Entertainment in Nottingham

Nottingham has a delightful array of fascinatingNottingham Forest and Notts County (the oldest
tourist attractions, suiting everyone from theFootball League team in the world). The Trent
history buff to the Robin Hood fan, but the cityBridge cricket ground is home to the champion
has a lot to offer beyond half-day excursions forNottinghamshire County Cricket Club. Each year in
out-of-towners. For those who live in the citythe fall the acclaimed "Robin Hood Marathon" and
proper, or in its surrounding conurbation, and fora handful of shorter races are organized in the
those who visit on day trips and holidays, there iscity centre. The National Ice Centre skating rink is
music of all sorts, theater, dining, shopping, sportwhere international skating stars train and
and nightlife. Entertainment is rich and plentiful incompete in various sports, and the Nottingham
the modern city of Nottingham.Panthers play ice hockey. The city also has
For classical music, there are several performingfacilities for professional level rugby, tennis,
groups to choose from, including the Nottinghamrowing, sailing, and canoeing.
Symphony Orchestra, the Nottingham PhilharmonicVictoria Centre and Broadmarsh Shopping Centre
Orchestra, the Harmonic Society, the Bach Choir,(with its cave exhibits underneath) are the two
the Symphonic Wind Orchestra, and the Earlymain sites for commercial entertainment, housing
Music group Musica Donum Dei. The governmentretailers such as Jessops/John Lewis, Debenhams,
also sponsors an annual series of orchestralMarks & Spencer, and House of Fraser.
concerts known as the Nottingham Classics, andSmaller retail sections can be found at The
the Nottingham Music Society hosts chamberExchange Arcade and the Flying Horse Walk.
music performances at the Castle GateDesigner shops have a home in Bridlesmith Gate;
Congregational Centre.this is where designer Paul Smith got his start,
The city is home to several other exciting musicand the home of the Nottingham School of
venues, including the Royal Concert Hall and theFashion which he founded. Hockley Village caters
Nottingham Arena, which feature a wide varietyto an edgier crowd.
of modern performers. More intimate shows areSome central entertainment areas for nightlife in
played at club venues such as Junktion 7, The Oldthe city include:o Lace Market, a historic area full
Angel, the award-winning Rock City and its sisterof stylish 18th century factories and warehouses,
venues, and many more. Nottingham has a verynow full of apartments, shops, restaurants, as well
lively pub and club scene, sustained by youngas the Galleries of Justice museum beneath the
adults from the University of Nottingham andold County Gaolo Hockley Village, adjacent to the
Nottingham Trent University. The local musicLace Market, has shops, galleries, bars and pubs,
scene has produced the bands Swing Out Sister,restaurants, pavement cafes, and the world's
Ten Years After, Paper Lace, Tindersticks,smallest cinema with just 21 seats.o The
Stereo MCs, Pitchshifter and Consumed.Waterfront/Castle area features The Waterfront
The discerning theatre buff may attend plays atbar, with outside balconies; the Canal House with a
the Nottingham Playhouse, the Theatre Royal, andcanal and bridge running right through the middle, a
the Nottingham Arts Theatre. Smaller localcomedy club, karaoke bar, and more pubs and
theatres include Albert Hall Nottingham, therestaurants.o The Corner House has bars,
Bonington Theatre, the Clarendon Communityrestaurants, a cinema and a gym, inside the old
Theatre, the Courtyard Theatre, and the LakesideEvening Post building across from the Royal
Arts Centre. Each year Newstead Abbey hostsConcert Hall.o Old Market Square offers more
summer theatre, with Shakespeare and otherbars, clubs, and pool halls, including the gothic club
offerings, while in the winter time they presentthe Pit and the Pendulum.
nostalgic Christmas pageants.In addition to the many year-round attractions,
Dining out in Nottingham twenty years ago was aNottingham also plays host to the historic Goose
rather grim business, as the choices were ratherFair for four or five days every October, at the
narrow and bland. These days there are manyForest Recreation Ground. This gigantic attraction
fine restaurants, some winning national awards,started as a trade fair over seven hundred years
including Hart's, Jesse's, Merchants, Petit Paris,ago, in the days of King Edward I. It has been
Pretty Orchid, Punchinello's, and Theknown at times for its fine cheeses, for wool and
Mediterranean. There are a wide variety of locallace, and for the geese driven by the thousands
and ethnic cuisines to choose from in the city'sto the city from Lincolnshire. Today the Goose
numerous restaurants, cafes, delivery places, andFair has evolved into one of the largest shows of
take-aways. Indian, Middle Eastern, Spanish, Italian,its kind in the world, with over half a million people
Egyptian, Caribbean, Mexican, Russian, Greek,visiting every year, enjoying over five hundred
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and even Americanrides and games, and hundreds more stalls for
food is available.purchasing food, gifts and souvenirs.
Sport is a prime diversion in Nottingham, withIn short, Nottingham is rich in culture and
three major venues within direct line of sight ofentertainment, and there is something good to be
each other. The local football teams arefound for every taste and interest.