Things to do this week: Back to the 90s Festival, EM-Con and Richard Dawkins Live on Stage!

Morning! Saturday is doing two very different jobs this week. Binks Yard has a 90s outdoor dance festival with old skool house, trance, hardcore and a secret headliner nobody is naming yet, which feels either exciting or slightly like a group chat with admin rights.

Over at EM-Con, it’s sci-fi guests, cosplay, film sets and grown adults queueing calmly for someone they’ve loved since 2004. Completely different crowds, same level of commitment.

Then Sunday evening brings Richard Dawkins to the Royal Concert Hall, for anyone who wants to end the weekend staring into space reconsidering viruses, evolution and most of Year 9 biology.

Local Scoop Nottingham

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?

🎉 - Back to the 90s Outdoor Festival - Old Skool Anthems, Glitter Stations, and a Secret Headliner Causing Suspicion!
📍- Binks Yard
📅 - Sat 13th Jun
⏰ - 3:00 PM - 10:00 PM (last entry 7:00 PM)
🎟️ - Final 50 tickets at £30 | Fast track entry £35
📷 - @backto90sfestival

Back to the 90s hits Binks Yard on Saturday with seven hours of house, trance, hardcore, street food, glitter stations, face painting, festival production, and a VIP area for anyone who wants their old skool anthems with slightly better queue management.

There’s also a secret headliner still under wraps, which feels very 90s in itself. Nobody knows what’s happening, everyone has opinions, and somebody’s already convinced it’s their favourite DJ.

MONDAY

Art Exhibition by Martin Wright - Attenborough Nature Reserve
9:00 AM | More Info

Painting Party - Cock & Hoop
7:00 PM | More Info

TUESDAY

Wellbeing Walk - Attenborough Nature Reserve
10:30 AM | More Info

Cuban Salsa & Rueda Classes - The Greenway Centre
7:30 PM | More Info

The Arches Live at 75 - Royal Concert Hall
7:30 PM | More Info

WEDNESDAY

Paint and Sip Party - Pitcher & Piano
7:00 PM | More Info

Introduction to Gnosis - YMCA Community Centre
7:00 PM | More Info

THURSDAY

Gilbert House Bistro Opening - Watnall Road
10:00 AM | More Info

FRIDAY

Pub Quiz - Sherwood Manor
7:00 PM | More Info

Gin Tasting Night - Jenkins Bar
7:00 PM | More Info

Comedy in The Caves - The Whistle & Flute
8:00 PM | More Info

SATURDAY

Pilates in The Park - Cotgrave Country Park
9:30 AM | More Info

Sherwood Vegan Market - Sherwood United Reformed Church
10:00 AM | More Info

The Garage Saturday Market - Chilwell
10:00 AM | More Info

Family Fun Weekend - Lexus Nottingham Open
10:00 AM | More Info

Peapods and Gillyflowers Exhibition - Wollaton Park
11:00 AM | More Info

EID in The Park - Wollaton Park
12:00 PM | More Info

Fat Digester 30th Anniversary! - Old Cold Store
1:00 PM | More Info

90’s Classic Brunch with DJ Damian Wells - Mssng Pieces Bar
1:00 PM | More Info

SKA Day Party - NG-One
3:00 PM | More Info

SUNDAY

Carrington Farmers Market - St John’s Church Grounds
10:00 AM | More Info

Yoga and Sound Summer Social - Brewhouse & Kitchen
10:30 AM | More Info

South Notts Out & About - Dewberry Hill Nature Reserve,
2:00 PM | More Info

Picnic in The Park & Jazz Band - Rockley Memorial
2:00 PM | More Info

ACTIVITY ALLEY

🎭 - EM-Con 2026 - Sci-Fi Guests, Cosplay, Film Sets, and Queueing for Your Childhood Hero!
📍- Motorpoint Arena
📅 - Sat 13th Jun to Sun 14th Jun
⏰ - VIP entry 9:45 AM | Early entry 10:00 AM | General entry 11:00 AM
🎟️ - From £21 | Under 9s free
📷 - @nottinghamarena

EM-Con is back across two days with celebrity guests, cosplay, film sets, autographs, photo ops, and enough sci-fi commitment to make a normal outfit feel suspicious.

Most people go in for one guest, then leave with a signed print, three photos, and a sudden opinion on costume accuracy.

Under 9s go free with a paying adult. Read the cosplay rules before anyone arrives dressed like they’re about to invade a small moon.

FRESH EXPERIENCES

🧬 - Richard Dawkins - Genes and the Meaning of Life - The Scientist Behind the Selfish Gene Live on Stage
📍- Royal Concert Hall
📅 - Sun 14th Jun
⏰ - 7:30 PM
🎟️ - From £36 | Top price ticket £69 includes a copy of The Genetic Book of the Dead
📷 - @royalnottingham

Celebrating fifty years of The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins comes to Nottingham for an evening exploring the science of genetics and evolution, drawing on the latest research to present what he calls a genetic book of the dead, the idea that every living creature carries an archive of its ancestors' worlds inside it.

He'll also end with a question that will sit with you on the way home: are all your own genes simply a colony of cooperating viruses? Tickets from £36, and the top price ticket includes a copy of his new book if you want the full picture.

LIVE MUSIC

FRIDAY:

• The Milk Live - Bodega - 7:00 PM

• Palindrones - Mist Rolling Inn - 7:00 PM

• ECTC This is Pop - Metronome - 7:00 PM

• Phases - Calluna - 8:00 PM

• Black Bear Bones - Billy Bootleggers - 8:00 PM

• Late Night Threeway Presents Queen & Fleetwood - Billy Bootleggers - 8:00 PM

SATURDAY:

• Ibiza Fever - Trent Navigation - 2:00 PM

• Lawrence County Live - BIlly Bootleggers - 4:00 PM

• The Sundown Boys - Billy Bootleggers - 8:00 PM

• Swing Gitan Live - Gladstone - 8:30 PM

• The Indie Division - White Lion Sawley - 9:00 PM

• Madonna and Michael Tribute - Billy Bootleggers - 11:00 PM

SUNDAY:

• Bonestrider - Mist Rolling Inn - 7:00 PM

THANKS!

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