Tens of thousands of people descended on Westside on Sunday to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation and to take part in the Great Birmingham Run.
Crowds were especially packed in Centenary Square all of Sunday afternoon and early evening when the weather welcomed groups of families and friends who enjoyed live singers, bands, dancers and food stalls organised by business leader Lawrence Barton.
Gerald Manton, chair of Westside BID, said: “The weather came through on Sunday which really lifted the event and proved that there is no better place in Birmingham to celebrate that Westside, the beating heart of the city.
“Lots of people worked hard to make it a success, but a big thanks should go to Lawrence Barton who was the lead organiser of the weekend for all his great work.”
Mr Barton, whose various roles include being a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands and a night-time economy champion for Birmingham, said: “Thousands turned out for day two of the coronation celebration in the heart of the city.
“A massive thank you to city leader Ian Ward, Lord Mayor Maureen Cornish, Westside BID chair Gerald Manton and the team at Colmore BID for believing in me to deliver this event in the heart of the city, a massive success for the community.”
Westside was also busy on Sunday morning, when more than 12,000 runners gathered on Broad Street and Centenary Square for the start of the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run, which included the new 10K and half marathon routes.
Paul Foster, chief executive of the Great Run Company, added: “What a wonderful weekend we’ve had in Birmingham. I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came out to cheer, support, volunteer and of course, to those who ran, for making this year’s AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run so memorable.”
First male finisher in the 10K distance was Chris Thompson in a time of 00:29:27, with Rachel Gifford the first female finisher in a time of 00:36:30.
First male in the half marathon was Omar Ahmed in a time of 01:05:23, while first female in the half marathon was Birmingham runner Hayley Carruthers in a time of 01:21:11.
Entries are now open for next year’s AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run, which will take place on Sunday 5 May, 2024. Full details here.
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