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 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 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

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

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

A Leicester author has released a new book exploring how people can stay grounded and present, even when life feels overwhelming. The Happy Rickshaw Driver: Finding Calm in the Chaos by Kirit Thakore is a spiritual, story led take on stress and modern life, set against the backdrop of Mumbai’s intensity. Through the journey of a high-performing stress coach pushed to her limits, the book examines a simple but timely idea: calm isn’t something we find once life settles down —

Visit Leicester has launched its brand-new Tourism Growth Plan, setting out a five-year strategy to continue to grow the tourism economy and solidify a distinctive identity for Leicester and Leicestershire . The Tourism Growth Plan builds on the success of the previous five-year plan, which saw the city and county rally from the impact of the longest COVID lockdown in the UK to grow the value of the tourism economy to £2.5 billion and welcome 32 million visitors per year to t

This year Leicester will be vying again for the title of England Curry Capital, which it has held for the past 2 years, since being crowned in July 2024. Leicester will be going up against four of the country’s most iconic curry locations in a public vote to see who has the best Biryani, the finest Phal and the top Tarka Dal, not to mention a pile of poppadoms and pilau to mop them all up! The England Curry Capital competition was revived in 2023 by local journalist and

Leicester, UK – A new restaurant booking platform is launching in Leicester, offering diners 50% off their food bill in return for booking early tables. First Table, which already operates in 18 UK cities, will go live in Leicester from Wednesday 25 February, partnering with a mix of independent restaurants across the city. From neighbourhood favourites to destination dining spots, Leicester’s diverse food scene has embraced the First Table model with enthusiasm. First

Leicestershire is set to feel the roar once again as the hugely popular Alex’s Wish Supercars charity event returns on Sunday 31st May, taking place in the stunning grounds of Ratcliffe College from 10am to 3pm. Following an incredibly successful event in 2025 – which raised an impressive £28,000 for the Duchenne charity – organisers are promising an even bigger, better and more exciting day out for car enthusiasts, families and thrill-seekers alike. The event is organise

Leicester’s Festivals & Events team has been named as one of just ten finalists in VisitEngland’s prestigious Tourism Superstar Awards — and the city now has the chance to help them win. Facing competition from across the country, the team is flying the flag for Leicester on a national stage, and public votes will decide the champion. They’re up against some stiff competition from all across the country and you can vote for them Here to help bring the title home to Leicester