Birmingham Festival 23 / Sampad Takeover Day
Birmingham Festival 23 is 10 days of events to mark the one-year anniversary of the city hosting the Commonwealth Games. It is FREE everyday and runs from Friday 28 July to Sunday 6 August in Centenary Square.
Saturday 29 July will see Sampad take over Centenary Square with an exciting programme of activity. Get ready for amazing South Asian dance, music and performance. Our day-long programme features live music, dance and spoken word in celebration of the city of Birmingham.
11am – RELAXED WELCOME AND STRETCH
Mindful movement accompanied by soothing South Asian melodies.
12noon – PERRY’S PARTY PICNIC
Join all-female Dhol drumming & dance group Eternal Taal for an explosive start to the day – and learn a fun routine with Perry!
1pm – ANAM HUSSAIN & SANA RASHID
Young poets Anam Hussain and Sana Rashid will read from My City, My Home
1.10pm – COMMUNITY DANCE
Two local dance groups have been brought together to create a large-scale dance piece celebrating Indian and Bangladeshi dance and culture.
2pm – MIDDAY MANTRA – CHAND ALI KHAN QAWWAL & PARTY
Expect fiery and compelling Qawwali music from this local group with Pakistani origins. Experience music that resonates with their ancestral homeland and its Sufi soul.
3pm – VAKHRI-TOHR
Celebrating regional Indian culture, Sandwell-based all female Bhangra group Vakhri-Tohr get the next hour started.
3.10pm – SONIA’Z FUSION
Come be enchanted by Sonia’z Fusion presenting a mix of Indian classical, semi-classical, folk, fusion modern, and Bollywood dance styles.
3.30pm – ABIGAIL KELLY
Renowned Opera singer Abigail Kelly will be performing the Jamaican Suite reimagined for voice and piano by Peter Ashbourne.
4.00pm – SOWETO KINCH
The award-winning saxophonist and MC is back in his home town, so be sure to give him a big Brummie welcome.
4.40pm – NATASHA ROSE SETH
The star of The Voice sings popular English and Hindi songs.
5.10pm – CHITRALEKA DANCE ACADEMY
Enjoy some Bharatanatyam, one of the most spectacular and ancient Indian Classical dance styles from Chitraleka Dance Academy.
5.20pm – INDIA ISLAND DANCE ACADEMY
Join India Island Academy as they dance their way round an epic journey through South Asian film.
5.30pm – DEVIKA RAO
Devika Rao and her dancers perform Yakshagana, a story of good overpowering evil.
6pm – ULTIMATE BHANGRA
Get your heart pumping as Parm from Ultimate Bhangra leads a bhangra workout for all…
8pm – APACHE INDIAN – BOOM SHACK-A-LAK!
Apache Indian returns home to Brum from a worldwide tour to close Sampad’s Festival day. Expect pure ’90s magic while celebrating the 30th anniversary of his banging classic.
