There are some massive festivals on the way to the north west region, as the nation gears up for its first restriction-free summer in two years.
From the family-friendly to the world-famous raves, from festivals that base themselves in ground-breaking science to ones who take over a barn, there really is something for everyone this year.
We’ve rounded up here some of the best and biggest events to look forward to now.
Keep reading to find out what you need to know, from locations to line-ups to how to get tickets.
Highest Point
What is it? Lancashire’s biggest open-air festival, Highest Point was set up in 2018 and attracts around 35,000 music fans every year. Expect a range of music across multiple stages, as well as new additions this year – including the Not-tober beer hall, which will feature an immersive bingo experience with rave intervals, dance-offs and audience participation, karaoke, drag acts and more.
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Who are the headliners? Richard Ashcroft, Clean Bandit, Kaiser Chiefs, Basement Jaxx, Example, The Lottery Winners, Reverend and the Makers, Sigala, and more.
What is it? Manchester’s biggest party every year, attracting global talent and UK festival exclusives from across the worlds of dance, hip hop, grime, pop, rock, club and house music. The urban festival comes from the same team behind the Warehouse Project and pulls around 80,000 people to Heaton Park every summer.
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Who are the headliners? Tyler, the Creator, 50 Cent, Megan Thee Stallion, Lewis Capaldi, Arlo Parks, Chase & Status, Jamie xx, Four Tet, Jessie Ware and more.
What is it? Billed as a weekend of ‘quirky, hedonistic madness’, Moovin has stages including The Barn, a converted cow shed with a massive bar and hay bales to sit on. Once ‘Manchester’s best kept secret’, the independent event has become a well-established staple on the region’s events calendar.
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Who are the headliners? Orbital, Shy FX, Roy Ayers, Jazzy Jeff, Louie Vega, Moodymann, Sugarhill Gang, Sister Nancy, and more.
What is it? Taking over a corner of the beautiful Lake District, Kendal Calling is celebrating its 15th birthday this summer after a three-year hiatus. It’s one of the biggest festivals in the north west and draws in some of the biggest names in rock, indie, folk, and comedy.
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Who are the headliners? Supergrass, Stereophonics, Bastille, Craig David, The Wombats, The Kooks, Tom Grennan, The Vaccines, The Cribs, Declan McKenna, Sea Girls, Sophie Ellis Bextor, and more.
What is it? Marrying incredible countryside views with a massive indie-rock line up, plus comedy, paint fights, carnivals, an in-house cinema, great food, and a lot of fancy dress, Y Not is the Peak District’s biggest party.
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Who are the headliners? Stereophonics, Courteeners, Blossoms, The Kooks, Manic Street Preachers, Nothing But Thieves, The Vaccines, Levellers, Jake Bugg, Sea Girls, Kelis, Pale Waves, and more.
What is it? What started as a one-night-only, Proms-style concert has now swelled to a two week live music series on the banks of the Ribble Estuary. With space for up to 20,000 people a night, it’s previously been headlined by the likes of Stereophonics, Rod Stewart, and even Kylie Minogue.
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Who are the headliners? Diana Ross, Nile Rodgers and Chic, Duran Duran, Lewis Capaldi, Snow Patrol, Simply Red, The Strokes, Elbow, Tears For Fears, Paul Weller, The Charlatans, Goldfrapp, Jack Savoretti, Kodaline, and more.
Where is it? Lytham Green, Lytham St. Anne’s, Lancashire, FY8 5LB
What is it? Bluedot blends the worlds of music, science and culture in a family-friendly four-day extravaganza, with the incredible 76-metre-wide Lovell Telescope as its backdrop.
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Who are the headliners? Bjork with the Halle Orchestra, Groove Armada, Mogwai, Metronomy, Tim Peake, Spiritualized, Working Mens Club, Kelly Lee Owens, and more.
Flashback Festival is the newest to join the north west
What is it? A haven for 90s kids, 00s lovers, dance floor heroes, and underground clubbers, brand new Flashback Festival will be bringing ‘timeless tunes and fresh vibes’ to Platt Fields Park this May. There’ll be more than 60 artists across multiple stages.
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Who are the headliners? Example, Tinchy Stryder, 2 Unlimited, Tulisa, Judge Jules, Ultrabeat, Artful Dodger, Lisa Mafia and Romeo, all hosted by Kevin and Perry.
Where is it? Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, M14 6LA
What is it? A four-day knees up over the June bank holiday weekend, bringing indie rock, a craft beer festival, big top bingo, a street food village, artisan markets, and family entertainment involving a giant bubble display and circus acts.
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Who are the headliners? The Zutons, Angie Brown, Rozalla, K-Klass, Peter Hook, Clint Boon, and more.
Where is it? The Lambing Shed, Moseley Hall Farm, Knutsford, WA16 8RB
What is it? Taking over a host of small Salford venues, this underground music festival has built a reputation for bringing huge artists to the city whilst they are still at early points in their careers. A firm favourite with local music lovers since it launched in 2005, this year’s line-up will continue to champion local promoters and small independent venues.
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Who are the headliners? LayFullstop, LYR, Lovescene, GNOD, Hamish Hawk, Queer Latifah, Pip Blom, TYSON, Chande and Gracie T, Holy Other, and more.
Where is it? Various venues around Chapel Street, Salford
Moovin’ Festival 2024 – full line-up announced for Stockport’s much-loved festival as it hits major milestone
Daisy Jackson
Stockport’s proudly independent Moovin’ Festival is back on the farm this summer for its 10th anniversary edition.
The beloved local music event, which takes over Whitebottom Farm in the picturesque Etherow Country Park, has announced its full line-up for this year’s celebration.
Moovin’ Festival 2024 will include headline performances from Leftfield and legendary DJ Laurent Garnier, plus Sampa the Great, Erol Alkan, Crazy P, David Rodigan, Souls of Mischief, Mr Scruff, Greg Wilson, Jaguar Skills, Congo Natty, Ray Keith, DRS, Nicky Blackmarket, Nubiyan Twist, K Klass and many more innovative bands, DJs and live acts from across the spectrum.
Taking place over the August bank holiday weekend, Moovin will also bring together up and coming local performers and events like circus performances, yoga sessions, holistic treatments, and ethically sourced cuisine.
Widely considered one of the region’s best music events, Moovin has gone from being ‘Manchester’s best kept secret’ to a staple in the calendar every year.
The festival pitches itself as an ‘exceptional celebration of sonic brilliance, eclectic music, and quirkiness, set in a beautiful and intimate environment’.
Moovin Festival has announced its 2024 line-up. Credit: Supplied
The packed line-up will take places in the stunning surroundings of the eco-friendly Whitebottom Farm, where spaces to be discovered include a hidden oasis adorned with lush trees, serene lakes, and a captivating gorge plus stages like the iconic Barn Stage, a spacious cow shed with cosy hay bales for relaxation.
The ‘adult playground of music and magic’ features state-of-the-art sound systems and a relaxed ambiance.
French techno legend and scene hero Laurent Garnier will be among the headliners – a rare chance to catch this pioneering artist who isn’t frequently touring these days.
He will be joined by Leftfield, fellow icons in the scene who have put out seminal albums, lay down heavy techno beats and have endless classic hits in their arsenal.
Iconic hip-hop group Souls of Mischief and reggae legend David Rodigan, along with Afro beats pioneer and global star Sampa The Great are also on the bill for Moovin’ 2024.
Moovin regular and Hacienda legend Graeme Park makes a welcome return to celebrate 40 years in the scene, Congo Natty celebrates 30 years as a pioneer of the jungle revolution, Erol Alkan brings his raucous mix of indie dance sounds, Crazy P will play a DJ set that explores all forms of disco, and Prince Fatty & Horseman will lay down their dub sounds.
The line-up continues with the captivating sounds of Nubiyan Twist, the infectious beats of K Klass, and the mesmerising performance artistry of Oh My God It’s the Church and their unique gospel sound.
Dub FX is set to deliver an electrifying performance that will keep the crowd moving, while Moovin residents DJ Paulette, Mr. Scruff, Krafty Kuts, Greg Wilson, and Jaguar Skills are back to showcase their unparalleled talents on the turntables as they traverse the world of disco, funk, hip hop, breaks, soul, jazz, and plenty in between.
Fans of drum & bass and jungle music are in for a treat once more with heavyweight offerings from DRS, Ray Keith, DJ Randall, Nicky Blackmarket, Mark XTC, and many more.
DJ Paulette says: “Whenever I get to play Moovin Festival it’s a highlight of my festival calendar. As soon as I see the waterfall I feel like I’m home.The crowd is just beautiful and tech energy is electric.”
Groove Armada said: “At the bottom of a tree lined valley, a hay barn with a fat sound-system. A freewheeling crowd, no VIP red ropes, no hassle , just music and good vibes. 90s free party? No its the brilliant Moovin’ festival.”
And Graeme Park commented: “I absolutely adore DJing at Moovin’. It’s truly a unique and magical experience with totally incredible vibes!”
A guide to the brand-new Co-op Live Arena: drinks prices, how to get there, capacity and more
Danny Jones
The brand spanking new Co-op Live Arena finally opens this week and while it might be a touch later than expected, it’s still a huge deal for Manchester and the region as a whole.
While the inaugural pair of shows by British comedy legend Peter Kay might have been postponed due to unexpected power supply problems, that’s exactly what test events are for and Co-Op Live is still due to open its doors to the public later this Saturday as they welcome The Black Keys.
Boasting a jam-packed and ambitious programme already, with shows lined up well into 2025, there’s a lot to take in and as always with new venues, it can be helpful to know all the important details before your first visit – and we’re all in that boat in this case.
But don’t worry, we’ve got you sorted with a whirlwind guide to the Co-op Live.
Everything you need to know about Co-op Live Manchester
Let’s start with why everyone’s getting so excited. Well not only is it going to become the UK’s biggest indoor entertainment venue and one of the biggest in Europe full stop, boasting a maximum capacity of 23,500 people but, like the newly opened Aviva Studios, it’s also set to bring huge revenue into the city.
All told, the total cost of the venue has clocked at approximately £365 million, making it one of the most expensive buildings to ever be erected in the region.
Attracting not only huge artists, comedians and other live acts but now even the likes of the UFC later this year, it really is poised to be an all-purpose entertainment space.
It's official, the @ufc is finally coming back to Manchester! 👊
So who exactly is behind this huge new addition to the city? Well, there are a few big names involved, first and foremost the City Football Group (yes that one – they are neighbours after all).
Man City owner and UAE royal Sheikh Mansour has put forward the lion’s share along with the Oakview Music Group, co-founded by American music mogul and ex-Ticketmaster CEO, Irving Azoff.
Thirdly, another key investor who has played a big role in the marketing for Co-op Live, in case you haven’t already seen him in the promos, is Harry Styles.
Putting in an undisclosed amount into the building as a minority equity shareholder along with Emma Spring, co-director of his record label Erskine Records, Emma Spring, his brand alone is set to help rake in big sums for the venue.
We know that you've been waiting to hear from him…
The former One Direction star speaks ahead of Co-op Live opening to the public.
Those drink prices…
Yep, a lot of you will have surely heard about them already and if you haven’t about Co-op Live’s drinks prices yet, you might want to sit down for this one.
As confirmed by many accounts on social media, the cheapest pints available at the flashy new arena are £8.35 for a Grolsch, with Guinness, Asahi and Salfordian brewers Seven Brothers‘ IPA all setting you back £8.95. Double pints are priced at £16.35 and £17.45.
If you’re looking to save money with bottles or cans, you’ll still be paying around seven quid and wine will cost you £8.95 or £9.25 for 187ml or 200ml servings, respectively. A bottle of vino clocks in at £35 and sprits range anywhere between £9.50 and a whopping £17.40 for a tequila. Yikes.
You’re better off sticking to a soft drink at £4.80 for a pint and that way you can still save money in case you need a bite to eat, as pies are £8.25 and you’ll have to cough up £11.50 if you want a burger. We’ll let you draw your own conclusions on this front, though we’re sure we could make an educated guess.
Seating chart and venue map
Seated for Peter KayStanding and seated for Olivia RodrigoCredit: Ticketmaster
You’ll find the typical arrangement for seated events and standing gigs above but, like most modern event spaces like this, the ‘top-in-class’ venue will likely be able to shuffle into different configurations where needed.
As you can see, there a three main tiers – the ground floor standing area in the lower bowl, level one seating and the upper tier – and there are a total of 32 bars, restaurants and various lounges wrapped into the entire complex.
When it comes to how you get into the arena itself, guests are encouraged to consult their gate (A-G) allocation through their tickets on the dedicated Co-op Live app, which also includes all info regarding shows and the latest announcements from the venue.
Here’s a wider look at the lay of the land:
A rough guide to getting around Co-op Live (Credit: Supplied)
How to get to Co-op Live, parking and more
Tram
Now, as for how you’ll get to shows at Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad Campus stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
If you want to take another new and improved arm of the Bee Network public transport system, not only is there a whole host of routes that drop you off close to the venue but there’ll also be a free shuttle bus from the city centre to and from events between 20 April-30 June 2024.
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
Better still, as part of Manchester City Council and TfGM embracing the new addition to the skyline, they’re also helping cover the costs of people’s journeys when using public transport.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue but this must be pre-booked ahead of time. Parking will be released up to 4 weeks before the event and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the Etihad Campus is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, it’s also just a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the boke all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
It's official, the @ufc is finally coming back to Manchester! 👊
While times will obviously change depending on the show, you can expect doors to open around the standard window between 6-7pm.
That being said, the venue is urging visitors to arrive at evening events in the main bowl no later than 9pm. As for curfew, Co-op Live gigs are due to finish by 11pm unless otherwise stated.
Accessibility info
One thing they’re taking very seriously at the Co-op Live is accessibility and after teaming up with disability charity Attitude Is Everything, you can find a full guide to access the arena HERE.
Having installed lowered service counters, step-free access to all floors, a designated respite room, support for assistance dogs, hearing loops for those with aids/implants, ambulant seating and plenty more, they’ve got it covered so all you have to do is come along and enjoy the show.
And that just about wraps up everything we can think when it comes to what you need to know ahead of Co-op Live’s grand opening at the end of this month.
It’s set to be a world-leading venue and we can’t wait to see it lit up in its full glory when the first acts roll through the doors of big shiny black box this weekend.
Speaking of, once the action is underway, there’ll be a lot of acts coming thick and fast. It’s a new era for Manchester’s live music and entertainment scene.
Daisy Jackson -
16th April 2022 
