What's On

The huge lineup for the world’s ‘most immersive’ cycling festival in Cheshire has been released

Velio Festival is coming to Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire on 17th - 20th September 2021.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 9th April 2021

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Velio Festival
Velio Festival

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:

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  • 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.

Follow Velio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest updates.

What's On

You can visit National Trust sites for free this autumn

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

The National Trust is celebrating the arrival of a new season by offering free visits to the sites it cares for this autumn.

Families will be able to visit the many stately homes, grand gardens, beaches and countryside locations that are looked after by the charity.

The limited-time offer will allow people to book an autumn trip to a National Trust site of their choosing.

Each free ticket will admit two adults and up to four children, with hundreds of sites taking part in the campaign.

The National Trust says: “Everyone needs nature and autumn is when it really glows.

“As the scenes change around us escape into the season with a free visit to the places we care for.”

Quarry Bank. Credit: National Trust

Around Greater Manchester, those include Dunham Massey with its ancient deer park, the incredible Lyme Park (famous for its role in Pride and Prejudice), and the historic Quarry Bank.

Not to mention those just across the borders into neighbouring counties, like Marsden Moor, Hare Hill, and Hardcastle Crags.

You can also use the free National Trust pass to visit Castlefield Viaduct, the sky-high urban park that opened here in Manchester this year.

The 330-metre Grade II-listed steel viaduct was transformed with plants and landscaping into a heritage park, which is technically only a temporary installation while the National Trust works on a permanent vision for the landmark’s future.

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Some sites won’t be taking part in the Guest Pass promotion, and visitors are urged to check their chosen destination isn’t on this list before visiting.

Alderley Edge and Tatton Park, for example, are both excluded from the deal.

The free National Trust guest pass promotion will be available to use at sites on or before 30 November 2022.

You can find out more here.

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

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons

What's On

A Polish vodka and dumpling festival is coming to Manchester

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant

Independent Polish restaurant Platzki is bringing back its famous vodka and pierogi festival to Manchester this week, and we couldn’t be more excited for some hearty dumpling fare.

Notorious for its top-tier filled pierogi, which are made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savoury or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water, Platzki is already something of a go-to for fine Polish food in Manchester.

But now, traditional European dumpling fans have another reason to get themselves down as the restaurant will be focusing almost entirely on pierogi for two days this week.

Platzki’s famous pierogi. / Image: The Manc Eats
Image: Platzki

Taking place across Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 October from 3pm until sell-out (or at 9pm, whichever comes first), diners will have the chance to try Platzki’s perfect homemade pierogi in a range of mouth-watering flavours.

There will be plenty of different fillings to try, including some brand new vegetarian pierogi for non-meat eaters.

That’s not all, either. There’ll also be a midweek vodka tipple on standby as Platzki shows off its huge range of favourite Polish vodkas.

Think salted caramel vodka, strawberry vodka, golden black cherry vodka, hazelnut vodka and delicious cherry-chocolate vodka, all of which are (as we know too well from experience) dangerously drinkable.

Each day, the team will be making hundreds of pierogi for local dumpling lovers to sample.

Karkówka roasted pork neck with spinach egg noodles. / Image: The Manc Eats
Karkówka roasted pork neck with spinach egg noodles. / Image: The Manc Eats

Elsewhere, they will also be serving up some of their favourite dishes from the menu including a hearty sausage stew with freshly-baked bread, and melt-in-the-mouth karkówka roasted pork neck with spinach egg noodles.

Read more: Inside Platzki, the city-centre Polish restaurant with an ever-evolving menu

A fixture in the city since 2018, Platzki has built up a reputation for serving an interesting list of Polish vodka and wine alongside traditional dishes like dumplings, pork neck and meatballs.

It has a gorgeous plant-filled restaurant and a bright terrace that backs onto the Great Northern Warehouse, giving diners views over the Great Northern Square as they dig into some of the best Polish food in the city.

To find out more about this week’s dumpling festival, follow Platzki on Instagram here.

Feature image – The Manc Eats

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