It’s been confirmed this week by CityCo and Manchester Business Improvement District (Manchester BID) that the colourful spectacle – which last took place in 2019 and saw the streets filled with floral installations, including pop-up gardens and vintage cars overflowing with blooms – is back for 2021, after what has been an undoubtedly challenging year.
Organisers have said they hope the event will “help to green the streets” and support businesses as everyone gets back on their feet.
“We aim to bring a buzz back to the city centre.” CityCo and Manchester BID said.
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Welcoming you back to #Manchester city centre with a city-wide trail of colourful floral displays, green installations, outdoor dining & entertainment.
— The Manchester Flower Festival (@MCRFlowerFest) March 12, 2021
“We want to encourage people to rediscover the city centre in a COVID-safe way and welcome residents, workers, customers, clients, shoppers, eaters, drinkers and culture lovers with a smile”.
The revival of this historic spectacle – which first started life as the ‘Manchester Flower and Produce Show’ in the 1950s in Platt Fields Park, before returning in 2018 – is set to be a celebration of the city.
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So, what’s on the cards for this summer’s event then?
Think colourful displays, outdoor dining areas, floral statues, flower fountains, foliage-covered lampposts / railings and more.
Some areas of the city centre set to see floral installations line the streets include Spinningfields, Manchester Cathedral, Stevenson Square in the Northern Quarter, Cutting Room Square in Ancoats, First Street, Oxford Road, Great Northern Warehouse, the Corn Exchange, the Arndale, King Street and beyond.
CityCo and Manchester BID are also keen to roll out the event right across Manchester this year, and are encouraging local businesses to get involved where they can.
“It’s all about a collective effort,
“Big things, small things, all coming together to cover as many areas of the city with greenery and colour.
“The more people get involved, the bigger the impact”.
#ManchesterFlowerShow organisers @CityCo & @ManchesterBID have been part of some incredible greening projects over the years.
— The Manchester Flower Festival (@MCRFlowerFest) March 17, 2021
The Manchester Flower Show will take place from Saturday 29th May – Sunday 6th June 2021.
Applications to participate in this year’s event are open until 1st April, and any local businesses keen to take part can find out more via the CityCo / Manchester BID website here.
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John Cooper Clarke announces latest UK headline tour along with new book
Danny Jones
The ‘Bard of Salford’ himself, Dr John Cooper Clarke, is back with another UK headline tour in 2026, plus a brand-new book to boot.
Now 76 and still as fiery as ever, ‘The Godfather of Punk Poetry’s career spans more than half a century, and as a Greater Manchester native and cultural icon, he’s still just as worth celebrating as ever with each passing year.
Becoming the first poet to ever headline a UK arena with his landmark Co-op Live back in March, it’s been another milestone 12 months for local legend, and he clearly has absolutely no intentions of slowing down next year either.
Revealing a raft of new tour dates on Monday, 1 December, John Cooper Clarke will be bringing his spoken word stylings and latest collection – satsifyingly titled Have It – to crowds all over the country.
Confirming a total of 20 new live shows, JCC will be kicking off his next tour in October 2026 in time for the launch of his latest title.
Following on from last year’s release, ‘WHAT‘, which became an instant Sunday Times bestseller, and his memoir (published back in 2020), this will be his fifth book to date.
2025 also saw him receive the prestigious Northern Music Award (NMAs) in recognition of his phenomenal influence in the music world and art as a whole.
As for us here at Audio North, we recently also had the incredible privilege of sitting down to chat with Cooper Clarke ourselves ahead of the announcement, so keep your eyes peeled for that one…
You can see John Cooper Clarke’s list of live shows in full down below.
JCC UK headline tour dates 2026
We’ve kindly italicised all the Northern dates for you as well.
Tickets for Dr John Cooper Clarke in October 2026 will be available from this Friday, 5 December at 10am via Gigs and Tours as well as his official website.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied)/The Manc Group
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Stockport County’s Christmas dinner in a cup returns for 2025 as part of new festive food range
Danny Jones
We can’t believe it’s rolled around again already, but with the festive period well underway and the big day just a few weeks away, Stockport County have brought back their viral ‘Xmas dinner in a cup’for 2025.
Better still, the County Courtyard has seen some new Christmas specials added to its food menu, too.
The local football club are absolutely flying in League One at the moment, having spent plenty of time at the top of the table already and still well and truly contesting those promotion/play-off spots.
If you’re a Stopfordian, that’s plenty of cause for celebration right there, but with the Christmas dinner in a cup also up for grabs once more, the holiday season literally couldn’t taste any better right now.
For those who’ve never seen it before, it’s exactly what it says on the tin – well, cup: a little Sunday dinner in a County-branded takeaway coffee cup, complete with a healthy pour of gravy and pretty much all the trimmings you could hope for.
Yes, including sprouts, because all of you who still don’t touch them need to grow up already.
Currently priced at just £4.50, not only does it contain virtually all the major food groups (barring the customary matchday pints, of course), it might just be one of the healthiest and best value-for-money bits of footy scran around – certainly in Greater Manchester, anyway.
But, as mentioned, that’s not all this year; Stockport are also serving up the new festive hot dog and even a ‘leftover Christmas curry’ in a bowl, which might even be more warming on a cold night at Edgeley Park than the Xmas dinner in a cup or clinging onto a flask of Bovril.
Anyone else craving that curry with a cheeky bit of bubble and squeak now?
It’s also worth noting that you’ll only be able to get one of those on Boxing Day, by the way, when the Hatters host Lincoln City in the league.
As for the rest of it, County fans can get their hands on this seasonal scran for the first time this year at the weekend when Dave Challinor’s side take on Barnsley at 12:30pm, and two of the three specials will then be served at home every game over the holiday period.
Speaking of random Christmas food creations, there’s another limited-time-only and potentially divisive example that we’ll also be sampling this December…
Emily Sergeant -
19th March 2021 
