Art, Fashion and Music: An alternative Freshers’ guide

Welcome to Warwick! In your first weeks here you will find many events, including parties aplenty. But if POP!, Smack and Crash just sound like painful verbs to you, don’t worry; there are a host of other activities to catch your fancy.

For those with a flair for fashion, Vintage in the Village is for you. The vintage and retro fair brings you products from over 40 independent retailers, including clothes, accessories and collectables. If that doesn’t satisfy your shopping needs, try the Coventry Student Shopping Night. Venture across the city centre to the Lower Precinct Shopping Centre and West Orchards for discounts, deals, freebies, fun fairs, live music and competitions.

If POP!, Smack and Crash just sound like painful verbs to you, don’t worry; there are a host of other activities to catch your fancy. 

If you love all things bookish, save the Big Comfy Bookshop’s address. The appropriately-named bookstore regularly hosts music, game and literature-related events. In the first two weeks of term, you will find Fire and Dust Poetry Night, during which Silhouette Press will provide a night of performance poetry (and you will have the chance to perform yourself). The very next evening brings acoustic music, with Gilmore & Roberts and The Black Feathers performing. Board game night will be held a week later, complete with over a hundred games… and cake!

Speaking of cake, how does a murder mystery tea party sound? If you’re able to spend a little more, stop by Karmen’s Vintage Tea Room which hosts a murder mystery game, set in Mad Hatter’s iconic tea party. Ten guests/suspects are given a booklet with clues, all to answer the question: who killed Tweedledee? A tea party (murder or no murder) would be incomplete without food, of course, so sandwiches, cakes and other treats will be sold. And don’t worry – if you don’t solve the mystery first, there is also a prize for the best dressed character.

Save the Big Comfy Bookshop’s address – the appropriately-named bookstore regularly hosts music, game and literature-related events.

There are a number of opportunities if you’re looking to explore the city’s cultural scene. Take a wander through Herbert Art Gallery which has an exhibition built around LEGO bricks (amongst other displays). The exhibit has more than 70 models; after a visit, you’ll be able to say that you saw the Great Wall of China and the Niagara Falls in the same day.

October is also known as Halloween month. In that spirit, experience some thrills and horrors with Old School Scares: watch The Witch at the Herbert at nighttime. Drinks and snacks will be sold in case you get hungry, but bring someone along in case things get too spooky!

Poetry enthusiasts might like to visit the Royal Pump Rooms. 

Music lovers, head to Central Library which hosts live acoustic sessions. Coming up are performances featuring Dan Cross and Jan Richardson. The Somerville Arms pub also hosts monthly events, many of them musical; the first Friday of the month features acoustic Celtic folk music, while jazz will be the focus on the third Thursday.

Poetry enthusiasts might like to visit the Royal Pump Rooms, where one evening, poetry inspired by the Leamington camouflage artists will be told as part of the Leamington Camouflage Festival. Another of the several attractions for this festival is Maskovat, a multi-form, experimental installation based on social camouflage by composer and visual artist Florence Ellis.

Aside from journeys off campus, make sure to also check out events going on at campus, organised by the various societies and venues like the Arts Centre.

Listings 

Coventry Student Shopping Night

Oct 5, 18:00-22:00; Coventry city centre; free; registration needed

Fire and Dust Poetry Night

Oct 6, 19:30; The Big Comfy Bookshop, Unit 2f, Fargo Village, Far Gosford Street, CV1 5ED; free

Comfy & Acoustic: Gilmore & Roberts/The Black Feathers

Oct 7, 19:00-22:00; The Big Comfy Bookshop; £5 + booking fee

Murder Through the Looking Glass

Oct 7, 12:30 onwards; Karmen’s Vintage Tea Room, Fargo Village, Far Gosford Street, Coventry CV1 5ED; £12.50

Old School Scares

Oct 8, 19:30-23:00; Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Jordan Well, Coventry CV1 5QP; £6, book online

Board Game Night

Oct 14, 19:00-22:00; The Big Comfy Bookshop; £2 + booking fee

Poetry, Patterns & Pinot

Oct 15, 19:00-21:00; Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, Royal Pump Rooms, The Parade, CV32 4AA; £5

Vintage in the Village

Oct 15-16, 11:00-16:00; Fargo Village

Leamington Camouflage Festival

Ends Oct 16, various times, across Leamington Spa; program at royal-leamington-spa.co.uk

Brick Wonders

Ends Jan 15; Mon-Sat 10:00-16:00, Sun 12:00-16:00; Herbert Art Gallery & Museum; free

Live Acoustic Sessions

Oct 8, 15; 14:00-15:00; 17 Smithford Way, Coventry City Centre, CV1 1FY

Various events

Throughout the month; Somerville Arms, 4 Campion Terrace, Leamington Spa CV32 4SX

Monochrome (photo exhibition)

Ends Oct 5, 10:00-15:00; Unit 2, Parkside Business Park, Mile Lane, Coventry CV1 2TR

Marcus Berkmann History Pub Quiz 2016

Oct 7, 19:30; The Wild Boar, Lakin Road; £5

ChickLit (film)

Oct 7-13, 19:30; Cinema, Royal Spa Centre, Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa CV32 4HN; £5.50

Leamington Spa Comedy Festival

Oct 7-15, various times; Royal Spa Centre, Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa CV32 4HN

Made in Leamington (design and craft exhibition)

Oct 15-16, 11:00-17:00; Leamington Town Hall, The Parade, Leamington Spa CV32 4AT