Lower Campfield Market in Manchester on Liverpool Road is an iconic structure that has become part of the furniture, having been used as part of the Science and Industry Museum housing the Air and Space Hall – and the people of Manchester have been waiting patiently for something to come of it after its closure in 2021. The site has been working towards becoming a business and tech hub, combining professional life with social and cultural experiences, from morning coffee to late-night events, and now Lower Campfield Market is set to return to its Victorian market roots, with a throwback Weekender.
The iconic Lower Campfield Market is being rebirthed and everyone is invited, with Department and Manchester’s own GRUB announcing the return of The Weekender. The one-of-a-kind artisanal festival will take place in the heart of Manchester as part of the unveiling of the newly-revived Campfield Mega Campus.
Running from 10am-4pm on Saturday 28th June, Campfield will play host to a curated makers market, music, creative classes, kids activities, top street food, delicious beverages and a few creative surprises. After years of transformative and restorative work this will be the first opportunity the public has had to step foot into the former market building, now repurposed as the UK’s most exciting creative and tech campus.
The festival will run exclusively on weekends, while during the week the campus will be a vibrant hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, housing The Exchange – Manchester’s flagship accelerator programme, supporting the next generation of digital and creative businesses.
This will also mark the first time in a century that the grade II-listed building will be returning to its original purpose as a bustling market hall. On the day visitors will be able to visit over 30 hand-picked independent traders showcasing the very best from Manchester’s flourishing makers and producers scene. Expect bakers, brewers, jewellers, florists, bee keepers, distillers, crafters, printers, picklers, illustrators, chefs and more all trading under the magnificent skylights of Campfield.
Alongside the fantastic market offering visitors will be enjoying DJs throughout the day selected by award winning broadcaster Reform Radio alongside surprise big name buskers. Beyond the music there will be opportunities to try your hand at laughter yoga, life drawing and other creative classes.
Jason Bailey, co-founder of GRUB, said: “GRUB have always believed in creating spaces where people can come together to enjoy great food, and local talent […] We’re thrilled to be part of Campfield’s next chapter, it brings together everything we champion at GRUB independent makers, grass-roots culture, and community-led experiences. We can’t wait to see this astounding Manchester building buzzing with that energy again.”
Abigail Gunning, operations director, added: “The return of The Weekender holds special significance, originally launched in 2016 to be part of Enterprise City’s placemaking initiative […] An activation that played a key role in the St John’s redevelopment, leading to collaborative and interactive events with Reebok, Redbull and PlayStation.
“Now St John’s has become a hub of tech and media businesses supplemented by Campfield Mega Campus, modern market and fantastic festival. We’re thrilled that our Campus for the UK’s disrupters and innovators within creative and tech sectors can stretch across industries and markets into supporting artisans, artists, musicians, food and beverage independents.”
The Weekender at Campfield is free to enter, and welcomes all. Doors will be open between 10am – 4pm on Saturday 28th June with a schedule of events and workshop tickets available here. The Weekender will also return to Campfield July 26th and August 30th with new events, activities and traders.
Further announcements will be made via the GRUB social media channels.
📍 Campfield is located at Barton St, Manchester, M3 4NN.