Bury, brace for unbuckling your belts, because the borough’s annual food and drink festival returns for 2025 this month.
Following the inaugural event last year, Bury Food and Drink Festival (BFDF) is officially back, hoping to go even bigger and better than last summer.
Promising more traders this time around, not to mention a more fully-fledged programme than the maiden Manc feast, BFDF ’25 is shaping up to be a brilliant weekend.
Better still, with the summer sun looking like it’s sticking around for a while, it’s set to be another scorcher across Greater Manchester – the perfect weather for some more al fresco face-stuffing.
Salford Rum CompanyIddons fruit and vegCredit: Bury Market (supplied)
This year, Bury Food and Drink Festival boasts 70 different independent traders from around the local area and beyond.
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In fact, over in the town centre’s Kay Gardens, there’s set to be a brand-new Hong Kong-style market featuring over 50 traders alone.
Set up by nearby favourite, Moliuliu’s Store, visitors can find gifts, jewellery and artisan craft goods, as well as tonnes of amazing flavours from around the region.
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There’s also set to be a new ‘Beer and Bands’ night on Bank Street, where the festival was first born, making way for an evening of live up-and-coming local talent and brilliant Bury brews.
Organised by the Bury Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with the world-famous Bury Market and local council, Bury Food and Drink Fest remains a completely free town-centre celebration of native hospitality, cuisine and culture.
The Town Centre Director for Bury BID, Nigel Shields, said of their sophomore event: “It’s a pleasure to be announcing the return of the Bury Food and Drink Festival to the town centre, and to be able to build on the success of last year’s event.
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“We’ve got an exciting and diverse range of local, authentic traders joining us, showcasing the very best flavours and cuisine from Bury and all over the world. The festival is a fantastic addition to our town and what it has to offer – we can’t wait to welcome guests from far and wide across the weekend!”
You can see a full map of the festival down below.
Spanning across three days and multiple central sites, BFDF 2025 kicks off this Friday, 18 July from 9:30am, and will close between 4:30/5pm every day until Sunday.
Part-funded by Local Growth & Place Flexible Grant Funding, the aim is to promote and help give back to popular indies like The Finest Fudge Co, The Thai Food Van, Sip & Sparkle and Daily Grind, just to name a few favourites.
Councillor Charlotte Morris added: “We’re delighted to bring the food and drink festival to Bury town centre once again. The fantastic range of businesses involved is testament to the strength of food and drink offering here in Bury, and the appetite (literally!) for exciting events.
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“The festival will be a chance to explore Bury, support local business, try something new and enjoy flavours from all over the world. We look forward to welcoming visitors from Bury and beyond!”
Find all the details around timings and all the other important info HERE.
A trip to Bury Market usually ends with us spending far too much on two things: chocolate and cheeseThe Thai Food Van
Parklife pumps more than £155,000 back into Greater Manchester community projects
Danny Jones
Parklife is once again proving why it’s such an important event for Greater Manchester, not just in terms of music and culture, but through the money it pumps back into the community through grassroots projects.
The annual music festival at Heaton Park raises significant funds for local initiatives with each edition via the official Parklife Community Fund.
Partnered with the Manchester, Bury, and Rochdale councils, the finances generated through those who attend not only Parklife but also other concerts held at the outdoor venue, such as the recent Oasis shows, help local groups that make a positive, tangible difference in their neighbourhoods.
This year alone, the total includes £55,000 raised from guest list donations by festival attendees, as well as a further £100k generated from other events held in Heaton Park, making 2025 one of, if not the biggest, years for donations to date.
Distributed by the City Council and the local authorities in Bury and Rochdale throughout the respective boroughs, the aim is not only to give back but to enhance local life, through everything from important youth programmes to community wellbeing and improvement schemes.
Launched back in 2017, the festival fund is approaching nearly half a million pounds raised on behalf of local causes, strengthening its connection with the nearby communities surrounding its host site.
The region’s vast and stunning green space is a huge tourist attraction in itself, meaning literal grassroots causes like the woodland management group are vital to maintaining that beauty and status.
Other projects include an astronomy group, as well as fitness drives like ‘RockFit’ (seen above), which now meets at Heaton Park regularly to promote exercise for both physical and mental health.
It’s also worth noting that the fund covers surrounding areas like Higher Blackley and Crumpsall; Sedgley, Holyrood, St Mary’s and even South Middleton.
You can see more examples of the charitable community work in action down below.
Credit: Supplied
Sam Kandel, founder of Parklife Festival, said of the fund: “Parklife is proud to call Heaton Park home, and it’s really important to us that the festival has a lasting, positive impact on the local community.
“The Community Fund is our way of saying thank you to residents and supporting the brilliant grassroots projects that make Manchester, Bury, and Rochdale such special places to live.”
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon (Exec Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods) added: “Parklife brings people from Manchester and beyond to our wonderful Heaton Park, and it is right that the communities living close by benefit from the event through reinvestment in local initiatives that will leave a legacy for all.
“The Parklife community fund means that local communities choose what’s important to them and they have the opportunity to bid for funds to invest in projects that enhance local amenities, strengthen community connections and wellbeing for the benefit of everyone.”
Those looking to benefit from the fund can apply online now and you can find out more information by contacting the relevant councils’ neighbourhood pages.
Vigil to be held in Manchester for victims of Crumpsall synagogue attack
Danny Jones
A vigil is set to be held in solidarity with the local Jewish community and those affected by the horrific attack in Greater Manchester on Thursday.
Mancunians, Brits and people all over the world are continuing to pay tribute and offer words of kindness during another dark day for the city region, as the incident that took place at a synagogue in Crumpsall has now been confirmed as an act of terrorism.
Informing residents from around the ten boroughs of the vigil plans, those nearby, as well as those in and around central Manchester, are now being welcomed to pay their respects to the deceased and those who remain injured in hospital.
Greater Manchester stands together in solidarity with our Jewish community following the horrific incident at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.
A vigil will be held today at 3pm (Friday 3 October) at the junction of Middleton Road and Crumpsall Lane (M8 5DS).
Writing on social media yesterday, Mayor Andy Burnham simply described the ordeal as a “vile attack on our Jewish community on its holiest day.”
He went on to state, “We condemn whoever is responsible and will do everything within our power to keep people safe.”
As for the person responsible, the suspect behind the attack has now been identified as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, who was a registered British citizen of Syrian descent.
Burnham signed off by adding: “We stand with GM’s Jewish community at this time and will work through the day to support them.”
Regarding the details of the vigil, the statement reads: “Greater Manchester stands together in solidarity with our Jewish community following the horrific incident at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue”. Flowers, wreaths, as well as messages of love and support are already being in the area.
It continues: “A vigil will be held today at 3pm (Friday, 3 October) at the junction of Middleton Road and Crumpsall Lane (M8 5DS).”
While the Greater Mancunian Jewish community is still hurting as more details emerge from the ongoing investigation, the city and beyond are already uniting as they always do in the face of adversity.
Members of the Manchester Jewish Museum, Crumpsall’s neighbouring MJCC, and the wider Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and the surrounding area are all expected to be in attendance, as well as notable political figures.
As reiterated by the Mayor’s office: “This is a space for reflection, support and unity. All are welcome to join as we honour those affected and show that hate has no place in our city region.”
For anyone considering going along to pay their respects and offer their support, please look out for each other, remain vigilant and stay safe.
Danny Jones -
14th July 2025 
