Bongo’s Bingo, a craft beer festival, and a big Jubilee-themed street party are just some of the things to expect when Cheshire Fest returns next month.
Taking place at a brand-new Knutsford location, Cheshire Fest will return after a two-year hiatus this Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend from Thursday 2 – Sunday 5 June, with everything from live music, a Big Top circus, a street food fair, a wide range of family-friendly entertainment, and a headline performance from Liverpool band The Zutons on the lineup.
This year, the festival will take place at The Lambing Shed at Moseley Hall Farm in the heart of the Cheshire countryside, with four days of celebrations planned in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year.
Festival organisers say the 2022 lineup is “definitely the best we have ever had”.
Cheshire Fest prides itself on having “a real community feel”, thanks to partnering with a number of local businesses, and organisers say it’s the perfect festival for families and groups of friends to get together post-pandemic to enjoy some amazing music, great food and drink, and enjoy socialising again.
Here’s everything you can expect over the four-day festival.
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Cheshire Fest will return this Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend / Credit: Cheshire Fest
Thursday
Kicking-off on Thursday 2 June in the picturesque Cheshire countryside, the ever-popular Bongo’s Bingo will be taking place inside a Big Top Tent, and the iconic Jonny Bongo himself will host the show – with the usual crazy prizes, spontaneous dance-offs, rave intervals, and “magic moments of nostalgic escapism”.
It’s already being hailed as the “definitive bingo experience”.
Friday
The Cheshire Craft Beer Fest will take over the festival on Friday 3 June from 4pm-11pm, with a celebration of the best beers and street food all on the agenda, as well as an eclectic lineup of local live music artists and DJ sets.
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Once again, the event will be held in the Big Top Beer Hall with tables, seating, and solid flooring to dance the night away.
Tiny Rebel, Beavertown, Vocation, Batch 95, Neighbourhood, Swinkles, and Donkey Stone are some of the breweries set to offer up fresh brews across the extended weekend.
Then, as the evening draws in, the live music will be provided by Judge Jules with his 10-piece live band, and there’ll also be a DJ set from Take That’s Howard Donald, as well as Radio 1’s James Cusak spinning classic dance tracks on the decks.
Cheshire Fest prides itself on having “a real community feel” / Credit: Cheshire Fest
Festival organisers say the 2022 lineup is “definitely the best we have ever had” / Credit: Cheshire Fest
Saturday
Then, on Saturday 4 June, the festival welcomes Liverpool indie band The Zutons, and a duo of DJ sets from two local legends – Hooky (Peter Hook) of New Order, Joy Division, The Light and Hacienda Club, and Clint Boon of 90’s Manchester band Inspiral Carpets.
As the party continues, 90s house music queens, Angie Brown and Rozalla, will be performing live on stage, before trio K-Klass headline with a closing set of hits.
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LDF DJs & Friends will also be taking over the Tipi Disco.
And if all of that wasn’t brilliant enough as it is, on top of all the music, there will also be a big selection of bars, serving everything from craft beers to gin and prosecco, as well as a street food village, an artisan market, plenty of kids entertainment, and a fun fair too.
Sunday
Sunday 5 June is Jubilee Family Day.
To celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne, Cheshire Festival will become one giant street party on Sunday, with a whole programme of family entertainment including – the Greatest Showman Show by A Million Dreams, amazing circus skills from Nula Hula, Mark The Storyteller, and a magical giant bubble show from eBublio, with all the colours of the rainbow floating through the fields.
To cap off the day, cover bands will be playing greatest hits from across the decades – with The Cavern Beatles, Planet Abba, Manytones, and U2UK.
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The festival will take place at The Lambing Shed at Moseley Hall Farm in the heart of the Cheshire countryside / Credit: Cheshire Fest
The first phase of tickets for Cheshire Fest 2022 have already sold out, but the second release is now on sale, and you can get your hands on tickets for either individual days or the whole weekend.
Starting at just £8.50 for children and £16.20 for adults, you can get tickets here.
Featured Image – Cheshire Fest
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Manchester City are hosting special Christmas-themed tours of the Etihad Stadium
Danny Jones
Manchester City FC’s critically acclaimed stadium tour is about to get super festive, as the Etihad Stadium are now hosting special Christmas-themed walks around the ground.
You’ve watched the tales of the ‘Centurions’, ‘Treble winners, the ‘Fourmidables’, and plenty of other ‘Cityzen’ stories play out in front of you, but have you visited the hallowed halls while their decked doughs of holly for yourself?
Well, now’s your chance.
Hosting a series of exclusive festive tours around the Etihad this month, Man City fans, club-obsessed kids, and football fanatic tourists in general can take a walk around the impressive sporting arena for the perfect early Christmas present.
In addition to being able to walk around the famous home of the Blues, sit in the home team dressing room and see the trophy cabinet, fans of all ages can now field questions with virtual Pep and Haaland in their very own press conference, before walking down the tunnel, into the dugout and sitting pitchside.
Once you’ve finished warming up the gaffer’s very own seat (they’re actually already heated), supporters can look forward to a brand-new dancing light display, plus more heartwarming entertainment in the form of Christmas carol audio recorded by Manchester’s very own Hallé Youth Choir.
As if that wasn’t enough, ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ VR experiences and special ‘Etihad After Dark’ tours will be available, too, giving people from all over and of all ages an extra opportunity to turn up and make the most of this truly global club.
You can even grab a warming mulled wine or hot Vimto during the evening slots to keep your hands nice and toasty as you go around – be rude not to.
Rumour has it Santa may have left a gift lying around each day, too. Safe to say that puts our Advent calendar this year to shame…
Credit: Man City (supplied)
Here’s hoping he doesn’t get a telling off for wearing red…
Evening tours at the Eithad will be held from 5:30 and 6pm on 7, 12, 14, 18, 22 and December, and the main slot will be running all the way up until Christmas Eve (24 Dec).
You can even grab a warming mulled wine or hot Vimto to keep your hands nice and toasty as you go around – be rude not to.
Tickets start from only £26 per person and family passes are priced at just £60.
Better still, you can even spring for the VIP package if you fancy: a two-hour experience that is one of the most interactive and immersive you’ll find anywhere.
The Etihad Stadium is currently in the middle of a huge redevelopment, both in terms of size and things to do around the wider Campus, with the expanded North Stand not only seeing matchday fan capacity increased to over 60k, but a new club shop, sky bar, hotel, and a rooftop walk being added.
With that in mind, it’s no wonder that the already award-winning City stadium tours are simultaneously seeing an upgrade over the holiday period.
Being given the Tripadvisor seal of approval once again last year, as the club were once again recognised in the Travellers’ Choice ‘Best of the Best’ – putting them not just in the top three stadium tours in the UK but in the top 1% of the most highly rated in the world – things are only getting bigger.
You can find out full availability, timings and where to get tickets right HERE.
Manchester’s iconic Rylands building is being reborn – and the developers want to hear from you
Daisy Jackson
Manchester’s iconic Rylands building, formerly home to the Debenhams department store, is being reborn.
And now the developers working on its new chapter want Mancunians to weigh in on which businesses we want to see in the landmark building.
The transformation of Rylands Manchester will honour the heritage character of the building, which dates back to 1932, but will introduce contemporary design and a list of residents that’s bang up to date for our modern city centre.
The plans include building a four-storey extension with panoramic city views and a bright, central atrium. When it completes, this Grade II-listed art deco building will bring together workspace, retail, and leisure, right at the beating heart of town between the Northern Quarter, Piccadilly, Manchester Arndale, and the central business district.
Standing proudly at the top of Market Street, this next era for Rylands will establish it as an exciting new destination in the heart of town when its phased completion begins from late 2026.
Already confirmed to be moving in is Market Place Food Hall with its first northern location, which has signed on for a 15 year lease to occupy the ground floor of Rylands.
Market Place Food Hall is already confirmed to be moving into RylandsRylands is entering a new era
But now Rylands are putting it back to locals to ask what shops, restaurants, or cafes we’d love to see moving in.
It could be a high street hero you’ve loved for years, an independent business you’ve fallen for, or a foodie spot you return to time and time again.
Your ideas could help to shape the future of this landmark building and make it a destination us Mancs can be proud of.
And if you submit your suggestions in the comments of THIS Instagram post, you could be in with a chance of winning a £100 Love2Shop voucher (make sure you’re following @Rylands_manchester for a chance to win).
Emily Sergeant -
28th April 2022 
