A three-week outdoor theatre festival will bring a jam-packed programme of arts and cultural events to Ancoats this summer.
Created by Manchester’s iconic Hope Mill Theatre in association with Electric Park, HOPE FEST will see musicals, comedy, live music, family shows, film screenings, one-off special community events and even a dog festival all arrive in the city’s sought-after suburb this July.
The festival – which has been made possible through a collaboration to champion post-COVID cultural arts in Manchester – has an ambition to bring a unique programme of community-centric events, and will take place inside a large sheltered tent that’s set to accommodate 250 people based beside New Islington Tram Station, just a stone’s throw away from the theatre itself.
To offer a wide range of local beers, spirits and good grub, the new pop-up summer venue will also include an onsite bar and an eating area with a BBQ.
So, what are some of the highlights on the lineup for this year’s event?
Appearing in the festival will be comedians such as Jason Manford, Boothby Graffoe, Elf Lyons, Mike Newall and Vince Atta, with Kirk Jameson also directing a celebration of the history of musical theatre.
Touring stage shows include a revival of Stiles and Drewe’s Three Little Pigs The Musical, as well as Judy and Liza.
There will also be film screenings of some classics, plus a tribute to Dolly Parton, and more.
HOPE FEST / Hope Mill Theatre / DaveDraws
That’s not all either, as Hope Mill Theatre is also launching a special ‘FANCOATS’ scheme, which offers ticket discounts to locals and will also invite them to a one-off residents gathering designed to bring the local community together.
Speaking ahead of the festival, William Whelton – Executive Director at Hope Mill Theatre – said: “After a year of closure and uncertainty, we have been working hard to bring together a festival of outdoor work in our local area [and] this is an opportunity for us to bring together our audiences in a new and exciting way, as well as engaging with a whole new audience.
“The New Islington area and surrounding community has been our home for over five years now and has many diverse and creative residents.
— Hope Mill Theatre (@hopemilltheatr1) May 19, 2021
“With HOPE FEST, we also have a varied and diverse line up of arts and culture available, which offers a special opportunity for us to bring together the local community under one roof, or tent. It is important to us that HOPE FEST has something for everyone, whether it be a Sing A Long Frozen for families, music from Matt & Phreds a celebration of musical theatre, or a dog friendly event, this is an incredible opportunity for our organisation, in a very exciting phase for the New Islington and Electric Park area”.
“The pandemic had an immediate and substantial impact on the arts and cultural sector and is, unfortunately, likely to be the slowest in its recovery,” added Ben Cross, from Electric Park.
“And so, in that context, we’re immensely privileged and proud to play our part in supporting this incredible grassroots organisation at a time when it is needed most”.
HOPE FEST
HOPE FEST will take place from 16th July – 8th August 2021, and you can find more here.
Featured Image – HOPE FEST
Art & Culture
Iconic musical Annie is returning to the stage in Manchester next summer
Emily Sergeant
One of the most iconic musical productions of the 21st century will be heading out on a tour of the UK and Ireland next year.
And of course, an iconic musical will be taking to an iconic Manchester stage.
Renowned theatre producers Michael Harrison and David Ian are ‘delighted’ to announce that their smash-hit production of the musical Annie is being revived for 2026 and 2027, and will be embarking on a huge UK-wide tour, stopping off at some major cities in the process.
Unfamiliar with the musical Annie? Yet to see it on stage? Or haven’t been able to watch the beloved 1982 film of the same name? Let us fill you in.
Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage – but her luck soon changes when she’s chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks.
Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family.
➕ ATG+ PRESALE ➕
The smash hit West End production of ANNIE, the world’s favourite family musical, returns to Manchester for 2 weeks only.
Groups presale 👉 Today 12pm General sale 👉 Friday 12 Sep 10am
Based on the 1924 comic strip, Little Orphan Annie by Harold Grey – which, in turn, was inspired from the poem, Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley – Annie the musical originally debuted on Broadway in 1977 where it ran for nearly six years, before eventually spawning numerous productions in countless other countries, as well as national tours.
Over the last four decades, Annie the musical has won seven Tony Awards, including for Best Musical, and a wide variety of other accolades.
The songs ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’ are among its most popular and well-known musical numbers.
Annie the musical will be taking to the Manchester Palace Theatre stage from Tuesday 9 – Saturday 20 June 2026, with the tour continuing right through to mid-March 2027, and even more locations yet to be announced.
Tickets for the show are officially now on sale, and you can get your hands on them here.
Featured Image – Matt Crockett (Supplied)
Art & Culture
Loads of the UK’s best culture and heritage sites will be open to visit for FREE this autumn
Emily Sergeant
The UK’s largest festival of history and culture has returned, and there’s thousands of free events on the lineup.
Always proving to be a smash-hit success, both here in Greater Manchester and nationwide, over the last 30 years, the National Trust‘s Heritage Open Days are back by popular demand for the next couple of weeks.
This means loads of the UK’s top attractions will be open to visit for free from this autumn.
Heritage Open Days are run by thousands of local organisations and volunteers, and they’re all about bringing people together to celebrate their culture, community, and history.
From historic houses, factories, and museums, to music halls, formal gardens, and graveyards, countless of places and spaces across the country will be open to the public again this month, all without having to spend a penny.
Heritage Open Days’ is back by popular demand this autumn / Credit: Paul Harris (via HODs)
This year sees the biggest programme yet in the festival’s 31-year history, with more than 5,800 events – including some at a wide range of places that usually charge entry fees, and access to many locations that aren’t usually open to the public.
You can expect workshops, talks, hidden spaces, walks, family-friendly activities, and so much more, so no matter whether you’re a seasoned explorer or a first-time visitor, there’s something for everyone.
This year’s theme is architecture, and that means there’s plenty of chances to nosy around beautiful buildings and places not usually open to the public.
Loads of the UK’s best culture and heritage sites will be open to visit for free / Credit: Paul Harris (via HODs)
Visitors can explore the hidden chapels of Canterbury Cathedral, climb the striking Tower of Spite in Halifax, get lost in the hard-to-reach spaces of Forester Hall with a VR headset in Liskeard, or even step inside the grand Banqueting House at Gibside.
Up here in Greater Manchester, whether it be the glamour of the Stockport Plaza Super Cinema, or the serene surroundings of the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Oldham, the festival offers a rare opportunity to uncover the stories behind England’s most fascinating spaces.
“2025 is set to offer the most ambitious and wide-reaching Heritage Open Days programme yet, and it’s brimming with great things to do,” said Liam Montgomery, HODs Marketing & Projects Manager.
“Whether it’s well-known landmarks and hidden architectural gems or community-led talks and immersive experiences, the sheer diversity of places and stories on offer is extraordinary.”
Emily Sergeant -
19th May 2021 
