Good Evening Solihull 👋

October is almost here, and it feels like the local calendar has suddenly gone into overdrive.

This week we’ve found four major Midlands attractions you can visit for just £49, a £14 lunch deal at Wagamama, a seven-course Chef’s Table in Dorridge, plenty of things to book for the next few weekends and we’ve started looking ahead to October half term, including some very tempting flights from Birmingham Airport.

Closer to home, we’re also celebrating National Poetry Day and Birmingham’s Benjamin Zephaniah, sharing the brilliant Night Walk for Cameron in Hampton-in-Arden, checking in on Solihull sport and looking ahead to HYROX Birmingham arriving at the NEC.

There should be at least one thing in here that makes you think, “I didn’t know that was happening!”

Let’s get into it.

— Max

If you’ve got a teenager starting to think about what comes after school, this one is worth putting in the diary.

The Solihull Apprenticeship and Pathways Show is returning to Cranmore Park on Wednesday 21 October, bringing employers, colleges and training providers together under one roof.

Running from 2:30pm–7pm, the free event is aimed at young people considering their next steps and will cover everything from apprenticeships and T Levels to BTECs, college courses and other post-16 routes.

There’ll be plenty of organisations on hand to answer questions too, including Paragon Bank, McDermott, Solihull College & University Centre, the University of Derby, Dodd Group and The King’s Trust.

The opening hour will also be run as a quieter session for young people with additional needs, with information available on supported internships and other pathways.

Whether your teenager already has a career in mind or has absolutely no idea what they want to do yet, it’s a useful chance to explore the options without any pressure.

📍 Cranmore Park, Solihull
📅 Wednesday 21 October
⏰ 2:30pm–7pm
🎟️ Free entry and free parking

👉 Find out more about the Solihull Apprenticeship and Pathways Show

Next Thursday 1 October is National Poetry Day, when people across the UK are encouraged to read, write and share poetry. This year's theme is “Wonder”.

And we don't have to look far for one of Britain's most influential poetic voices.

Benjamin Zephaniah was born and raised in Handsworth, Birmingham, going on to become known around the world for poetry that blended language, performance, reggae rhythms and everyday life.

Even better, his legacy is being celebrated locally on Saturday 10 October, when Midlands Arts Centre hosts Benjamin Zephaniah Day: Rhythm, Unity and Revolution. The afternoon will feature poetry, music, dance, an open mic and creative activities, with admission on a pay-what-you-choose basis.

✍️ Our little Spotlight challenge: write four lines about something in Solihull that makes you wonder.

A brilliant local tradition returns to Hampton-in-Arden on Friday 9 October, as the Night Walk for Cameron sets off from Fentham Hall at 6:30pm.

The free, social walk heads from Hampton towards Barston and back, with the evening held in memory of Cameron Grant and raising awareness and funds for mental health.

Registration is completely free, and there’ll even be free headtorches available for anyone who needs one. Walkers are invited to make a voluntary donation or raise sponsorship for the Cameron Grant Memorial Trust, which produces mental-health resources for schools, universities, clubs and workplaces across the country.

🐶 Dogs are welcome too, so grab a torch, wrap up warm and join a lovely local cause.

👉 Find out more and register for the Night Walk for Cameron

If you’re heading into Solihull town centre during the week, this is a handy little deal to know about.

Wagamama at Touchwood is currently offering lunch for £14, giving you a cheaper way to get your fix of noodles, curries and rice bowls without the usual full-price bill. Touchwood is currently promoting the offer at its Solihull restaurant, so it’s worth checking the available choices before you order.

📍 Wagamama, Touchwood
💰 £14 lunch offer

👉 See the latest Wagamama offer at Touchwood

For something a little more special, Hogarths Hotel in Dorridge is hosting an intimate seven-course Chef’s Table on Friday 2 October.

Executive Head Chef Tom Wells will lead the one-night dining experience, with dishes including chicken liver parfait, butternut squash agnolotti, monkfish with Thai green curry sauce, venison and a sticky toffee pudding served with Gorgonzola ice cream.

Tickets are £65 per person, with everyone seated together around one table for the evening. A vegetarian menu is available on request.

📍 Hogarths Hotel, Four Ashes Road, Dorridge
📅 Friday 2 October — 7pm
💰 £65 per person

And Hogarths has another big local occasion coming up just a week later…

🥂 The Knowle 750 Gala Dinner — Friday 9 October

The hotel will host the finale of Knowle’s 750th anniversary celebrations, with a three-course dinner, live entertainment and an evening marking 750 years of the village.

Tickets are £65, with profits supporting local Knowle projects including the new Welcome to Knowle sign and improvements to the village Christmas lights.

👉 Find out more about the Chef’s Table and Knowle 750 Gala

There’s plenty coming up across Solihull over the next few weeks, from family days out and live shows to food, music, sport and a few more unusual experiences.

And with October just around the corner, stay tuned for plenty of autumnal, Halloween and half-term ideas coming your way too. 🎃🍂

If you’ve got a few free weekends coming up, this might be one of the best-value local deals we’ve spotted.

The Midlands Adventure Pass currently gives you one visit to FOUR major attractions for just £49 per person:

🍫 Cadbury World — explore the home of Birmingham’s favourite chocolate
🎢 Alton Towers Resort — rollercoasters, rides and attractions
🏰 Warwick Castle — more than 1,100 years of history, towers and grounds
🐠 SEA LIFE Birmingham — sharks, penguins, turtles and underwater adventures

Bought through the pass, the four visits can save up to 63% compared with buying tickets separately.

And you don’t have to cram them all into one weekend, you can spread the four days out across the offer period.

💰 £49 per person for all four attractions
📅 Visits available until 22 October
🎟️ One visit to each attraction

You’ll need to pre-book a date/time for each attraction, and popular slots can fill up, so it’s worth booking ahead.

At just over £12 per attraction, this could be a very handy way to fill a few autumn weekends.

👉 Check availability and book the £49 Midlands Adventure Pass

🎨 Painting & PCOS/PMOS Awareness Evening — Miss Macaroon, Resorts World — Wednesday 30 September
A creative evening with a difference: Miss Macaroon at Resorts World is hosting a relaxed painting session alongside conversation around PCOS and PMOS awareness. The evening runs from 6:30pm–8:30pm and combines art, drinks and expert discussion in a supportive setting. Tickets are £10.
👉 Painting & PCOS/PMOS Awareness Evening

🪁 Under the Same Sky — Tudor Grange Park — Saturday 3 October
A colourful community event is coming to Tudor Grange Park on Saturday 3 October, with giant kites, aerial performance, music and a community procession forming part of the celebrations. Expect a visually striking afternoon centred around a seven-metre aerial rig, with the event designed to bring people together outdoors. Entry is free.
👉 Under the Same Sky

🧌 Who’s in Your Book? Trail — Baddesley Clinton — 3 October–8 November
A lovely one for younger families: characters from Tom Fletcher’s Who’s in Your Book? series are taking over the gardens at Baddesley Clinton for a playful autumn trail. Children can spot familiar characters, complete activities and explore the grounds as they go. Under-5s and National Trust members go free, with a suggested £1 donation for the trail map; normal admission applies otherwise.
👉 Who’s in Your Book? at Baddesley Clinton

🏠 Grand Designs Live — NEC — 2–4 October
Planning a renovation, redesign or just looking for a little home inspiration? Grand Designs Live returns to the NEC from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 October, bringing together interiors, kitchens, bathrooms, gardens, self-build ideas and expert advice all under one roof. A great one for anyone with a home project in mind.
👉 Grand Designs Live

🎮 RuneFest — NEC — 3–4 October
One for the gamers: RuneFest lands at the NEC on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October, bringing the RuneScape community together for a weekend of game reveals, live content, competitions, meet-ups and celebrations of all things RuneScape. A much more unusual addition to the local events calendar.
👉 RuneFest at the NEC

💍 The National Wedding Show — NEC — 3–4 October
Wedding planning in full swing? The National Wedding Show comes to the NEC on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October, bringing together a huge range of venues, photographers, florists, dresses, suits, cakes and suppliers in one place. Ideal for engaged couples looking to tick a few jobs off the list in one weekend.
👉 The National Wedding Show

⛸️ Disney On Ice: Discover the Magic — bp pulse LIVE — 28 October–8 November
A big one for half-term: Disney On Ice: Discover the Magic is coming to bp pulse LIVE from Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 8 November, with multiple daytime and evening performances across the run. Expect a colourful live show featuring favourite Disney characters, music, skating and big family-friendly production numbers. 👉 Disney On Ice: Discover the Magic

A local team worth keeping an eye on this winter are Solihull Barons, as their new NIHL Division One campaign continues.

And there’s a good opportunity to watch them closer to home next weekend, when the Barons welcome Sheffield Scimitars to Planet Ice Solihull on Sunday 4 October at 5:30pm.

If you’ve never watched a live ice hockey game before, this might be one to add to the list.

👉 Solihull Barons Ice Hockey

It’s another busy weekend for Silhillians Rugby Club, with teams right across the age groups in action.

The Silhillians women’s side are away to Rugby Lionesses today at 2pm, while the men’s 1st XV programme continues with a trip to Malvern next weekend before a home fixture against Kenilworth in October.

A good reminder that there’s a huge amount of grassroots sport happening around Solihull every weekend.

👉 Silhillians Rugby

Finally, something to start training for…

HYROX Birmingham returns to the NEC from 27 October–1 November, kicking off the 2026/27 season with six days of racing.

For the uninitiated, HYROX combines running with functional fitness stations: think sled pushes, rowing, lunges, wall balls and plenty of suffering, with competitors able to race individually, in doubles or as part of a relay.

And this year there’s something for younger athletes too: HYROX Youngstars is coming to Birmingham for children aged 8–15.

📍 NEC Birmingham, Hall 5
📅 27 October–1 November

Whether you’re competing, supporting someone or simply fancy seeing what all the HYROX fuss is about, expect the NEC to be very busy with trainers and questionable walking abilities by the end of that week. 😅

👉 Find out more about HYROX Birmingham

Fancy escaping Solihull for a few days? We've had another look at cheap direct flights from Birmingham Airport and there are some seriously tempting fares around this October.

If you’re thinking about getting away for October half term, this one is worth checking sooner rather than later.

Recent searches are showing direct Birmingham → Jersey flights from around £60 return for Sunday 25 October to Sunday 1 November — almost perfectly lining up with the Solihull half-term week.

And at just over an hour in the air, it’s a very manageable family escape.

Jersey might be small, but there’s plenty to fill a few days: Jersey Zoo, Elizabeth Castle, beaches, rock pools, coastal walks and adventure activities — without spending half the holiday travelling between them.

🎃 There’s even a half-term bonus: Jersey Zoo is running “Seven Days of Scares” from 25–31 October, with Halloween activities and a Trick or Treat trail included with standard admission.

✈️ Birmingham → Jersey
📅 25 October–1 November
💰 Recent fares from around £47 return per person
⏱️ Around 1 hour 5 minutes each way

As always with our flight finds, prices can move quickly, so please check the live fare before booking.

👉 Check Birmingham to Jersey flights

👉 See what’s happening in Jersey this half term

If you fancy a UK break instead, Birmingham → Glasgow is another route worth checking for half term.

easyJet’s published timetable has shown outbound fares from around £18.99 and return fares later that week from around £38.99, making it possible to put together a relatively affordable city break if you’re flexible on dates.

Glasgow is a great shout for a few days away: think museums, great food, coffee shops, shopping, parks and easy day trips, all without needing a passport or a long flight.

✈️ Birmingham → Glasgow
📅 Good availability around late October
💰 Recent one-way fares from around £18.99
⏱️ Around 1 hour 15 minutes

Again, prices can change fast — especially around school holidays — so it’s worth checking the live fare.

👉 Check Birmingham to Glasgow flights

• Bin collections: https://digital.solihull.gov.uk/BinCollectionCalendar/
• Council news + updates: https://www.solihull.gov.uk/news
• Travel disruptions (West Midlands): https://disruptions.tfwm.org.uk/

Thanks for reading Solihull Spotlight 💙 let’s chat again on Thursday! Hit reply and tell me what you want more of next week: family, events, food, deals, walking routes, live music, sport, or hidden gems.

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