Wednesday 27 July marks the one year milestone of the eagerly awaited London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and its spectacular opening ceremony. This weekend Birmingham kick starts the year long celebration as it gears up to benefit from a significant proportion of the anticipated £750million consumer spend during the Olympic season.

Over 60 events in Birmingham and the wider region are planned to highlight the city's great sporting heritage as part of the London 2012 Open Weekend, a UK wide celebration of sport and culture in the run-up to the Games.

Birmingham's Olympic activities will kick off in Chamberlain Square with Circus in the City, featuring a colourful array of circus skills for visitors to participate in, taking place from Friday 22 - Sunday 24 July. Saturday's Jamaica Live! will see the centre of Birmingham buzzing with a Jamaican vibe throughout the day with music from the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra, Birmingham's own gospel sensation, Monique, and a live cooking demonstration from the Reggae Reggae man himself, Levi Roots. Additional free family events including the annual Birmingham Rathayatra Chariot Festival on Sunday 24 July will guarantee a carnival atmosphere.

Paul Kaynes, Creative Programmer for the West Midlands, London 2012, said: "During Open Weekend 2011 people across the West Midlands will celebrate the one year countdown to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in fun and exciting ways. From Friday 22 to Sunday 24 July, thousands of people will be showing off their creative and sporting talents by actively participating in events to celebrate the greatest show on earth coming to the UK. I'm sure the weekend will be just a taste of what to expect in the summer of 2012, when the torch relay, London 2012 Festival and the Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring a summer of celebration for the region."

Whilst there has been plenty of speculation on the economic impact the Games will have on London, Birmingham is also set to benefit from the increased visitor numbers to the UK. The city's visitor numbers, which rose by over 154,000 between 2009 and 2010, are expected to increase sharply thanks to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as visitors look to maximise their time in the UK by visiting locations outside the capital which can offer different cultural and sporting experiences.

Birmingham's buoyant hotel development pipeline, plans for the New Street gateway, Birmingham Airport runway expansion and the proposed HS2 connection are all evidence of confidence in the city held by the private sector. The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will act as an additional incentive for international travellers to visit the UK and Birmingham's visitor economy is set to significantly benefit.

Emma Gray, Director of Marketing Services at Visit Birmingham, the city's leisure tourism campaign run by Marketing Birmingham, says, "Birmingham is gearing up for a booming summer in 2012. Nine of the 28 hotels in the current pipeline will have opened their doors by the time the Games kick off, meaning the city is able provide additional bed spaces to the 30,000 already available for visitors looking for an alternative base for their UK stay. With a journey time of just 85 minutes from New Street to the centre of London, Birmingham is the perfect choice for visitors who want to explore more of the UK during their trip."

The city's fantastic sporting facilities have been recognised by the Jamaican track and field team, whose decision to use Birmingham City University and Perry Barr's Alexander Stadium's training facilities in the run up to the Games, has helped raise the city's profile to an international audience.

The city's cultural sector will also play a major role in the Cultural Olympiad, the largest celebration of its kind in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements, with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra hosting one of the three opening concerts for the London 2012 Festival, performing Birmingham born Jonathan Harvey's Weltethos.

West Midlands 2012 Chairman, David Moorcroft, says, "The West Midlands is home to excellent facilities, some of which will be hosting Olympic events such as Coventry's Ricoh Arena, and some which are being used to promote sport more widely to local communities. With over 426,000 people in the West Midlands already participating in the Cultural Olympiad, the West Midlands for 2012 team is keen to ensure the Games continues to leave a legacy which will benefit the wider economy for years to come."

Gray continues, "Marketing Birmingham is working with Visit Britain and Visit England to ensure we maximise the potential which the Olympics will bring. From sporting and celebratory events, to participation in the Cultural Olympiad in the run up to the Games, there'll be plenty of opportunities for both residents and visitors alike to experience the buzz of the Olympics from further afield."

For details of all activities taking place in and around Birmingham, please go to www.visitbirmingham.com