Manchester will be seeing off the summer in style with the first-ever Festival of Manchester.
Manchester’s festival lineup is one of the best in the country, from Park Life to Pride, we’ve got something for everyone. Which is why it’s so baffling that we’ve made it this far without someone organising a festival dedicated to the city itself.
Thankfully, on Saturday (September 1) that mistake will be rectified, and the first-ever Festival of Manchester will take over Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield for an exciting programme of cultural activities and performances in what organisers say will be an amazing carnival of culture, colour, and creativity.
More than 60 groups from across the city are gearing up to take part and showcase the best of their own culture and traditions, including Amani Creative, a Moston-based group who use arts and culture to bring positive changes in communities. The group will be showcasing arts and culture from local African communities and entertaining the crowds with a mix of live contemporary African music and African drumming and dance.
The Manchester Malayalee Association, a community organisation made up of people from Kerala in India who aim to preserve and maintain the culture and traditions of Kerala, will also be bringing their unmissable drum ensemble, the Chenda Melam, to demonstrate their unique traditional art of drumming, Keralan style.
There will also be a non-stop programme of fun and free things to do including live music, have-a-go workshops in dance, design, crafts, and sports, along with walkabout theatre, mouth-watering street food, poetry slams and debates.
Of course, no festival would be complete without a grand finale, and the Festival of Manchester is no exception. Art group Walk The Plank will bring the festival to a close with a spectacular show on the lake in the middle of the park.
bywalktheplank
The festival will run from midday until 10pm. For more information or to see the full programme of events visit the festival website.