Young people with disabilities across Leicester are being invited to discover the speed, teamwork and confidence-building power of wheelchair rugby through the new Leicester Tigers Wheelchair Rugby Junior Academy. The monthly programme gives young people aged eight to 17 years – and their families – the opportunity to try wheelchair rugby in a fun, inclusive and fully supported environment. Sessions take place once a month on Saturdays from 12:00 to 14:30 at De Montfort Uni

The National Space Centre is turning up the glitter this summer with the launch of Cosmic Dancing Queens, a brand-new ABBA‑inspired party night and the latest instalment in its fast-growing after-hours live music series. Following the sell-out success of Cosmic Country and Cosmic Emo, this much-anticipated next chapter swaps cowboy boots and eyeliner for platform boots, sequins and disco anthems, promising a high-energy night of sing-alongs, dancing and pure feel good escapis

The National Space Centre will mark 20 years of its hugely popular Star Wars event with a spectacular weekend celebration on 4–5 July, welcoming more than 100 costumed characters each day from across the iconic franchise. First launched in 2006 after collaboration with the 501st UK Garrison, the event quickly became a standout in the fan calendar. Its inaugural year featured legendary actors Kenny Baker, Dave Prowse, and Jeremy Bulloch — the faces behind R2-D2, Darth Vader, a

New figures have revealed that the economic impact of the tourism sector in Leicester and Leicestershire is worth £2.676 billion, despite a challenging environment for these businesses. This figure relates to activity in 2025 and is up by 4.62% on the 2024 figure of £2.558 billion. Over 32.5 million people visited the city and county in 2025, this is an increase of 1.65% on the previous year’s figure of 32.04 million, which was 2.4% up on 2023. Of these numbers, the county we

Leicester Pride set to welcome record crowds as region becomes home to more Pride celebrations than anywhere else in the country. Leicester Pride is preparing to welcome more than 20,000 people to the city this summer as organisers gear up for what promises to be one of the largest Pride celebrations in the UK and a powerful showcase of why the Midlands is increasingly regarded as the nation's Pride Capital. The annual event – which takes place Saturday 5th September – has gr

This weekend, Leicester’s skies will be transformed as the city hosts its first-ever Balloon Festival, one of a series of major family-friendly events expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Leicester and Leicestershire. From spectacular hot air balloon displays and Star Wars adventures to giant mazes, colourful cultural celebrations and extraordinary community art installations, the county is offering families a packed programme of unique experiences throu

The National Space Centre is marking its 25th birthday on 30 June with the launch of an extraordinary new gallery experience — a major addition designed to transform the visitor journey and bring the far reaches of our Solar System closer than ever before. At the heart of the celebrations is the brand-new Outer Solar System Experience, an immersive space where visitors can step beyond the asteroid belt and explore distant worlds without ever leaving the Centre. This exciting

A group of Leicestershire cyclists have embarked on a 220-mile challenge in the hope of securing national recognition for a new long-distance cycling route that would put the county on the map for ‘bikepacking’ adventure tourism. The proposed ‘King's End’ route will link key historic sites, countryside landscapes and independent cafés across Leicester and Leicestershire, with the hope that it will be included in Cycling UK's prestigious ‘Adventure Series’ - potentially making

The Great Central Railway and 5305 Locomotive Trust are celebrating the completion of a major restoration project on the National Railway Museum’s National Collection locomotive D6535, preserving one of Britain's most significant early diesel locomotives for future generations. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the restored locomotive in action during the railway's Autumn Diesel Gala, where D6535 (33116) will be paired with visiting Class 33 locomotive 33103, appearin

The National Space Centre is inviting families to embrace the unexpected this summer with the launch of its brand-new Family Film Club Secret Screening being held in in the UK's largest planetarium on Sunday 28 June 2026. Designed to appeal to children and grown-ups alike, the special morning event offers visitors the chance to enjoy a family-friendly film on the big screen in the UK’s largest planetarium; the Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium – with one important twist: nobody k

Hot on the heels of Download - the UK's biggest rock festival of 2026 - Leicestershire is underway to one of its busiest summers on record welcoming visitors to a spectacular array of major events – from medieval battlefields, world-class motorsport to one of Britain's largest wartime re-enactments. 13 major events are expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city and county over the coming months, cementing Leicester and Leicestershire's reputation a

Visit Leicester has officially announced its Green Days, Green Stays and Green Ways campaign, a major initiative designed to highlight the benefits of regenerative tourism and encourage eco-friendly travel throughout the city and county. Tourists the world over are increasingly aware of the impact of their travel and want to know that their choices make a positive difference, rather than leave a negative impact. Moving beyond traditional sustainability, the campaign focu

Leicester’s Museum Square will once again be transformed into a vibrant hub of Caribbean joy as the Windrush Tea Party returns for another amazing celebration on Saturday 20th June. Organised by Opal22, the event takes place from 12pm to 8pm at Museum Square, New Walk, Leicester, and invites families, friends, and communities of all backgrounds to come together for an unforgettable day honouring the legacy of the Windrush Generation. With entrance operating on a ‘pay-what-you

The legend that is Queen will be blasting through the cosmos at the National Space Centre on the 29 May at Queen Heaven, an audiovisual planetarium experience dedicated to one of the most enduring bands of all time. Set beneath the vast dome of the UK’s largest planetarium, the show pairs Queen’s biggest anthems — including Bohemian Rhapsody and Who Wants To Live Forever — in a space designed to surround you with sound and atmosphere. A one-of-a-kind experience that celebrate

Alex’s Wish has today unveiled the first of its showstopping vehicles set to appear at the 2026 Supercars event – led by the breathtaking LaFerrari Aperta, an ultra-rare hypercar valued at an estimated £12 million. Taking place on Sunday 31st May 2026 at Ratcliffe College (10am–3pm), the Alex’s Wish Supercars event is already shaping up to be its most spectacular yet, with the LaFerrari Aperta confirmed as the headline attraction. Launched in 2016 to celebrate Ferrari’s 70t

2Funky Arts is launching an exciting paid opportunity for artists of Black, African and Caribbean heritage to be part of their acclaimed, annual And Still I Rise Midlands tour - a production for Black History Month. Ten outstanding creatives will be selected to present powerful new work - celebrating the strength, spirit and vibrancy of Black culture. Each artist will develop an original 6–7-minute performance, exploring themes of identity, heritage and liberation. Inspired b

Leicester’s much-loved Spark Festival returns this May, transforming venues across the city into a nine-day celebration of creativity for children and families - and this year, children aren’t just taking part, they’re helping to lead the way. Running from Saturday 16 to Sunday 24 May 2026, the nine-day festival will transform schools, libraries, community spaces and venues across the city into a vibrant celebration of the arts for young people aged 0-13 with a packed program

May is shaping up to be a busy one at the National Space Centre - and not in a “quiet wander around the exhibits” kind of way. Think toddlers discovering space for the first time, sensory-friendly afternoons, pirates taking over the planetarium, a real-life astronaut and Queen blasting through the cosmos - all within a few short weeks. The month kicks off on 1 May with Small Space Days, a gentle introduction to space for the Centre’s youngest explorers. Designed for early yea

With just two weeks left until the final deadline, Leicester is urging residents, food lovers and supporters nationwide to rally behind its bid to retain the coveted title of England’s Curry Capital. Having held the crown since 2024, the city now faces fierce competition from Birmingham, London, Manchester and Bradford in a public vote that will decide who takes the title for 2026–2028. From biryani to phal and tarka dal, the contest celebrates the very best of Britain’

Remember a time when your fringe covered at least one eye, your MSN name was basically a cry for help, and your iPod Classic knew your feelings better than anyone else? Then good news: that version of you is getting a night out! For one night only, Cosmic Emo Night at the National Space Centre will be proving that you were right all along and it was never just a phase, by turning up the volume on heartbreak teenage angst and giving it a cosmic upgrade. Think less bedroom floo