Manchester’s iconic Victoria Baths will be hosting a festival filled with live music, art exhibitions, street food, and more next month.
All set to transform the beautiful Grade II-listed building into a cultural hub for the day, and gearing up to “put a spring in the step” of the Greater Manchester public, Victoria Baths has confirmed that ‘SpringFest’ will be making an exciting return for 2024.
After last year’s event proved to be a massive success, SpringFest 2024 will be back again in just a couple of weeks time.
The festival will be celebrating music and art from across the region and beyond.
We're buzzing to announce the lineup for this year's SpringFest – join us for a day of Music, Art, Food and Fun!
Dennis Queen, Dominic G, Amatiime, and the Guacamaya Latin Band are just some of the artists forming part of the diverse lineup of musical talent on the day, while stunning and eclectic artworks from John Merril, Vanessa Scottm Pool Arts, Mavish Masood, Jessie Tam, and even more names set to be announced, will all be on display.
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Perfect for families, friends, and solo festivalgoers alike, SpringFest also provides a unique opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies of the historic building, all while supporting the venue’s charitable trust too.
The ‘Make, Do, and Bop’ kids social event will be taking over the Gala Pool for “an extra special pool party” with a silent disco scheduled on the day, and although there’s no need to bring your swimming costumes, party clothes and dancing shoes are “definitely encouraged” at the under the sea-themed fancy dress bash.
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Victoria Baths is set to host a ‘Spring Fest’ with music, art, street food, and more / Credit: Victoria Baths (via Facebook)
There’ll also be lots of lawn games, a book tent, craft activities, and a colouring station for the little ones to get stuck into too.
And, when you naturally work up an appetite and fancy taking a break from all the family-friendly fun, independent street food vendors Dim Sum Su, Wholesome Junkies, and Exclusive Scoop will be serving up the scran, while there’ll also be a selection of savoury bakes and sweet treats in the venue’s-own Tea Room too.
A licensed bar will even be there on the day too, so you can wash it all down with beers, wines, tea and coffee, and a range of other soft drinks.
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The event is taking over the iconic Manchester venue for one day only next month / Credit: Andrew Billington Photography (via Facebook)
SpringFest 2024 is taking over Victoria Baths on Saturday 20 April from 11am – 4pm, with tickets now on sale and setting you back just £8 for general admission with a voluntary donation, and £12 for general admission plus a guided tour, while under-18s go free with a paying adult ticket.
Tickets will also be available on the door, but organisers say booking in advance is “recommended” to secure your spot.
A new festive light maze is heading to Cheshire for the first time this December
Thomas Melia
A brand new attraction is making its way to Cheshire for the first time ever this December with the hopes to get us all into the festive spirit.
Just outside of Manchester, titled‘Spectrum: A World of Illumination’, this spectacular never-seen-before trail is lighting up Cheshire with a month-long residency in Knutsford.
Running every day in December besides Christmas Day, plus a few extra dates in November, the spectacular display will be inviting guests along for 30 out of 31 days in the yuletide month.
The immersive maze will feature moving giant candy canes, overhead Christmas-inspired installations like a laser show, and tunnels of light.
Visitors are encouraged to get stuck in with hidden objects and handles and buttons which lead to secret rooms and festive treasures to be found and explored throughout the attraction.
You can even create a Christmas carol medley of your own and sing to your heart’s content with a section of the trail featuring sound tubes.
There’s a mostly open top too, so you can look up into the night sky as you explore the maze.
There’s not only a feast for your eyes but also for your Santa bellies too as a selection ofhand-picked food vendors will be supplying tons of festive goodies to warm your soul.
A new festive light maze is heading to Cheshire for the first time this December. Credit: Supplied
Spectrum: A World of Illumination caters to everyone offering spaces for guide dogs, quieter time slots for those wanting a calmer experience and accessibility all-round where possible.
This is expected to be one of the best Christmas activities of the year, designed by specialists Access Events, who have some impressive feats behind them.
The multi award winning company has had involvement and created some of the most impressive light features to date including the Weather Project at the Tate, the e-Sports arena build, and turning the Berlin TV Tower into a football.
They’re so certain this event will do well there’s already news and information about a 2025 event between Access Events and Royal Cheshire Show Grounds.
Tickets for ‘Spectrum: A World of Illumination’ are already on sale and those of you who are eager to start planning your Christmas calendar can get tickets from Eventbrite.
Blue Man Group at The Lowry – odd, creative, entertaining and legendary
Daisy Jackson
The Blue Man Group is a weird show.
It’s weird to watch three men painted blue stare wide-eyed and wordless into an audience.
It’s weird that the blue men then make entire acts out of catching marshmallows in their mouths, or spewing UV paint from holes in the chests of their sweatshirts, or staging a silent blind date between two audience members.
The way they creep around the stage, pigeon-toed and wild-eyed, twitching nervously at every audience noise, is weird.
The way they never speak or smile or break character, even for a split second, is weird.
And it’s weird that this very weird formula has been captivating audiences for 37 years – until, that is, you see it for yourself.
Because every bit of oddness of a Blue Man Group show, including the Bluevolution World Tour currently at The Lowry, is balanced with brilliant comedic timing, genuine percussive talent, and ever-changing stage design.
At points during their show they make music from a drainpipe that they turn into a sort of drum-trombone hybrid.
They make music from cereal boxes and fake smartphone screens, and art from gumball machines and even an audience member.
The Blue Man Group making percussion from Cap’n Crunch cereal. Credit: SuppliedA star moment of The Blue Man Group at The Lowry. Credit: Supplied
The Blue Man Group warms up the crowd by displaying birthday messages or words of congratulations to specific audience members, like an Olympic gold medallist sat in the stalls, encouraging everyone to join in.
They fire out so many coloured streamer ribbons at one point that a child who’s walking down an aisle ends up entangled like a mummy on its way to a 90s rave.
They’re helped along throughout the show by a small, video game-like drumming presence in a sort of blue dreadlocked bob wig, who – to sound very Gen Z – gives me the ick.
There’s a fair amount of audience participation and if you don’t like the thought of a blue man staring at you (even when you try your hardest to look anywhere but back at him) it might not be the one for you.
UV paint and a set of drums are an iconic Blue Man Group stunt. Credit: Supplied
And there are moments where it all gets a bit too weird for my tastes, like when an entire segment is made from the sound of them stuffing Cap’n Crunch cereal into their mouths or whipping neon aerials around.
It’s impressive but it doesn’t actually SOUND good. (See also: beatboxing. Yes it’s very impressive that you can make a trumpet noise at the same time as drumming with your lips but shall we just not).
Still, with 37 years of sell-out success across the planet, The Blue Man Group is a creative and entertaining way to spend an evening.
And honestly, everyone should see this legendary piece of live entertainment at least once.
The Blue Man Group Bluevolution World Tour is on at The Lowry until Sunday 6 October – get your tickets HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
28th March 2024 
