major-events/open-nottingham/open-nottingham-tickets-2018

Cirque Berserk

Nottingham’s Theatre Royal welcomes the UK’s leading circus spectacular, as Cirque Berserk celebrates the 250th anniversary of the invention of circus with a stunning live display.

Fusing modern cirque-style artistry with awe-inspiring stunts, the international troupe is made up of more than 30 jugglers, dancers, daredevil stuntmen, acrobats, aerialists and drummers. The notorious motorcycle ‘Globe of Death’ promises to have Nottingham revellers on the edge of their seats if they dare to watch!

Cirque Berserk rolls into town on Tuesday 26 June, and will be sticking around until Sunday 1 July. For more information visit http://www.cirqueberserk.co.uk/