Retrofit Balsall Heath Summer Events
Join us for family-friendly events in June and July, leading up to Balsall Heath Community Festival. Come along to share and learn about retrofit, meet others in the neighbourhood and celebrate Balsall Heath past, present and future! All events are free, and everyone is welcome.
Home Retrofit Pop-Ups
Come and see our model house and take part in the ‘retrofit street drama’, sharing ways to lower our bills and make our homes and neighbourhoods healthier and happier. Free popcorn or ice lollies, depending on the weather!
Tuesday 23rd June, 11.30am – 1.30pm
St Paul’s Venture
Badgemaking and colouring
Wednesday 1st July 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Spark Green Park, Brunswick Rd
with friends of Spark Green Park
Friday 3rd July, 12pm – 2pm
Pickwick Park, St Paul’s Rd
Storytelling and drama
East/ West Retrofit Walking Procession
A procession through Balsall Heath with ‘retrofit street drama’ performances, banners, flags, drums and more. Join for as much of the procession as you like, or meet us at one of the happenings along the way! Part of Balsall Heath Community Festival.
Sunday 5th July, 11am – 5pm
11am: Meet at Balsall Heath Park
12pm: Set off
11.30am – 2pm: Seven Streets Park – Activities, refreshments, carnival exhibition. Retrofit-themed mini flag and banner-making workshop
2pm: George St Park – Retrofit model house street drama
3.30pm – 5pm: Calthorpe Park – Drumming workshop and refreshments
Find out more
Retrofit Balsall Heath is delighted to be taking part in Balsall Heath Community Festival 2026.
We’re inviting local residents to join us in a walking procession from east to west across Balsall Heath linking green spaces; from Balsall Heath Park to Calthorpe Park, on Sunday 5th July.
The procession will be the first outing for our brand new Retrofit Balsall Heath banner, made by local residents with local artist Jane Thakoordin.
We also invite you to join us in carrying five further banners, celebrating the strength and resilience of Balsall Heath’s vibrant community, which were made by young people in workshops by Jane, in association with The GAP Arts project and Culture Collective.
Join us for one of our ‘retrofit street drama’ performances, and / or for all or part of the Retrofit walking procession.
We will be meeting in Balsall Heath Park from 11am with Extinction Rebellion’s Drummers ‘Brumbeats’, before we set off at 12 noon bearing our banners and flags.
Drop in to a workshop at Seven Streets Park 11.30am – 1.30pm to make your own mini banner or flag to carry!
As we walk, we will be able to spot solar panels on homes that have been retrofitted, see fruit and nut trees planted by Fruit and Nut Village and view historical information display boards recently installed by Balsall Heath Local History Society.
Our route will take us via Seven Streets Park near Balsall Heath City Farm where there will be a History Exhibition of Balsall Heath Carnival. We will then carry on to George Street Park for another pop-up performance of our model house ‘retrofit street drama’.
Finally we will walk down Edward Rd to the square on the corner of Edward Rd/Court Rd by the offices of local community organisation, MECC Trust and where cooked food will be available from Change Kitchen and other local cafes.
Further free family friendly Festival activities including a Brumbeats Beginners Drumming Workshop will continue in Calthorpe Park.
Join us!
In the lead up to the Community Festival and the East/West Retrofit Walking Procession, we are holding pop-up performances of our model house ‘retrofit street drama’ in Spark Green Park and Pickwick Park, in association with local schools and Friends of Spark Green Park, and at St Paul’s Venture, supported by Balsall Heath Family Hub.
These sessions are open to all and will be family friendly, with free activities for children, supervised by their parents or guardians. They are co-hosted by Retrofit Balsall Heath Community Connectors, who speak a range of local languages.
Balsall Heath Community Festival is a week of fun, heritage, and innovation, 3rd – 13th July. For more details about Balsall Heath Community Festival visit the Balsall Heathan website.
Find out more about Retrofit Balsall Heath on our website.
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