Things to do this week: Festival2Funky, Country Music Festival, Plus the London Bollywood Orchestra!

Morning! Big week. Festival2Funky kicks off on Friday for three days of music, arts, and culture at the 2Funky Complex. Also on Saturday, Country Club's indoor country music festival is back at Athena after selling out last year, five hours of line dancing and cowboy hats. Then on Sunday, the London Bollywood Orchestra brings 80 years of Bollywood hits to De Montfort Hall live.

Also worth knowing, Jen Brister is at De Montfort Hall on Thursday, Alfie Boe on Saturday, and Free Comic Book Day at Forbidden Planet on Saturday morning if you're up early.

Local Scoop Leicester

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?

🎤 - Festival2Funky - Three days of music, arts, and culture. Donae'O on Saturday, David Rodigan closes it on Sunday.
📍- 2Funky Complex
📅 - 1st May - 3rd May
⏰ - Various times, see programme
🎟️ - Various prices, some events free
📷 - @2funkyempire

Festival2Funky is back for its 13th year, three days of music, arts, and culture spread across the 2Funky Complex. Donae'O headlines Saturday, David Rodigan closes the whole thing on Sunday night at 10pm, and in between there are dance battles, graffiti workshops, a poetry slam, and DJ sets.

Friday kicks off with a launch night and a poetry slam. Saturday runs from 1pm through to 4am if you've got the stamina. Sunday brings OUT on Stage before Rodigan takes over at 10.

MONDAY:

Vintage Jewellery Pop Up - University of Leicester
10:00 AM | More Info

TUESDAY

Artsters Play April/May Term - Linwood Lane
9:30 AM | More Info

Crazy Crafters - Leicester Libraries
11:00 AM | More Info

Beginner Squash Coaching - Leicester Squash Club
6:00 PM | More Info

Leicestershire Music School Choir of Year Competition - De Montfort Hall
7:00 PM | More Info

Sound Bath - Thrussington Village Hall
7:00 PM | More Info

WEDNESDAY:

Networking for Business Growth - New Walk House
5:30 PM | More Info

Baby & Child First Aid - Thurmaston
6:30 PM | More Info

Out With The Buckleys - De Montfort Hall
7:30 PM | More Info

THURSDAY:

Bingo - Buzz Bingo Leicester
7:00 PM | More Info

Ashtanga Yoga - Groby Village Hall
7:00 PM | More Info

How to Spin Enchantment - Leicester Guildhall
7:00 PM | More Info

Jen Brister Reactive - De Montfort Hall
7:30 PM | More Info

FRIDAY:

Girls Club Bird House Decorating - Groby Village Hall
5:00 PM | More Info

Piano N’ Plates - Omi
6:00 PM | More Info

Full Moon Sound Bath and Cacao Ceremony - Co-op Sports & Social Club
7:00 PM | More Info

SATURDAY:

Free Comic Book Day - Forbidden Planet
9:00 AM | More Info

River Walk & Cuppa - Aylestone Meadows
9:30 AM | More Info

Nature Crafts - Green Space
11:00 AM | More Info

Brunch Club - Ivy Lounge
1:00 PM | More Info

Ecstatic Awakening Dance Journey - Faircharm Trading Estate
5:00 PM | More Info

Alfie Boe - De Montfort Hall
7:00 PM | More Info

SUNDAY:

Art Social - The Common Room
12:00 PM | More Info

Cocktail Master Class - The Ivy Lounge
2:00 PM | More Info

Comedy Night - The Britannia
7:30 PM | More Info

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY:

100th Birthday Celebration Day - Leicester Guildhall
11:00 AM | More Info

SCRUMPTIOUS SCOOP

🍺 - The Old Horse - Just had a £1M refurb, a new pizza oven, and an outdoor bar. London Road's local is back and it's looking good.
📍- 198 London Road
⏰ - Mon to Sat, 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
⏰ - Sun, 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
📷 - @theoldhorse

The Old Horse on London Road has just come back from a £1M refurbishment and it's worth the visit. Inside there's a reworked layout with a dedicated dining space, cosy corners, and a new pizza oven turning out Neapolitan-style pizzas. The menu runs from pub snacks and sharing plates through to classics and Cajun chicken pizza.

Outside, the biggest beer garden on London Road has been given new seating and its own outdoor bar. It's been here since 1864. It's having a very good 2026.

ACTIVITY ALLEY

🎵 - The London Bollywood Orchestra: Sounds of Mumbai - Bollywood from the 1940s to now, performed live. The classics hit differently when there's a full band.
📍- De Montfort Hall
📅 - Sunday 3rd May
⏰ - 7:00 PM
🎟️ - From £28
📷 - @demontforthall

The London Bollywood Orchestra brings 80 years of Bollywood hits to De Montfort Hall, played live by a band that includes West End musicians, classical players, and jazz musicians. Award-winning singers Rekha and Navin Kundra take you through the classics from the 1940s to today, plus a few forgotten gems you genuinely hadn't expected to hear.

FRESH EXPERIENCES

🤠 - Country Club - Country Music Festival - Line dancing, cowboy hat giveaways, and five hours of country hits.
📍- Athena
📅 - Saturday 2nd May
⏰ - 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM (last entry 9:00 PM)
🎟️ - From £16
📷 - @AthenaLeicester

Country Club's indoor country music festival is back at Athena after selling out in 2025. Five hours of line dancing, free cowboy and cowgirl hat giveaways, and a setlist running through Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift, Chris Stapleton, and more.

LIVE MUSIC

FRIDAY:

• Friday Evening Jazz - Bottle Garden - 6:00 PM

• House Gospel Choir - 2Funky - 7:30 PM

• Boomslang Live - Duffy's Bar - 7:30 PM

• Jack Smith - The Dove - 8:00 PM

• Ray Hatfield & Keith Buck - Black Horse - 9:00 PM

• Viking Night - Metal Monocle - 11:00 PM

SATURDAY:

• Break Pirates - Real Ale Classroom - 5:00 PM

• Zombie Met Girl - Duffy's Bar - 7:30 PM

• Donae'O - 2Funky - 7:30 PM

• Johnny Crab Trio Live - Eyres Monsell Club - 7:30 PM

• Victoria Cluskey - Keepers Lodge - 9:00 PM

SUNDAY:

• Ascension - Metal Monocle - 3:00 PM

• Hoodoo Brown - Black Horse - 3:00 PM

• Karen West - Shoemakers Pub - 6:30 PM

• Kerranthems - Mela Monocle - 11:30 PM

THANKS!

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