A popular festival full of pop-up live music, performance, food, drink, and family fun is back in Swinton later this month.
Returning to the Salford town for the third year running at some of Swinton’s favourite venues and well-known locations, Swinton Sounds – which is a collaboration between Salford City Council and From The Other – is all about celebrating the local area and its vibrant community.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians and DJs in a programme curated by the team behind the Sounds from the Other City festival.
Local venues including Swinton Grand Palais, The Swinton Hop House, and The Wobbly Stool, as well as Swinton Square, and the beautiful Victoria Park, are just some of the places residents can head to around town to catch all the action.
Swinton Sounds is back later this month / Credit: Salford City Council
Kicking off on Friday 30 May and running through to Sunday 1 June, Swinton Sounds will launch at the historic Grand Palais with a dancefloor-filling set from Untold Orchestra, with unique takes on dance songs from all the best decades, so expect disco, funk, soul, and lots of shuffle-inducing surprises.
Some of the other stand-out musical performances across the weekend come from the likes of Soul artist Yemi Bolatiwa, Ghana-born, Manchester-raised contemporary guitarist and composer Rory A. Green, and R&B, Gospel, and Neo Soul fusing singer-songwriter Kiké.
Away from the music, festivalgoers will also be able to catch a visually-striking performance piece from the UK’s leading makers and creators of outdoor arts, theatre, and spectacle in the public realm, Walk the Plank – inspired by the nesting birds found around the waterways of Salford.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians / Credit: Supplied
Craft-based family fun will also be provided by Manchester’s Little Artists, while Swinton’s-own Arts Let Loose will be inviting kids to dance and create to music under UV lights.
Clay and craft workshops for the all the family will come courtesy of Clay Life, and Salford Mad Pride will be in town to promote creativity, arts, nature, and community connection for wellbeing, all while celebrating the unique talents of those who struggle with mental health.
If you’re feeling a bit peckish, Fratellis will be providing the pizza, and local bars, The Wobbly Stool and The Swinton Hop House will be running pop-up bars.
Further refreshments will be served from The Hive community hub.
There’ll also be lots of food and family-friendly entertainment over the three days / Credit: Supplied
“Swinton has plenty to celebrate, and has the potential to be one of the best places to live in Greater Manchester,” commented Councillor Jack Youd, who is the Deputy City Mayor at Salford City Council.
“Local people have told us they want to see a more vibrant Swinton, with more going on and more reasons for people to visit and spend their leisure time in the area, so this exciting weekend of activities is part of a programme of events developed in response to that community ambition, and it’s a great opportunity for people to explore the town and experience something new.”
Swinton Sounds will take over Swinton for three days at the end of this month from Friday 30 May – Sunday 1 June, and all events are free to take part in.
Manchester Arndale is hosting FREE workshops to help you ‘rework, restyle, and recycle’ your wardrobe
Emily Sergeant
Is your wardrobe feeling a little bland? Need to make some changes, but your bank account isn’t quite on the same wavelength? This event is here to help.
Those looking for some new ways to get creative with their style and put a spin on the clothes they already have are invited to head down to Manchester Arndale this weekend, as the Reimagine Your Fashion event is set to be a fun hands-on weekend celebrating personal style, smart choices, and sustainable ideas.
Whether you’re into upcycling, love yourself a styling session, or you just fancy doing something different in the city this summer, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into this weekend.
You can expect creative workshops, curated fashion rails, live styling tips, and a chance to give your pre-loved clothes a second life.
Oh, and did we mention it’s all free to take part in? Perfect.
There’s a collection of free ‘REWORK’ workshops taking place over the two-day event on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July, where you can learn how to turn old into gold – from patchwork denim makeovers, to scrunchie making, custom tote design, and loads more.
There’s no need to be a sewing pro either, as the workshops are beginner-friendly and designed to be relaxed and creative with all tools provided, so all you have to do is bring along the clothing items you want to upcycle.
Manchester Arndale is hosting free workshops to help you ‘rework, restyle, and recycle’ your wardrobe this weekend / Credit: Priscilla Du Preez | Ashley Diane Worsham (via Unsplash)
At the ‘RESTYLE’ sessions, Rosie, who is the stylist behind Manchester Arndale’s summer campaign, will break down this season’s biggest trends and show you how to style what’s in store now, as well as being on-hand for styling tips and outfit advice.
And finally, there’ll also be a ‘RECYCLE’ station and drop-off point where you pass on your clean pre-loved clothes to two brilliant local charities doing vital work right here in Manchester – MASH, which supports women involved in sex work and those facing homelessness or gender-based violence, and Mustard Tree which works to tackle poverty across Greater Manchester.
“Your clothes could be someone else’s fresh start,” a spokesperson for Manchester Arndale said ahead of the event.
Reimagine Your Fashion is taking place at Exchange Court in Manchester Arndale on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July running from 12pm, and you can find out more information and the times of the free workshops online here.
Featured Image – Sarah Brown (via Unsplash)
What's On
New immersive Race Across the World Experience comes to Manchester this summer
Thomas Melia
Hit BBC TV show Race Across the World is launching an interactive experience in Manchester this summer, inspired by the series.
After five original series and two celebrity spin-offs, it was only a matter of time before the huge TV show materialised into ‘Race Across the World: The Experience’.
Just like the real programme, you will be sent on a mission across the heart of the city centre where you will have to complete tasks and reach various checkpoints to be crowned champion.
The missions will see players visiting Manchester hotspots, lesser known locations, renowned pubs, and distinctive landmarks across three hours.
Teams will rely on our trusty Bee Network as they take a trip on our vibrant yellow trams and buses to get around the city as they make their way to each puzzle and activity.
At each puzzle destination, participants will complete a challenge to guide them to their next location, all of which is pre-planned and spread across a five kilometre city-wide voyage.
For Mancs and anyone further afield, ‘Race Across the World: The Experience’ offers a whole new way to explore Manchester and gives you the chance to see some of the city’s best hidden gems, even if you are on a time limit.
This sounds like a great idea for friends and family alike, and based off the amount of times we’ve had to sprint down to Platform 14 at Manchester Piccadilly, I think us Mancs were born for this challenge.
In true Race Across the World style, the team who manages to finish not just with the fastest time but with the most budget remaining too, will be the ultimate victor.
Cast of BBC’s Race Across the World / Credit: BBC / Studio Lambert
Tom Rymer, Founder of CityDays, said: “Following an outstanding debut month in London that has thrilled fans of the show, both old and new, we are bringing the Race Across The World Experience to Manchester.
“New puzzles, new characters, new decisions and new discoveries, all coming soon over three new thrilling legs. Manchester, are you ready for your race?”
A launch date for ‘Race Across the World: The Experience’ is yet to be released but eager entrants can sign up to the official waitlist and find out even more information HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
16th May 2025 
