Fancy gearing up for an all-inclusive weekend of music, dancing, feasting, comedy and wellness at the world’s most immersive cycling festival?
The 2021 lineup for Velio Festival has just been announced.
Taking place at the picturesque setting of Cholmondeley Castle on 17th – 20th September, this “pioneering” and world-first festival celebrates life on two wheels for three days and three nights of immersive activities, and provides cycling enthusiasts with the perfect opportunity to escape, switch off and unwind in the Cheshire countryside.
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With cycling the main attraction of course, festival-goers can enjoy five stunning cycle routes with options for beginners, experienced riders, disabled cycling, and children too.
Novice riders can take it easy on the 3km or 14km routes, while the more experienced can test themselves on the 30km, 60km or 100km.
The highlight of these will be the headliner ride, Velutopia – a world-first event that stretches across 14km of closed roads, taking cyclists on an immersive cycle tour packed with entertainment and an abundance of surprises along the way – with festival organisers having said to expect “weird and wonderful oddities, mid-ride games and tasks, and music and celebrations”.
There’ll also be an indoor cycling arena hosting virtual races throughout the weekend, as well as giving you the chance to try out the latest technology or spend time lusting after the array of next-generation bikes and accessories on show.
Not mad keen on cycling though? Just going along for the ride?
You’ll be pleased to know there is also set to be plenty of music, comedy, wellness, feasting and activities to enjoy both day and night, and you can even take the opportunity to chill out in the hot tubs, do a yoga class, go wild swimming or paddleboarding, or even visit the Cuddle Club for some doggy-themed therapy.
There’s also a carefully-curated programme of international music artists, comedians and immersive moments across five stages.
Velio Festival
Now, this is where it gets interesting.
Renowned vocal group Sister Sledge will be taking over the centre stage, alongside fellow headliners Everything Everything, and also hitting the main stage will be a range of live acts including Elder Island and The Futureheads, stellar DJ sets from Friendly Fires and Norman Jay MBE, a host of incredible tribute performances – including The Bootleg Beatles and Da Funk (Daft Punk Tribute) – and Mr Motivator will be on hand to get the party started too.
The infamous La Discotheque will host their own stage – with acts such as Crazy P Soundsystem and Disco Classics – featuring a live orchestra, with “fabulous flamingos, soul sergeants and queens to match”.
A stream of cherry-picked comedians will also be taking to the stage, including Manchester’s finest, Jason Manford, Marcus Brigstocke, Shappi Khorsandi, and Lou Conran.
The ‘Velio Village’ will host an eclectic mix of brass bands, DJs, cabaret and burlesque, a late-night jazz cafe, film screenings, karaoke, kids entertainment, chill out areas and more.
When it comes to feasting, the award-winning restaurant Volta will be collaborating to produce the banquets at the festival, with foodies enjoying “the finest local produce”, alongside speciality bars serving up a variety of tempting tipples, ranging from wine and gin, to craft beers and cocktails.
Velio is also proud to be the first ‘Flexi-Distanced’ festival.
This means that all the measures and teams are in place to run the event either socially distanced or non-socially distanced, whichever the guidelines dictate, so you can book in confidence and have something in the diary to look forward to.
Tickets are set to go on sale next Wednesday 14th April at 9am.
Included in all tickets is standard camping for three days and three nights, with access to a spacious campsite, toilets and showers.
Motorhomes and campervans are welcomed, and you can also arrive to pre-erected tents.
For an enhanced camping experience, the boutique village offers a range of Bell, Lotus or Mahal tents for up to eight people – which all feature memory foam mattresses, premium bedding, bedside lights and tables as standard, with optional upgrades of electricity, toiletries, mirrors, and towels available – and campers also enjoy exclusive access to speciality food vendors and bars in the area, along with VIP toilets and showers.
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Prices for tickets start from just £150 for the entire three days and nights, including camping, and payment plans are available from just £32 per month.
Early birds can also bag a 25% discount by signing up to the Velio newsletter here.
You’ll also be entered into a competition (worth £2,500) to win:
x4 Weekend Festival Tickets
x4 Luxury Boutique Camping Experiences
£500 voucher to spend on cycling gear
You can find the full lineup, more information, FAQs, and prepare to book your tickets by visiting the Velio Festival website here.
Local LGBTQIA+ football team Manchester Laces are set to play in the FA Cup for the first time ever
Danny Jones
Inclusive football team Manchester Laces are set to break even more new ground are they prepare to compete in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup for the first time ever.
What a truly incredible few years it’s been for the club.
Set to play their maiden match in the female division of the sport’s oldest competition this weekend, Manchester Laces’ Yellows squad will be taking on rival Greater Manchester Women’s Football League (GMWFL) side, Northwich Victoria, in another historic milestone for the local outfit.
Announced last month, the game is now fast approaching, and they’re hoping that plenty of Manc natives will turn up in support.
For anyone unfamiliar with the story, Manchester Laces has grown to become the leading women’s, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ positive sporting bodies in the region.
In fact, as part of a wider family – which includes clubs in Hackney, South London and Limehouse Laces, not to mention players over in Canada too – they’re comfortably one of the biggest in the entire country.
Sticking with MCR Laces alone, founded by Helen Hardy, they have grown so much in reputation and size that they have six different teams besides just the Yellows: the other Manchester squads include the Blues, Greens, Oranges, Purples, as well as the budding new Reds and Blacks.
It’s this kind of impressive expansion and, crucially, representation that has seen them win two Football v Homophobia Awards and Grassroots Initiative of the Year back in 2023.
Side-note: they also happen to have one of our favourite fooy kits of the entire year so far…
Boasting a new regular stadium at Timpson Road and set to take part not only in the North West Women’s Regional Football League (NWWFL)/GMWFL, but now FA Cup and county cup games, 2025 could be their most momentous year yet.
Providing access to countless women and people from within the queer and non-binary community who love the beautiful game and may have otherwise struggled to find an outlet, their work has been crucial in and around Greater Manchester.
With that in mind, taking part in an inaugural run within the prestigious knockout tournament feels like yet another watershed moment for the organisation.
Speaking ahead of the fixture, the club wrote on social media: “In 2021, we started our journey in Div 2 of the GMWFL with the aim of creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all. After winning consecutive league titles and earning back-to-back promotions, we are now a Tier 6 team.
“Yellows are delighted to be stepping into the magic of the FA Cup for the very first time, and we would love to see you there!
Taking place at both Wythenshawe Town FC’s and the Yellows’ own new home ground of Ericstan Park on Sunday, 7 September (2pm KO), we wish them the best of luck.
The Last Dinner Party have announced a huge 35-date tour, including a big Manchester gig
Danny Jones
Multi-award-winning indie and alternative rock band, The Last Dinner Party, have just announced what is set to be one of their biggest globe-trotting tours ever, with a momentous Manchester gig included on the UK run.
The much-celebrated five-piece have revealed their latest run of shows will span the UK, Ireland, mainland Europe, Australia AND New Zealand, confirming a total of 35 live dates.
After coming somewhat under fire in 2024 following a series of cancelled concerts, the Londoners have responded in the best way possible: by putting their money where their mouth is and coming back with a bang ahead of their highly anticipated sophomore release.
We have every faith they’ll have the stamina to fulfil their live commitments this time around, and you best believe we’ll be going for tickets.
Speaking in the build-upto the release of the second album, From The Pyre – which is set to drop on 17 October – the band said of their latest material: “This record is a collection of stories, and the concept of album-as-mythos binds them.
‘The Pyre‘ itself is an allegorical place in which these tales originate, a place of violence and destruction but also regeneration, passion and light. The songs are character-driven but still deeply personal, a commonplace life event pushed to a pathological extreme.
“Being ghosted becomes a Western dance with a killer, and heartbreak laughs into the face of the apocalypse. Lyrics invoke rifles, scythes, sailors, saints, cowboys, floods, Mother Earth, Joan of Arc, and blazing infernos. We found this kind of evocative imagery to be the most honest and truthful way to discuss the way our experiences felt, giving each the emotional weight it deserves.”
Going on to describe the follow-up to their seminal debut, Prelude to Ecstasy (which saw them sweep up multiple BRIT and NME Awards, as well as a Mercury Prize nomination), as “darker, more raw and more earthy”, you’re definitely in for a heavily intellectualised experience with this one.
Their performances are certainly much more than a group of musicians getting up on stage too; having seen them last October ourselves, the LGBTQ+ icons definitely revel in the artistic expression of a live show, and have been praised for celebrating the female queer gaze too.
As you can see in the social post shared by the band, they’re about to have a very busy end to 2025, plus plenty of travelling in the new year, but for now, you can see The Last Dinner Party’s upcoming UK tour dates in full down below:
14 November – 3Arena, Dublin
17 November – Corn Exchange, Edinburgh
20 November – O2 City Hall, Newcastle
23 November – Bridlington Spa, Bridlington
26 November – Aviva Studios, Manchester
29 November – The Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
30 November – The Prospect Building, Bristol
2 December – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
4 December – Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth
5 December – Brighton Centre, Brighton
7 December – O2 Academy Brixton, London
8 December – O2 Academy Brixton, London
Yes, set to visit Aviva Studios – a.k.a. the home of Greater Manchester’s ever-growing artistic hub – for the very first time, we couldn’t think of a more fitting act to play the stunning dynamic space.
General admission for The Last Dinner Party tour goes live from 10am GMT on Friday, 12 September, but fans who pre-order the album can gain early access.
You can get ready to grab your tickets right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
9th April 2021 
