Lightopia Festival reveals Local Heroes’ area and discount tickets for key workers
Award-winning winter lantern and light festival Lightopia has revealed a brand new area for 2020 – a Local Heroes display dedicated to those on the frontline.
Award-winning winter lantern and light festival Lightopia has revealed a brand new area for 2020: A Local Heroes display dedicated to those on the frontline.
The Local Heroes walkway will be magically lit to reveal a rainbow display – with the words ‘Thank You’ lit up in front of the well-regarded symbol of 2020.
As a further token of gratitude, the Heaton Park festival is offering a Key Workers Discount Ticket – entitling essential workers to 20% off tickets.
Lightopia 2020 is set to feature a variety of new installations alongside a socially-distanced route for guests to explore (with wider footpaths, three entry points and direct access to two car parks).
Each creation has been designed by critically-acclaimed, contemporary artist Ava Moradi.
Commenting on the Local Heroes rainbow, Moradi said: “This area has a special focus on Key Workers. The NHS rainbow is an important symbol of 2020 and a strong reminder to people that the current situation has had an impact on people all around the world.
“This large-scale light installation is visually bright and stunning and will bring joy and happiness to those that visit it.
“Lightopia is a world in which light, sculpture and art combine with new and traditional Chinese lantern-making techniques, to create an immersive experience. This year, the new route has a real festive family-friendly feeling and a magical journey through lantern trails awaits!”
The main centrepiece of the festival is Lightopia’s Christmas showcase, which will take place against the Grade I-listed Heaton Hall.
Also new for 2020 is the Astronomy display; illuminating the night sky with its beautiful moon installation, an area dedicated to the Manchester Skyline and an immersive Musical City encouraging visitors to dance their way through the lights.
The popular Animals attraction will return, along with installations in the Discovery space and Woodland Fairytale area.
Lightopia will be open to the public from Friday 20 November until Sunday 3 January.
For those looking to plan ahead with friends and family this festive season, there are a limited number of tickets available for key workers, with a 20% discount off the standard ticket price, when using code ‘KEY20’ here.
One essential worker ID is required for entry, per party.
Standard advance tickets are priced at £20.00 for adults (or £22.00 on the day), £13.00 for children (or £15.00 on the day), and £60.00 for families of two adults and two children (£68.00 on the day). Children under three can go free. Essential carers of disabled visitors can attend for free, the disabled visitor pays the normal admission fee.
To book tickets, visit the Lightopia website. You can also follow the festival on Instagram and Facebook @lightopiafestival.
Key Workers included in the discounted ticket:
Health and social care
Frontline health and social care staff such as doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, as well as support and specialist staff in the health and social care sector. In addition, it includes those working in supply chains including producers and distributors of medicines and personal protective equipment.
Education and childcare
Nursery, teaching staff and social workers.
Key public services
Those required to run the justice system, religious staff, as well as those responsible for managing the deceased, and journalists providing public service broadcasting.
Local and national government
Administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the Covid-19 response or delivering essential public services, including payment of benefits.
Food and other necessary goods
Those involved in the production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery of food.
Public safety and national security
Police, support staff, Ministry of Defence civilian staff and armed forces personnel, fire and rescue staff, and those responsible for border security, prisons and probation.
Transport
Those who will keep air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the Covid-19 response.
Utilities, communication and financial services
Staff required to keep oil, gas, electricity, water and sewerage operations running. Staff in the civil nuclear, chemical and telecommunications sectors. Those in postal services and those working to provide essential financial services.
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Local LGBTQIA+ football team Manchester Laces are set to play in the FA Cup for the first time ever
Danny Jones
Inclusive football team Manchester Laces are set to break even more new ground are they prepare to compete in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup for the first time ever.
What a truly incredible few years it’s been for the club.
Set to play their maiden match in the female division of the sport’s oldest competition this weekend, Manchester Laces’ Yellows squad will be taking on rival Greater Manchester Women’s Football League (GMWFL) side, Northwich Victoria, in another historic milestone for the local outfit.
Announced last month, the game is now fast approaching, and they’re hoping that plenty of Manc natives will turn up in support.
For anyone unfamiliar with the story, Manchester Laces has grown to become the leading women’s, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ positive sporting bodies in the region.
In fact, as part of a wider family – which includes clubs in Hackney, South London and Limehouse Laces, not to mention players over in Canada too – they’re comfortably one of the biggest in the entire country.
Sticking with MCR Laces alone, founded by Helen Hardy, they have grown so much in reputation and size that they have six different teams besides just the Yellows: the other Manchester squads include the Blues, Greens, Oranges, Purples, as well as the budding new Reds and Blacks.
It’s this kind of impressive expansion and, crucially, representation that has seen them win two Football v Homophobia Awards and Grassroots Initiative of the Year back in 2023.
Side-note: they also happen to have one of our favourite fooy kits of the entire year so far…
Boasting a new regular stadium at Timpson Road and set to take part not only in the North West Women’s Regional Football League (NWWFL)/GMWFL, but now FA Cup and county cup games, 2025 could be their most momentous year yet.
Providing access to countless women and people from within the queer and non-binary community who love the beautiful game and may have otherwise struggled to find an outlet, their work has been crucial in and around Greater Manchester.
With that in mind, taking part in an inaugural run within the prestigious knockout tournament feels like yet another watershed moment for the organisation.
Speaking ahead of the fixture, the club wrote on social media: “In 2021, we started our journey in Div 2 of the GMWFL with the aim of creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all. After winning consecutive league titles and earning back-to-back promotions, we are now a Tier 6 team.
“Yellows are delighted to be stepping into the magic of the FA Cup for the very first time, and we would love to see you there!
Taking place at both Wythenshawe Town FC’s and the Yellows’ own new home ground of Ericstan Park on Sunday, 7 September (2pm KO), we wish them the best of luck.
The Last Dinner Party have announced a huge 35-date tour, including a big Manchester gig
Danny Jones
Multi-award-winning indie and alternative rock band, The Last Dinner Party, have just announced what is set to be one of their biggest globe-trotting tours ever, with a momentous Manchester gig included on the UK run.
The much-celebrated five-piece have revealed their latest run of shows will span the UK, Ireland, mainland Europe, Australia AND New Zealand, confirming a total of 35 live dates.
After coming somewhat under fire in 2024 following a series of cancelled concerts, the Londoners have responded in the best way possible: by putting their money where their mouth is and coming back with a bang ahead of their highly anticipated sophomore release.
We have every faith they’ll have the stamina to fulfil their live commitments this time around, and you best believe we’ll be going for tickets.
Speaking in the build-upto the release of the second album, From The Pyre – which is set to drop on 17 October – the band said of their latest material: “This record is a collection of stories, and the concept of album-as-mythos binds them.
‘The Pyre‘ itself is an allegorical place in which these tales originate, a place of violence and destruction but also regeneration, passion and light. The songs are character-driven but still deeply personal, a commonplace life event pushed to a pathological extreme.
“Being ghosted becomes a Western dance with a killer, and heartbreak laughs into the face of the apocalypse. Lyrics invoke rifles, scythes, sailors, saints, cowboys, floods, Mother Earth, Joan of Arc, and blazing infernos. We found this kind of evocative imagery to be the most honest and truthful way to discuss the way our experiences felt, giving each the emotional weight it deserves.”
Going on to describe the follow-up to their seminal debut, Prelude to Ecstasy (which saw them sweep up multiple BRIT and NME Awards, as well as a Mercury Prize nomination), as “darker, more raw and more earthy”, you’re definitely in for a heavily intellectualised experience with this one.
Their performances are certainly much more than a group of musicians getting up on stage too; having seen them last October ourselves, the LGBTQ+ icons definitely revel in the artistic expression of a live show, and have been praised for celebrating the female queer gaze too.
As you can see in the social post shared by the band, they’re about to have a very busy end to 2025, plus plenty of travelling in the new year, but for now, you can see The Last Dinner Party’s upcoming UK tour dates in full down below:
14 November – 3Arena, Dublin
17 November – Corn Exchange, Edinburgh
20 November – O2 City Hall, Newcastle
23 November – Bridlington Spa, Bridlington
26 November – Aviva Studios, Manchester
29 November – The Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
30 November – The Prospect Building, Bristol
2 December – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
4 December – Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth
5 December – Brighton Centre, Brighton
7 December – O2 Academy Brixton, London
8 December – O2 Academy Brixton, London
Yes, set to visit Aviva Studios – a.k.a. the home of Greater Manchester’s ever-growing artistic hub – for the very first time, we couldn’t think of a more fitting act to play the stunning dynamic space.
General admission for The Last Dinner Party tour goes live from 10am GMT on Friday, 12 September, but fans who pre-order the album can gain early access.
You can get ready to grab your tickets right HERE.
The Manc -
8th September 2020 
