The ‘Floating Earth’ art installation that’s been drawing visitors to a local nature reserve in their thousands this past week will be popping up at Salford Quays.
The captivating sculpture is the work of internationally-acclaimed artist Luke Jerram.
Measuring a whopping 10-metres in diameter and featuring high-tech NASA imagery, as well as a surround-sound musical track by BAFTA award-winning composer Dan Jones, the ‘Floating Earth’ artwork has been sat on the waters of popular Wigan nature reserve Pennington Flash since last Friday.
It was due to remain on the lake for 10 days, but Wigan Council confirmed yesterday that it has unfortunately been deflated three days early due to forecasted stormy weather.
The early deflation of the installation comes after the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for much of the North West, with the region set to be hit by high winds and wintery showers over the next few days, which has raised safety concerns.
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A spokesperson for Wigan Council said: “For anyone booked on to see this beautiful piece of art from Thursday 25 November onward, we are afraid this will no longer be possible.
“To clarify, the work is now closed with immediate effect.”
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“We are very sorry not to be able to accommodate everyone booked on for the remaining four days,” the statement concluded.
‘Floating Earth’ encourages us to “question our relationship with our planet” / Credit: Instagram (@the.manc via @photographicleigh)
But for those who weren’t able to catch a glimpse of the “beautiful” installation during its Wigan stay, there’s now the chance to see it a Salford Quays, as ‘Floating Earth’ will be lighting up the water of the The Manchester Ship Canal from Friday 3 – Sunday 12 December as part of the 10-day annual Lightwaves festival programme.
Festival organisers say that Floating Earth’s appearance Lightwaves 2021 encourages us to “question our relationship with our planet”.
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Jerram – who is known worldwide for his large-scale public artworks – says he has created this brand-new work to give visitors a “profound understanding of the interconnection of all life”, and a “renewed sense of responsibility” for taking care of the environment.
The captivating sculpture is the work of internationally-acclaimed artist Luke Jerram / Credit: Instagram (@the.manc via @photographicleigh)
Lightwaves 2021 is featuring the event’s “most ambitious line-up to date”.
Alongside ‘Floating Earth’, 11 other light installations will also be making appearances, including Cygnus by Loomaland – a mesmerising water ballet featuring 12 perfectly synchronised, glowing robot swans – and Sirens by Davy and Kristin McGuire – an installation that uses holographic projections to transform public waterways into mythical underwater worlds inhabited by supernatural sea creatures and mysterious mermaids.
A FREE shopping event dedicated to saving students money is returning to Manchester Arndale
Thomas Melia
One of the city centre’s most popular shopping events helping students save money is returning to Manchester Arndale and the city centre.
MCR Student Socialis heading back to the city with its big discounts, freebies, giveaways and plenty of entertainment to keep you busy while you browse.
This interactive shopping event encourages new and current students to wander roundManchester Arndaleand the surrounding streets while snapping up some seriously good deals.
Expect discounts of up to 50% off at 120 stores including big high street retailers like Champion, Søstrene Grene, Selfridges, Sephora, and Berghaus.
This incredible 50% off deal continues into some of Manchester Arndale’s big-name food vendors like Wingstop, Archie’s, Barburrito, Sides, HOP Vietnamese and more.
If you’re after carrying thatZara Larssonenergy into your next academic year, the Arndale’s Rhinestone Rodeo celebration includes a Charm Bar in Exchange Court, where you can turn photos into personalised charms.
No shopping trip is complete without a matcha in-hand and you can bag yourself a free hot or iced drink in Exchange Court at the Cult Beauty Matcha Station.
Look out for our Audio North truck on Market StreetThe Manchester Arndale MCR Student Social is back
There’s even the Arndale’s Party Tuk Tuk which will be roaming around the city-centre shopping complex blasting out hip-hop tunes and some of your song requests.
Just outside Manchester Arndale on Market Street, there’s plenty of activities split across three dedicated zones, like Food & Drink by familiar foodie faces like Franco Manca and Great British Doner.
The Party Zone will be buzzing as Footasylum, Museum of Illusions and Urban Playground all unite, while there’s plenty of giveaways over at the Info Zone with brands like Science + Industry Museum and RSPB.
And, our very ownAudio North x The Manc DJ Truck is soundtracking Market Street with student DJs playing out everything from dance and funk to classic party anthems.
MCR Student Social is taking place on Thursday 24 September at Manchester Arndale from 12pm to 7pm and you can find more information via its official websiteHERE.
A Medieval Faire with birds of prey and live demonstrations is coming to Manchester’s oldest building
Daisy Jackson
Manchester is going back to the Middle Ages this month as the city’s Medieval Faire returns to Chetham’s Library for a day of history, live entertainment, and family fun.
The free event is taking place on Saturday 26 September, with the grounds of the historic building transformed into a medieval celebration from 11am to 4pm.
And with Chetham’s medieval buildings dating all the way back to 1421, there probably aren’t many more fitting places in Manchester to spend the day pretending you’ve stepped back several centuries.
Visitors can expect plenty going on throughout the day, including walking tours of Manchester’s Medieval Quarter, birds of prey, specialist stalls, and live demonstrations showing what life was like during the medieval era.
There’ll also be historical re-enactors from Historia Normannis, bringing the sights, sounds and characters of the Middle Ages to life.
The event is being staged in partnership with the University of Manchester and Manchester Cathedral, with organisers hoping to get people of all ages interested in the city’s often-overlooked medieval history.
Julianne Simpson, Librarian at Chetham’s Library, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Medieval Faire back to Chetham’s.
The Manchester Medieval Faire returns this month
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to discover Manchester’s medieval heritage through hands-on experiences, live performances, and historical demonstrations.
“Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply looking for a fun family day out, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
Best of all, entry is completely free and you don’t need to book.
If you fancy going a bit deeper into Manchester’s history while you’re there, guided tours of Chetham’s Library will also be available to book on the day for £8.50 per person.
The tours offer visitors the chance to explore one of the UK’s most significant historic libraries and discover more about its collections, characters and stories.
So, if your weekend plans involve less brunch and more medieval re-enactments, birds of prey and wandering around one of Manchester’s oldest buildings, this one’s worth putting in the diary.
Emily Sergeant -
26th November 2021 
