Ignite Fire Festival is set to return to Rochdale Town Hall and its gardens for three free evenings this month. Rochdale Borough Council has also announced a new centrepiece for this edition: an immersive fire-and-light trail called BODY.
Taking place from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd November, from 5pm to 8pm each night, Ignite Fire Festival is free to enter. Rochdale Borough Council and the Rochdale Development Agency organise the festival with Walk the Plank and Culture Co-op, and last year’s event saw more than 10,000 people attend.
What to expect at Ignite Fire Festival
BODY takes you through six zones of the human body using fire, light, sound and special effects. New to the region, organisers bill it as the North-West premiere of an installation that has already toured in Ireland and Canada.
The wider site also has plenty to see before or after you walk the trail. A Fire Garden of hand-crafted fire sculptures fills part of the grounds, and pyrotechnics light up the evenings. Drum Machine, Skylight Circus Arts and Travelling Light Circus will all perform.
Sunday: Christmas lights switch-on
The last night doubles as the start of the town’s festive season. On Sunday 22 November at 5.30pm, Father Christmas and the Mayor of Rochdale are due to switch on the Christmas lights in front of the town hall. The festival carries on until 8pm, so you can catch the switch-on and still have time for the fire sculptures and the trail.
If you want the fire without the crowd at the switch-on, Friday or Saturday evening gives you the same programme without the lights ceremony.
Manchester’s Christmas markets might get most of the attention at this time of year, but this is a free, short and different evening out, and is just a tram ride away from the city centre.
Find out more about Ignite Fire Festival and plan your visit here.
