Tatton Park Pop Up festival in Cheshire has announced 52 events for families and festival-goers this summer.
The outdoor boutique festival in Knutsford will feature 10 weeks of music and entertainment performances between July and August – from shows with ABBA songs to showcases with dinosaurs.
Acts during the day will be suitable for children, and the party will get going at night for those over 18.
Events include ABBA Mania – the world’s number one touring ABBA tribute – and live performances of science show Brainiac.
For the children (and young at heart), there’s also Jurassic Earth – a unique, immersive dinosaur experience for all ages, combining animatronics, performances, and the opportunity to walk with a Triceratops, roar with T-Rex, scream with a Spinosaurus and run with a Raptor!
For over 18s, Symphonic Ibiza will celebrate the past 30 years of Ibiza with a live orchestra, high tempo DJ beats and vocals.
Other events taking place at Tatton Park Pop Up include Milkshake! Live, Judge Jules Live, Craig Charles, and Brutus Gold’s Love Train.
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The festival is set in 2,000 acres of parkland, and will be Cheshire’s first socially distanced outdoor festival.
The website promises “spectacular entertainment, great food and cocktails against a stunning lakeside backdrop within your own private, fully furnished pitch area.”
There’s even the option for a VIP package, which gives you champagne on arrival, prime seating, luxury furniture, a private VIP Bar and table service.
MOBOs 2026 in Manchester – all the awards winners and iconic performances
Thomas Melia
Manchester had its second major music award show visit of the year courtesy of the MOBOs, and here’s all the awards, winners and iconic performances from the night.
We knew 0161 was known for its impact on the music industry, but it’s recently become a place for music celebration on multiple occasions with the BRITs and, most recently, with the MOBOs.
As expected, this was a night full of A-listers, rising stars and incredible music makers, who all united for an award show dedicated to celebrating one aspect of the industry in particular – Music of Black Origin.
Created by Kanya King back in 1996, Manchester had the pleasure of hosting the MOBOs as the award show celebrated its 30-year anniversary right here at the 23,500 seater Co-op Live.
MOBOs 2026 – all the highlights from the night
Get ready to find out everything that happened during the MOBO Awards 2026, including the awards, winners and iconic performances.
All the awards and winners from MOBOs 2026 in Manchester
MOBO Global Songwriter Award – Pharrell Williams
MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award – Slick Rick
Album of the Year – The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean
Song of the Year – Olivia Dean, ‘Man I Need’
Best Male act – Jim Legxacy
Best Female act – Olivia Dean
Best Newcomer – DC3
Video of the Year – Raye, ‘Where Is My Husband!’
Best R&B/ Soul Act – Flo
Best Alternative Music Act – Nova Twins
Best Grime Act – Chip
Best Hip-Hop act – Central Cee
Best Drill Act – Twin S
Best International Act – Ayra Starr
Best African Music Act – Wizkid
Best Caribbean Music Act – Vybz Kartel
Best Jazz Act – Ezra Collective
Best Electronic/ Dance Act – Sherelle
Best Gospel Act – DC3
Best Media Personality – Niko Omilana
Best Performance in a TV Show/Film – Stephen Graham, Adolescence
Best Producer – P2J
Pharrell Williams receiving his ‘MOBO Global Songwriter Award’ and Flo accepting the ‘Best R&B/ Soul Act’ / Credit: The Manc Group
Who performed at the MOBOs 2026 in Manchester at Co-op Live?
Flo opened the show with their iconic silhouettes, just like on their Access All Areas Tour, which we had the privilege of witnessing live at Manchester Academy last Autumn.
If you’re worried you’ve lost a backstage pass to all things Flo, think again. Their latest single continues the unrestricted theme with its aptly-fitting title ‘Leak It’, and they set standards high.
A variety of grime acts dominated the stage as curated by DJ Target with Chip, D Double E, Wiley, Nolay and Scorcher with staple hits like ‘Legend’, ‘Street Fighter Riddim’ and ‘Wot U Call It?’
Slick Rick treated Co-op Live and the MOBOs audience to a medley of hits like’Children’s Story’ and ‘Landlord’ while bringing out the wonderful Estelle to sing ‘Mona Lisa’ alongside the respected rapper.
Flo opened the show with a live debut of new single ‘Leak It’ / Credit: MOBO Organisation (supplied)
Folk-pop star Miles Smith had the crowd in the palm of his hand as they all sang ‘Stargazing’ in unison, almost as though it was their own performance. This singer-songwriter returns to Manchester and Co-op Live this winter.
When Tiwa Savage walked onto the stage, this Manchester indoor venue knew they were in the presence of royalty, the Queen of Afrobeats to be exact. She performed ‘You 4 Me’ and dropped a preview of her new hit ‘Energy’.
The multi-MOBO winner Olivia Dean showed off her vocal prowess with an exclusive live performance of ‘A Couple Minutes’ accompanied by a beautiful orchestra arrangement.
Ms Dean blew our minds with her ‘Man I Need’ performance at the BRITs just last month, and she can’t keep away from Manchester, returning to Co-op Live next month for ‘The Art of Loving Tour‘.
Credit: MOBO Organisation (supplied)
Moston’s own Aitch had the crowd going crazy with his The Stone Roses-sampling track ‘1989’ and one of his biggest hits to date, and Ashanti-sampling record ‘Baby’.
Dancehall diva Shenseea closed the night with not one but four of her cathartic bangers like ‘Hit & Run’, the empowering ‘Shenyeng Anthem’, UK Top 20 single ‘Shake It To The Max (Remix)’ and newest effort ‘Talk To Me Nuh’.
Which stars attended the MOBOs red carpet in Manchester?
Manchester is the music capital of the North, so it makes a lot of sense that some of music’s biggest names decided to pop over to this city for a visit.
Alongside all the nominees and performers, there was a whole host of acts in attendance from the music, film, TV and social media industries.
Everyone from former Little Mix member turned independent artist Leigh-Anne and Bemi Orojuogun, more widely recognised by her digital moniker ‘Bus Aunty’, strutted their stuff on the MOBOs red carpet.
Audio North had the incredible opportunity of chatting with a whole host of talented artists and creatives straight from the red carpet, including shaking hands with legendary multi-hyphenate Nile Rodgers.
This was a truly beautiful night which celebrated the contributions and impact made within the music industry across the past 12 months and beyond, soundtracked by some class live performances.
Matilda The Musical at Palace Theatre Manchester – a lesson in letting your imagination run wild | Review
Emily Sergeant
I think growing up is overrated. I’m just going to start off by saying that, okay? Right… now onto the actual review.
Matilda The Musical has finally arrived in Manchester, and it’s every bit as imaginative as the title character herself.
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s smash-hit musical production – which is, of course, based on Roald Dahl’s beloved book of the same name – has been seen by more than 12 million people in over 100 cities around the world since it first debuted back in 2010, and it continues to play to packed houses in London’s West End and on Broadway each week… but now, it’s Manchester’s turn.
The critically-acclaimed musical is currently out on a tour of the UK and Ireland, and has just arrived for a special four-week run here at Manchester’s iconic Palace Theatre.
Touring to celebrate its 15-year anniversary, the multi-award winning musical about a determined young heroine with a vivid imagination is written by Dennis Kelly, and developed and directed by Matthew Warchus, with music and lyrics by comedian Tim Minchin.
Matilda The Musical is now on stage at Manchester Palace Theatre / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Despite being a fan of musical theatre, and even of the production’s popular soundtrack prior, Matilda The Musical was one I was yet to experience live on stage before last night.
Understandably because of this, it was one I was therefore really anticipating watching – and 15 years on, it’s truly not hard to see why it’s so beloved by so many.
Manchester audiences who gathered inside the storied walls of the Palace Theatre on opening night last night (26 March) were enchanted from the moment the colourful, eclectic stage lit up and the sets came to life, immersing you in the world right from the get-go.
It’s a production every bit as imaginative as the main character herself / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Now, it would be fair to say that so much could go wrong in this production, given how many moving parts are involved in the stage design and choreography, but it’s a complete credit to every single member of the company that not once, as an audience member, did you ever feel anything would go wrong – that’s how technically impressive the staging was.
Those technical elements barely scratch the surface of just how much this show grabs you by the heart and makes you cling onto the magic of childlike imagination, though. This is where it really shines.
Through well-known songs like ‘Naughty’, ‘Revolting Children’, ‘When I Grow Up’, and ‘Quiet’, you are left feeling in awe of the incredibly (almost unbelievably, to be honest) talented ensemble cast of young performers on stage before you.
Led last night by Mollie Hutton as Matilda, who brought her own charm and cheekiness to the iconic role, each youngster really is living proof that ‘even if you’re little, you can do a lot’.
It’s now on stage in Manchester up until Saturday 25 April / Credit: The Manc Group
Tessa Kalder as Miss Honey, Richard Hurst as Miss Trunchbull, and Esther Niles as Mrs Phelps were all stand-out performances too, as were Adam Stafford and Rebecca Thornhill as Matilda’s parents, Mr and Mrs Wormwood.
It’s a show full of humour, eccentric characters, and captivating sets… and it’s well worth your time, whether a theatre-lover or not.
The beaming smiles from the cast at the end during the curtain call say it all.
Anna Willis -
7th May 2021 
