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Sheff Herd.
We are a community magazine, bringing you the best of Sheffield.
Herd Hangouts - Venue Spotlights
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Herd the Word - A Celebration of Steel City's Peak Creative Writing.
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Herd the Word
EVENT OF THE WEEK
w/c 8th June 2026
This week is a great one for the Verbal Gerbil multiverse. The group returns on Monday 8th June with an evening that captures everything that has made the Sheffield spoken-word collective one of the city's most exciting grassroots creative communities.
Verbal Gerbil brings together poetry, storytelling, comedy and performance in a format that celebrates the power of words in all their forms. Since launching, the project has become a welcoming platform for emerging and established voices alike, creating spaces where creativity, collaboration and experimentation can thrive.
This special edition takes place at Alder Bar and features a spoken-word cabaret accompanied by live improvised jazz, ensuring that no two performances are ever quite the same.
Special guests (and hosts) Stan Skinny and Franc & I join a lineup of writers and performers whose work will be enhanced by spontaneous musical responses from the accompanying musicians.
Expect heartfelt stories, sharp observations, unexpected humour and moments of genuine magic as words and music collide. Whether you're a regular on Sheffield's spoken-word circuit or a newcomer looking to discover something different, Verbal Gerbil promises an evening full of creativity, connection and surprise.
The event begins at 7.30pm at Alder Bar on Percy Street and operates on a pay-what-you-feel basis.
Then on Wednesday 10th June, Verbal Gerbil returns to Hagglers Corner for its regular Writers' Group, offering a more relaxed and collaborative space for anyone interested in developing their writing.
Open to poets, storytellers, songwriters and complete beginners alike, the session provides an opportunity to share work, explore new ideas and connect with fellow creatives in a supportive environment.
Whether you're looking for feedback, inspiration or simply a chance to write alongside others, the Writers' Group continues Verbal Gerbil's commitment to nurturing Sheffield's vibrant community of wordsmiths.
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Scene and Herd
EVENT OF THE WEEK
w/c 8th June 2026
On Saturday 14th June, Sidney & Matilda hosts an evening of groove, soul and atmosphere as ámba take to the stage for a headline show supported by Shugacoma and The Chill Cabinet.
Previously described by Sheff Herd as “redolent of the New York jazz scene in the 1970s”, (Mark Rezzano, 2026) ámba blend sophisticated musicianship with irresistible rhythms, drawing on Latin grooves, jazz, soul and contemporary fusion. Their sound recalls the effortless cool and musical adventurousness of artists who blurred the boundaries between jazz and popular music, with intricate arrangements and rhythmic sophistication that at times evoke the jazz-inflected grooves of Steely Dan. The result is a live show that is musically rich but packed full of an infectious sense of fun. You don’t want to miss their headline set.
Joining them are fellow Sheffield outfit Shugacoma. Rooted in funk, soul and R&B, the band specialise in tight grooves, infectious rhythms and uplifting energy. Drawing on classic influences while adding a modern twist, Shugacoma’s mission is simple: to get audiences moving. Their vibrant live show combines polished musicianship with an undeniable sense of joy.
Completing the bill are The Chill Cabinet, Sheffield’s only live exponents of trip-hop, ambient downtempo and chill-out covers. Inspired by artists such as Zero 7, Air and Massive Attack, the band recreate these lush textures and laid-back grooves.
With three acts exploring everything from jazz fusion and Latin-inspired rhythms to funk, R&B and trip-hop - the night promises a journey through some of the most captivating sounds currently emerging from Sheffield’s independent music scene. This is a bill not to be missed.
JUNE 2026
TOP 4
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Your guide to the month ahead.
Check out our weekly event recommendations every Monday.
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HorrorCon UK 2026
HorrorCon UK returns to Magna on 6th - 7th June 2026 with a packed programme of celebrity guests, Q&As, screenings, cosplay and specialist traders. Held inside Magna’s vast former steelworks complex, the convention has become one of the UK’s leading horror events, attracting fans of cult cinema, television and genre filmmaking from across the country. Visitors can spend the weekend meeting stars of the screen, attending live interviews and exploring the convention’s extensive trader and artist areas.
Among this year’s headline guests are Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, the award-winning writers and performers behind The League of Gentlemen, Psychoville and Inside No. 9. They are joined by cult horror-comedy creator Matthew Holness, best known as Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace author Garth Marenghi, alongside veteran actor Ian Ogilvy, whose career includes appearances in horror classics such as Witchfinder General and From Beyond the Grave. Legendary Italian composer Fabio Frizzi, whose music became synonymous with Lucio Fulci’s iconic horror films including Zombie Flesh Eaters and The Beyond, is also among the major attractions.
Alongside the guest appearances, HorrorCon will host its annual short film festival, cosplay competition and a full schedule of panels and live events. The convention’s blend of horror legends, cult television stars, independent filmmaking and fan culture continues to make it one of the standout events in South Yorkshire’s summer calendar.
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Pride of Yorkshire Trail
The much anticipated Pride of Yorkshire launches on 8th June and will transform Sheffield and South Yorkshire into a giant open-air art trail throughout the summer. Created to mark the 150th anniversary of Sheffield Children’s Hospital, the project features more than 150 individually designed lion sculptures placed across the region, encouraging residents and visitors to explore the city while raising money for the hospital’s charitable foundation.
The trail will include large lion sculptures created by professional artists alongside smaller “little lions” designed by schools and community groups. Visitors will be able to follow maps and digital guides to discover the artworks in locations across Sheffield city centre, local attractions and neighbouring towns, creating a family-friendly activity that combines public art, fundraising and tourism.
Organisers hope the trail will become one of the biggest public art events ever staged in South Yorkshire, drawing thousands of people into the city over the summer months. When the trail concludes, many of the large sculptures will be auctioned to raise funds for Sheffield Children’s Hospital, ensuring the project leaves a lasting legacy long after the lions disappear from the streets.
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SBC Theatre Around the World Football Events
The summer’s biggest sporting event also arrives in June, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup getting underway across the United States, Canada and Mexico. While Sheffield’s pubs and bars prepare for a month of football screenings, one local arts organisation is marking the tournament in a very different way through a city-wide project celebrating football, creativity and community.
Around The World, organised by Stand & Be Counted Theatre, will take a bright yellow school bus on a tour of Sheffield communities and schools between 11 and 16th June. Participants will create football-inspired artwork exploring themes of identity, belonging and the global game, with the work displayed on the bus before being projected onto it during a public finale. The project has been developed with Football Unites Racism Divides, Sheffield Home of Football and Yellow Bus Events, and is supported by Counterpoints Arts and Sheffield’s Migration Matters Festival.
The project culminates in the Peace Gardens on 17th June with a day of football and arts activities, including an ambitious attempt to break the world record for the longest chain of multi-club football scarves.
Organisers are appealing for supporters to donate scarves from clubs around the world, with the aim of creating a chain more than 100 metres long before a symbolic parade carries it from The Sanctuary on Chapel Walk to the Peace Gardens ahead of England’s World Cup fixture that evening. Scarves can be donated at The U-Mix Centre in Lowfield or The Sanctuary on Chapel Walk.
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Kelham Pride Festival 2026
Kelham Pride returns on Saturday 20th June and is set to be one of Sheffield’s biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations, with events running across Kelham Island and Neepsend from early afternoon into the evening. The festival’s Pride parade will once again move through the neighbourhood before crowds gather around the main festival spaces and participating venues. As the event has grown, it has become known for combining major drag and live performance acts with Sheffield’s independent music, food and nightlife scene.
This year’s lineup is led by Danny Beard, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, whose mix of drag, live vocals and comedy has made them one of the biggest names in British queer entertainment. The programme also includes Marigold Addams as Jane McDonald, alongside collective Ghetto Fabulous and a wider lineup of drag performers, DJs and live acts appearing throughout the day. Organisers are also planning family-friendly activities, community spaces and daytime entertainment alongside the main stage programme.
Rather than being centred around a single site, the festival spreads across some of Kelham’s best-known venues. Peddler Warehouse will host part of the food and music programme, while venues including Yellow Arch Studios, Neepsend Social Club, Factory Floor, Alder, The Harlequin and The Three Tuns are all expected to take part in the wider celebrations. It is a free event.