Four days of live music, themed cocktails, entertainment, guided tours and a new city-wide trail are planned in Lichfield as Purple Flag Weekend makes a return.
Starting today and running until Monday, the event is a showcase of Lichfield’s hospitality and visitor economy and celebrates everything that makes the city a safe, welcoming and vibrant place to enjoy day and night.
Live music and DJs will be found across the city centre as purple-themed cocktails and drinks will be served, along with other drinks offers, promotions and community activities.
New for this year, a Purple Flag Trail encourages revellers to collect stickers from venues along the route and redeem completed trail cards for a limited-edition reuseable pint cup.
Participating venues include The George Hotel, Toluca Mexican Bar & Grill, Le Rêve, The George & Dragon, The Angel Inn, The Kings Head, The Quill & Scholar, 55 Wade Street.
Last year’s debut event ran as a part of the national Purple Flag initiative that recognises and promotes excellence in managing town and city centres in the evening.
It is hoped this weekend’s activities will encourage visitors to discover somewhere new, explore more venues and support local businesses.
Daily Focus has previously reported that Lichfield is now home to two Michelin-starred restaurants and that top chef Tom Shepherd is investing £1 million into a new cocktail bar and holiday accommodation in the city.
Councillor Janice Silvester-Hall, Lichfield District Council’s cabinet member for visitor economy, ecology and climate change, said:
“Following the success of last year’s event, it’s fantastic to see this Purple Flag Weekend returning bigger and better for 2026.
“The weekend is about celebrating everything that makes Lichfield such a welcoming and vibrant place to visit, from our independent hospitality venues and live music scene to the partnership work that helps create a safe and enjoyable city centre for everyone.
“We’d encourage residents and visitors to come into the city over the bank holiday weekend, explore somewhere new and support the fantastic local businesses taking part.”
The event is timed to take place alongside Bower Day on Monday and follows last weekend’s Lichfield Food & Drink Festival, which attracted more than 50,000 people each day.
Trail guides and further information can be found here.
