Hello Solihull 👋
August has officially arrived, and what a week it's bringing. Solihull Pride returns to the town centre on Saturday, thousands of runners take over our closed roads next Sunday, and if you've got kids, the buses just became completely free for the rest of the month.
We've also got a Solihull boxer who went toe to toe with the world champion in Glasgow, a barbecue joint worth the drive, and everything happening across the borough over the next few weeks.
Let’s get into it.
— Max
Local Solihull News
🚌 Under-16s ride the bus free — and there's a postcode checker for the rest
A proper cost-of-living win, and it's live right now.
Until the end of August, 5 to 15 year olds travel free on most local buses in England, including thousands of routes across the West Midlands. Child fares normally run £1 to £2 a journey, so for a family doing two days out a week, that's the best part of £30 a month back in your pocket without doing anything at all.
But the buses are only one part of it. They're the headline of the government's Great British Summer Savings scheme, which runs from 25 June to 1 September and also covers:
Discounted kids' meals at participating restaurants
Cheaper children's tickets for cinemas and theatres
Reduced entry at attractions, theme parks, adventure centres, soft play and more
Here's the bit most people don't know about. There's an official government site where you type in your postcode and it shows you every offer near you. No sign-up, no app, no voucher codes to hunt down, just your postcode and a list.
We'd suggest doing it before you plan the week rather than after. Half the value of a scheme like this is discovering a discount somewhere you'd never have thought to go.
✨ Solihull Community Spotlight ✨
🥊 Elise Glynn represents Solihull in Glasgow
Solihull boxer Elise Glynn has represented England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The 24-year-old first walked into Solihull Amateur Boxing Club aged 13 after being inspired by Nicola Adams at London 2012. She has since become Team GB’s number one female boxer at 57kg, a position she has held since 2022.
Her journey has not been easy. After missing out on the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Elise trained unpaid with the GB squad in Sheffield while working three jobs to cover her travel and living costs.
In Glasgow, she faced reigning world champion Jaismine Lamboria in the quarter-final, narrowly losing 4–1 after three close rounds.
No medal this time, but an incredible achievement and plenty more still to come.
The whole of Solihull is proud of you, Elise. 👏
🥉 And just over the border
Lucy Kings-Wheatley of Acocks Green took bronze in the women's 60kg, coming through a tense quarter-final 3-2 despite a point deduction in the second round. Brilliant from a fellow West Midlands fighter.
🏃 Run Solihull returns next Sunday
Run Solihull is back on Sunday 9 August, with thousands of runners taking on the Half Marathon, 5K and Junior Race.
The action starts in Malvern Park, with the Half Marathon at 9am, the 5K at 9.35am and the Junior Race at 11.45am. The route heads through Widney Manor, Knowle, Barston and Eastcote before returning to the town centre.
Acorns Children’s Hospice is once again the event’s charity partner, with runners also raising money for other brilliant local causes, including Age UK Solihull.
Not running? Head to Malvern Park from 7.30am for food, stalls and entertainment, or cheer runners on from Knowle High Street and Widney Manor Road.
⚠️ Expect road closures around Knowle, Barston and Eastcote, while Malvern Park and Brueton Park car parks will be closed.
Where to eat in Solihull
🍝 Prezzo opens at Touchwood — with 50% off food
Prezzo has opened its new Italian restaurant at Touchwood, serving pizzas, pasta and family favourites.
Families can also join the Prezzo Italian Kids Club for £1.99 a month. Members can feed up to three children a free three-course meal with the purchase of one adult main, every time they visit.
The subscription can be used any day, paused or cancelled anytime, and managed through the Club Prezzo app.
🍖 Hickory’s Smokehouse — Earlswood & Castle Bromwich
Craving proper barbecue food this summer? Hickory’s Smokehouse has local restaurants in Earlswood and Castle Bromwich, serving Southern-style favourites in a relaxed, family-friendly setting.
Expect 16-hour smoked brisket, Memphis-style ribs, pulled pork, smoked wings, burgers and huge sharing platters, with all the meat smoked in-house by Hickory’s pitmasters. Both locations also have outdoor seating for those sunny summer evenings.
What’s on in Solihull
🐍 Free Mobile Petting Zoo — Resorts World — Every Monday
Nature’s Burrow is bringing a free mobile petting zoo to Resorts World every Monday throughout the summer holidays. Drop into the atrium between 11am and 12.30pm to meet animals that could include reptiles, birds of prey, minibeasts and friendly mammals.
⛳ Adventure Golf — Four Ashes, Dorridge
A fun summer activity for the whole family, with 18 holes of adventure golf featuring waterfalls, rocky routes and plenty of tricky obstacles. You can book ahead or turn up and play, with a café and outdoor seating available too.
🏳️🌈 Solihull Pride — Solihull Town Centre — Sat 8 Aug
Solihull Pride returns for a colourful celebration of love, inclusion and community. The free event runs from 11am to 5pm, with a parade through the town centre and live entertainment in Mell Square.
🚜 Canwell Show — Canwell Showground — Sat 8 Aug
Enjoy a traditional family day out filled with animals, competitions, countryside displays, food and craft stalls. The popular agricultural show runs from 9am until 8pm and has been at the heart of the local community for more than 100 years.
🛻 Monster Truck Motorfest — Kings Norton — Sat 15 & Sun 16 Aug
Monster trucks, motorbike displays and jaw-dropping stunts take over Thornborough Events Venue for a full-throttle family weekend. There will also be a funfair, food village, live music and entertainment, although Saturday is currently listed as sold out.
🎶 Wharf Fest — The Wharf Tavern, Hockley Heath — Sat 29 Aug
A brand-new summer festival is coming to Hockley Heath, featuring tribute acts, local performers, great food, drinks and plenty of summer atmosphere. Wharf Fest runs from 1pm until 11pm at The Wharf Tavern on Stratford Road.
🚘 Gravity Show — NEC Birmingham — Sat 29 & Sun 30 Aug
One for the car lovers! The Gravity Show brings supercars, custom builds, classics, drift cars and racing machines together for one enormous weekend at the NEC.
🎤 Music events near Solihull this August
🎶 Gramps Morgan — O2 Institute Birmingham — Fri 7 Aug
Grammy-winning reggae and country artist Gramps Morgan heads to Birmingham for an evening of feel-good music at the O2 Institute. Doors open at 7pm.
🎧 R&B Only Live — O2 Institute Birmingham — Sat 8 Aug
R&B Only Live brings a huge night of classic and modern R&B to Birmingham, with DJs playing favourites from across the decades. Doors open at 8pm, with the party continuing until 2am.
🎤 The Streets — O2 Academy Birmingham — Sat 22 Aug
Mike Skinner brings The Streets back to Birmingham for a Saturday night filled with garage, hip-hop and familiar singalong favourites. Doors open at 7pm.
THE QUICK LOCAL CHECKLIST (so you don’t get caught out)
• 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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