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Food review: Ramen worth raving about at Shobu

While ramen might not be the most obvious choice for summertime, living in Nottingham means out of season weather is practically guaranteed. Shobu, a little Japanese restaurant on Friar Lane, is the perfect antidote to a dreary day....

Left Magpie: Notts County season review 2026

As the season comes to a close our Notts County FC columnist gives a run down of the team’s successful 2025-26 season, whilst also trying to cram in as many literature and poetry references as possible…

Exhibition review: Physical Culture and And The Soul is for the Birds at Nottingham Contemporary

Two very different exhibitions are currently displayed at the Nottingham Contemporary. In one, classical sculptures intersect with modern fitness culture. In the other, a Brazilian artist creates an imagined folklore… 

Big City Reads - Young Adult Book Reviews

The Nottingham City of Literature free book giveaway campaign (29 June -12 August) features five compelling Young Adult titles, selected by young people, for young people… 

Theatre review: Alice In Wonderland by Niche Artefact

We peaked through the looking-glass at Revolution de Cuba for an evening of art, theatre and expression with Niche Artefact's fabulously captivating Alice in Wonderland themed stage show and exhibition...

What's happening at Gloworm Festival 2026?

It's less than a month now until Thoresby Park is transformed into the ultimate children's wonderland for Nottinghamshire annual family festival: Gloworm. As ever, it's going to be an exciting one, with 20+ meet and greets, a packed main stage program, and more than 100 live shows, performances, workshops, and hands on experiences to discover and enjoy around the festival site. 

If you're considering taking your little one(s) along, and making some great summer memories, here's everything you can expect...

Theatre Review: The Market Deeping Model Railway Club at Nottingham Playhouse

The third of Nottingham Playhouse's new season by local playwrights is a charming production, written by William Ivory. It focuses on a group of seven men (and one woman) who bond and overcome personal traumas by exhibiting model railways...

Pride and Joy: the organisers of Nottingham Pride talk parades, protest, and vital services come together at the festival

Later this month Notts Pride is set to take over the city once again, bringing a celebration of colour, unity, diversity, and acceptance. Local author Becki Jayne Crossley met Chairperson Leigh Ellis who has been organising the festival for the past ten years. They covered how parades, protest, and vital services come together at the festival…

Splendour Festival's last hurrah, musicals, ballet and immersive art experiences: here's what's on in Notts this week: events 13 July - 19 July

This week is one for the books, including Splendour Festival celebrating their final weekend, Beyond Monet & Beyond Van Gogh, a convention for hit sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf, and events for theatre, music and ballet fans alike.

Another triumphant year for Gate To Southwell Festival

Dodging the heatwaves, we spent a couple of days on site at Gate To Southwell Festival. Pushing the envelope of folk, and with a collaboration with some of the most exciting Canadian musicians, it was easy to see why this local event is going stronger than ever...

Exhibition review: Drawn Through Time at Lakeside Arts

Nottingham's cultural landscape has quietly become one of the most exciting in the Midlands, with Lakeside Arts consistently bringing ambitious exhibitions to the city that challenge how audiences engage with contemporary art. Its latest exhibition, Drawn Through Time, is no exception. Housed within the Djanogly Gallery at the University of Nottingham, the exhibition takes what many might consider the simplest of artistic practices – drawing – and transforms it into something far richer: a way of navigating history, memory and imagination.

LeftLion's Latest Listens #48: Notts music we're currently spinning

This week, our music team reviews new releases from Ben McElroy, KID SPIRIT and E.R. Thorpe...

Theatre Review: Dyke Systems Ltd by Fag Packet at the Nottingham Playhouse

This award-winning theatre double act come to Nottingham with a comedy show that is part queer fever dream and part corporate seminar, and much more...  

Gig review: mary in the junkyard at Rough Trade Nottingham

The avante garde South London trio mary in the junkyard chose Nottingham for the first stop in their album promo tour, appearing at Rough Trade for an instore performance and singing. We were there to experience their unique, genre-spanning approach to music...

In photos: Radfest 2026

A warm midsummer's day and a packed line-up of talented young artists and bands from our area - what could be better? For its ninth edition, Radfest once again delivered great music, food and drink, family entertainment and the opportunity for younger performers to be seen and heard. Here are our photographer Nigel King's shots of this year's voyage of discovery...

Splendour Festival preview: In Conversation with Editors

They are arguably one of the most underrated bands in Britain. For over two decades, Birmingham alt-rock outfit Editors have barely put a foot wrong - from forging a consistently exciting and eclectic discography, to always delivering with their euphoric and pulsating live shows. With their eighth studio album, Surface, Echo & Sound, due for release in October and the band set to join Snow Patrol to close out the final ever Splendour Festival in style, we caught up with Editors’ bassist and founding member Russ Leetch, to discuss their storied career, their forthcoming new album and performing in Nottingham through the years…

Actor Chelsea Da Silva talks about Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile at Nottingham Puppet Festival

Later this week, as part of Nottingham Puppet Festival, an adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile comes to Theatre Royal. Lead actor Chelsea Da Silva tells us more...

Gig review: Midrift, Glare and Glixen at The Bodega

The Bodega may not sound like the best place to be on a sweltering hot June evening, but when there’s cold drinks, air con and a night ahead of you that’s full of shoegaze magic, there’s nowhere much better. There are three bands on the bill, but each band is alternating as headliner each night on the tour. This is both unusual and exciting; and maybe something more bands should take note of...

Nottingham Puppet Festival, music at the waterfront, film quiz, and history made fun: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 29 June - 5 July

This week our list of things to look out for this week includes the Nottingham Puppet Festival, Waterfront music festival, a walk down memory lane with events for music, film, and the sewing history in prisons.

Review: Hot Pot at Lakeside Arts

This new play, by Nottingham's Hongwei Bao, explores East Asian LGBTQ+ narratives as four friends gather round the dinner table for a night of memories and revelations...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #47: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2026, our music team reviews new releases from Drinking With Lucy, EMiDORA, Saffron Gray and Isaac Neilson...

Theatre Review: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold at Theatre Royal

A new play, based on a classic novel by British author John le Carré, is showing at Nottingham's Theatre Royal starring TV actor Ralf Little as a weary 1960s MI5 agent...