Sumac Centre is 25 this year.

The Rainbow Centre, established in 1984, relocated to the Sumac Centre in June 2001.

*25th, 26th, 27th September*

Three days of peace, love and music at the  Sumac Centre

Friday 25th kicks off with an evening of Poets and Performers.

Saturday 26th features the Big Gig in the evening, with Drivelheads, The Sporadics andanarchistwood.

Sunday 27th sees an all-day Acoustic Community Garden Party . Sunday Brunch,  campaign stalls,. many local acts film screenings, Veggies Burger Bar, Forest Fields Social Club.

Sunday also features a presentation by Sparrows Nest Library of their archivevof over 2000 items from the Rainbow Centre, in the prehistory of the Sumac Centre.

Fully detailed (draft) program further below.

From Ned Ludd’s News, published from the Rainbow Centre in 2002, archived at Sparrows Nest Library (pdf)

Work on the new independent community, resource and centre at 245 Gladstone Street nears completion. Formerly the

Rainbow Centre, the name ‘The Sumac Centre’ has now been adopted after a shrub in the gardens.

The former Sitch Ukranian Social Club was purchased by the Rainbow Centre collective in June 2001. Major reconstruction work was undertaken by NECTA (Nottingham Environmental Construction Training for All) and other local trades people. Since then volunteers from the local community have worked on, replacing floors, walls, ceilings, doors, windows, stairs, toilets, electrics and plumbing!

Finally the end is in sight.

The newly plastered walls and refurbished toilets are being‘ painted, the community cafe is being built and the furniture fireproofed. Sufficient facilities are now completed for the centre to have hosted or booked meetings for local residents groups, animal rights conferences, training days, environmental/roads gatherings and more.

With a final push it is hoped that the new centre will be ready to open during June, after which work will continue for the planned Social Club.

With completion of this first phase so close supporters are urged to get involved, both with the final works, which continue on a daily basis, and with planning the activities and running the centre once opened.

As there has been so much more work to be done than expected, the opening date, and therefore opportunity to earn income, has been deferred several times. However the mortgage and other bills wait for no one, so the gap in funding continues to grow. We have been very encouraged by
the practical support, grants and donations received, but for long‘ term security we are very keen to invite investment by way of loans, with interest offered from 0% to 5%, repayable over I, 5 or I0 years.

If all goes to plan the official opening date is the 22″“ June.

 

Reserve this weekend for a series of events loosely based on the template of the Rainbow Centre 40th Anniversary Festival in 2024.

 

Glastonebury

Sumac Centre Community Festival

Celebrating 25 years of Sumac.

Fri 25th / Sat 26th / Sun 27th of September 2026

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Music * Food * Activism * Workshops * Solidarity

Food by Veggies and Notts Dinning Coop

Friday Night 25^th Sept indoors + Vegan Bar

Doors open 6pm

Vegan Food £5 Suggested Donation (Serving 18.30hrs)

Acts £5 Suggested donation

Poets and performers.

Jimi Strange 19.00 to 19.20 (Rad Folk)

Lytisha Tunbridge 19.30 to 19.50 (Poet)

Cath Mackie 20.00 to 20.20 (Spikey Folk)

Andrew Mznyox 20.30 to 20.50 (Poet)

Noah Drillhead 21.00 to 21.20 (Punk Solo)

Bearded Tit 21.30 to 22.00 (Rad Poet)

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Saturday Night 26^th Sept indoors + Vegan Bar

Ticketed £12 Through Fixr 18+/no dogs

Doors open 17.30

Vegan Food Suggested Donation £5

(Serving 18.00hrs)

Drivelheads 19.00 to 19.40 Notts (Local Rebel Rousers)

The Sporadics 20.00 to 21.00 Bournemouth (Sub punk/festy music)

anarchistwood 21.30 to 22.30 London (Theatrical Pr@nk rock)

(DReSS up FeRal optional)

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Sunday Day 27^th Sept Garden Party/Bar

Family friendly/Behaved dogs on lead

Event free/Donations welcome

Vegan Brunch 11am till 2pm (£5)

11 am onwards campaign stalls

12am till 2pm The Sparrows Nest “The Sumac Archive Project”

Talks/Quiz/Bookstall/Zine making

2pm till 7pm (Veggies Catering)

One Mic Stand (Poets)

Jesse Perrett (Poet) 14.00 to 14.20

Rachel Joy (Poet) 14.30 to 14.50

Spoken Goat (Poet) 15.00 to 15.20

Yard Sessions/Acoustic acts

Pixie Styx (Assorted gubbins, D.I.Y tunes)15.30 to 16.00

Blossom (Folk Singer) 16.10 to 16.40

Paul Carbuncle (Punchy political PuNk) 16.50 to 17.20

Jessi Eastfield (Eastfield Rail PuNk) 17.30 to 18.00

Klezmer Tanz (Traditional roots) 18.10 to 19.00