Manchester Flower Show to take over city for nine-day festival

Manchester will become one of the most picturesque places in the country this month as the city gets dressed up in celebration of the annual Flower Show.

The nine-day festival – dubbed the ‘most Instagrammable event of the year’ – will see Manchester draped from head to toe in magnificent floral tributes; with plants and flowers covering landmark buildings, shop windows, doorways, balconies, statues and fountains.

Huge topiary beasts, light sculptures and tributes to the NHS and key workers are also being arranged for the occasion.

Additionally, an array of alfresco drink and dining options – including The Manchester Flower Show Cocktail Trail – will be in place, with a number of venues getting involved including 20 Stories, ATOMECA, Canto, Cloud 23, Dakota Hotel Manchester, El Gato, Peru Perdu, Qbic Manchester Hotel, Tast Catala, The Graduate Bar at Hyatt Hotels Manchester and The Lowry Hotel.

Organised by CityCo and Manchester BID, Manchester Flower Show will come into bloom on Saturday 29 May and run until Sunday 6 June.

Displays will be visible right the way across the city – including Exchange Square, First Street, Manchester Arndale, Selfridges, Corn Exchange, Spinningfields, Science and Industry Museum, The Whitworth, Circle Square, Manchester Craft & Design Centre, Ducie Street Warehouse, Deansgate Square, Spinningfields and Great Northern Warehouse.

Some highlights of the Manchester Flower Show include:

• The Secret Garden, St Ann’s Square and Kimpton Clocktower Hotel – A rusting, disused electricity sub-station becomes a delightful secret garden with a 10-foot blossom tree at St Anne’s Square; with a second garden at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel.

• Knitted Trees, Market Street: Stunning ‘yarn bombed trees’ outside Marks and Spencer.
  
• Flower Power at New Cathedral Street – A floral display inspired by the swinging sixties and the psychedelic art movement. 
  
• 50 years of St Ann’s Hospice on King Street: Celebrating its 50th birthday, St Ann’s Hospice’s installation of 50 Forget-me-nots blowing in the wind conjures up a sense of the care, love, peace and support provided by the hospice to those with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
  
• Seed of Change on King Street: A floral light sculpture created by Studiotech and Sutton Creative showcasing artwork by Venture Arts.
  
• Bee Here and Celebrate at Manchester Cathedral: A beautiful volunteer-created display of pollen-rich perennials which could feed bees and butterflies for years – all in celebration of the 600th anniversary of Manchester Cathedral.
  
• Live the Wild Life at Meadowside at Angel Meadow Park: A life-sized giraffe and baby elephant take over Angel Meadow! A must for families.
  
• Floral Takeover at Stevenson Square: Blossoming doorways and floral displays at NOHO, Dusk till Pawn, Foundation Coffee and Fred Aldous transform Stevenson Square.
  
• Whispering Wisteria at Circle Square, Oxford Road: A romantic tree sculpture draped with 500 pieces of wisteria; featuring tiny speakers enmeshed in the branches emitting sounds of the community in Bruntwood SciTech’s Circle Square.

Find out more about the bars and restaurants participating in The Manchester Flower Show Cocktail Trail online.

Visit the event page here for a full guide to what’s on at each venue throughout the festival.