What's On
Festa Italiana unveil full line-up for its huge Italian food festival on August bank holiday
Festa Italiana is back!
The UK’s largest Italian food festival, Festa Italiana has unveiled a colossal line-up ahead of its free Cathedral Gardens event over the August bank holiday weekend.
Festa, initially born out of Manchester’s Italian community four years ago, is back with a bang after Covid-19 foiled its plans last year, with workshops, demonstrations, book signings and some of Italy’s finest cuisine courtesy of celebrated Italian chefs such as Aldo Zilli, Giancarlo Caldesi, Gennaro Contaldo and Festa founder, Salvi owner Maurizio Cecco.
So, what’s up for grabs on the food front?
Well, considering that Festa celebrates all things Italian, it never fails to deliver on the cuisine side of things. Throughout the weekend, returning Festa favourites, Café Cannoli will be selling their delicious cannoli made using authentic ingredients imported from Sicily.
Some familiar names will also be making an appearance – I Knead Pizza will be using their staple wood-fired oven to serve their famous Neapolitan pizza, while NQ Sicilian will be dishing up artisan gelato, Coppa Della Casa, Brioche Gelato and Brioche Col Tuppo. Also on the bill, the driving force behind Festa Italiana, family run Salvi’s will be frying up its popular Festival dish, Italian Pizza Fritta.
Pasta Factory will also be serving up a menu of fresh pasta paired with handmade sauces, lovingly prepared by a family with culinary roots in Puglia Italy. And for those with a sweet tooth, Paradiso Authentic Italian will be bringing its range of carefully crafted tiramisú.
Carmela Sereno Hayes, the hugely popular pastaia (specialist pasta maker) and author, will also be making a return to Festa with her much talked about pasta workshops.
I Knead Pizza
And as for the beverages front?
Well, it wouldn’t be a weekend dedicated to Italian cuisine without some authentic Italian booze, would it? The Main Festival Bar will be bringing all of the Italian classics to the party, including Aperol Spritz, the Festa’s signature cocktail Limoncello Spritz in partnership with official Festa brand partner, Limonce.
There’ll also be Italian craft beers, Prosecco, Italian wine, Negronis, Gin & Tonic, and San Pellegrino soft drinks, and Peroni will also be serving pints of their famed lager at the Peroni Showcase Bar, alongside their own portable cinema.
The films showed will be Romeo and Juliet, Cinema Paradiso and La Dolce Vita.
But perhaps most excitingly, there will also be a number of masterclasses across the weekend.
On Friday 27th August, there will be a series of family-friendly masterclasses for those attending with children – at 1:30pm, Sienna Cecco, the twelve-year-old daughter of Salvi’s owner, will be hosting a cooking demo to teach kids how to make simple and tasty dishes with ease, and at 2:30pm, Julia Martinelli from Pasta Factory will deliver a fun kids pasta masterclass.
Festa Italiana
Saturday 28th August will then see back-to-back workshops and book signings hosted by celebrity chefs and award-winning authors: Gennaro Contaldo, UK brand ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano, (Saturday Kitchen, Two Greedy Italians, Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast) at 1:30pm, and Giancarlo Caldesi (Return to Tuscany, Saturday Kitchen, Sunday Brunch) at 2:30pm.
On Sunday 29th August, Gennaro Contaldo will be back at 12:30pm with another Parmigiano Reggiano masterclass and book signing, and at 1:30pm, Fran Scafuri from Altrincham’s Tre Ciccio will be taking guests through a very special recipe. At 2:30pm, celebrity chef and award-winning restaurateur, Aldo Zilli will be hosting a masterclass and book signing.
On the music front, Compagnia Sole Luna will be flying over from Naples and performing each day, bringing traditional folk music revisited in a folk-rock style from southern Italy, while DJs will be spinning records each night.
The free festival will be taking place at Cathedral Gardens on the August bank holiday weekend, Friday 27th to Sunday 29th. For more information and to grab tickets for the paid events, visit the Festa Italiana website here.
What's On
The Champions League final is being shown at Manchester’s biggest fan park
A Sky Sports presenter plus a genuine footballing legend will be there to give their match analysis
A Champion’s League Final festival is coming to The Love Factory in Manchester for the big game next month.
Sporting events company, 4TheFans has announced its UEFA Champions League Final Festival FanPark at Love Factory in central Manchester on Saturday, June 10th.
Man City secured their place at the Istanbul final when they beat Real Madrid at the Etihad.
As the Blues march into the final for what could be a historic treble, families are welcome to watch them at this the huge indoor and outdoor event — opening its doors from 3pm. The match will kick-off at 8pm GMT.
Only 10 minutes walk from Manchester Victoria, it will be the ultimate place for all the family to watch Manchester City take on Inter Milan.
Fans will get to enjoy the big game on huge anti-glare screens and soak up entertainment including a Sky Sports presenter, football legend, DJs, competitions, and fun footy activities — the atmosphere will be immense!
Hosting the event will be a Sky Sports presenter plus a Man City legend to give their match analysis and have bags of banter as part of an interactive show for the fans.
The real festival atmosphere will continue as fans enjoy a variety of food and drink (including award-winning pies), and more.
All ages are welcome making this the most family-friendly fan park available. Kids can take on their parents in footy activations including penalty shootouts, and a precision wall to test their accuracy.
And when Manchester City score, get ready for big celebrations with awesome special effects such as pyrotechnics and cO2 cannons!
Tickets are expected to sell out fast so fans should move quickly to secure their spot and avoid disappointment! General admission tickets start at £8 per person for a group of six, and £10 for individual tickets with a VIP box starting from £75 per person.
To book tickets and find out more CLICK HERE.
What's On
DJ Fat Tony coming to Selfridges for Q&A about new ‘outrageous’ memoir
He hung out with Leigh Bowery and Andy Warhol, and created his drag persona, before becoming DJ to the stars
DJ Fat Tony is coming to Selfridges, Manchester this week to do a Q&A about his new ‘outrageous’ memoir, I Don’t Take Requests.
Join one of the most controversial DJs to ever grace the UK party scene along with his co-author Michael Hennegan in conversation, as they celebrate the paperback release of I Don’t Take Requests.
The live discussion with the DJ, about his life and memoir, will take place on Friday, May 26th 6-8pm. Tickets cost £10 and guests will receive a free paperback copy of his new release as well as the chance to enjoy a live DJ set.
Throughout his life and career, the DJ has grappled with addiction, a HIV diagnosis and various career challenges.
Harrowing, honest, and funny, I Don’t Take Requests is the ‘candid and outrageous memoir of a life of extremes’.
It’s a story of ‘getting it all and losing it all’. Addiction, recovery, and starting again. Drawing a vivid portrait of Britain’s street culture from the 1980s to the noughties.
DJ Fat Tony describes his childhood on a London estate where he honed his petty criminality, was abused by an older man, and became best friends with Boy George.
He spent his teenage years parading the Kings Road in his latest (mostly stolen) clobber, worked as a receptionist at a brothel, hung out with Leigh Bowery and Andy Warhol, and created his drag persona, before becoming DJ to the stars (including Prince and Madonna) and spiralling into a life threatening drug addiction.
Now 16 years sober he has enjoyed a renaissance in life, becoming one of fashion’s favourite DJs. He does this whilst being a leading voice on the sobriety scene and an LGBTQ activist.
Tickets cost £10 and include a copy of I Don’t Take Requests, a Q&A panel discussion, as well as a live DJ set.
For tickets to the event click HERE.
Fri 26th May, 2023 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Men’s Level 1, Selfridges, 1 Exchange Sq, Central, Manchester M3 1BD.
What's On
Cabaret with sword-swallower and aerial acts coming to a Manchester rooftop
A sword-swallower, contortionists, unicyclists and a woman who likes to be suspended by her hair are some of the creme del la creme cast featuring at La Clique
An internationally acclaimed, award-winning circus and cabaret is coming to a Manchester rooftop next week.
La Clique will wow audiences with its stunning performances for a limited six-week run as it takes over the rooftop of Manchester Depot Mayfield.
Presented by live entertainment company Underbelly, La Clique will blow audiences away with its genre-defining cabaret — set to take off Thursday May 25th.
The show has chosen Manchester for its very first North of England residency, after several years of success in London and Edinburgh.
Born in the UK’s comedy capital of Edinburgh, Underbelly Festival launched in London’s Southbank in 2009 and ran for 10 years on the banks of the Thames. It has also run pop up events in Leicester Square, Cavendish Square and Earls Court.
A beautiful 1920s Spiegeltent — much like a traditional circus — will deck the roof of Depot Mayfield ready for the launch of this trailblazing show.
Inside, there’s a central circular stage with multiple seating options, including private booths for up to eight adults, each table coming with a bottle of prosecco.
The internationally acclaimed cabaret will bring a full cast featuring the world’s finest circus and cabaret acts including, straps aerial performer Oscar Kaufman, creative powerhouse Tara Boom, world-renowned sword swallower Heather Holliday — joining the previously announced Lj Marles, Miranda Mezieas and Chastity Belt.
This spectacular show promises a night of laughs, gasps, naughtiness and the best in circus and cabaret.
Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood, Co-Directors of Underbelly, said: “We’re beyond thrilled to finally bring Underbelly to Manchester this Summer, and we can’t think of a show more perfect than La Clique.
“La Clique is all about audiences having the most incredible time in the majestic Spiegeltent, being entertained by the world’s best circus, cabaret and comedy performers – your jaw will be on the floor one minute, and your stomach in pains from laughing the next.”
David Bates, Creative Director and Originating Producer of La Clique, said: “La Clique has been described as: ‘Over the Head, Under the Skin and Below the Belt…’ – it is the original circus cabaret that has taken the world by storm from Paris to New York, and everywhere in between.
“It’s sexy, it’s funny, it’s dangerous… Manchester, strap yourself in, it’s your turn now to feel the thrill and we couldn’t be more excited!”
Laura Percy, Development Director for Depot Mayfield, said: “Manchester’s cultural credentials are second to none and we are thrilled and excited to welcome the pioneering and eclectic brilliance of La Clique to Mayfield this summer….
“We’ve re-imagined the iconic Depot as an ever-evolving and atmospheric cultural space fit for world-class artists like La Clique. Huge credit to our partners at Broadwick for their passion and creativity in bringing outstanding new shows like this here.”
La Clique Manchester runs every evening from Tuesday to Sunday (from Thursday May 25th) with starting times varying between 7pm and 9.45pm.
To celebrate its opening, La Clique Manchester is offering limited early bird tickets for the first two weeks where stalls tickets are reduced to £25 per person. Tickets are automatically discounted via the website. Hurry, limited tickets available!
Tickets available now from £19.50 for a limited 6-week from Thursday 25th May, click HERE. For a private booth for up to eight adults including a bottle of prosecco, click HERE.
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