Pick of the Week: 10 - 16 August

Marrows at the ready, folks

National Allotment Week 
Have your prize radishes and the juicy tomatoes at the ready, green fingered ‘Lioners, cos there’s gonna be a hella gardening agwarning this week. In honour of National Allotment Week, St Ann's Allotments are paying homage to the tradition of growing your patch, and rekindling a bit of the old community spirit. Dishing out prizes for Best Recycler, Best Shed and Most Improved Garden, there’s a chance for everyone to grab their moment of glory. They’ll be offering free cups of tea to gardeners, as well as access to their internet and research facilities. They’ve also promised a wheelbarrow full of ‘gardening banter’ – sounds wild. Geddit?
Monday 10 - Sunday 16 August, 10am, free, St Anns Allotment

Cerebral Palsy World Games
The countdown has begun for one of the most inspirational sporting events there is. Nottingham has been selected to host the Cerebral Palsy World Games, with Dance4 and City Arts hosting both the opening and closing ceremonies. The event runs until the end of the week, with athletics, football and  swimming on the cards for competitors. There’s even a spot of para taekwondo for you to check out. Get down, support and watch those who have leapt gracefully over life’s hurdles, and sprinted victoriously to the finish line.
Runs until Sunday 16 August, Harvey Hadden Sports Complex

Ready to give you a modern education

Painted Surface: An Exhibition of Contemporary Painting 
There are people who dismiss contemporary art as a load of rubbish – if you can’t clearly see a person’s face in the picture, then it just ain’t art. Each to their own, but if there’s anywhere to go to prove the critics wrong this week, it’s Surface Gallery. Hosting a selection of the creme de la creme of contemporary artists, expect to see the finest examples of modern art from both national and international artists alike. The exhibition is posing the question, what is modern art today? So if you think you’re up for answering that, or just want to find out more, you’ve got until Friday duck.
Runs until Friday 15 August, free, Surface Gallery

Haiku with Pippa Hennessey 
Mondays can be the most dismal day of the week – your lively, booze-ridden weekend has drawn to a close, and the only remnance of a good time you have left is the slight taste of tequila that occurs whenever you burp. You’re back at work, with four more days stretching endlessly ahead of you – what could be worse?! Give yersen summat to look forward to of a Monday eve, and pop down to see Pippa Henessey. She’ll be giving you the rundown of all things related to the Japanese poetic art form, so you’ll be able to write about your dismal Monday in perfect 5,7,5 format.
Monday 10 August, 7pm, £3/£5, Nottingham Writers’ Studio

image: Disney

Inside Out 
The idea that your emotions have emotions is something that’s far too meta for us to quite get our heads round. Disney have managed it, though, and are marketing it at the kiddies which has a lot to say about the mental capacity of the LeftLion office. Inside the mind of little eleven year old Riley, her band of emotions include Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear. After Riley moves home and school, Joy and Sadness are whisked to the deep dark depths of her mind, and the remaining three must do what they can to keep Riley on the right track. Though it’s billed as a kids flick, there’s bound to be loads of gags for the grown-ups. Plus, it’ll keep the sprogs quiet for an hour during these long, summer holidays.
Runs until Thursday 14 August, £4 - £8.20, Broadway

Gin Festival 
Holiday romances were one of the best things about summer. The annual caravan trip to Skeggeh was brightened by the overpowering smell of Lynx bodyspray and hand-holding by the 2p machines with that lad from Sheffield whose name definitely began with a B. Fall in love with summat a bit more sophisticated, this summer, with JamCafe’s festival of gin. They’ve created a whole menu dedicated to the stuff, including a special blend with Japanese sake. Bradley and the gang have gone to a lot of trouble sampling and selecting all of their gin concoctions, the least you can do is pop down and have a few.
Friday 14 - Sunday 30 August, JamCafe

Not Dj Graeme...

CSWS, Kool Kat & Soul Kitchen: DJ Graeme Park 
Following the growing trend of ‘Secret Location’ parties around Nottingham, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop presents a night of house, funk and soul with Kool Kat Garage x Soul Kitchen in an undisclosed city centre venue. Headlining the event is DJ Graeme Park, a pioneer at the forefront of the first house and funk sounds that trickled down to the UK from Chicago, Detroit and New York in the early eighties. He also used to work in Selectadisc. With support from the likes of DJ Fever, Buddha Brothers and Dave Tucker, this one is set up to be a belter. Tickets are available on skiddle – gerrum while they’re hot.
Friday 14th August, £10, Secret Location

Waterfront Festival
Once again, the Canalhouse opens its doors to a horde of Nottingham musicians for a day jam-packed with the sounds of our city. Brought to you by I’m Not From London and Audacious Face, this year will be the festival’s fifth birthday and, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know just how mental things can get. The line-up includes atmospheric indie rock from Field Studies, Jamie Moon’s acoustic melodies, classic rock ‘n’ roll bangers from the lads in Same Streets, Molly and Jack’s subtle harmonies and some sweet blues from Ryan Farmer and Louis Antonio – there’s plenty to indulge in, not forgetting hardcore, stoner rock band Riff Bastard for all you metal monkeys. Since the birth of the festival, £13,000 has been raised for Nottingham charities. This year, it’s all for Nottingham City Hospital Wolfson Cystic Fibrosis Centre and Emmanuel House. Well in. Also, it’s fancy dress, so get the gladdest rags you can find in the back of yer mam’s wardrobe, cos there are big prizes for the craziest dressed guys and gells. The theme for 2015 is ‘beach party’ – a nice and easy one on the costume front.
Saturday 15 August, 1pm, £7/£10, Canalhouse

'Appeh Buffdeh, youth

Lost City Second Birthday
Toddlers’ birthday parties are usually pretty traumatic experiences. Everyone is crying, including the parents, and there is always a scary, probably drunk clown fiddling with sausage shaped balloons in the corner. One little tikes birthday we can’t wait to attend, though, will be Lost City’s second birthday this weekend. Turning the big zero-two in style, they’re asking you all to pop down, have your face painted and do a spot of salsa with their mascot, Ollie. SteelDrumBands are gonna whisk you away to the Caribbean with their music from 4pm, and you can have a go on some tropical cocktails to really put you in the mood. Keep your eyes peeled in the days leading up to the event, cos they’re handing out family passes to a few lucky competition winners. Gerrinvolved.
Saturday 15 August, 10am, free, Lost City, Cornerhouse

Highness Sound System 
Your pre-drinks should solely consist of rum and ting this Saturday, to get you right in the mood for a spot of Highness. Roots reggae and dancehall are the only things on the playlist, and you best be ready to catch a whine as Bodega reach the third Saturday of the month. Otherwise known as Highness Sound System. There’ll be tunes to keep you going until the wee small hours of Sunday morn, so you’d best tell yer mam you’ll be late for Sunday lunch.
Saturday 15 August, 11pm, £6/£8, The Bodega

For the motherload of everything else going on this week check out our comprehensive Nottingham events listings.

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