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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The incredible Manchester apartments where your rent includes a Jaguar
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s most beautiful places to live has just got even more desirable, with Moda, Angel Gardens adding a pair of luxury Jaguar cars to its list of resident perks.
Residents at the city centre apartment neighbourhood will now be able to have on-demand access to fully electric Jaguar I-PACE cars.
They can easily book out a car through their MyModa app, then take them out for a spin for up to 48 hours at a time.
It means that city centre-dwellers will easily be able to explore all that Greater Manchester has to offer, from the market towns on the region’s outskirts to the countryside that surrounds the city centre.
And it also means that Moda residents can have access to a car without the little stresses like finding a parking space.
The new private car-sharing pilot has launched at Moda neighbourhoods in both Manchester and Leeds this week.
One of the Jaguar I-PACE electric SUVs that Moda, Angel Gardens residents can book. Credit: The Manc GroupModa, Angel Gardens residents can book their Jaguar through the MyModa app. Credit: The Manc GroupThe interior of the luxury Jaguar I-PACE. Credit: The Manc Group
Each Jaguar I-PACE booking includes concierge handover, charging, valeting, insurance, and vehicle ownership costs, as people embrace the sharing economy.
It’s part of Jaguar’s transition to become a leading provider of luxury experiences.
Since its debut, the Jaguar I-PACE – an all-electric SUV – has won more than 90 global awards, including the unprecedented treble at the 2019 World Car of the Year Awards. It won World Car Design of the Year, World Green Car AND World Car of the Year.
Oscar Brooks, executive director at Moda Living, said: “At Moda we are committed to sustainability and leading the industry transition to a low-carbon future, with the aim of achieving operational net zero carbon by 2030.
“This partnership with Jaguar offers our residents easy on-site access to an all-electric car, allowing them flexibility while being mindful of their carbon emissions, something which is another important step on that journey.
“Our longer-term aspiration is to provide access to sustainable transport to our growing 24,000 home pipeline.”
An apartment at Moda, Angel Gardens. Credit: The Manc GroupFacilities at Moda, Angel Gardens include a gym and a rooftop sports pitch. Credit: The Manc GroupFacilities at Moda, Angel Gardens include a gym and a rooftop sports pitchAn apartment at Moda, Angel Gardens. Credit: The Manc Group
Rawdon Glover, managing director at Jaguar, said: “At Jaguar, we are carefully considering every aspect of our client journey as we progress to an all-electric luxury car company from 2025.
“As we explore alternatives to direct car ownership, this scheme provides a client centred mobility solution with on-demand concierge access to the all-electric I-PACE.
“Future Jaguar clients are continually looking for alternatives to car purchasing and we will closely monitor the success of this initiative and consider expanding across major cities around the world.”
Other amenities at Moda, Angel Gardens include a cinema room, rooftop sports pitch, a gym, co-working spaces and private dining rooms.
It’s also on the doorstep of Manchester’s vibrant city centre, with Pot Kettle Black coffee shop on its ground floor, and cultural hotspots like Band on the Wall, Mackie Mayor, and Ramona just across the road.
The complete guide to the restaurant and bars at Kampus, Manchester’s greenest neighbourhood and foodie hotspot
Daisy Jackson
In what feels like the blink of an eye, Kampus has become one of Manchester’s most exciting hubs for restaurants and bars.
After work, at weekends, at lunchtimes and for breakfast, the various businesses who have popped up around its central garden are packed, with people travelling from all over the city centre (and beyond) to visit the canal-side neighbourhood.
What started as some abandoned university buildings and a couple of warehouses has soon shaped up into some of the city centre’s best accommodation.
And then the trees around the garden began to flourish, and with it so did the collection of food and drink operators opening at Kampus.
For those who have chosen Kampus as their home, they’re blessed with having Manchester’s best independent restaurants and bars quite literally on their doorstep.
But for the rest of us, we can make do with the very easy walk from Piccadilly.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen some familiar names move in, joined by some exciting new faces.
Local favourites like Pollen Bakery and Nell’s (created by the team behind the institution that is Common) were the first to announce they’d be moving into the Kampus neighbourhood.
Then they were joined by the likes of Seven Brothers Brewery, and Great North Pie Co.
Then businesses started making the move over from neighbouring cities, like Madre, who chose Kampus for their first proper Manchester restaurant.
Now, this is a neighbourhood where you can grab a slice and a pint in your gym kit, where you can bask in the very last of the summer sun on a terrace with a cheeseboard, and where you can dress up to the nines to drink exceptional cocktails – without ever having to cross a street.
Here’s our ultimate guide to the restaurants, bars and cafes of Kampus in Manchester.
Nell’s
Nell’s New York pizza at Kampus in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupNell’s New York pizza at Kampus in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Massive 22-inch pizzas (or 11-inch slices if you’re not feeling quite that ravenous), happy hour margaritas, a photobooth and great beers. That’s the vibe at Nell’s.
This huge site has floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the Kampus garden and canal, perfect for people-watching and soaking in the sun.
Beeswing
Food at Beeswing. Credit: The Manc GroupBeeswing, a wine bar at Kampus. Credit: The Manc Group
Head on up the stairs from the garden and you’ll find a little slice of paradise, especially if you, like us, are a wine drinker.
Beeswing has a great selection of small plates and cheese boards, plus plugs outside on the terrace so you can take your laptop and fire out emails while firing olives into your mouth.
Yum Cha
Yum Cha, KampusYum Cha, Kampus
Colourful, fresh stacks of dim sum and some truly enormous portions of Chinese food that are great value for money are the order of the day at Yum Cha.
This neon-soaked restaurant serves fiery dishes like Singapore vermicelli and king prawn or char siu firecracker, alongside the likes of sweet and sour chicken, dan dan noodles and grilled chicken satay.
Pollen
Pollen Bakery at Kampus. Credit: The Manc GroupPollen Bakery at Kampus. Credit: The Manc Group
We probably don’t need to tell you about Pollen Bakery, it’s such a local institution.
But in case you’re unfamiliar, this place is renowned for its pastries – freshly-baked croissants, cookies, cruffins and more – and its loaves of bread and excellent coffee.
It’s all served in its sunny garden-side cafe space where you can watch the kitchens in action behind more huge glass windows.
Great North Pie Co.
Great North Pie Co at Kampus. Credit: The Manc GroupGreat North Pie Co at Kampus. Credit: The Manc Group
Us northerners love a pie and you’d be hard-pressed to find one better than Great North Pie Co.’s.
This cosy pie and mash cafe prides itself on using quality ingredients from the north west, like classic Lancashire cheese and onion pie, made with Dewlay’s tasty Lancashire cheese and caramelised onion, and 14-hour braised beef and ale pie, with Manchester Union Lager and redcurrant jelly.
Red Light
Red Light bar at KampusRed Light bar at Kampus
Already establishing itself as one of Manchester’s best bars is Red Light, a queer cocktail bar just off the cobbled Little David Street.
The brainchild of Deana Ferguson, it’s all about refined cocktails, natural wines and locally-brewed ales, soundtracked by disco beats.
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Seven Brothers
Seven Brothers. Credit: The Manc GroupSeven Brothers. Credit: The Manc Group
This well-known local brewery has taken up a Kampus unit that fronts out onto the Kampus garden, and it’s got to be one of Manchester’s best-looking beer gardens.
You know the drill here – Seven Brother’s huge range of beers, with occasional live music and lots of great vibes.
Madre
The newest kid on the Kampus block is Madre, but it’s familiar to a lot of us already – it’s been spoiling Liverpool with its incredible Mexican fare for years.
It’s got a menu of mouth-watering tacos, wood-grilled seafood and steaks, fresh oysters and ceviche, not to mention ice-cold margaritas.