August 25 is Nottinghamshire Day - a day to champion the county and celebrate the histories and traditions of the places we live, work and enjoy our free time. The date has been chosen to mark the anniversary of the start of the English Civil War, an event triggered by Charles I raising the royal standard at Nottingham Castle in 1642.
When asked what they loved about Nottinghamshire some of the 1.2m residents said it's close to the countryside, there's lots of places to eat out, it's diverse, vibrant and friendly. There's much to be proud of with historic sites like Wollaton Hall and Newstead Abbey, unique independent businesses, international companies like Capital One and Boots calling Nottingham home, stunning parks and an array of entertainment.
To mark Nottinghamshire Day a free event is taking placed in Arnold from 11am to 3pm with children's activities, history walks around the town centre, street theatre and health and wellbeing hubs. A civic event will be staged at Newark Castle.
The county's first Nottinghamshire Day Festival is taking place on Saturday August 27 at Sherwood Forest with activities for all the family, Robin Hood and live music. But first, here's a round up of some of the things we love most about Nottinghamshire and make us stand out from every other county across the UK.
Robin Hood
Go anywhere in the world and say you're from Nottinghamshire and you may get a blank look... but say the home of Robin Hood and there's instant recognition. Around for 700 years or more, the legendary outlaw is famous around the globe, his adventures retold by generations.
Feared by the bad, loved by the good, the folk hero is one of the county's biggest attractions, no matter how much Yorkshire tries to poach him. The man in Lincoln Green, who robbed from the rich to give to the poor, has been portrayed on the silver screen by the greatest swashbuckler of all times Errol Flynn, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Russell Crow and even a fox in Disney's animated movie in 1973.
His presence is felt around the city and the county, from the statue outside Nottingham Castle, the dungeons in the Old County Gaol where he was held captive by the Sheriff of Nottingham and the Major Oak, his hideout in Sherwood Forest. A school, pubs and streets around the county have been named after him. He's brought to life by Ade Andrews, who entertains tourists on his town tour, while Tim Pollard encapsulates the infamous outlaw at events such as the Robin Hood Beer Festival.
Food & Drink
Foodies from far and wide travel to Nottingham to eat at two Michelin-starred Restaurant Sat Bains, which not only ranks as one of the best in the UK, but one of the best in the world. Also flying the gastronomic flag for Nottingham is Alchemilla, which boasts one Michelin star.
While they're the biggest names on the food and drink scene, there's a diverse range of cracking pubs, restaurants and cafes across the county. If it's history you're after with your pint, there's Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, or for the best in contemporary dining and a children's tiny town, there's the Old Vol at Caythorpe.
The city centre is packed with award-winning spots, from Japanese restaurant Kushi-ya to no fewer than three 200 Degrees coffee shops. Out of town, the Old Bakery Tea Rooms & Restaurant in Newark is where time stops for tea.
The Cod's Scallops showed the rest of the country how it was done when it won the crown for the UK's best chippy in 2020 and until recently Nottingham has home to the only Hooters in the UK.
Historically Nottinghamshire is famed for Stilton cheese, pork pies and Bramley apples but there's an abundance of local producers putting the county on the food map from Welbeck's artisan bakery to Sauce Shop, whose condiments can be found in shops around the country.
Music
Manchester has Oasis, Leicester has Kasabian and LIverpool, well where do we start? While Nottingham can't compete with those cities we have plenty to celebrate on the music scene.
For a start we're home to Rock City, one of the greatest live music venues in the country, while the Motorpoint Arena - the largest live entertainment venue in the East Midlands - has hosted some of the biggest names in music from Ed Sheeran to Lady Gaga and Dolly Parton to Elton John.
The county is also home to popular festivals attracting thousands such as Splendour, Detonate and Dot to Dot, while the Groovebox Festival in Colwick Park this summer had a DJ set from Idris Elba. Notts has produced some famous artists through the years. Paper Lace shot to fame in the 1970s with Billy Don't be a Hero, while KWS had a number one with Please Don't Go and were nominated for Best British Newcomer award at the BRIT Awards in 1993.
American soul legend Edwin Starr made Beeston his home for much of his adult life, while Depeche Mode, Iron Maiden and Deep Purple all have links with Notts. Other big names in the music industry include Sleaford Mods, Jake Bugg and Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who played cello at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
In the world of hip hop Young T & Bugsey enjolyed viral success with their single Don't Rush ft. Headie One, which became a global hit thanks to the #DontRushChallenge on the social media app Tiktok. Tourism officials at Visit Nottinghamshire said: "From the eclectic mix of interesting venues, to the various superstars and famous artists that have come up through the local music scene over the years, pound for pound Nottingham punches far above its weight when it comes to its musical pedigree."
Nightlife
Nottingham is a magnet for stag and hen parties and it's not surprising. The city boasts lively pubs and cool bars, serving craft beer and cocktails - and it is one of the few destinations in the country to have a bar in a cave.
But it's not just about drinking. The latest theatrical productions can be found at the Theatre Royal, while Nottingham Playhouse is the place for something more diverse and less mainstream. Nottingham Arts Theatre also has a varied line-up of music and plays, while Mansfield, Newark and Arnold boast their own local theatres.
Barely a night goes by without a gig somewhere in the county whatever your taste, from the biggest names at the Motorpoint Arena, the Royal Concert Hall and Rock City to homegrown talent at your local pub.
Parks and green spaces
It isn't hard to escape the urban jungle when there's so many parks and green spaces across the county. Nottinghamshire has a wealth of country parks, some with history such as Clumber Park and Rufford Park and more recent creations such as Gedling and Rushcliffe.
The grounds of Newstead Abbey, the ancestral home of romantic poet Lord Byron, are perfect for a leisurely stroll. Boasting 300 acres of parkland, wander around lakes and fountains, or admire the formal gardens and peacocks.
What's not to love about Wollaton Park? Home to a herd of magnificent deer, the grand Elizabethan Hall, aka Batman's pad or Wayne Manor in The Dark Knight Trilogy. There's countless events held throughout the year including music and food festivals, charity walks and an illuminated Christmas extravaganza. Or it's simply lovely for a picnic in the summer.... or sledging down the slopes when it snows.
Acting royalty
Nottinghamshire has produced some stellar talent on the acting front. Samantha Morton is one of the best actors of her generation, starring in Sweet and Lowdown, In America and Minority Report and earning Oscar nominations. Just like Sam, Vicky McClure, who grew up in Wollaton, and still lives in Notts, honed her acting skills at the Television Workshop. She has enjoyed success in Line of Duty, Trigger Point, and This is England and will soon be featuring in Without Sin, filmed in Nottingham.
Toby Kebbell, who grew up in Notts, has appeared in Fantastic Four, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. Others well-known Notts names are James Hooton (Emmerdale), Aisling Loftus (Mr Selfridge/War & Peace), Chanel Cresswell (This is England/The Bay), Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) and Sherrie Hewson (Coronation Street/Benidorm).
Who could forget the late Richard Beckinsale, who starred with Ronnie Barker in Porridge, and Barry Howard, of Hi-de-Hi who appeared alongside fellow Notts star Su Pollard. Sophia Marie Di Martino portrayed Sylvie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series Loki, Cherie Lunghi is known for her roles in many British TV dramas and Arsher Ali has appeared in Line of Duty, Cold Courage and The Fear Index.
Sport
Nottinghamshire's sporting prowess kicks of with Forest's return to the Premiership after 23 years. Over at Meadow Lane, Notts County Football Club has the honour of being world's oldest Football League club, dating back to 1862.
The county is home to the iconic Trent Bridge cricket ground, ice hockey team, the Nottingham Panthers, Nottingham Rugby Club and the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont.
The wealth of sports stars from Nottinghamshire include Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington, world championship boxer Carl 'the Cobra' Froch, international cricketer Stuart Broad, gymnasts Becky and Ellie Downie and Paralympic gold medallist Richard Whitehead. The list wouldn't be complete without ice dance legends Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean, who smashed it in the 1984 Winter Olympics when they scored perfect sixes to win gold.
Fashion
A lad from Beeston grew up to become an internationally renowned fashion designer. The name Paul Smith is synonymous with Nottingham, where it all began in a tiny back street shop in Byard Lane.
Over the last 50 years Sir Paul has gone on to open nearly 100 stores, from London to Milan and Los Angeles to Mumbai, and of course, the flagship Nottingham shop in Low Pavement where the designer suits, shirts, shoes, dresses, handbags sell for hundreds of pounds.
Despite all the glitz and glamour of the catwalks, he has never forgotten his roots and was back in the city last year for the exhibition Hello, My Name is Paul Smith at Nottingham Castle. The feeling is mutual - a mural honouring the fashion icon brings colour to Wollaton Road in his hometown Beeston.
Meanwhile, the city helping to cultivate the designers of the future at Nottingham Trent University, which is highly regarded for its fashion degrees.
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