Last weekend saw one of Manchester’s most beautiful celebrations return to the city centre, as the Manchester Flower Show took place.
The huge event fills the city’s streets with flowers and plants every summer, with local businesses taking part in events and installations.
The event, which is brought to the city by Manchester BID, coincided with the Jubilee weekend this year, meaning there were four whole days for Mancs to explore the festival.
The Manchester Flower Show attracted around 70,000 extra visitors to the city centre, including a 50% increase in footfall on King Street according to figures released by Manchester BID and CityCo.
The Manchester Flower Show. Credit: The Manc Group
The Manchester Flower Show. Credit: The Manc Group
As this year’s event coincided with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, there were plenty of royal-themed installations for visitors to see.
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A huge crown filled with blooms took centre stage in the Arndale as part of a special Jubilee Trail.
Also appearing in the shopping centre was a giant bee made from flowers, complete with a crown to mark the Queen’s landmark occasion.
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The Manchester Flower Show. Credit: The Manc Group
The Manchester Flower Show. Credit: The Manc Group
The Manchester Flower Show. Credit: The Manc Group
Artist Sarah Hayes (or Twigtwisters) crafted a leaping horse out of twisted willow on King Street, as a nod to Her Majesty’s passion for equestrian sports.
The 10-part Jubilee Trail also featured a classic red phonebox with flowers bursting out of its door, a London-inspired Changing of the Guard display (complete with mini Trafalgar Square lions), and a colourful floral TukTuk to symbolise the Commonwealth.
At St Ann’s Square, installations included a bicycle with flowers tumbling from its basket.
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The Manchester Flower Show. Credit: The Manc Group
The Manchester Flower Show. Credit: The Manc Group
The Manchester Flower Show. Credit: The Manc Group
Local florists also rocked up with their own stalls, including Plant Shop, Freddie’s Flowers, and Flourish.
Over on New Cathedral Street, Harvey Nichols and Manchester Gin teamed up to create a summer cocktail menu.
Their pop-up garden space included a horse box bar, lawns, and deck chairs, as well as masses of potted plants.
Credit: The Manc Group
Credit: The Manc Group
Selfridges also got in on the action with their Flower Show Square, complete with live music and local food traders, donating to Eat Well MCR in the process.
Then, of course, there was the cocktail trail, leading visitors around some of Manchester’s best bars to sip on specially-created drinks.
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Bars and restaurants that took part included El Gato Negro, Kala, Rosso, and Tast.
Jane Sharrocks, Manchester Business Improvement District Chair and General Manager of Selfridges Exchange Square said: “This year’s Manchester Flower Show was our most popular to date, bringing in tens of thousands of additional visitors to the city on a truly historic weekend.
“It’s a great example of our retail and hospitality sectors coming together to help build back the city post-pandemic and it’s wonderful to see footfall now exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
“This event has given city centre businesses a real boost and is indicative of what we hope will be a prosperous summer for our city centre.”
Featured image: The Manc Group
What's On
Elbow teams up with Co-op Live to donate equipment to Manchester grassroots venues
Thomas Melia
Bury band Elbow have joined forces with Manchester’s biggest indoor arena, Co-op Live, in aid of supporting local grassroots venues.
The funds will help improve the already incredible music scene in Manchester, benefitting staples likes Night and Day Café, Matt and Phred’s Jazz Club, SOUP and more.
All of the donations will be distributed across six independent music venues and will be used for various instruments, PA equipment, backline technology and other necessities depending on the requirements of each site.
Elbow have teamed up with Co-op Live in aid of supporting Manchester grassroots venues.Credit: Supplied
This initiative has been keeping Manchester’s Northern Quarter in the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to live music as well as the impressive Co-op Live.
Alongside providing vital resources for these local institutions, Elbow teaming up with Co-op Live also helps cement the North West as one of the main powerhouses in relation to live music.
The latest efforts from the largest indoor arena in Manchester fall in line with celebrating one year of bringing some of the best live music to the city, being officially open for 12 months in May.
Co-op Live have made a commitment to the people and the planet, promising to donate £1 million annually to the Co-op Foundation.
The stunning Co-op Live venue, Manchester’s largest indoor arena.Elbow performing at Co-op Live, marking history as the first act to grace the venue.Credit: Audio North/Supplied
Manchester’s latest live music venue also contributed significantly to selected charities, including Happy Doggo – chosen by Liam Gallagher and Eric Clapton’s addiction recovery centre, Crossroads.
As Elbow teams up with Co-op Live, even more money is making its way to necessary resources, this time in the likes of crucial live music establishments.
Elbow front-person Guy Garvey says: “Playing Co-op Live’s opening night will stay with us for a lifetime, not least because of how incredible the room sounded.”
“When the venue donated funds in our name to support the city we love, it made complete sense to carry that through to the Northern Quarter and to venues that have meant so much to my bandmates and I throughout our career.”
Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Co-op Live, adds: “In the past year, I have been proud to see Co-op Live become an integral part of such an incredible city.”
“Teaming up with Elbow to directly support the venues that first put Manchester on the map, and to share something so intrinsic to us as venues – proper sound – is something truly special.”
Award-winning The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon to kick off UK tour in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Multi award-winning musical Sunny Afternoon is set to kick off its UK tour here in Manchester later this year.
Following a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre, the musical production featuring all the hit songs by legendary rock band The Kinks opened to critical acclaim at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End, where it ran for two years ahead of its sensational UK and Ireland tour throughout 2016/17.
It also collected four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music for Ray Davies, along the way.
Award-winning The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon is kicking off its UK tour in Manchester / Credit: ATG Tickets
Set against the backdrop of Britain on the cusp of the rebellious 60s,Sunny Afternoon is described as being an ‘exhilarating and moving’ celebration of the music, life, and the band that changed it all, The Kinks.
Sunny Afternoon celebrates The Kinks’ raw energy, passion, and timeless sound.
Charting the ‘euphoric highs’ and ‘agonising lows’, the smash-hit production tells the band’s story through an incredible back catalogue of chart-toppers – including ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘Lola’, ‘All Day and All of the Night’, and of course, ‘Sunny Afternoon’ itself.
Tickets are on sale now from just £15 each / Credit: Kevin Cummins
Producers Sonia Friedman Productions and ATG Productions announced last week that the show would be returning for another UK tour later this year, and it’ll be opening right here on one of Manchester‘s most iconic stages.
The hit musical will open at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 10 October 2025 and it will run right through until 18 October.
Sunny Afternoon has music and lyrics, and an original story, all by the band’s frontman Ray Davies, along with a book by Joe Penhall, direction by Edward Hall, design by Miriam Buether, and choreography by Adam Cooper.
Daisy Jackson -
8th June 2022 
