OK, weekend we hear you — you’re calling and the East Midlands is answering.
Whether you’re planning a big one or keeping things chilled, there’s plenty going on. Here are the top things to do across the region this weekend, from can’t‑miss events to easy wins.
As always in our guide to things to do in the East Midlands this weekend, both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured.
Twin Peaks Weekend – Phoenix, Leicester
Join the team at Phoenix for a day celebrating David Lynch’s iconic TV show with a screening of the entire first season of Twin Peaks.
Their host from last year’s David Lynch Day – the magnificent Benjamin Louche from London’s Lynchian cabaret The Double R Club – will be returning.
There’ll be a game of Twin Peaks Bingo, fancy dress prizes and of course plenty of cherry pie, doughnuts… and damn fine coffee.
Three types of tickets are on offer for the screening, with a standard ticket costing £25, a ‘Damn Fine Coffee’ ticket offering unlimited tea and coffee for £30 and a Double R Special Ticket for £40 including a Double R Breakfast, donut and unlimited tea and coffee.
You can buy tickets HERE
WHERE: Phoenix Cinema, 4 Midland Street, Leicester
WHEN: Saturday, April 25. 12.15pm (ends at 10:30pm) for the screening. Breakfast specials on offer from 11am
Lincoln Waterside Record Fair – Waterside Shopping Centre, Lincoln
The Lincoln Waterside Record Fair is taking place this weekend, with two days based at the High Street shopping venue.
Sellers will be filling the aisles of the shopping centre with new and collectable records, both albums & 7″ singles plus other music related items. Entry is free.
Get your FREE tickets via this link: https://fb.me/e/7ixixIi8f
WHERE: Waterside Shopping Centre High Street, Lincoln
WHEN: Saturday, April 25, 9am-5.30pm and Sunday, April 26, 10.30am – 4.30pm
Prince Night: Purple Rain + DJ Night – Quad, Derby
2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Prince (Really?! Wow! – ED) and to mark the occasion QUAD in Derby is spending the night celebrating the man and his music.
The venue be screening the Oscar winning Purple Rain and following it with an All-Request Prince DJ Night in the Cafe Bar. They’ll be decorating the bar, breaking out the purple post-it notes for requests, and getting everyone in the dancing mood with a specially themed cocktail menu!
In Purple Rain, Prince stars as The Kid, an ambitious and talented young musician from a harsh, poverty-stricken background struggling to win love and musical recognition in Minneapolis. In search of success, he spends his nights performing at the First Avenue Nightclub with his band, The Revolution. When he meets fellow aspiring singer Apollonia (Apollonia Kotero), he is completely smitten – but when he replicates the abusive behaviour of his father (Clarence Williams III), he looks set to lose her forever. Can he win her back from his arch enemy, Morris (Morris Day), who fronts rival group The Time and will he ever find the success he craves?
You’re invited to throw on your Diamonds and Pearls, jump in your Little Red Corvette and Head down to QUAD and Let’s Go Crazy because It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night!!!
Book tickets HERE
WHERE: Derby QUAD, Market Place, Cathedral Quarter, Derby
WHEN: April 25, 7.30pm
The Music of John Williams vs Hans Zimmer – Albert Hall, Nottingham
Saturday 25th April 2026 7:30 pm
Step into a world where cinematic music history is brought to life. This year, The Great British Film Orchestra is proudly presenting The Music of John Williams vs Hans Zimmer – an orchestral duel between two titans whose scores have defined generations of storytelling.
For over half a century, John Williams has shaped the sound of wonder itself. His unforgettable themes for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, Jurassic Park and more have become modern mythology – fanfares that summon heroes, awaken galaxies and stir the imagination of millions. His music is symphonic grandeur at its purest, rooted in classical tradition yet alive with adventure, heart and timeless magic.
Opposing him stands Hans Zimmer, the architect of bold, thunderous, revolutionary sound. With groundbreaking scores for The Dark Knight, Gladiator, The Lion King, Inception and beyond, Zimmer reinvented the very language of film music. His fusion of orchestra, electronics, and relentless rhythm forged a new cinematic era – powerful, primal, unmistakably modern.
Bringing these monumental worlds to the stage is The Great British Film Orchestra, one of the UK’s premier symphonic ensembles devoted to the art of film music. Renowned for their rich, commanding sound and vivid performances, the orchestra transforms every concert into a widescreen experience – transporting audiences from ancient coliseums and distant galaxies to enchanted kingdoms and shadowed cityscapes.
This extraordinary touring production is more than a concert – it is a celebration of two musical legends whose work has shaped the emotional core of cinema itself. Expect soaring strings, heroic brass, electrifying percussion and moments of pure, breathtaking spectacle as Williams’ iconic themes meet Zimmer’s thunderous power in a night of symphonic glory.
John Williams. Hans Zimmer. One orchestra. Infinite adventure.
Tickets: from £35.00
WHERE:
WHEN: Saturday, April 25 2026 – 3:45pm – 5:25pm Doors 3pm
Lace Thief ‘Inheritance’ Album Launch – Rough Trade, Nottingham
Emerging from a story of loss, Lace Thief’s debut album ‘Inheritance’ holds onto the memories of loved ones and follows the reverberating impact they have even after parting ways.
The album explores the parts of ourselves we inherit from the people around us and how in a beautifully circular way they continue to live through us and us through them.
To celebrate the release of the album, Lace Thief will be performing the album live with her full band for a hometown headline show at Rough Trade Nottingham.
The album is also part of a multi-disciplinary visual album project collaborating with twelve artists with connections to the midlands, to respond to each track in their own mediums. The artworks & artefacts will be exhibited in Autumn 2026 and will also be reworked as individual fold out posters available to purchase alongside the exhibition.
Tickets are £10.30 or £11 on the door and can be bought in advance HERE
WHERE: Rough Trade Nottingham, 5 Broad St, Nottingham
WHEN: Doors open 6pm with DJ Set from Lew Steps then sets from S J Thomas and Posturing. Lace Thief take to stage at 9pm. There will be an after party 10pm – Midnight at Broadway Mezz Bar
