The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held in venues all across Birmingham and the West Midlands, from 28 July until 8 August 2022.
We are so excited to be welcoming some of the Commonwealth Games action right here in Shakespeare’s England! Exciting sport events will be held in Coventry and Royal Leamington Spa, and there is a whole host of cultural events to look forward to, such as Culturefest which is taking place at venues across the Warwick District’s four towns of Leamington Spa, Warwick, Kenilworth and Whitnash.
Read on to find out more information about the sports, venues, tickets and schedule for the Commonwealth Games. Discover what the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games stands for and find out how you can experience all of the excitement and history of this iconic sporting event.
Sporting Events
The most dedicated, highly trained and determined athletes from across 72 nations will come together for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in a momentous celebration of sport, competition and community. Discover the exciting line up of sports from Athletics and Gymnastics to Basketball and Boxing – click here to find out more.
Click here for the full schedule of sporting events, and where they will take place.
Which Commonwealth Games sport events are taking place in Shakespeare’s England?
Lawn Bowls and Para Lawn Bowls – 29th July to 6th August
Victoria Park, 23 Archery Road, Leamington Spa, CV31 3PT
The home of English Bowls will be transformed this summer, as the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games programme is played on the hallowed greens of Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa.
In just the third ever Games hosted by an English city, the lawn bowlers vying for Commonwealth glory will compete for victory between Friday 29 July and Saturday 6th August.
During the Lawn Bowls and Para-Lawn Bowls, spectators will witness bowlers maintaining composure under immense pressure as they battle to get closest to the jack. Demanding strategy and cunning moves, this event at the Commonwealth Games is one of the most uniquely nerve-wrecking sports.
18 sessions, and 8 medal sessions will be played at Victoria Park.
From 4 – 13 July, park users will need to enter Victoria Park through the end of the old tennis courts car park. From 13 July, the access into the park will be through the Avenue Road pedestrian entrance, with the old tennis court car park closed to the public until 11 August.
Find more information on the Lawn Bowls here.
Cycling Road Race – 7th August 2022
Myton Fields, Warwick, CV34 6PR
Warwick’s Myton Fields is a green recreation space, the other side of the river to St Nicholas Park that will be used for the Birmingham 2022 Road Race events on Sunday 7th August.
The Road Race will see the women complete seven laps of a 16km course, whilst the men will complete ten laps.
The course will involve the riders cycling past the Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick town centre, as well as Victoria Park in Royal Leamington Spa, which is the venue for the Birmingham 2022 lawn bowls and para lawn bowls competition (see above). The final part of the course will cross the River Avon, where the cyclists will be treated to a stunning view of Warwick Castle.
Find more information on the Cycling Road Race here.
Live Festival Sites
From 28th July until 8th August visitors can enjoy two Live Festival Sites in Warwick and one in Royal Leamington Spa. Soak up the atmosphere and keep up with all of the action at the Commonwealth Games with Live Screens and lots of fun pop up activities and events. Find out more about all Commonwealth Games Festival Sites here.
Accommodation in Shakespeare’s England
Whether you’re looking for a hotel, a tranquil rural stay, or a quaint B&B, we have accommodation throughout the county to suit your tastes, whatever your budget. Visit our accommodation page to find the perfect base for your Commonwealth Games stay and see our latest accommodation offers.
Travel to the Commonwealth Games
In anticipation of the rail network being busier than normal throughout the Commonwealth Games, Chiltern Railways have strengthened their timetable across the fortnight of 28th July – 8th August, as follows:
• On the weekends they are doubling the number of trains running between Birmingham Moor Street and London Marylebone, to two per hour in each direction
• On weekdays they are running two trains per hour in each direction between London and Birmingham throughout the day
• On Sunday mornings they are adding additional early services, so that spectators can make sure they get to Leamington for the Lawn Bowls or Warwick for the Cycle Road Race on time for the start.
Due to major events also happening at Wembley on Sunday 31st July (Go Lionesses!) and Saturday 6th August, Chiltern Railways will not be running services to Aylesbury via Amersham as we will be using all available units to strengthen both the Birmingham and the Wembley service.
For more information on rail travel to the games you can visit the Chiltern Railways website.
Commonwealth Games Cultural Events in Shakespeare’s England
Culturefest 2022
Birmingham 2022 is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our region, and in response to this Warwick District Council, with the support of its partners, will showcase and celebrate the incredible arts and heritage venues, artists, and creatives in the area in a month-long CultureFest, with events and activities taking place across Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick, Kenilworth and Whitnash from Saturday 16 July to Sunday 21 August 2022.
CultureFest aims to encourage the people who live, work, and visit the area to discover or rediscover world-class venues and artists across our four towns and find new stories and experiences by young people and emerging talent.
The festival will add value to Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and give people a lasting memory of the district.
Use our CultureFest guide for a list of the events taking place, you can also keep an eye on our Events Diary and the festival What’s On page.
The Birmingham 2022 Festival
The Birmingham 2022 Festival is the biggest celebration of creativity ever in the region and one of the largest ever Commonwealth Games cultural programmes.
Birmingham 2022 Festival is a £12 million six month long celebration
led by artists who know that great audience experiences are a magical combination of beauty, community, participation, diversity and inclusion. Heritage is a golden thread that runs through and between every event, project and idea. Above all, it is a festival made in the West Midlands for the Commonwealth, and everyone is invited.
When the Games conclude in August, the Festival will keep going through to the end of September.
For more information on the Birmingham 2022 Festival, and a list of events and venues, click here.
Get Set for the Games
As our region ‘Gets Set for the Games’, now is the perfect time to start planning so that you’re ready too.
Whether you’re a resident or a business owner, to help you prepare, the ‘Get Set for the Games’ online hub will provide the most up-to-date information and the tools you need to plan and prepare for the busy and exciting Summer ahead.
For more information on the Get Set for the Games programme click here.
Visit the official website of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games for more information on this summer’s exciting events, and to find out how you can be part of the action!