Nottingham Bank Holiday: 10 events from £4 to free

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s August Bank Holiday programme stretches from Thursday 27 to Monday 31 August 2026, with ten highlighted events across city parks, heritage sites, cultural venues and family attractions. Prices range from £4 per child for biscuit baking to £47 for selected Southwell Music Festival tickets, while the Robin Hood Festival and Abbey Artisan Market offer free entry with parking charges applying.

The Visit Nottinghamshire guide brings together options for families, live-music fans, mystery solvers and anyone planning a long-weekend date. Venues include Nottingham Arboretum, Sherwood Forest, Wollaton Hall and Deer Park, Southwell Minster and Rufford Abbey Country Park.

Dates, places and prices at a glance

• Weekend covered: 27–31 August 2026
• Area: Nottingham and locations across Nottinghamshire
• Cost: Free entry at selected events; paid tickets start at £4
• Booking: Requirements vary, so consult each event’s individual listing
• Audience: Activities range from children’s workshops to festivals, racing and nightlife

Ten events competing for your bank holiday

1. Murder Mystery: Don’t Look Back in Anger takes over the National Justice Museum on Saturday 29 August. The £29 ticket includes an arrival cocktail or mocktail before guests investigate the death of magazine editor Rex Wright. The participatory 1990s whodunnit involves interviewing suspects and gathering clues inside the former Shire Hall courtrooms.

2. Robin Hood Festival marks its 40th edition at Sherwood Forest from Saturday 29 to Monday 31 August. Entry is free, although a parking charge applies. The grand finale features storytelling and combat displays from the Outlaws, alongside puppetry, live music, falconry and magic.

   

3. Day Fever Festival arrives at Nottingham Arboretum on Saturday 29 August. Tickets cost £46 for the UK’s biggest daytime disco, with Paddy McGuinness joining Vicky McClure and Jonny Owen on the DJ line-up. The Bandarama Brass Band will also perform live.

4. Foolhardy Folk Festival follows at the Arboretum on Sunday 30 August. The £45 programme is headlined by Badly Drawn Boy, with Skinny Lister, 3 Daft Monkeys, K.O.G, Gecko, Nuala and King Killership also listed. Local street food, a bar featuring Nottingham breweries and a family-friendly setting form part of the event.

5. Southwell Music Festival runs from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August at venues around Southwell. Tickets range from £5 to £47, with Southwell Minster serving as the principal venue and the surrounding grounds as the festival centre. The programme includes concerts, a free Fringe event and the participatory Come and Sing.

   

6. Biscuit Baking at Green’s Windmill and Science Centre takes place on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August. The workshop costs £4 per child and supplies the ingredients needed to make chocolate-chip biscuits with a choice of cutters. A separate free Games Day is scheduled for Friday.

7. Abbey Artisan Market brings independent traders to Rufford Abbey Country Park on the final Sunday of the month. Entry is free, with parking charges applying. Handmade crafts, gifts and food stalls will be arranged in front of the historic Cistercian abbey ruins.

8. Marvin Humes’ Noughties Baby comes to Binks Yard on Sunday 30 August, with tickets starting at £25.30. The event is built around music from the 2000s and forms part of Humes’ Noughties Baby Tour.

   

9. Superheroes and Princesses Family Fun Raceday is at Southwell Racecourse on Monday 31 August. Tickets start at £21, combining live flat racing with characters, interactive experiences and children’s activities during the school summer holidays.

10. Outdoor Cinema at Wollaton Park runs from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August at Wollaton Hall and Deer Park. The programme spans family favourites, sing-along films and adventure blockbusters, with visitors invited to bring picnic blankets and snacks. The supplied guide does not state a ticket price.

Check the entry conditions before setting out

There is no single booking arrangement for all ten events: visitors should use the individual event listings to confirm availability and entry requirements. The source specifically notes parking charges at Sherwood Forest and Rufford Abbey despite free event admission; it does not provide shared transport or accessibility information for the wider programme.

Source: Visit Nottinghamshire Blog