I've only really passed through Victoria Square while Diwali on the Square was on, just stopping to get my photos in the middle of my photo walk. These are my photos of the event from October 2018, October 2019 and October 2022. It was held by the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Indian Consulate General of Birmingham.
I've only really passed through Victoria Square while Diwali on the Square was on, just stopping to get my photos in the middle of my photo walk. These are my photos of the event from October 2018, October 2019 and October 2022. It was held by the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Indian Consulate General of Birmingham.
Diwali is usually celebrated by the Indian community in Birmingham every October. In the last couple of years of the 2010s, the Indian Consulate General of Birmingham organised an event along with the West Midlands Combined Authority, and taking place in Victoria Square. Due to the Pandemic, there was no event in the square during 2020 and 2021, but it returned in 2022. There is usually a stage with music and dancing on it. Various stands with food and drink, hand and face painting etc.
Diwali on the Square - 20th October 2018
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Diwali on the Square - 19th October 2019
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Diwali on the Square - 15th October 2022
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Squares and public spaces
17 Aug 2022 - Elliott Brown
Gallery
Victoria Square - View from 103, Key to the City
In June 2022, Elliott was gifted the Key to the City by the lady behind the 103 Colmore Row Twitter and Instagram accounts. He visited 103 Colmore Row for views from the 18th floor balcony four times between June and August 2022. Here are the changing views of Victoria Square. Including during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
In June 2022, Elliott was gifted the Key to the City by the lady behind the 103 Colmore Row Twitter and Instagram accounts. He visited 103 Colmore Row for views from the 18th floor balcony four times between June and August 2022. Here are the changing views of Victoria Square. Including during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Having missed the February 2022 meet at 103 Colmore Row, Elliott was promised to get the key to 103 Colmore Row. He was gifted it by the lady who runs the 103 Colmore Row Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Between June and August, he went up four times. Usually as the view of Victoria Square kept changing. He always went on Saturday's.
Every time you arrive, you show your key to one of the Key to the City volunteers. The wait in the foyer could be anywhere between 20 minutes and 50 minutes (especially near the end of the Commonwealth Games). You would get a slot of 10 to 15 minutes to go up the fastest lift to the 18th floor, for views from the balcony.
It was an opportunity to get views of Victoria Square. When street art was painted ahead of the games, Elliott went twice on two Saturday's in July. And one final time in August on Super Saturday, while the 60th Jamaican Independence Day was being celebrated.
11th June 2022
General views down to Victoria Square from the 18th floor balcony of 103 Colmore Row.
Hew Locke reimagined the Queen Victoria statue as an artwork called Foreign Exchange (with the IKON Gallery). It would remain here for two months (until the middle of August 2022). Sir Antony Gormey's Iron: Man statue seen to the left.
Second visit to the 18th floor balcony, to see the artwork being painted called Connections by the artist Anjuli McKenna, in Victoria Square. It was half complete at this point.
One week on, and the Victoria Square Fan Zone was almost complete, several days before the start of the Commonwealth Games. Also to see the Connections street art in Victoria Square fully complete. There was now a stage in the square, and would be the finish point for the Birmingham Marathona week later. The West Midlands Metro trams were also now running all the way between Wolverhampton St George's and Edgbaston Village.
Super Saturday, and the final weekend of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the City Centre was very busy. It was also the 60th anniversary of Jamaican Independence which was being celebrated in Victoria Square at the time. This would be my final visit to 103 Colmore Row, before Key to the City ended the following day.
The 2020 Entry for the Chelsea Flower Show on Display in Victoria Square - 10th June 2020
Daniel's been over to Victoria Square to take a selection of photos of the wonderful floral tribute from Birmingham to the NHS and all our brilliant frontline workers.
Much of what is on display would have been used at Birmingham's entry at the 2020 Chelsea Flower Show which has been cancelled this year.
The 2020 Entry for the Chelsea Flower Show on Display in Victoria Square - 10th June 2020
Daniel's been over to Victoria Square to take a selection of photos of the wonderful floral tribute from Birmingham to the NHS and all our brilliant frontline workers.
Much of what is on display would have been used at Birmingham's entry at the 2020 Chelsea Flower Show which has been cancelled this year.