We’re ready for the festival season here in Greater Manchester, and now there’s another free one set to take over Swinton for the entire family. Salford City Council and From The Other have announced that Swinton Sounds, a free, three-day festival of pop-up live music, performance, food, drink, and family fun is back for the third time at the end of May.
Running from Friday 30th May – Sunday 1st June at some of Swinton’s favourite venues and well-known locations, Swinton Sounds will celebrate the town and its vibrant community, with a whole load of music and fun.
Throughout the weekend, local venues including Swinton Grand Palais, The Swinton Hop House, and The Wobbly Stool, as well as Swinton Square and the beautiful Victoria Park, will be filled with sounds from some of Greater Manchester’s best musicians and DJs in a programme curated by From the Other (the team behind Sounds from the Other City) in collaboration with Salford City Council.
Here’s what you can look forward to at Swinton Sounds:
Friday 30th May
From 7.30pm-10pm, Swinton Sounds will launch at the historic Grand Palais, Swinton’s iconic ballroom dating back over a century, with a dancefloor filling set from Untold Orchestra; the much-loved Manchester collective will be bringing a bespoke five-piece set-up and bags of energy with unique takes on dance songs from all the best decades, so expect disco, funk, soul, and lots of shuffle inducing surprises.
Saturday 31st May
Saturday will see performer, producer, and host for the day Judy Brush take to Swinton Square between 12pm-3pm to welcome soul artist Yemi Bolatiwa; Ghana born, Manchester raised contemporary guitarist and composer Rory A. Green; R&B, Gospel and Neo Soul fusing singer songwriter Kiké; and DJ collective known for pop-up parties that straddle day and night Good Afternoon, to the outdoor stage.
There will also be a visually striking performance piece for young people and all the family from the UK’s leading makers and creators of outdoor arts, theatre and spectacle in the public realm Walk the Plank; inspired by the nesting birds found around the waterways of Salford, come and meet the large Canadian Goose puppet and help the little goslings honk.
Craft-based family fun will be provided by Manchester’s Little Artists who will be running a child-led art workshop; it will be messy, creative and embrace the process, not just the end result, whilst Swinton’s own Arts Let Loose will be inviting kids to Glow Crazy where they can dance and create to music under UV lights, all they need is white or fluorescent clothing at this party.
From 6pm-9pm, lush Indie Folk artist Evie Moran, bespectacled singer songwriter Mathew Kerry, and queer Mancunian R&B singer-songwriter Bennettiscoming will be wowing the crowds at local cask and keg ale spot The Swinton Hop House, while R&B and soul singer-songwriter and producer Amatiime, Sad Pop singer Alf Whitby, and R&B, Pop, and Soul blending artist Isaac Malibu showcase their immense talents at the ever-popular Wobbly Stool.
Sunday 1st June
The party will land at the very grand Victoria Park bandstand from 1pm-5pm with a hefty line-up hosted by Manchester’s legendary DnB songstress DJ Jenna G to do it justice. Sens Sagna, the inspirational dancer and singer from Senegal, brings his performance group Kajamor Family to Swinton to showcase World Music, Afro-beat, and West African dance, while Madame Claude, a 5-piece band from Saddleworth, mix Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, and Disco into the afternoon.
Dance and visual arts collective Ghetto Fabulous will be bringing glamour, glitz, and grace to the situation as only they can, with two sets; one all-out performance and one interactive family catwalk show, and DJ, vocalist, and visual artist Meme Gold will be getting behind the 1s and 2s and to deliver some big tune selection.
In addition, there will be a very special parade around the park led by the marching band of Avant-Pop rebels Stealing Sheep, followed by the iconic Sounds ‘Round Town DJ bike, as well as clay and craft workshops for the family by Clay Life, and Salford Mad Pride will be in town to promote creativity, arts, nature, and community connection for wellbeing while celebrating the unique talents of those who struggle with mental health.
Fratellis will be providing the pizza and local bars, The Wobbly Stool and The Swinton Hop House will be running pop-up bars, with further refreshments served from The Hive community hub.
Councillor Jack Youd, Deputy City Mayor and Lead Member for Finance, Support Services and Regeneration, said: “Swinton has plenty to celebrate, and has the potential to be one of the best places to live in Greater Manchester. Local people have told us they want to see a more vibrant Swinton, with more going on – and more reasons for people to visit and spend their leisure time in the area.
“This exciting weekend of activities is part of a programme of events developed in response to that community ambition – and is a great opportunity for people to explore the town and experience something new.”
Swinton Sounds takes place on Friday 30th May, Saturday 31st May, and Sunday 1st June.
📍 Swinton Grand Palais, Swinton Square, The Swinton Hop House, The Wobbly Stool, Victoria Park.