Why you should share your story at the 2026 West Midlands Business Festival

Tara contributed to the first 2025 West Midlands Business Festival as a member of the steering committee, promoting diversity and working to achieve a great balance that included events led by women and focused on subjects relevant to women and other underrepresented communities.

Her message for those considering staging events in 2026 is simple: “If you have something valuable to share, whether it's insight, expertise, or a new idea, share it.”

About the festival

The West Midlands Business Festival returns from 2–13 February 2026 following its successful first year. 

The inaugural festival, supported by the Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker and delivered by Business Growth West Midlands (BGWM), smashed all expectations with 1,500 businesses getting involved and 4,000 tickets booked for the impressive line-up of 100 events.

The two-week programme of free events for 2026 will bring our business community together to ignite innovation, share expertise and spark collaboration.

Our 2026 theme will be growth without limits. Championing growth for all by unlocking opportunities and supporting ambitious businesses to succeed and scale, ensuring fairness and sustained progress across the region.

Why you should get involved

Businesses or all sizes, across the WMCA region, can apply to host an event. This can involve incorporating their existing business activities into the festival’s schedule or creating new events, ranging from seminars and insight events to product launches.

Speaking about her involvement in the 2025 Business Festival, Tara Attfield-Tomes said: “I wanted to make sure it had a great balance of events being run by women, on subjects that were relevant to women and other underserved communities. The fantastic thing about the West Midlands is how diverse the region is, so it's easy to find incredible talent and expertise from every corner and every background.

“The Business Growth West Midlands team worked tirelessly to deliver an incredible event for the region. From selecting all the different events to creating a jam-packed agenda, liaising with organisers, and promoting it far and wide, so much work went on behind the scenes.”

For businesses thinking about getting involved in 2026, her advice is clear: "Stop thinking about it and just do it! If you have something valuable to share, whether it's insight, expertise, or a new idea, share it. The success of the West Midlands depends on all of us collaborating, and there's room for everyone. The more opportunities we create for one another, the more we all benefit.

"The Business Growth West Midlands team provides fantastic support, so if you're worried about pulling it off, you'll have all the help you need to ensure everything runs smoothly. Plus, it's a brilliant way to showcase your products and services to hundreds, or even thousands, of potential new customers so a brilliant marketing opportunity."

Looking ahead to the 2026 Business Festival, she would like to see: "More industry-specific events that bring founders and leaders together to talk about advancing their sectors. I'd also like to see more hands-on workshops, like how to actually use tools such as AI to grow your business. And, of course, I want to see more women-led businesses hosting events and more female experts on the panels. We need more empowering stories and more diverse role models being showcased.

“The benefits are huge. It's a great opportunity to share your expertise, promote your products and services, and connect with new people who could become customers, suppliers, or future partners. The festival is a fantastic way to generate new business leads and to build better connections across the region. It's also an excellent chance to give your employees a platform to shine and demonstrate their own expertise."

Register your interest

Express your interest in hosting an event as part of the West Midlands Business Festival 2026.

If you have any questions, email the West Midlands Business Festival 2026 team at hello@wmbf.co.uk.