Old city, new attitude- Norfolk's cultured capital is a hotbed of activity for a sensational summer 2025 with a host of new and returning events.

• Live DJ sets in historic locations
• Celebrity meets circus - NEW music festival
• NEW urban safari through Norwich's charming streets
• Free summer live performance and music in Norwich city centre
• Norwich's biggest street extravaganza celebrating independents
• Big brewery garden summer vibes
• Rooftop daytime parties and performance
• NEW tour of Norwich's pubs
• NEW culture answering one of life's big questions Can the Seas Survive Us?

DJ sets in an Art Nouveau arcade, rooftop open-air dancing and exploring on safari through medieval streets. A brand-new festival bringing incredible live music together with phenomenal circus performances and Norwich's celebration of independents where a throng of thousands join at The Norwich Lanes Summer Fayre. This is summer 2025 in Norwich.

al fresco at Yalm (Friday and Saturday evenings, yalm.co.uk) NEW
Summer evenings at Yalm sees more seating spilling into the Art Nouveau Royal Arcade along with an outdoor bar giving this a real summer terrace appeal. DJs and live music, including classical Spanish guitar, will provide atmosphere along with delicious dishes from Yalm's eight local kitchens and three bars inside.

Rock N Roll Circus (14 – 16 August, rocknrollcircus.co.uk/norwich) NEW
Where incredible live music from some of the UK's most-loved artists comes together with phenomenal circus performances from high wire, acrobats, aerialists, stilt walkers, jugglers and fire performers for a show like no other. Having taken place in Sheffield, this is the festival's first outing to Norwich and promises to be spectacular.

Headliners include McFly, Courteeners and Olly Murs with other performances from Pixie Lott, Sam Ryder, Blue, Scouting For Girls and more.

DJs at Sir Toby's Beers on Norwich Market (Friday eves, sirtobysbeers.co.uk/) NEW
Catch the evening sun and with plenty of benches and seating, enjoy summer Fridays with DJ Hot Pickle's Spicy Summer Sessions outside Sir Toby's Beers! Possibly Norwich's smallest and most popular bar,find Sir Toby's located on Norwich's historic Market. It's the place to be between 5.30pm and 9pm every Friday until September. Playing a mix of soul, jazz and funk music throughout the evening, enjoy a choice of nine beer lines, two beer slushies, a fridge full of beer and Aperol Spritz too.

Norwich Summer Sessions (selected dates July & August, norwichsummersessions.co.uk)
Launching the annual celebrations of the Lord Mayor's Weekend, Norwich Summer Sessions kicks off on Hay Hill with free, live music between 5pm and 7pm. Then every Thursday in July following, see acts and live performance across three stages, with four stages when Summer Sessions moves to Sundays in August between 12.30pm and 4.30pm.

The Lord Mayor's Weekend (11 – 13 July, free)
The Lord Mayor's Weekend celebrations go back some 800 years, incorporating one of the oldest carnivals in the UK. On Saturday 12 July find Chapelfield Gardens transformed into a hub of activity brimming with hands-on fun, magical entertainment, and classic fairground vibes- free for the family from midday to 6pm. This is punctuated with joyful, vibrant live performance and music into the evening.

At 3pm, the Lord Mayor's Procession commences from Norwich Cathedral, finishing in the Gardens. This Saturday extravaganza ends with an over 18s after-party at The Adrian Flux Waterfront with a DJ set from Dave Rowntree (of Blur fame)- tickets £13.20 including fees.

The Norwich Lanes Summer Fayre (Sunday 13 July, norwichlanes.co.uk)
The welcome return of the Lanes Summer Fayre will see thousands throughout the medieval streets of Norwich enjoying the celebration of all that is independent in this marvellous maverick city. Experience pop-up bars for incredible local food, wine and cocktails; live music, DJs, artists and creators' stalls, dancing in the streets and so much more as well as free entry to the Museum of Norwich and Strangers' Hall.

GoGoSafari (23 June – 30 August http://gogosafari.co.uk/)
This is an urban safari like no other. This summer for 10 weeks, explore the streets of Norwich looking for gorillas, elephants, giraffes, rhinos and lions- large sculptures individually hand painted with no two alike.

Redwell Brewery (redwellbrewing.com)
With the largest by far beer garden in Norwich seating 350, every weekend at Redwells (Friday – Sunday) is the perfect reason to gather for great beer, live music and pop-up local food trucks all in one place.

Gonzo's roof terrace Sunday Saver Sessions (ticketed, gonzostworoom.com)
Bringing the party, these £5 sessions are what summer Sundays are all about. This is affordable live music, drinks and roof top dancing like no one is watching!

Norwich Pub Tours (norwichpubtours.com/)
After a hiatus of 7 years, Norwich Pub Tours return for monthly outings telling the fascinating stories of Norwich's history through the lens of its most famous pubs. Expect entertaining hosts, hidden gems and a few drinks along the way. Tickets £20.

Sea Inside at the Sainsbury Centre (sainsburycentre.ac.uk)
The third of three exhibitions in a programme centred around the fundamental question Can the Seas Survive Us? has opened. Curated by Dr Sarah Wade and Dr Pandora Syperek, Sea Inside turns our gaze from the vast expanse of the open sea towards its more intimate spaces – whether physical, psychological or imaginary – and dives into shared watery origins, Indigenous ways of life, and the items we remove from the sea to display on land. Artworks showcase a range of contemporary artistic approaches, and traverse personal and cultural histories.

Finally, the Sainsbury Centre has just welcomed 'Lightning Rod'- a 12-foot piece by Danish artist Kirstine Roepstorff. Crafted from cast bronze and natural sarsen stone. 'Lightning Rod' explores the speculative potential of energy transfer, how it's used for creation and destruction, and a wider look at humanity's place in a shifting world. 

Notes to editors

For further information contact Mel March, PR & marketing manager, VisitNorwich – mel.march@norwichbid.co.uk

IMAGES - https://show.pics.io/summer-2025-in-norwich

About VisitNorwich 

• VisitNorwich is the Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO) for the Norwich area and is the tourism destination marketing function of Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) - www.visitnorwich.co.uk.               

• VisitNorwich is a membership organisation within Norwich BID and its activities are funded by Investment Partners, public sector stakeholders including Norwich City Council and directly by Norwich BID. 

• VisitNorwich's sole focus is to promote and develop the destination and support its Investment Partners through collaborative marketing, research, information and business advice. 

• In 2025 VisitNorwich was shortlisted in the category: 'Integrated Campaign Of The Year' at the Travel Marketing Awards.
• In 2020 Norwich, the City of Stories was shortlisted in the City Nation Place Awards 2020 for 'Place Brand of the Year'.  

• Total value of tourism in Norwich is £769,350,590 including 12,938,800 trips (day and staying) - Destination Research: Economic Impact of Tourism report 2023. 

• In 2012 Norwich became England's first UNESCO City of Literature.