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Huge festival of colour celebrating ‘new beginnings’ is coming to Trafford Centre this spring

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 17th February 2026

A huge festival of colour celebrating renewal and new beginnings is coming to the Trafford Centre next month.

You may’ve heard the news that it has rained somewhere in the UK every day since 2026 has begun, with the North West and Greater Manchester in particular coming off quite badly, as you’d expect, but don’t worry because colour is returning to the region this spring, and this year, it’s set to be brighter than ever before.

Known for bringing communities together through music, colour, and wellbeing, RDC Festival’s Elements is back next month, and will be transforming the Trafford Centre into a vibrant global celebration inspired by Holi – the ‘Festival of Colours’.

Holi is traditionally a celebration of renewal, love, and new beginnings, and Elements is designed to bring this spirit to life through immersive colour play, movement, and ‘shared joy.

Festival organisers are inviting visitors from far and wide to step into a world of ‘colour, sound, and connection’.

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Taking place on Saturday 14 March, the festival is designed to awaken the senses and create unforgettable moments of togetherness, and you can expect everything from throwing vibrant colours, to dancing beneath global sounds, and plenty more.

There’ll also be an ‘energetic’ programme of live entertainment and DJs playing out tunes and sounds from across the world, and foodies will be able to explore the delicious Tropics Street Food Forest, offering global flavours and refreshing treats all throughout the day. 

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Beyond the vibrant festival atmosphere, there’ll even be a dedicated RDC Wellbeing Hub featuring music, arts and crafts, and a reflection wall to create a calming space. 

Holi, festival of colour
A huge festival of colour is coming to the Trafford Centre this spring / Credit: John Thomas (via Unsplash)

And, of course, there’ll also be the famous ‘Colour Run’ at the heart of the event – which is what Holi is best known for.

“We’re delighted to welcome Rain Dance Colour Festival’s Elements,” commented Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at Trafford Centre. “It’s an event that celebrates colour, culture and togetherness and we’re proud to support vibrant events that enrich our communities and give guests a joyful, shared experience they can return to year after year.”

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RDC Festival Elements takes place at the Trafford Centre next month on Saturday 14 March, from 12:30-6:30pm, and early bird tickets are on sale now and include a free colour packet and free RDC ELEMENTS t-shirt for a limited time. 

Find out more and book your tickets here.

Featured Image – Jaya Kasturi (via Unsplash)

What's On

Multi award-winning musical Back to the Future returns to Manchester next summer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Nearly six years after making its world premiere here in Manchester, Back to The Future The Musical is returning to our city next summer.

The multi award-winning musical – based off the beloved 1985 film of the same name – held its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House back 2020, but unfortunately, as you can probably guess, its run was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now, flash forward to 2027, the production is returning to ‘settle some unfinished business’.

Lead producer Colin Ingram, together with Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the creators of the Back To The Future film trilogy, have announced that the musical will return to Manchester as part of its first-ever UK tour.

Directed by Tony Award-winning director John Rando, alongside a multi Tony and Olivier Award-winning design team, Back to the Future The Musical has a book by Bob Gale, and new music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard.

Multi award-winning musical Back to the Future is returning to Manchester / Credit: Supplied

Additional hit songs from the film, including ‘The Power of Love’ and ‘Johnny B. Goode’, are also included in the production, making it a real trip down memory lane for fans.

The show will run at Manchester Opera House from 13 July through to 21 August 2027, following its run in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre, where it’s currently in its fifth year, having broken box office records and being seen by more than 2.3 million people.

“Speaking for the entire creative team, we are beyond thrilled to be returning to the Manchester Opera House, which we consider the birthplace of Back to the Future The Musical and one of the UK’s best venues,” commented co-creator Bob Gale.

“No city has ever given us a better reception and the incredible audience response we received in 2020 helped shape the show creatively in myriad ways.”

Read more:

Back to the Future The Musical will take to the Manchester Opera House stage from 13 July – 21 August 2027, and tickets officially go on general sale tomorrow (18 February) at 10am.

Get tickets here.

Featured Image – Matt Crockett (Supplied)

What's On

Florence and the Machine at Co-op Live Manchester – tickets, setlist, and more for UK tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Florence and the Machine have visited Manchester before… but this UK tour marks their Co-op Live debut.

The ‘Dog Days Are Over’ because London-based band Florence and the Machine are returning to the music capital of the North – Manchester.

The band has played in our city many times over the years, including staple venues like Manchester Academy and AO Arena, but now they’re taking to the stage of the 23,500 capacity Co-op Live for the first time in their career this month.

With this current run of shows titled Everybody Scream Tour, you can expect this arena gig to be a spectacle or… ‘Spectrum’ (there’s more puns coming).

So, grab the ‘Girl With One Eye’, ‘Jenny of Oldstones’, and the ‘Queen of Peace’, and get ready to ‘Howl’ out all of Florence and the Machine’s bangers.

Florence and the Machine are coming to Co-op Live, Manchester on 20 February / Credit: Autumn de Wilde (Supplied)
Florence and the Machine are coming to Co-op Live, Manchester on 20 February / Credit: Autumn de Wilde (Supplied)

Florence and the Machine UK tour dates

  • Fri 13 Feb – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
  • Sat 14 Feb – Sheffield, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Mon 16 Feb – London, UK – The O2
  • Tue 17 Feb – London, UK – The O2
  • Fri 20 Feb – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Mon 24 Aug – Edinburgh, UK – Royal Highland Showgrounds
  • Fri 28 Aug – Leeds, UK – Bramham Park
  • Sun 30 Aug – Reading, UK – Richfield Avenue

Tickets

Anyone wanting to see this stellar act in all their glory when they play their latest arena show in Manchester can find some seats left HERE.

There’s even a handful of premium seating options on offer, where you can ‘Shake It Out’ in style feeling like a ‘King’ HERE.

Setlist

  • Everybody Scream
  • Witch Dance
  • Shake It Out
  • Seven Devils
  • Big God
  • Daffodil
  • Which Witch
  • Cosmic Love
  • Spectrum
  • Never Let Me Go
  • Music By Men
  • buckle
  • King
  • The Old Religion
  • Howl
  • Heaven Is Here
  • Sympathy Magic
  • One of the Greats
  • Dog Days Are Over
  • Free
  • And Love

What are the stage times for Florence and the Machine in Manchester?

UK act Florence and the Machine are playing various arena and festival shows this year / Credit: Autumn de Wilde (Supplied)
UK act Florence and the Machine are playing various arena and festival shows this year / Credit: Autumn de Wilde (Supplied)

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning as much as we want to sing until there’s ‘No Light, No Light’, at least we’ll be tucked up in bed before the early hours.

Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm, with a kick-off time expected to be 7:30pm, and support from self-proclaimed alternative-indie ‘Good Girl’ Paris Paloma.

How to get to Co-op Live

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.

If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.

The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.

Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:

  • Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
  • Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
  • Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

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Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.

For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – Press shots (supplied via Autumn de Wilde)

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