Manchester‘s new ‘sky park’ on Castlefield Viaduct is reopening next weekend after being closed for maintenance over the winter.
The New York-inspired elevated urban park on the giant Grade II-listed 330-metre steel viaduct opened to the public as part of a pilot project to gauge opinion back in July 2022, but has been closed since December to allow time for the team of National Trust gardeners, volunteers, and community partners to prune, plant, and create new and exciting areas.
Over 10,000 visitors got to explore part of the structure and find out more about the viaduct’s heritage and the city’s long relationship with plants and trees when it opened last summer.
But closing the attraction was necessary to the tie up the finishing touches.
Manchester’s new ‘sky park’ on Castlefield Viaduct is reopening to the public next weekend / Credit: National Trust
On top of National Trust gardeners and volunteers working to add a variety of seasonal planting displays created by, four plots on the viaduct have also been handed over to local community groups and partner organisations to create their own unique gardens for visitors to enjoy.
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Hulme Community Garden Centre and Sow the City are two of the groups who will be revealing their gardens when the viaduct reopens to the public on Saturday 18 February.
According to the National Trust, Hulme Community Garden Centre have created an urban forest garden to inspire viaduct visitors to create ‘layered’ planting that optimises precious growing areas.
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The garden is aiming to both benefit personal wellbeing and the local environment.
Sow the City, on the other hand, has been working with Hubbub to bring a sensory nature garden complete with a pond – which is a first for the industrial viaduct.
Featuring wildlife habitats and bee-friendly planting, Sow the City’s ‘In Our Nature Garden’ is hoping to encourage a connection between people and nature, with design drawing inspiration from the latest research in environmental psychology that indicates that the closer a person’s relationship is with nature, the more likely they are to care for wildlife and the wider environment.
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The group says the aim of the garden is to give those living in Manchester city centre the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle through tranquil sights, earthy smells, and an immersive audio recording that can be downloaded as part of the nature experience.
These two new areas of the viaduct will join the existing ‘partner plots’ by City of Trees and Castlefield Forum.
The New York-inspired elevated urban park has been closed for maintenance over the winter / Credit: National Trust
Officially reopening on Saturday 18 February, entry onto the structure will remain free while the National Trust team test a new way to welcome visitors.
A booking system will stay in place for guided walk visits between 11am to 12:30pm, but unlike last time it was open, those wanting to explore the viaduct at their own pace after 1pm can now just turn up on the day without needing to book.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors back onto the viaduct to see what we and our partners have been up to,” Rebecca Alexander, Visitor Operations and Experience Manager at Castlefield Viaduct said ahead of the park’s opening next weekend.
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“In our first four months of opening, the viaduct proved very popular and many of our time slots to visit were fully booked.
“By introducing a new way for visitors to explore the viaduct at their own leisure, we hope that even more people will benefit from this green space in the heart of Manchester and support us in shaping its future.”
The National Trust says there are also plans to host events throughout the spring and summer – including new family tours both on and off the viaduct, yoga, planting events, lunch-hour talks on weekdays, and community-led plays.
Watching Mamma Mia! at Manchester Palace Theatre proved once again why this ABBA-powered musical remains one of the most beloved shows in modern theatre.
The audience arrived ready for a party, and the cast delivered an energetic, feel-good performance packed with humour, heart, and, of course, a catalogue of iconic pop songs.
At the centre of the story is Sophie Sheridan, a young bride-to-be, determined to discover the identity of her father before her wedding day. Secretly, she invites three men from her mother Donna’s past to the island, creating chaos, comedy, and emotional revelations along the way.
The plot is famously light… but it provides the perfect framework for a soundtrack built entirely on hits by the iconic Swedish pop band ABBA.
Mamma Mia! brought infectious energy to Manchester’s Palace Theatre / Credit: Brinkhoff / Moegenburg (Supplied)
Jen Griffin leads the company as Donna Sheridan with warmth and a commanding stage presence. Her stand-out performance balances humour with vulnerability, culminating in a powerful rendition of ‘The Winner Takes It All’.
As Sophie, Lydia Hunt brings youthful excitement and a clear, expressive vocal performance, making her character’s search for identity both believable and engaging.
Donna’s loyal friends provide much of the show’s comedy (and cheers from the crowd). Rosie Glossop plays Rosie with scene-stealing wit and excellent comic timing, particularly during ‘Take a Chance on Me’, while Sarah Earnshaw gives Tanya glamorous confidence and sharp humour. Together the trio create the emotional backbone of the show, portraying friendship that feels authentic and affectionate.
The three possible fathers are played by Luke Jasztal as Sam, Richard Meek as Harry, and Mark Goldthorp as Bill. Each bringing their own unique character personality to the role, helping the storyline unfold with plenty of charm. Meanwhile, Joe Grundy plays Sky with relaxed confidence opposite Sophie.
Visually, the production captures the sunny escapism audiences expect, with bright Mediterranean colours, lively choreography, and a cleverly simple island set that transports the audience far from the streets of Manchester. Ouzo anyone?
By the time the encore begins, with the cast returning in glittering costumes for a joyous ABBA medley including ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Waterloo’, the audience is firmly on its feet.
The show last night felt less like a typical theatre evening and more like a celebration. It may not be subtle, but Mamma Mia! remains addictively entertaining.
Featured Image – Brinkhoff / Moegenburg (Supplied)
What's On
Manchester reveals FREE programme of events to mark International Women’s Day 2026
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is set to mark International Women’s Day this weekend with a packed programme of free events.
In case you didn’t know, this Sunday (8 March) is International Women’s Day, with cities worldwide will be marking the important day in a series of different ways – and Manchester is no different.
Just as it chose to last year, the city has once again decided not to host its popular and once-annual ‘Walk For Women’ event, that used to see hundreds parade through the city centre in the name of equality, and instead organise a programme of events that both honour the importance of the event globally and this year’s theme.
Each year, International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, whilst also marking a call-to-action for accelerating gender equality.
Join us on Saturday 7 March at Central Library to celebrate International Women’s Day. 💜
Expect storytelling, performances, creative workshops, women’s history exhibitions, a keynote speech and more.
This year in Manchester, Manchester City Council is encouraging everyone to join for a community celebration co‑designed by local women, offering a space to appreciate women’s contributions, meet new people committed to lifting each other up, learn something new, get creative, and ultimately, find inspiration for the future.
Some of the events organised throughout the day – which will all take place at Manchester Central Library the day before IWD 2026 on Saturday 7 March – include a storytelling activity for women to share their personal stories, a special spoken word piece performed by a member of the IWD Co-design group, choirs and poetry performances, and even fireside ‘chats’ among other things.
There’ll also be a range of different events designed especially for mums and children, like the ‘Mums Matter’ wellbeing workshops, offering time to focus on your emotional wellbeing and mental health, and children’s drop-in sessions.
Manchester Central Library is hosting a wide range of IWD 2026 events this weekend / Credit: The Manc Group
You can also expect a selection of stalls by commissioned services and partner organisations promoting different services, and a period product donation point to tackle period poverty across Greater Manchester.
Everybody is invited to celebrate International Women’s Day in Manchester, not just women, and even children are able to attend some of the events too, as people of all ages are welcome.
Manchester’s International Women’s Day 2026 celebrations are taking place throughout the day on Saturday 7 March, and you can find out more and book here.
Emily Sergeant -
10th February 2023 
