What's On
Tickets for the ‘world’s most entertaining’ cycling festival are on sale now
This is no ordinary cycling festival
By now we’re all dreaming about this summer, with the return of live events, pubs and festivals.
If it’s festivals you’re after, then look no further than Velio, a brand-new event celebrating life on two wheels.
Its debut festival is arriving in the North West this September, with three days and nights of cycling, immersive rides, music, comedy, food and drink, wellness and good times – and tickets are on sale now.
Located at the beautiful Cholmondeley Castle in the countryside of Malpas, Cheshire, Velio will be the first event in a series of pioneering cycling festivals created to provide unrivalled experiences on and off the saddle.
Both riders and non-riders can come down to enjoy the entertainment and feasts.
There will be different cycling routes and lengths for all ages, from the beginner to experienced riders, including the headline Velutopia ride – a 14km long stretch on closed roads filled with immersive entertainment, it’s a world-first cycling festival experience.
Velio
The unrivalled cycling experience will be made up of five routes – 3km,14km, 30km, 60km and 100km – and will cater from beginner to experienced riders, as well as including disabled cycling options and mini kids rides.
Velio festival will have entertainment, music and comedy, with a carefully crafted programme of international music artists, comedians and immersive moments across five stages.
Renowned vocal group Sister Sledge will be taking over the centre stage alongside fellow headliners Everything Everything. Also soundracking the mainstage will be a range of live acts including Elder Island and The Futureheads, as well as stellar DJ sets from Friendly Fires and Norman Jay MBE.
Velio
Expect a host of incredible tribute performances including The Bootleg Beatles and Da Funk (Daft Punk Tribute), as well as Mr Motivator getting the party started on the main stage.
The infamous La Discotheque will host their own stage with acts such as Crazy P Soundsystem and Disco Classics – featuring a live orchestra, with their fabulous flamingos, soul sergeants and queens to match.
Comedian Jason Manford will be providing a laugh a minute on the comedy stage presented by Altitude Comedy Festival with a stream of cherry-picked comedians, including Marcus Brigstocke, Shappi Khorsandi and Lou Conran.
The Velio Village presents a programme of day and nighttime immersive entertainment. This open-air village will play host to an eclectic mix of brass bands, DJs, cabaret & burlesque, a late-night jazz cafe, film screenings, karaoke, kids entertainment, chill out areas and much more.
Communal feasting will be at the heart of the festival with The Great Village Feast, with award-winning restaurant Volta collaborating to produce the banquets at the festival.
Foodies will enjoy long table communal feasts championing the finest local produce, while speciality bars serve up a variety of tempting tipples ranging from wine and gin to craft beers and cocktails.
Velio
Included in all tickets is standard camping for 3 days and 3 nights with access to a spacious campsite, toilets and showers. Motorhomes and campervans are welcomed, and you can also arrive to pre-erected tents.
For an enhanced camping experience, the boutique village offers a range of Bell, Lotus or Mahal tents for 2 to 8 people. All feature memory foam mattresses, premium bedding, bedside lights and tables as standard, with optional upgrades of electricity, toiletries, mirrors, and towels available.
Boutique village campers also enjoy exclusive access to speciality food vendors and bars in the area, along with VIP toilets and showers.
Velio
The onsite secure and insured bike storage system will negate any concerns about storing your pride and joy, while the bike cleaning and maintenance stations will make sure your ride is looking tip-top and podium ready.
If you don’t have a bike or don’t want to bring your own, a bike rental service is available on site. There are also physios and coaches on hand to offer tips and advice and make sure you’re fully geared up for some cycling fun and frolics. .
Add in yoga and meditation in the Cholmondeley gardens, plus wood-fired hot tubs, and you’ve got a unique and unforgettable festival experience.
Velio
Ed Norris, curator said: “We’re on a mission to get more people into cycling and bring it’s wholehearted culture to the world.
“Now more than ever we need the ability to switch off, connect with others and live a balanced lifestyle, at Velio we’re here to help celebrate the good times, indulge your senses and embrace the cycling culture.
“Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, our community is open.”
Velio
In addition to being the first immersive cycling festival, Velio is proud to be the first ‘Flexi-Distanced’ festival. All the measures and teams are in place to run the event socially distanced or non socially distanced, whichever the guidelines dictate, so you can book in confidence.
The comprehensive programme of activities and entertainment ensures there is something for all ages and disciplines at Velio, whether you’re a late-night dancer, an early morning meditator, a weekend feaster or a mid-week rider.
Pioneering a community spirit is also paramount, so we’re calling for you to get out the bike, get out of the city and gear up for an unforgettable weekend of cycle fuelled fun with family and friends, both old and new.
Velio
Tickets went on sale on Wednesday April 14th, with prices starting from just £150 (with the 25% discount code) for the entire three days and nights including camping.
Grab your tickets here, with 25% off available until Sunday April 18th.
What's On
Huge beer festival with more than 500 different varieties coming to Manchester
Can’t wait for this!
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.
What's On
New makers market with everything from dog accessories to house plants and jewellery coming to Manchester
Get this one in your diary!
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.
What's On
Manchester Flower Festival returns with tributes to Sarah Harding and Caroline Aherne
It’s taking place later this month!
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.
Find something to do in Manchester
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Huge beer festival with more than 500 different varieties coming to Manchester
New makers market with everything from dog accessories to house plants and jewellery coming to Manchester
New apartment development with huge gardens and outdoor space opening this year
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Manchester Flower Festival returns with tributes to Sarah Harding and Caroline Aherne
