Manchester’s free-to-enter Italian festival is set to return to the city for its fifth year this summer, bringing a weekend-long celebration of Italian food, drink and culture to Cathedral Gardens.
Brought to the city by family-run Italian restaurant group Salvi’s, the festival has become something of a favourite amongst local foodies – earning its stripes as a great place to discover locally-made Italian treats.
From wood-fired pizzas and freshly-cooked pasta to take-home treats like cannoli and arancini, there’s always plenty of great food stalls to explore as well as a host of workshops, demonstrations, signings and banquets from celebrity chefs and award-winning authors.
Image: Supplied
This year, the festival returns to Festival Piazza, Cathedral Gardens across the August Bank Holiday weekend from 26-28 August.
The epitome of the city’s Italian community and heritage; it takes an undeniable inspiration from the traditional festivals in Italy whilst chucking in a healthy dose of Mancunian charm, for a weekend of the very best in authentic food, drink, music, performance, and art.
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The event is now in its fifth year following an emphatic return in 2021, after a Covid enforced break, which saw it have its most successful edition to date with a record-setting 38,000+ happy folk passing through over the sun-drenched weekend.
This year will see some much-loved Festa stalwarts return alongside some exciting debutants and some very special surprises.
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In attendance will be Gennaro Contaldo, UK brand ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano, (Saturday Kitchen, Two Greedy Italians, Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast), Giancarlo Caldesi (Return to Tuscany, Saturday Kitchen, Sunday Brunch), celebrity chef and award-winning restaurateur,Aldo Zilli (The One Show, This Morning, Celebrity Masterchef), Great British Bake Off 2021 winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno, and, Festa head honcho, Salvi’s owner Maurizio Cecco.
In addition, Carmela Sereno Hayes, the hugely popular pastaia (AKA: specialist pasta maker) and author, will be making her hotly-anticipated return to Festa Italiana and running her, much talked about, pasta workshops all weekend long.
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As always, the Salvi’s team will be joined by some of Manchester’s finest Italian street-food vendors and restaurateurs, as well as live musicians and performers supplying a proper party atmosphere to be enjoyed well into the evening.
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A carefully curated selection of the leading Italian drinks brands, including Gin Mare, Luxardo and Poretti, will also be on hand with something to suit all palates and quench every thirst.
Culture fans will not be disappointed as their artistic appetite will be fed by an exciting photography exhibition that cannot yet be talked about in detail, but there is news coming soon.
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If you’re coming with all the family, you can rest assured that the Festa will provide fun spaces and activities for the kids; there really is something for everyone.
More details of the festival are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
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Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
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All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Georgina Pellant -
6th July 2022 
