With a host of theatres, cinemas, live music venues and events in the calendar every year, there’s plenty to make a song and dance about in Staffordshire.
Theatres including the New Vic, Lichfield Garrick, Stafford Gatehouse and Stoke-on-Trent’s Regent throw the spotlight on everything from touring West End shows, to community productions, and ballet, opera and top stand-up comedy.
Every summer, the productions move into stunning outdoor locations at Stafford Castle – for the acclaimed Stafford Festival Shakespeare – and The Trentham Estate, Biddulph Grange Garden and Dorothy Clive Garden.
And one of the top family festivals in the country, the Just So Festival, offers story-telling, pillow fights and mischief and mayhem for all.
If you prefer your action on the silver screen, watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters at Cineworld at Intu Potteries, or indie treats at Barton Marina’s Red Carpet Cinema.
Or take a picnic blanket to the National Memorial Arboretum and Tamworth Castle for movies with beautiful backdrops.
There’s great live music throughout the year at the Victoria Hall, while in the warmer months, Uttoxeter Racecourse and Cannock Chase host well-known bands, and the UK’s best tribute acts descend on The Trentham Estate, or head to Leek for the annual Leek Arts Festival, where some of the biggest folk musicians appear on the bill.
Immerse yourself in the amazing live performances of Appetite Stoke’s packed summer programme, and the spectacular annual Homecoming Festival in Newcastle-under-Lyme, which celebrates Philip Astley, founder of the modern circus.
Sit back and sample Premiership football at its best at Stoke City’s Bet365 Stadium, or quiz sporting greats past and present at The Premier Suite in Cannock, which regularly hosts up close and personal gala dinners.
For entertainment with a traditional Staffordshire twist, head for the unique Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, which dates back to the 1200s, and well dressings at villages across the Staffordshire Peak District.