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Stockport hosting ‘first ever’ Christmas festival to celebrate Town of Culture award

An epic way to kick-start the festive season

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Stockport Council

Stockport Council has announced its plans to hold its ‘first ever’ Christmas celebration in its centre after it was crowned Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture 2023.

To kick-off the festive season the town will have a one-day Christmas celebration this month taking residents and visitors on an enchanting journey through it’s shopping streets for Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday.

The event will be filled with a huge line-up of over 60 breath-taking shows featuring 220 artists alongside roaming acts, carnival fun, live music and festive food stalls – all guaranteed to capture the imaginations of youngsters whilst bringing extraordinary entertainment to families on a scale not seen before across the town.

Richard Crease

Produced by carnival arts organisation, Global Grooves, Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday will take place on November 19th from 11am – 5pm, where visitors can expect to be amazed and entertained by a variety of charming performers at various locations across the town centre, including Merseyway Shopping Centre, Market Place and The Underbanks. 

Organised as a collaborative celebration by Stockport Council, Totally Stockport BID and Merseyway Shopping Centre, the event has been created as part of a programme of events bringing a year of culture to everyone in the town, to celebrate being named Greater Manchester’s latest Town of Culture for 2023.

The full event line-up will include Clint Boon providing the tunes, an aerial dance display, live music, performers, a choir, a carnival and plenty more.

Stockport Council

The line-up will take place as follows:

Market Place

12pm – 4pm (performance times may vary throughout the day)

Promising to bring festive magic to all, shoppers and families can expect a grand celebration on Market Place. Mr & Mrs Boon will be presenting an afternoon tea with a twist, filled with sublime cakes, teas and tunes by Inspiral Carpets and Manchester legend, Clint Boon. 

Don’t miss the popular technicolour New Orleans marching band, Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, who will be bringing glorious carnival renditions of popular 90s hits while families can also enjoy a Christmas dance-along with Granny Turismo.

Stockport Council

The Underbanks

12pm – 4.30pm (performance times may vary throughout the day)

Celebrating Stockport landmark, Strawberry Studios, the Underbanks will play host to Take Me to The Bridge, a grand concert piano recital showcasing classic tunes. Stockport’s very own aerial specialists Blush Aerial Dance, will perform several stunning shows suspended above the piano.

Curious, walkabout acts will make their way through the Underbanks, including roaming penguins and giant, enchanting puppets.

And to mark the end of the day’s performances everyone is welcome at 4.15pm for a huge, festive singalong under St Petersgate Bridge, where local musicians, choirs and community groups will come together next to the piano to mark the beginning of Christmas.

Richard Crease

Merseyway Shopping Centre

11am – 5pm (performance times may vary throughout the day)

It’s a cultural Christmas extravaganza at Merseyway as visitors can expect stunning fairies, peculiar penguins, dinosaurs in Christmas hats, dancing snowflakes, Christmas Comedy Waiters, a giant stilt Holly tree, comedy acts and  more.

Santa’s street band, Red Hot Santas, will be playing classic Christmas hits with a modern twist, while Stockport’s very own specially designed ‘Rangoli’ will emerge throughout the day, created by acclaimed artist Ranbir Kaur.

If you’re passing by Suffragette Square and Mersey Square, listen out for the miniature carnival that will be parading between the two, at various times throughout the day.

Stockport Council

Councillor Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “Our ever-popular Christmas event is even bigger and better this year to celebrate our Town of Culture status and to finish the year on a real high, with this free family-friendly event. 

“Christmas is a magical time of year and our town centre will be transformed to bring some festive cheer to our many residents and visitors and showcase our fantastic town. 

“This is the icing on the cake to a successful 2023 for our Town of Culture programme, which our local communities have really embraced, with so much more to come over the coming months.”    

Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday will take place throughout the town centre on November 19th from 11am – 5pm.

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Huge beer festival with more than 500 different varieties coming to Manchester

Can’t wait for this!

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Manchester Craft Beer Festival

Manchester Craft Beer Festival is back for another year, bringing with it more than 80 breweries and 500 different beers to sample.

The fourth edition of the festival will be taking place at Depot Mayfield on Friday July 5th and Saturday July 6th.

Cloudwater, Track, Marble, Northern Monk, Bundobust, Sureshot and Seven Brothers will be there to represent Manchester, alongside other UK stalwarts like Deya, Verdant, Siren and Leeds’ North Brewing Co.

Manchester Craft Beer Festival


Heritage breweries like Timothy Taylor’s, Chouffe and Timmermans will also be there, as well as international breweries from the US, Greece, Spain and Australia.

There will also be some great food options to line your stomach, including bao buns, crispy chicken and katsu tater tots at Bone Daddies, as well as Almost Famous, Bundobust, MorMor and Voodoo Rays.

Manchester Craft Beer Festival


Greg Wells, director of Manchester Craft Beer Festival, said: “It’s been a disheartening year for Manchester’s beer scene so far with closure of the beloved Indy Beer Con Fest and the unsuccessful debut of the International Brewing and Cider Festival, but we’re pleased to announce our return and bring more of what has been loved in the past three years.

“With even more breweries and experiences on offer and larger capacity this year, we’re buzzing to be back to satisfy all the beer lovers out there.

“The addition of a complimentary trade session to our programme is all about promoting this world class beer city and a small gesture to support all the incredible people who work across the drinks and hospitality industries.

“We all have a mutual understanding of the hardships our industries have faced in recent times so we thought it’d be a nice gesture to get everyone together for the love of drinks, food and music to celebrate beer and ourselves!”

Manchester Craft Beer Festival


The entry price includes all your drinks throughout your session, as well as festival glass and access to all the events happening.

And as it’s on during the Euros, it will be screening the football too.

Day tickets cost £57 per day session – with a discount for four tickets – or £145 for the whole weekend. Grab tickets HERE.

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New makers market with everything from dog accessories to house plants and jewellery coming to Manchester

Get this one in your diary!

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Supplied

A brand new makers market is coming to Manchester this late May Bank Holiday weekend, with something for everyone.

Taking place at New Jackson – a new urban neighbourhood located at the southern gateway to the city – Manchester Made Market will be held on Saturday May 25th and Sunday May 26th.

Over the two days you’ll be able to browse a selection of local artisanal traders and small businesses from across the region.

Supplied


There’ll be everything, from food produce, homewares, crafts and creations to dog accessories, house plants, jewellery and homemade soap.

Among the traders will be Manchester and Cheshire-based florist and floral artists Dot & Flora, graphic artist Ablott MCR selling music prints, HGT with crochet fashion and homeware designs, and artisan candlemakers Leaves and Prickles.

Elsewhere, there will be essential oils and other treatments from Grounded Wellness, permanent jewellery from Sealed Links, and desserts from Cake With Heart.

Supplied


There will be plenty of street food options to keep you topped up while you shop, including The Wild Grill, Food Sorcery, Salvi’s and new favourite Medlock Canteen.


Neighbourhood Brew will be supplying some great drinks as well.

Supported by Renaker, the market is free, but you can upgrade your experience with a limited, free VIP ticket with access to the dedicated bar area.

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What's On

Manchester Flower Festival returns with tributes to Sarah Harding and Caroline Aherne

It’s taking place later this month!

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The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival

The legendary Manchester Flower Festival is returning to our city later this month, complete with pop-ups, installations and tributes to some local icons.

Taking place over the late May Bank Holiday, the event will be headlined by its ‘Floral Trail’.

This year’s theme is Manchester Icons, with a host of names past and present being honoured in flower form, including the late comedy legend Caroline Aherne, pop star Sarah Harding and suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.

The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival

Collaborating with Manchester illustrator Stanley Chow, floral designer Liv Woodward will create a portrait of Caroline Aherne at the Floral Marquee on New Cathedral Street, using sustainably sourced plants and flowers.

Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding will be remembered in a ‘tribute garden’, sponsored by the AO Arena, with visitors able to donate to the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal by scanning the QR code at the display.

The homage to Pankhurst has been created by female-led Decordia, featuring an ornate wooden Manchester Town Hall-inspired planter with sashes, posters and colourful icons, alongside a wicker figure of the suffragette herself.

This can be found at the corner of Cross Street and King Street, adorned with purple, green and white plants – the colours of the suffragette movement.

The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival

Other local legends will also be honoured with their own installations, including Happy Mondays vocalist Rowetta and iconic Manchester brewery Boddingtons .

Fringe events will be taking place too, at locations including Northern Quarter art shop Fred Aldous, The Bridgewater Hall, the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and the National Trust’s Castlefield Viaduct.

Selfridges Exchange Square, El Gato Negro, Tast Catala, Franco Manca, Grand Pacific Manchester and Urban Playground will also be taking part, with alfresco dining, festival-related dishes and cocktails.

The Vain Photography / Manchester Flower Festival

Now in its seventh year, the Flower Festival, which is put together by Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year, with live entertainment, workshops, and arts and crafts markets.

It all happens from May 24th to May 27th – head over to the website HERE to find more information.

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