Wing Fest, the world’s biggest chicken wing festival, is returning to Manchester this summer – bringing some of the best street food traders, restaurants and BBQ teams with it.
Serving up a whopping 200,000 wings over the course of two days, we’ve been looking forward to its return since the announcement was made in March.
But now that the festival has released its Manchester trader line-up, we’re even more excited – if that’s humanly possible.
Traders at this year’s Wing Fest will, as ever, be on hand serving up their signature bites – be they deep-fried, spicy, baked, sweet or sticky as all hell.
Lockdown sucess story Mexican Seoul are ones to watch at this year’s festival. / Image: Mexican Seoul / Wing Fest
There’ll also be a number of bars selling different bourbons and beers, axe-throwing stations, fairground rides and live music to set the party atmosphere across the weekend.
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Bringing together pop-ups from across the country with some established Manchester names, local chicken wing fans can get stuck into favourites from the likes of Kong’s Chicken Shop, Wing Dash and Yard and Coop, as well as discovering new eats from further afield.
Brighton’s The Bok Shop, Liverpool’s Japanese street food-inspired kushikatsu stall Sutikku, and Edinburgh’s Down the Hatch are all also down to attend, as is Nottingham’s Sri Lankan eatery Colombo Street.
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London’s Chick ‘n’ sours will make its festival debut in Manchester this year. / Image: Chick ‘n’ sours via Wing Fest
Those traveling from further afield include London’s Covent Garden restaurant Chick ‘n’ Sours, whilst Bayou will come all the way from Tooting with their red hot wings to take part in the festival.
South-west London’s award-winning Mexican Seoul – where wings receive a Mexican-meets-Korean treatment – will also appear at the festival.
Just like Manchester hit Kong’s Chicken Shop, Mexican Seoul is another lockdown success story, first set up by founder Ashley Chipchase whilst on furlough.
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Filthy Wings is another newcomer at this years festival. / Image: Filthy Wings via Wing Fest
Image: Dirty Chicken UK via Wing Fest
Other traders confirmed on the line-up include Poor Boys, Eat the Bird, Uncle G’s, Filthy Wings, Wings ‘n’ Tingz, WingerzWingz, Tings n Wings and Mezani Grill.
Taking place this year at The Trafford Centre, the UK’s finest chicken experts will be showcasing their culinary skills by means of cooking demos and a festival-wide competition – all bidding to be crowned the Wing King or Queen.
This year’s competition is split into two categories: The Best Buffalo Wing and The Best Wild Wing.
The first, rather self-explanatorily, will see food traders battle to have their spicy sauce crowned the best, whilst the wild category will encourage chefs to let their creativity run wild with different flavours and toppings.
2021 champions Chicken George ft The Rib Man, The Bok Shop and Poor Boys, and local favourites Kong’s Chicken Shop and Yard and Coop, will be amongst those competing to win your vote.
Eat Poor Boys will appear at this year’s festival. / Image: Wing Fest
In total, 8,000 lucky chicken wing fans will have the opportunity to cast their vote for their favourite wings across the weekend.
True wing aficionados should also consider taking part in the very saucy wing eating competition, where brave and hungry individuals compete against one another on the main stage to see who can eat the messiest wings.
The ‘Get Heated’ lava wing challenge hosted by, The Food Review Club and Clifton Chilli Club will be causing carnage, with only the brave entering the UK’s hottest wing challenge.
Taking place across Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 September 2022, those heading down can expect a day full of chicken-eating, as well as plenty of music and entertainment.
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To get your tickets for the giant Wing Fest, click here.
Feature image – Wing Fest
News
Police appeal after teenage girl reports being sexually assaulted in a Stretford park
Emily Sergeant
An urgent appeal for information has been issued after a teenage girl reported being sexually assaulted in a park in Stretford.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers attended Victoria Park, in the Stretford area, earlier this week on Tuesday night (21 July) following reports that a teenage girl had been sexually assaulted.
The incident is reported to have happened between 5:30pm and 5:44pm, and the offender is described to be an older white male of a large build who was wearing a black t-shirt.
No arrests have been made at this time, GMP confirmed, and enquiries are ongoing.
As police continue their investigation at pace, a public appeal for information has been issued in the hopes that someone can come forward and provide the details needed to track down the offender.
“Detectives are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry and the victim is being fully supported by specially trained officers,” explained Detective Superintendent Suzanne Keenaghan, from GMP’s Trafford district.
“There will be an increased police presence in and around Victoria Park while officers continue their investigation and provide reassurance to the local community.”
Police say they are ‘particularly keen’ to hear from anyone who was in the park at the time, or who may have CCTV, doorbell, mobile phone or dashcam footage from the area.
Anyone with information can speak to police officers at the scene, call 101, or contact GMP via LiveChat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 3029 of 21/07/26.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
Business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues to be slashed by 20% next year
Emily Sergeant
Business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues across England are set to be slashed by 20% next year.
Continuing on with his week of, seemingly, introducing a new measure a day amid the cost of living crisis, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has now announced that he has taken action to cut business rates for pubs, social clubs, and live music venues across England from April next year.
It’s expected that these new business rate cuts will benefit nearly 32,000 pubs, clubs and live music venues, saving the typical pub an estimated £1,100 in the next financial year.
“For too long, the pubs, social clubs, and live music venues that form the backbone of local high streets have been replaced by boarded up windows and for sale signs,” the Government said in a statement as the cuts were announced today.
Andy Burnham is slashing business rates for pubs, clubs, and live music venues by 20% next year / Credit: John Arano (via Unsplash) | Wikimedia Commons
These changes are set to be fully funded by the Government – including through reviewing reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to local communities, such as vape shops for example.
The Government says it also plans to crack down on businesses that sell through online marketplaces but do not comply with their tax obligations, which therefore puts them at an unfair advantage over businesses that do play by the rules.
I’m giving thousands of pubs, clubs and music venues a 20% cut in business rates.
I won’t stand by while these cherished local spaces disappear, replaced by boarded-up windows and ‘For Sale’ signs.
They’re the heart of our communities and it’s time we backed them.
“Pubs, clubs and live music venues are at the heart of communities across the UK,” explained Chancellor John Healey. “They help make a place what we love. They bring people together, support local jobs and help keep high streets, and town centres busy, which is why we will back them all the way.
“We are determined to bring hope back, give businesses the support they need and generate growth in every postcode.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham added: “For too long, Governments have stood by while cherished venues have disappeared from our local high streets. So today I am changing that.
“This Government will back the businesses that people want to see in their communities. I said I would protect pubs and local high streets, and that’s what we will do. What we’re announcing today is just the start as we work to bring back hope across the country.”
Georgina Pellant -
30th May 2022 
