The third annual canal-side festival at Middlewood Locks in Salford returns this weekend with an action-packed schedule for all ages. The free community event is part of a programme to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Middlewood Locks along with Salford’s centenary.
Taking place on Saturday 4th July from 3pm to 10pm, Middlewood Locks Fest offers a lively, family-friendly free event including live music, colourful parades, children’s workshops, a makers market, water activities, street food vendors and a fabulous light and fire display as night falls bringing the event to a close.
A key highlight this year is the Wagon Train – a pop-up mobile festival commissioned by Salford City Council as part of the Salford centenary celebrations and produced by Walk the Plank, featuring free, family-friendly entertainment including music, poetry, play space, karaoke, and talent competitions.
Middlewood Locks Fest line-up
Live entertainment is set to include a high energy parade from Batala Afro-Brazilian percussion act playing samba-reggae rhythms. The internationally acclaimed recording artist Oojami will also take centre stage with a DJ set blending traditional Turkish and Eastern melodies with modern urban beats, drum and base, dub, and English vocals.
Indie-folk duo, Honest Michael will perform music with a mixture of humour and heart drawing inspiration from love and nature, whilst Salford’s very own Barton Belles community choir will deliver a cappella and choral repertoire of pop, Motown, jazz and folk.
Makers Market & street food at Middlewood Locks Fest
The makers market will be back bringing together local makers, artisans, performers and creators selling a range of beautiful products such as jewellery, plants, artwork, clothes and produce.
The event will offer plentiful food and drink options from local vendors alongside fun activities such as face painting, hook-a-duck and arts and crafts.
On-the-water fun includes rafted canoe trips and a spectacular sunset light and fire installation with the ‘Spark Drummers’ bringing proceedings to a lively end at 10pm.
Paul Hindle of Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal Society, said: “The canal has always been part of Salford’s story, and it is exciting to see it becoming a place people can enjoy in new ways today. By opening up the waterside for leisure, activity and shared experiences, Middlewood Locks Fest helps reconnect the community with this important piece of local heritage.”
Ben Turner at Walk the Plank, said: “This year, we’re bringing even more life to the canal with a bigger event programme which invites people of all ages to get involved. After such a fantastic response last year, we wanted to build on that momentum and create another joyful, creative celebration for the whole community.”
The festival is being made possible through sponsorship from Scarborough Group International, the developer and custodian of Middlewood Locks, joint venture partners Metro Holdings PLC, and Get Living, the build-to-rent operator. Produced in collaboration with the outdoor events production team at Walk the Plank, the event is also supported by Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal Society and Canal & River Trust, with funding from GMCA.
