Entertainment News

Japanese geisha are famous across the world thanks to their fascinating and private lives. Traditionally geisha entertain visitors at elite ocha-ya 'teahouses', where they sing, dance, and play traditional instruments for wealthy guests. However, this April, visitors to Kyoto will be offered a rare chance to observe geisha as they perform in the annual Miyako Odori dance festival.

Shakespeare-inspired home furnishings and toiletries could soon be exported globally as part of the celebrations to mark the Bard’s 400^th anniversary. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is working with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) West Midlands to maximise the commercial opportunities presented by the landmark anniversary of the playwright’s death, which falls on April 23.

With the London Marathon just around the corner and 'running fever' in full pelt, there is a collection of running events from around the globe that will get your heart pumping. From jogging along the walls of the Ming Dynasty in China, to speeding over glacial lakes in Andorra and across sandy beaches in Guernsey, these inspiring events are sure to put a spring in your step.

Celebrate World Penguin Day at Birdland Park & Gardens on the 25 April where the newly renovated Penguin Shore is home to the UK's only breeding group of King Penguins as well as a comical group of Humboldts! Enjoy twice-daily Penguin Feeds and talks from Head Keeper, and surrogate Penguin Dad, Alistair Keen.

Born Survivor is a gruelling sports event, designed to challenge even the most experienced fitness fanatic. Consisting of a ten kilometre run with no fewer than thirty obstacles to overcome, it is the ultimate test of physical and mental strength. The event is one that the British Army would come face-to-face with every day within their training, and has been created by British Royal Marines Commandos.

2016 sees the launch of the inaugural Birmingham Film Festival. Running from Friday November 25^th until Sunday November 27^th it will be open to all categories of film genres; from full length features, through to animated shorts. Within this wide remit there will be awards for local film-makers and young film-makers, as well as a special recognition award for film-makers who have overcome adversity.

The city centre entertainment venue picked up the Chortle Award for Best comedy Venue (East & Midlands) at a prestigious London ceremony which also saw wins for such comedy stars as Peter Kay, Katherine Ryan and Birmingham’s own Joe Lycett – a regular visitor to the Glee.

Proud mum Coleen Rooney has shared an adorable snap of baby Kit giggling with Spider in Socks from the Lamaze Clip ‘n’ Go range. Coleen Rooney is the official celebrity ambassador of TOMY’s leading baby and infant development brand Lamaze. With a range that captures little moments of triumph, the flashes of wonder, that twinkle in baby’s eye, Spider in Socks is the friendliest spider you will ever meet!

The board of Newtown Cultural Project Limited, the organisation behind The Drum, has had to make the very hard decision to wind-down the organisation after over 20 years of service to the international, national and local artistic community, audiences and the wider BAME community by June 2016. This decision does not mean that the doors of The Drum will close, events publicised between now and June 2016 will go ahead as planned.

The actor James Phelps, who starred as 'Fred Weasley' in the Harry Potter film franchise, has turned a surprise trip to London into a magical experience for a young family of Harry Potter fans. The Johnson family, from Los Angeles, California, received the once-in-a-lifetime trip to London, and a one-off VIP tour of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter with James Phelps, after the city's official tourism body, Visitlondon.com identified them as genuine 'super fans' of Harry Potter.

Sharpen your pencils, the trend for colour therapy books is taking on a new brain teasing turn as high street giant, WH Smith, launches Querkles, a colour by numbers craft which has grabbed Australia by storm. Buoyed by promising sales of its colour therapy ranges for adults, WH Smith has branched out into challenge colouring in which budding artists develop and decipher pictures by following numbers and codes.

Up to 30,000 people will descend on Shrewsbury for the town's annual food festival – the biggest of its kind in the West Midlands. It will take place on June 25 and 26. The event has overtaken Ludlow Food Festival as the region's premier celebration of fine food and will play host to a glittering line-up of star chefs, live music and free activities for kids – as well as more than 200 artisan producers.

Six months on since the launch of Grand Central Birmingham, one of the city’s most talked about developments in decades; the centre provides a nationwide platform for young, talented filmmakers.  In a recent partnership, Grand Central has been working with The Year of Arts & Young People in Birmingham (YAY 16), to help engage more young people to take part in opportunities offered by theatres, galleries and concert halls.

The Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Ian Brookfield, is hosting what is believed to be the city’s very first all-day indoor rock festival – to raise money for his chosen charities. The Wolves Mayor Rock Fest takes place at The Slade Rooms this Saturday, April 9 and Cllr Brookfield has teamed up with Facebook fan group Rockers Through The Ages to organise an event celebrating his love of rock music and showcasing some of the best upcoming rock talent in Wolverhampton.

Elvis Costello and US alt-rock legends Mercury Rev headline a stand-out music programme that also features rising star Ry X, MOBO Award winning saxophonist YoLanda Brown, the beautifully melancholic Tindersticks and plenty of folk from The Young’Uns and Teddy Thompson.

Simmer Down Festival has been held in Handsworth Park since 2010 and has grown over the years to become one of the country’s most well respected reggae festivals, it is a flagship event in Birmingham’s calendar of free public events, attracting a diverse family audience from across the city and nationally, whilst retaining a true feel of Handsworth.