What to see and do this summer

Summer is drawing near, and festival season is underway. But with so much going on in Sheffield’s busy cultural calendar, which events shouldn’t you miss? We’ve combed through the listings so you don’t have to. Something you think deserves a shout that we haven’t mentioned? Let us know in the comments.

In case you missed it

For our weekend read, Dan took on a contentious topic — the council’s plans to build on the green belt — and inspired more than 100 comments from members, a Tribune record! Helen Dyson wondered “why permission for retail parks, like the one currently being built opposite the Wednesday Ground, seems to take precedence over building homes,” while Louie wrote that it was unfortunate “there has been such poor communication of how the Local Plan process even works”. You can read that piece here and join the debate.

Earlier in the week, freelancer Katie Scott wondered whether Sheffield’s indoor climbing gyms might be losing their gritty charm and David Coleman argued the trend for wood burners in the city’s richer neighbourhoods might be increasing rates of lung cancer in its poorest.

How can the north become great again?

From our sponsor: Britain is more unequal than ever before, and to fix it, we need to take power out of Westminster. At this year’s Festival of Debate, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, the Mayors of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region, will share their experiences trying to do just that on the frontline of modern British politics. It’s taking place at the Octagon Centre next Monday (19th May), from 7.30pm — 9pm.

To find out more and book your ticket, click here.

The big picture: Painting the town (hall) red

Last Thursday, the town hall was lit up in blazing red to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Thanks to @steelcitysnaps for this great shot.

What to see and do this summer

So much to see, so little time. Here’s The Tribune’s guide to what events you shouldn’t miss this festival season:

Sheffield Cocktail Festival, 17th May

A new kid on the block this year, the festival is promising 25 of Sheffield’s hippest bars under one roof at Steamworks. There are masterclasses if you want to fine tune your mixing skills and a range of non-alcoholic cocktails if you want to keep it light. Tickets are here.

Chamber Music Festival, 16th - 24th May

Schumann and Ravel: Mother Goose. The intimate setting of the Crucible Playhouse is perfect for smaller ensembles, and this festival seems to raise the bar every year. The afternoon concert of music by Ravel and Schumann will be perfect for a summer afternoon. The lightness and charm of Ravel’s Mother Goose (Ma Mère L'Oye) makes it one of his most popular works, and Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E flat is often described as his best chamber work. Not one to miss. Tickets here.

Sausage and Cider festival, 7th June

Will appeal to lovers of… sausages and cider, of which they promise many different varieties. Also good for fans of eating competitions (you could win a one metre sausage!) and tribute bands, including Fleetwood Mac, Abba and Oasis knock-offs. It’s coming to the Don Valley bowl, and while it’s not a homegrown festival like the others, it’s probably a pretty fun day out. Here is where to go for tickets.

DocFest, 18th - 23rd June

Mr Nobody Against Putin. A primary school teacher in an obscure town in the Ural mountains is required to capture footage of Russian propaganda being taught at the school, to show the government that the new curriculum is being implemented. But Pavel Talankin (the Mr Nobody of the title) has a different agenda, capturing the disconcerting changes in school pupils as Putin’s “patriotic education policy” is enforced. As military drills become a part of daily life and children are taught to defend the motherland, Talankin’s subversive footage makes him an unlikely resistance hero. Winner of the World Cinema Documentary at the Sundance Festival, you won’t want to miss it. More details here.

Migration Matters Festival, 20th - 28th June

This Jungo Life. If you’ve never previously attended Migration Matters — our city’s nine-day celebration of migrants and refugees — then this is definitely the year to go, as they celebrate their tenth anniversary. The event we’re most excited about is This Jungo Life at Showroom Cinema on 26th June, a film that David Fedele and Abubakr Ali filmed entirely on mobile phones. In Sudan, the term “jungo” originally described seasonal agricultural workers who left their homes in search of work but has since been adopted by those fleeing the country in search of a safer life.

Crossed Wires, 4th - 6th July

Nobody expects the Michael Palin podcast! Crossed Wires is back for year two, looking to establish itself as the nation’s biggest podcast festival. Returning son of Sheffield Michael Palin is likely to be one of the most interesting events on the bill. Greg James interviewing, tickets are here. (If main stage tickets are too pricey for you, look out for yet to be announced fringe events.) 

Tramlines Festival, 25th - 27th July

DJ Kyla C Sheffield’s own Kyla C is one of the DJs appearing at Speakers Corner with Slambarz this year, spinning R&B, hip hop, soul, UK garage and a few chart and dance music hits. Earlier this year, she performed her first Boiler Room set, on a line-up that included another local legend, Big Ang. 

Graves Park Food & Drink Festival, 30th - 31st August

Local foodies have quite a few festivals to choose from this summer, including the Sheffield Food Festival later this month, but we’re particularly excited for the Graves Park Food & Drink Festival at the tail end of the summer. The line-up includes live cooking demos from local chefs and more than 20 different street food and dessert traders to get stuck into. You’ll also be chowing down for a good cause — this year the festival has partnered with Sheffield Mind to raise money for local mental health initiatives.

What are you most looking forward to this summer? Let us know in the comments.

Your Tribune briefing 🗞️

🕯️ The BBC published this wonderful history feature on “the lady of the lamp” Monica Maurice, who was instrumental in swapping the flame lamps previously used by miners for electric lights, thus making their dangerous job considerably safer. She was the first — and for decades only — female member of the Association of Mining Electrical Engineers and was once wrongly accused of spying for Britain in post-war Germany by a local paper. Her son John remembers his mother as an incredibly modest woman. "In fact, in my younger life, I was totally unaware of all [her] achievements," he told the BBC. 

❓ Another sweet feature from the BBC, who popped into The New Anglers pub in Handsworth — previously The Anglers Rest — where one dedicated man has been running the weekly quiz for over 30 years. Phil Ashley, 73 and a retired bus driver, has been posing the questions every Tuesday since 1994 and has since become part of the pub’s “fixtures and fittings” according to new landlord Richard Billard. Phil has never changed his format — ten general knowledge questions and 11 music ones — and has developed a set of classic catchphrases, such as shouting "do bear with me ladies and gentleman, this is a live show" whenever something goes wrong. 

🚫 The Daily Mail took a trip to “Britain’s strictest village” — Wentworth, near Rotherham — where takeaways are banned by the village elders and everyone’s front door must be painted the same shade of green. By and large, residents seem incredibly happy with the village’s draconian rules, yet many fear their throwback way of life will be threatened by plans to build a luxury hotel and spa on their doorstep.

This week’s weather 🌥️

Our weather forecast comes from dedicated Sheffield weather service Steel City Skies, who say we’ll mostly have a dry and sunny week, with a few showers at the very start.

Monday 🌦️ Sunshine and scattered afternoon sharp showers. Keen easterly winds and highs of 25C.

Tuesday 🌤️ Dry and fine with lengthy spells of strong sunshine throughout. Keen winds and highs of 22C.

Wednesday 🌤️ A continuation of the sunshine with temperatures a little fresher. Breezy and highs of 20C.

Thursday 🌤️ Early mist clears to sunshine again, with a cool breeze from the north east and highs of 20C.

Friday 🌤️ Staying dry and settled with sunny spells. North-northeast breezes still, with highs a pleasant 21C.

Weekend: Sunny spells, patchy cloud and dry conditions persisting. Temperatures a little above average.

To see the full forecast and keep up to date with any changes to the outlook, follow Steel City Skies on Facebook.

The weekly Whitworth ✍️

Cartoonist James Whitworth with his take on how wood burners owned by people in the wealthy west of Sheffield could be polluting the air for people who live in the city’s east.

Home of the week 🏡

This gorgeous home in the Rotherham area village of Wales is a bit pricier than we normally go for, but looks like pretty good value. As well as five bedrooms and three bathrooms, the Grade II-listed former manor house, parts of which date back to the 17th century, also has a stunning central atrium/dining room, two elegant sitting rooms, a master bedroom with its own balcony, a courtyard with a central fountain feature to the front, and beautiful gardens with open views and several seating areas to the rear. Anyone got a spare £825,000 they can lend us?

Things to do 📆

Trees 🌳 On Monday, find out all about trees and what makes them special in spring on this tour of Sheffield Botanical Gardens. The one-hour tour begins at 6pm and sets off from the entrance to the Dorothy Fox Education Centre, at the top of the slope from the gates on Thompson Road, off Ecclesall Road. There is no need to book and the tour is free, but people taking the tour are encouraged to make a £3 donation to the upkeep of the gardens.

Theatre 🎭 On at St John’s Church on Abbeydale Road from Wednesday until Saturday is Chalk and Cheeseland, a new comedy written by Totley Operatic and Dramatic Society member Alan Wade. Set in a quirky 1980s school where chaos, eccentricities, and strange education philosophies collide, three teachers show up for an interview at a school that’s anything but ordinary. Tickets are priced £6-£7 and are available by emailing tickets@toads-drama.co.uk.

Music 🎸 Starting on Thursday is 50 Years of Sonic Shock: Celebrating Cabaret Voltaire, an exhibition all about the pioneering Sheffield band. The show runs from Thursday to Sunday in the University of Sheffield’s Theatre Workshop on Shearwood Road, while an evening of music and conversion will take place at the Drama Studio on Friday. The evening will feature some special guests in conversion with Tribune music writer Daniel Dylan Wray.