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Smashed burger favorite That Burger Place to host one-off Manchester BBQ

The Salford burger spot has previously been named among the best burger spots in the UK.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 12th June 2023

One of Manchester’s most talked-about burger takeaways is staging a huge one-off BBQ in the city centre in homage to Manchester’s dads.

Owners have revealed they will be churning out their drool-inducing LA smashed burgers straight from the barbie to the bun from 12pm on Sunday 18 June 2023 at the Kampus garden neighbourhood in collaboration with Three Little Words.

The brainchild of Chef Ryan McDermott and his partner Megan, That Burger Place has quickly earned legendary status among Uber Eats fans.

Since 2017 the team has been serving their take on West Coast smash burgers – 100% beef patties, super smashed straight onto the grill for a tender yet crispy sensation.

Image: The Burger Place
Image: The Burger Place

They’re joining forces with Manchester Gin indie darlings Three Little Words, which is currently running a canalside cocktail terrace bar at Kampus, the neighbourhood developed by Capital&Centric and HBD.

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The collab is set to create an epic outdoor celebration, perfect for families and fathers celebrating, with Three Little Words’ bespoke cocktails and signature spirits, beer and of course the mouthwatering burgers straight from the grill. 

There will also be a complimentary sampling of Spirit of Manchester Distillery’s award-winning One Eyed Rebel Rum throughout the day.

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It’ll be a poignant day for Ryan, who credits his late dad for his love of great food and the hospitality sector.

He grew up in pubs in Swinton with his landlord parents giving him early experience of keeping punters happy.

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Ryan McDermott, from That Burger Place, said: “We know people love our smash burgers, but so much of our trade is deliveries we rarely get to be face-to-face with our customers these days. We wanted to fire up the BBQ for a proper summer party and celebrate just how far we’ve come.

Image: That Burger Place
Image: That Burger Place

“You can relieve Dad of his barbie duties this year and we can take over. Our pop-up with Three Little Words is a real one-time special for us. The vibe at Kampus is just really fun and laid back … the perfect beer garden spot to spend a day with your family.

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“Anyone that’s supported us to date will know just how juicy, delicious and unmatched our burgers are – that stems from a deep love for the US burger scene where we visit regularly for inspiration. Right now we’re the only authentic West Coast burger smashers in Manchester and we’re extremely proud of that.”

It’s all part of massive summer at Kampus, with events in June alone including Kampus Fest (Glasto In The Garden) screening sets from Worthy Farm into the neighbourhood; and the three-day Summer Beer Thing returning at the end of the month.

Featured image – The Burger Place

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Rochdale’s incredible fire festival will bring blazing sculptures and fiery displays to town this month

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Ignite Fire Festival is back in Rochdale this month. Credit: Supplied

Rochdale will be filled with dazzling pyrotechnic displays later this month when the Ignite Fire Festival returns to town. 

The spectacular free event will see the gardens opposite the Rochdale Town Hall – which reopened to the public earlier this year – transformed with fiery displays, blazing sculptures and illuminated installations. 

The smash hit event debuted last year, attracting more than 10,500 people, and this year’s will be even bigger with three nights of magical family entertainment. 

And the festival will culminate on the Sunday with the Rochdale Christmas lights switch-on. 

Ignite Fire Festival comes from Walk the Plank, the outdoor arts specialists behind some of the UK’s biggest and best outdoor arts events, who have called upon artists and pyro technicians to create the many installations on show. 

Between 5pm and 8pm each night, visitors will be able to walk past fire-based sculptures like goblets of fire, a daisy chain of flaming flowers, a fire bird with blazing eyes, and smaller birds circling a flaming nest – to name just a few.

There’ll also be sculptures that twist, flap and erupt with balls of fire, and ‘In The Balance’ will be a festival highlight, where rotating globes of flame seemingly defy the laws of physics. 

Ignite Fire Festival is back in Rochdale this month. Credit: Supplied
Ignite Fire Festival is back in Rochdale this month. Credit: Supplied

Each evening, a fire drawing designed and made by local residents will be ignited alongside flaming hot performances from some of the UK’s top talent including Flame Oz – a thrilling fire dancing and juggling show. 

There’ll also be performances from Liverpool’s Bring the Fire Project, local favourites Skylight Circus Arts, and street theatre and interactive arts group Travelling Light Circus. 

Visitors should look out for Drum Machine, a 20-strong drumming collective, The Fire Man Dave performing a live fire show with fire eating and juggling, and Astro Aliens, a trio of cosmic beings that will entertain all ages. 

The incredible event, sponsored by car supermarket The Trade Centre UK, is set to take place between Friday 22 and Sunday 24 November. 

Ignite Fire Festival takes place in the gardens opposite the Rochdale Town Hall
Ignite Fire Festival takes place in the gardens opposite the Rochdale Town Hall
There'll be performers as well as pyrotechnic sculptures. Credit; Supplied
There’ll be performers as well as pyrotechnic sculptures. Credit; Supplied
Ignite Fire Festival is back for a second year. Credit: Supplied
Ignite Fire Festival is back for a second year. Credit: Supplied

After exploring the gardens, you’ll be able to pick up hot food, mulled wine and other seasonal drinks served each night.

On Sunday, Father Christmas will be in town to switch on the Christmas lights at 5.30pm in front of the town hall.  

Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council said: “Last year’s Ignite Fire Festival and Christmas Light’s Switch On was a fantastic event and an instant hit with audiences from across Greater Manchester. 

“It’s an exciting and unique event and the perfect addition to our big switch-on, providing family entertainment across the weekend.”

Mark Bailey, founder and owner of sponsor Trade Centre UK added: “Our partnership with Ignite Fire Festival and the Rochdale Christmas Lights Switch On is a fantastic opportunity to give back to a community that has welcomed us so warmly. 

“At Trade Centre UK, we believe in more than just selling cars; we believe in being part of the fabric of the local area. Supporting events like this, which bring people together to celebrate in the heart of Rochdale, aligns perfectly with our core values of community and connection.”

The event is free, and no tickets are required. Ignite is organised by Rochdale Borough Council in partnership with Walk the Plank and Culture Co-op, a ‘Creative People and Places’ programme, funded by Arts Council England.  

Find out more and plan your visit to Ignite Fire Festival HERE. 

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Featured image: Supplied

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Science and Industry Museum to transform into immersive ‘Light Lab’ as part of 2024 festive events programme

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

One of Manchester’s most popular museums will be transformed into an immersive ‘Light Lab’ for the festive season.

As the temperatures begin to drop and Christmas creeps closer, this is your chance to escape the cold and brighten up the winter holidays with an adventure though light and colour, as the Science and Industry Museum has now unveiled its upcoming festive events programme.

You can also explore a gaming extravaganza, and be engrossed by festive-themed science shows at the city centre-based museum this December.

Back by popular demand, after enchanting visitors of all ages in previous years, the museum’s free Light Lab will be making a return for 2024 – with everyone invited to discover the secrets of light through illuminating activities, special shows, and immersive experiences. 

The Science and Industry Museum will transform into immersive ‘Light Lab’ this winter / Credit: Jason Lock (via Science Museum Group)

As Greater Manchester is known for its grey winter days, a series of illuminating experiments will bring colour to your lives in the interactive Light Lab, where you can explore a hall of mirrors, discover how to bend light, and even take a dance break in the rave room, before taking a journey from the Sun back to the Earth during special science shows led by the museum’s team of expert Explainers.

You’ll be able to discover how light travels through our atmosphere, explore the science of solar flares, and even marvel at a mesmerising display of the Northern Lights – with real NASA footage of the Aurora Borealis.

If all that exploring has got you tired out, then you can slow things down in the Recharge Retreat and get comfortable with a picture book, or explore the relationship between colour and mood and why nature is so important to our health.  

You can escape from the cold, and learn a thing or two while you’re at it / Credit: Science Museum Group

But if you’re looking for a change of pace, you can also enjoy the museum‘s ultimate gaming experience, Power Up, to immerse yourself in a whole host of different digital worlds by working your way through five decades of video games, or learn about how what we eat can have a huge effect on our brains and bodies at the Operation Ouch! exhibition.

Then, for something a little different all together this festive season, you can grab a ticket for the first of the 2024 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures being screened live at the museum on Tuesday 10 December, ahead of the broadcast on the BBC. 

The Winter Holiday Programme at the Science and Industry Museum runs from 14 December 2024 through to 5 January 2025.

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Find out more about everything happening on the museum’s website here.

Featured Image – Science Museum Group

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