A free-to-attend Chinese festival will bring traditional street food, lion dancing and karate sessions to Manchester this month as the local community celebrates the annual Festival of the Moon.
Inspired by the legend of Chang’e, the Chinese Moon goddess of immortality, the festival will take place from 9-11 September in Manchester’s Chinatown.
Here, those heading down will find traditional food and drink stalls from local businesses including Wong Wong Bakery, PinWei and Chatime Manchester in the area’s central car park.
Elsewhere, there will be the opportunity to enjoy traditional Chinese lion dancing and take part in on-street kung fu and archery lessons.
It’s also rumoured a mysterious Chinese celebrity will be making an appearance at this year’s event, although details are yet to be confirmed.
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The Hong Kong style Egg Tart (蛋撻) is one of Wong Wong’s most popular items. / Image: Wong Wong Bakery
Wong Wong’s Pandan Coconut Flower Bun (香葉椰綠花包). / Image: Wong Wong Bakery
Derived from the custom of Chinese emperors worshipping the moon during the Zhou Dynasty, the Chinese Moon festival typically brings families and friends together to thank the Gods as part of the harvest season.
With a history stretching back 2,000 years, it is considered China’s second-most-important festival after the Lunar New Year celebrations.
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With roots in both Chinese and Vietnamese cultures, the origins of this age-old festival are steeped in legend.
So the story goes, the world once had ten suns and their heat ravaged the world with a terrible drought. That is, until the great archer Hou Yi shot down nine of the suns, saving life on Earth, at the request of the Emperor of Heaven.
By way of reward, he was given the elixir of immortality, which he hid in his house and planned to share with his beautiful wife, Chang’e.
However, before he returned home, his apprentice snuck in and attempted to steal the elixir. In a bid to keep it from the apprentice, his wife drank the potion alone and ascended to the heavens by herself, where it is said she then took the moon as her eternal home.
To this day, it is said that those who look hard enough can still see her likeness in the moon and the legend still lives on today in China’s Lunar Exploration Programme, which takes its name from the goddess.
Salford Pride’s popular Pink Picnic returns this summer with ‘iconic’ headliners
Emily Sergeant
Boney M, The Cheeky Girls, and Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK stars are all on the lineup at Salford Pride’s popular Pink Picnic this summer.
As this summer marks 15 years of Pride in Salford, Salford Pride has announced a whole host of exciting events to celebrate – including the return of The Pink Picnic, its biggest family-friendly celebration yet, with headliners like 90s and 00s music icons, community talent, and even a ‘bigger and bolder’ Youth Zone for 2026.
Returning to Peel Park once again, The Pink Picnic brings together LGBTQ+ community, allies, families and friends for a day built around community, joy, and belonging.
For 2026, Salford Pride is expanding the experience further with even more to do across the park than ever before.
The Pink Picnic has been part of Salford’s Pride story since 2011, but this year’s 15th anniversary addition is set to be one for the history books, as alongside a headline lineup featuring Boney M, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Kyran Thrax and Paige Three, The Cheeky Girls, Big Brovaz, Booty Luv, and Baby D, a strong programme of community acts will also be spotlighted.
Some of the exceptional community acts already named on the lineup so far include Tallulah Guard, Fear of Marko, and John Tucker.
Across the day, visitors can also shop from dozens of community stalls and market traders, take part in or watch the much-loved annual dog show, and visit the ‘bigger and bolder’ Youth Zone that’s designed to help young people feel seen and celebrated.
“Celebrating 15 years of Pride in Salford feels really special, and we wanted 2026 to feel like a proper thank you to the community that’s built this with us” said Scott Turzański, who is the Head of Marketing and Brand at Salford Pride.
“The Pink Picnic is a family event – it’s welcoming, it’s joyful, and it’s about making space for everyone.”
The Pink Picnic returns to Peel Park in Salford next month on Saturday 13 June, and you can find out more and book tickets online here.
Featured Image – Salford Pride (via Facebook)
What's On
Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum unveils programme of FREE family fun for half term
Emily Sergeant
Little Mancs can climb aboard a miniature train and set off on a journey of discovery at the Science and Industry Museum this half term.
As schools across Greater Manchester break up for half term at the end of this week, and parents and carers gear up to entertain the little ones, the Science and Industry Museum has, thankfully, just announced a wide range of events and activities especially for the holidays – with many activities free to get involved in.
The popular cultural hub in the heart of Manchester city centre is promising visitors a May half term full of hands-on experiences designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and imagination.
The main event, which is kicking off this weekend (Saturday 23 May), invites families to ‘explore the playful side of power’.
From climbing aboard a miniature steam railway and taking part in interactive engineering sessions, to seeing steam-powered traction engines, live demonstrations, and performances inspired by the sounds of industrial Manchester, visitors will be transported back in time to play the role of passenger.
Almost 200 years ago, this was the site of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway – the world’s first inter-city passenger railway – and May half term will bring this story to life again, as families take a ride around part of the museum’s newly reopened outside space.
Hosted by Little British Rail, rides are priced at £4 (with those under one-year-old going free) and can be booked in advance by visiting the museum’s website here.
The Science and Industry Museum has unveiled its programme of free family fun for the half term / Credit: Science Museum Group
Expert Explainers will be on-hand throughout the half term hosting Curiosity Stops, so you can discover how water becomes steam, see what powers a piston, and explore how our bodies mirror the mechanics of machines.
The final weekend of the holiday (5-7 June) will also see members of Urmston & District Model Engineering Society steaming onto site with its early 20th century Fowler Showman’s traction engine and Foden steam wagon.
Elsewhere at the museum over the half term, you can take a look around the historic Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery, which has recently reopened to the public, and you can take part in interactive workshops with Manchester-based percussion group, Drumroots – giving visitors the chance to experiment with rhythm, movement, and music inspired by the sounds of historic steam engines.
And, of course, half term is the perfect chance to go on out-of-this-world adventure across the Solar System and visit the new Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition, if you haven’t already. Or visit the ultimate gaming experience, Power Up, instead during its extended holiday opening hours.
For the full programme of daily events throughout half term, and to book tickets for difference experiences in advance, head to the Science and Industry Museum website here.
Georgina Pellant -
1st September 2022 
