Merry Hill is hosting an action-packed programme of free activities and events to mark the arrival of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in the West Midlands this July.

The celebrations begin on Sunday 24 July, as Merry Hill welcomes the finale of the Queen’s Baton Relay to the Waterfront, marking the occasion with a full day of family-friendly festivities from 12 – 8pm.

Having made its way around the globe, the baton passes through Dudley landmarks before reaching the Waterfront as part of a centrepiece, day-long celebration for the borough. Local sports groups will be performing live demonstrations and taster sessions throughout the day, accompanied by live entertainment and mouth-watering street food delights from Digbeth Dining Club.
 
Inspired by the opportunity to bring people together for the Commonwealth Games, Merry Hill is also launching its very own pop-up stadium at the heart of the centre, on the Lower Mall near M&S. The brand-new events space will host an 11-day long programme featuring a host of activities and events which aims to encourage visitors to join in and have fun getting active.
 
Between Thursday 28 July – Sunday 7 August, there will be a free programme of events taking place every day from 11am-3pm, for a wide range of ages and abilities.
 
Visitors can get involved with drop-in sessions from Worcestershire Cricket and West Bromwich Albion FC Foundation. Fans will also have the chance to meet special guest and club mascot, Baggie Bird.
 
Visitors can also enjoy martial arts masterclasses, suitable for all skill levels, from GKR Karate and exceptional gymnastics displays from former Team GB Olympians, as well as a variety of demonstrations, taster sessions and fitness classes from local sports heroes including Paul Campbell’s Karate & Sports Academy and Merry Hill’s very own Coach Harry from Fitness Studio 46.
 
If you’re looking for a new way to get active, visitors can test their skills in a head-to-head race around the Scalextric track using pedal bikes to power the cars. Pedal power continues the flavour of the moment again when smoothie bikes will be on hand to provide healthy refreshments - visitors simply pick their ingredients, blend them up using their own pedal power and enjoy!
 
Ping Pong Parlour, famous across the UK for bringing table tennis to unique locations, will also be encouraging players to take part.
 
Each day, once the activities have finished, the stadium will transform into a relaxed space to watch The Games on a giant screen, with free seating available from 3.30pm. And to make sure visitors don’t miss a moment of the action on the track, the centre will show The Games from 11am – 5pm on Super Sunday. Jonathan Poole, Centre Manager at Merry Hill said:

“We wanted to celebrate this year’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games by bringing something different to the centre for all our visitors to enjoy, regardless of age or ability.

"As soon as The Games were confirmed as coming to the West Midlands, we knew we had to create something special to bring our communities together.
 
“From Thursday 28 July, we’ll be unveiling the centre's brand-new Games inspired event stadium. We’ve brought together a brilliant cast of coaches and sporting talent, from local heroes right through to some of the biggest sporting organisations in the Midlands.

"We are so excited to be offering these free events every day throughout The Commonwealth Games as we look to inspire our visitors to try something new this summer.”
 
For the full list of activities and timings, visit mymerryhill.co.uk.