On what would have been Ozzy’s 77th birthday, his family are returning to the city
Ozzy Osbourne at Villa Park Stadium on July 5(Image: ROSS HALFIN)
This week marks 77 years since Ozzy Osbourne was born in Birmingham.
And while this year will no doubt be a challenging milestone for the late singer’s family, they’re returning to Birmingham to mark the occasion.
Members of the Osbourne family – though who has not been revealed – will be in town on his birthday, Wednesday, December 3, to receive Ozzy’s posthumous Lord Mayor’s Award.
Read more: ‘Ozzy Osbourne has died but what he’s given to Birmingham endures’
They will also be presented with Books of Condolence during their visit.
The Lord Mayor, Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE intends to present the Books of Condolence while the award will be given by The Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Ken Wood.
The Lord Mayor was present on the day that Ozzy Osbourne’s funeral procession came down Broad Street to Black Sabbath Bridge, where floral tributes from the people of Birmingham and visitors from further afield adorned the bench featuring an image of Ozzy as well as those of Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and Tony Iommi.
The Lord Mayor’s Award is one of Birmingham’s highest civic honours and it celebrates outstanding achievement or exceptional service to the city and its people.
Born and raised in Aston, the award will honour Ozzy’s outstanding service to Birmingham and his impact on our cultural and musical identity.
A double Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Ozzy’s 56-year career saw him sell more than 100 million records around the world before his final show at Villa Park Stadium on July 4, 2025.
He died on July 22, just two-and-a-half weeks later, sparking a huge influx of supporters to the city where it all began.
Some 400,000 people have been to the Working Class Hero exhibit at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery since, queuing to sign the Book of Condolence.
His Freedom of the City of Birmingham was an artifact added after his death, which you can still visit.
The Osbourne family commented: “We are deeply touched to receive this award in honour of Ozzy.
“He was so loved by the people of Birmingham so it is great to come back and see the impact he has had in his hometown and how he continues to inspire generations of Brummies’ and fans across the world.
“I would like to thank the Lord Mayor for this special recognition.”
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE, commented: “Ozzy was and always will be a proud and much missed son of Birmingham.
“Having achieved worldwide success, he never forgot his Brummie roots, so I am honoured to present the award to his family in a fitting tribute of everything he has done for our city. Ozzy forever!”