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Contrary Life is a website covering quirky events across the UK.

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  • This summer, the East London Shakespeare Festival (ELSF) are welcoming you to 1980s Illyria as they bring their rip-roaring take on Twelfth Night to outdoor spaces...

  • This spring, discover Coventry's brightest new creatives and performers at the city's Shoot Festival...

  • For ten days each spring, the village of Wray in Lancashire is overrun with colourful characters as they host their fun and quirky scarecrow festival...

  • The 20th Kinoteka Polish Film Festival begins this month and is showing solidarity with Ukraine by donating its proceeds to help the humanitarian crisis...

Tilted Wig in Around the World in 80 Days

Around the World in 80 Days gets a circus-style makeover

Join a rag-tag band of travelling circus performers who’re embarking on their most daring feat in Around the World in 80 Days…

Your Time Is Up by Donald Shek (c)

A clash of opposing worlds in State-less exhibition

State-less 無國界 is a new visual arts exhibition bringing together ten internationally acclaimed East and Southeast Asian artists at Two Temple Place…

Flabbergast Theatre The Tragedy of Macbeth (PictureGrafix)

Flabbergast’s The Tragedy of Macbeth promises a treat for the eyes and ears

Watch a retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth like you’ve never seen before at Southwark Playhouse this spring…

Latest Headlines
Pancake Day stack of pancakes by Sam Moghadam Khamseh via unsplash

Best places to eat pancakes this Shrove Tuesday

Got no flipping energy to make your own pancakes this Shrove Tuesday? Here’s a few of the best places in the UK to get your Pancake Day fix!

Olney Pancake Race, Shrove Tuesday, Olney Buckinghamshire

Pancake Day races and traditions you shouldn’t skip this Shrove Tuesday

From wacky races to local customs, here’s the quirkiest Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) events taking place…

Person Spec by Forest Sounds at Alphabetti Theatre

Person Spec: a play where you’re part of the interview panel

Fancy livening up your next theatre visit with something a bit different? Then, Person Spec at Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre is just the ticket…

VAULT Festival 2023

What to see at VAULT Festival: Flair Ground fun and quirky cabaret

Wondering what to see at VAULT Festival 2023? Here’s what caught our eye, from fresh new finds and quirky cabaret to immersive shows and thoughtful theatre…

Battle of Nantwich - Holly Holy Day - Sealed Knot

Battle of Nantwich storms into Cheshire for the weekend

Holly Holy Day celebrates the Battle of Nantwich with musket fire, drums and Plough Witches taking over the Cheshire market town…

Whitby Krampus Run 2018 - photo by Cassandra Sutton

Make some noise for Whitby’s Krampus Run

As Father Christmas makes his annual visit to towns across the UK this weekend, there’s another, much darker character making his way to Whitby in North Yorkshire…

The Great Hall at Aberystwyth Arts Centre

Abertoir Horror Festival creeps into Welsh town

Wales’ only horror film festival, Abertoir, gets under way with a line-up of more than 30 feature films and 20 shorts, including premieres, presentations and a party…

Tottenham Literature Festival 2022 TLF

Healing stories at Tottenham Literature Festival

This week, Tottenham Literature Festival (TLF) returns to North London to celebrate enriched and diverse stories by Black authors, poets, and artists…

The Horror Show! at Somerset House

Halloween events round-up: no tricks, just quirky treats

All Hallows’ Eve, Halloween or spooky season, whatever you call it, it’s here! And that means parades, pumpkins and lots of fun. Here’s our round-up of the best quirky events…

Previous articles ➡

Curiosity of the Week

Woodhenge, Stonehenge’s lesser-known neighbour
Woodhenge - ©English Heritage, Historic England Photo Library

You have heard of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, but have you heard of its lesser known neighbour, Woodhenge? Find out more in our latest Curiosity of the Week…

Top Story

Fakes, forgeries and misinformation at Royal Society Late
Dragon Fish - The Royal Society Lates in March

Next month, the Royal Society’s Late event mixes tomfoolery with science as it tackles fake news and hoaxes…

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