What's On
Festival in a garden centre with five stages of live music coming to Manchester
Afterparties for each date will be held at YES Pink Room and Basement
A day festival featuring live music across five different stages is coming to a community garden centre in Manchester this summer.
Green Island Festival has revealed the second wave of its 2024 line-up which will take place across June 15th, July 27th and September 7th, at Hulme Community Garden Centre.
The grassroots festival is set to present five stages across the garden centre, NIAMOS and Warwick Street. Guests can expect to hear many musical flavours as Green Island brings global sounds to the forefront.
Artists by way of Senegal, Brazil, Morocco, the Caribbean will be gracing the stages in addition to many local talents – bands, vocalists, DJs and takeovers by local legends.
Main Stage
Heading to the Main Stage this June – located in NIAMOS – will be Afriquoi, the five-piece band celebrated for their unique blend of African sounds and live electronics.
It will also play host to sets from Ku’umba, a radical arts collective, binding sounds of funk, blues, afrobeat and hip-hop, 21st century jazz singer Ni Maxine, and Ubunye, the Zulu band bringing pounding rhythms of Africa.
July will see headliners Def MaMa Def take to the Main Stage – two powerful women and rising stars of Senegal’s music scene, fusing contagious rhythms of amapiano, hip-hop and afrobeat.
They will be joined by experimental hip-hop jazz band Jointhedots as well as R&B soul singer Victoria Jane and contemporary jazz artist corto.alto.
September will see singer and multi-instrumentalist David Walters take centre stage, combining influences from his Caribbean heritage with electronic beats and acoustic folk. He’ll be joined by Soul and R&B collective Lovescene and Plant Food with their hard-hitting grooves and energy.
The Bandstand
The Bandstand, a stage built and developed by the Green Island team, now a permanent feature of Hulme Garden Centre, will present a range of takeovers.
The June chapter will be curated by DIY masters and music experimentalists FAT OUT, their line-up includes Fat Clams DJ, Lavender Rodriguez, Queer Icons Karaoke, Meme Gold, Arch Femesis and R.aggs.
Manchester legend Chunky will take the reins in July, bringing a diversity of sounds from amapiano, afro-house, afro-punk, blues-soul to rap to the forefront with Artist Lebo, Chia Kali, DeeD0t, NOT4MANY, Zhay and Troopz taking to the stage.
Rug Dug returns with Ruffy’s Lab in September, bringing on board Tia Cousins, Abigail Ward, Private Joy and a special guest to be announced! Expect, a bit of soul, electronic, afrobeat, RnB, broken-beat, reggae, jazz, synth-pop and post-punk from this mega line-up.
The Marquee Stage
The Marquee Stage will exclusively host the best up-and-coming bands and vocalists. In June, Pedro Fonte & Dada Joaozinho will be bringing a flavour of bossa nova all the way from Brazil.
Alongside them will be Benita & The Groove, neo-soul artist NinaRosa, jazz band Mangorata and flamboyant jazz-punk from Ask My Bull.
July welcomes sultry vocalist Jocelyn Knight backed by the classic soul and R&B band Natural Soul, songstress Hannah Rodriguez, duo Dia Frank, alt-soul indie band Rushbonds and rock-rap band Third Kulture.
And September will see Jamaica’s Calypso George, indie-pop artist Boo Kickz, Life Aquatic Band bringing their blended 70s pop and 2000s electro-clash sound. Plus, six-piece future soul and fusion band Mikoudi, and newly announced Gnawa bringing the spiritual sounds of Morocco to Manchester.
From 12pm – 2:30pm, the Marquee Stage will host family-friendly activities on each date.
Selector Stage
The brand-new Selector Stage – tucked away in a hidden corner of the festival to be discovered with strictly vinyl only, and an elite audiophile sound system for a proper selector experience – will be taken over by B-MUSIC-MULTI-LINGO-DISCO curated by Andy Vottel, with Stan Chow, Helene Gautier, Sean Demdike and Lee Janda.
July will bring Apricot Ballroom x Cosmic Slop, a collision of two Northern audiophile heroes by way of Sheffield and Leeds respectively. And last but not least, Lena C’s Melodic Junction enlists Cheb Mimo, Santa Leticia and Josh FB for the September festival.
The Forest Stage
The Forest Stage, a hidden gem located down the garden path will present some of the best selectors in the scene. June welcomes Una Lee, Nossa!, Supernature Disco, Dr. Jive and Murder He Wrote.
July will see Reno Collective, Tim Knight, Yohan, Levi Love, Urbi and Contours. And in September, there’ll be Rhod Parry, Zuri b2b Spinelli, Jade Li, Atiké and Shimrise.
For hungry and thirsty festivalgoers, a food and drink hub will be created at Warwick Street, which connects the venue and the garden centre.
The area will host local favourites including Midori with their delicious handmade gyoza, kimchi and dips, Tibetan Kitchen serving their fragrant, flavourful curries, stir fries and legendary momos, and plant-based, seasonal goods from Root to Flower.
Afterparties for each date will be hosted at YES, a two-floor takeover of the Pink Room and basement from 11pm till late.
In June, Rinse FM resident Arthi will be delivering a blistering mix of dancehall, baile, funky, dembow and everything in between. Accompanied by a set from Manchester’s very own SHEwillprovide and many more.
July will see Zed Bias commander the Pink Room and a takeover of the basement by Manchester label and party Left Right & Centre, with Korzi, mamba.exe and Nora.
Whilst September will have the ever hypnotic Me Gusta Collective oversee processions.
Cementing itself as an annual staple in Manchester’s grassroots music scene, Green Island is a community gathering with global sounds at the forefront.
The antithesis to festival giants, Green Island offers unrivalled up close and personal performances, and its charm lies in its relaxed and inclusive atmosphere.
This year sees the festival double in size as it adds cultural institution NIAMOS to its fabric, creating space for up to 1000 festival-goers. Accessibility still remains at the forefront, with tickets starting from £20.
Tickets for all festival dates and afterparties are on sale, HERE.
What's On
Manchester to transform into HUGE interactive playzone for free family festival this February half term
Manchester will be transformed this half term
Manchester is launching The Super Duper Family Festival in February, a new free un-ticketed family event spread over four days.
There’ll be various activities that will transform the city into a giant, interactive playground from Saturday February 15th to Tuesday February 18th 2025.
Families can explore unique play zones scattered across Manchester, with everything from giant mazes and steam-powered carousels to retro video games and family raves.
The family festival will feature six key zones across the city, including The Garden in Exchange Square, featuring an 18m x 18m real hedge maze reaching two metres high.
Then there’s The Carnival in St Ann’s Square, a steampunk spectacle of old-school carnival games, including a traditional Victorian Carousel, a mind-bending Hall of Mirrors, and Test of Strength stand.
Other zones include The Playground with Waterloo Road, where popular schoolyard games come to life on New Cathedral Street in collaboration with BBC’s Waterloo Road, gaming at The Arcade in the Printworks, The Sports Hall at Great Northern Warehouse, and The Party at Aviva Studios.
Then there’s The Rave, bringing family raves and parties featuring a world-class sound system and dazzling lighting displays to the Great Northern Warehouse.
Venues like the National Football Museum, Stoller Hall, People’s History Museum and Castlefield Viaduct are also set to host their own exciting activities.
And families can experience the launch of CBBC’s Operation Ouch: Brains, Bogeys and You at the Science and Industry Museum.
Supported by the city’s hoteliers, Manchester Accommodation BID, the festival has been created in partnership with Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, Manchester City Council, Marketing Manchester, Aviva Studio, Great Northern Warehouse and Printworks.
Manchester Accommodation BID Chairman, Kumar Mishra said, “This festival is a fantastic opportunity to draw families into the heart of Manchester, showcasing the city’s vibrant culture, creativity, and its status as a world-class destination.
“With iconic attractions like the National Football Museum, the Science and Industry Museum, and the breathtaking Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester offers an unparalleled mix of history, innovation, and entertainment.
“By transforming the city into a playground of creative experiences and offering free fun for children of all ages, we’re not only celebrating the best of Manchester, but also inspiring families to explore, stay, and create lasting memories in one of the UK’s most dynamic and exciting cities.”
The festival is a free un-ticketed event, find out more HERE.
What's On
The new FREE Christmas night market with over 40 traders from across our region
Get in the festive spirit!
Get in the festive spirit with a brand new FREE Christmas makers night market, with over 40 traders and small businesses from across the region.
Brought to you by Renaker, the Manchester Made Christmas night market is coming to New Jackson, Deansgate Square from Friday December 6th to Sunday December 8th.
Following on from a successful summer market in May, the Manchester Made Market is returning bigger and better than before but with a Christmassy twist.
Manchester Made Market
Expect a ‘cosy and magical’ Christmas night market experience, with food, drink, live music and even a grotto for visits to Father Christmas.
There’ll be Christmas trees galore, glittering with lighting, with one huge show-stopping tree taking centre stage.
Bringing together over 40 artisanal traders and small businesses from across the region, the three-day event will showcase a plethora of food produce, homewares, crafts and creations.
Manchester Made Market
Visitors will be sure to find unique Christmas gifts that support local businesses, including from The Cole Men and their award winning sauces, Moon & Sixpence’s handmade jewellery, and fine art photography by Craig Barker.
There’ll be live music from a 20-piece choir, playing Christmas classics, cocktails from Manchester Gin and Gooey’s sweet treats.
The experts from Millington Hall Farm in Altrincham will be bringing a taste of their Wild Grill experience, including live sausage making demonstrations and an array of German sausages served from a festive BBQ trailer.
Manchester Made Market
Families with children can visit the Christmas grotto, where Father Christmas himself will be waiting in a cosy tipi – kids will get a gift from Santa, and bookings can be made online for £8.50 per child.
Manchester Made Market will be open from 4pm to 9pm on Friday December 6th, and 1pm to 9pm on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th – pre-register for a free guest list ticket and 50% off a hot chocolate HERE, or book the Christmas grotto HERE.
What's On
Free one-day Christmas festival returning to Stockport to kick off festive season
Get in the festive spirit in Stockport!
Stockport’s free, one-day Christmas festival is returning this festive season, with 200 performers and more than 50 shows.
Spectacular Sunday will return to the town on November 17th at various sites and venues.
Following the success of last year’s event, hundreds of performers will take over Stockport, with everything from giant roller-skating presents to a living snow globe and roaming Christmas dolls.
There will also be street theatre, including grumpy Christmas grandads, a gigantic balloon man and water show.
Matthew Nichol Photography
Produced by carnival arts organisation Global Grooves and organised by Stockport Council, Totally Stockport, Merseyway and Stockport Market, the town centre will be buzzing with Christmas excitement.
Events will be happening in iconic Stockport locations like Market Place, Underbanks, Merseyway, Redrock and Suffragette Square.
A grand finale in Merseyway will bring together the brass bands of Stockport, ending the day with a huge flash mob and rendition of All You Need Is Love.
Cirq Delight
Cllr Singleton, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Sport, said: “We’re so excited to bring this event back after last year’s amazing success.
“It’s such a fun way to get everyone in the festive spirit and really shows off what makes Stockport special – our sense of community and joy.
“With loads of free performances and activities, plus a chance to enjoy the newly improved areas of Merseyway, it’s a perfect day out for families.
“Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday is all about having fun, making memories, and starting the holiday season in style.”
Spectacular Sunday is happening from 11am to 5pm on Sunday November 17th – find out more HERE.
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Manchester to transform into HUGE interactive playzone for free family festival this February half term
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The new FREE Christmas night market with over 40 traders from across our region
Free one-day Christmas festival returning to Stockport to kick off festive season
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