There’s just a few days to go until the City Pulse free music festival kicks off across the city centre.

Click here for tram news affecting travel to City Pulse

For more information about artists, locations and performance times visit www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/citypulse

The Spring Bank Holiday extravaganza of free music takes place from Saturday 24 – Monday 26 May, and with promising weather forecast this weekend, visitors can look forward to a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere in and around the city centre.

The Old Market Square will host the main stage with headline acts including indie favourites Athlete and Elliot Minor on Saturday evening, followed by a Soul and Motown special with Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band on Sunday and classic 80s sounds from The Beat and The Blockheads rounding up the celebrations on Monday.

On Saturday afternoon, a number of local and emerging talents will perform on the main stage in the Old Market Square, hosted by Dean Jackson of BBC Radio Nottingham’s ‘The Beat’.

On Sunday 25 May in the Square, Heart 106 will present a special guest appearance from Gabriella Cilmi – a major new talent from Australia who’s single ‘Sweet about Me’ is an outstanding debut from one of the most exciting new singers to emerge this year.

Councillor Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure and Communities said: "Since its transformation just over a year ago, The Old Market Square provides the perfect setting for large scale music events and we’re looking forward to welcoming families and people of all ages to the city for a weekend of exclusive entertainment. The City Pulse Festival is an exciting addition to our events programme that we hope will attract new and bigger audiences, providing a boost to the city’s cultural economy and helping to make Nottingham a top tourist destination."

As well as performances in the Market Square, the City will be buzzing with live music supported by the Nottingham Leisure Partnership Ltd, at five satellite venues including Castle Road (the Robin Hood Statue), Chapel Bar, Forman Street by The Cornerhouse, Hockley and St Peter’s Square. Expect everything from country, folk and world music, to jazz and big band.

Pubs, clubs and associated venues linked to Nottingham Leisure Partnership Ltd will also be hosting live music at their venues across the city centre. Visitors to the city will be able to enjoy a feast of music events throughout the bank holiday weekend, including the ever-popular Dot to Dot Festival - so more hardy music lovers can take to the streets during the day time, and find themselves out until late.

Pat Parkes, Exec Director, for Nottingham Leisure Partnership, said, "As well as giving visitors access to more music acts, the additional funding made available by Nottingham licensees has gone towards making the event even more of a positive experience for those attending, by providing taxi marshals at city centre ranks throughout the evening."

Event programme:

SATURDAY 24 MAY 

Old Market Square, 12.30-22.00 (indie and pop)

Athlete, Elliot Minor, The Delays with supporting performances from Envy & Other Sins, the Displacements, Red, The Favours, Censored, The 7.21’s, Nephu Huzzband – hosted by BBC Radio Nottingham’s ‘The Beat’.

Hockley, 12.00-20.00 (world music)

Bombay Baja’s, Nottingham Samba, Matzo, Orioles

Forman Street, 12.00-18.00 (world music)

Horney Batacada, The Paseo Malanga, Cuban Street Band, Frankie Chalet

Chapel Bar, 12.30-18.00 (Latin, lounge and jazz)

Campbell Bass, Suzanne Mellard Quartet, John Carson, Ben Martin Trio

St. Peter’s Square, 11.00-18.00 (Trad jazz, skiffle and Cornish folk)

Orioles Brass Band, Bagas De Gol, Railway Bill, Woody The One Man Band, Kick ‘n’ Rush.

SUNDAY 25 MAY 

Old Market Square, 12.30-22.00 (indie and pop)

Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, The Motown Show, Blue Jaks in addition to a guest appearance by Gabriella Cilmi – hosted by Heart 106 Breakfast’s Sam & Amy

Hockley, 12.00-20.00 (world music)

Balkan Shuttle, Nottingham Samba, The Bucketts, Kick ‘n’ Rush, Blue Juleps

Forman Street, 12.00-18.00 (world music)

Bagdaddies, Poles Apart, Frankie Chalet

Robin Hood Statue, Castle Road, 12.30-16.30 (big bands and swing)

The Moonlighters, Terry Peter’s Big Band

MONDAY 26 MAY 

Old Market Square, 12.30-22.00 (classic 80’s rock and pop)

The Beat, The Blockheads, The Bikini Beach Band

Forman Street, 12.00-18.00 (world music)

Real Macaws, Mariachi Tapatio, Frankie Chalet

Robin Hood Statue, Castle Road, 12.30-16.30 (folk and country)

The Kitty Hawks, Mick Smith and friends, Strummin’ Steve Jackson Trio, Downtrodden String Band – hosted by BBC Radio Nottingham’s Mick Smith