Live music, a fun fair, extreme sports, and a huge beach are just some of the attractions kicking off summer in Manchester next month.
After a number of community action projects and events have been taking place across the region over the last few months now, Festival Manchester is set finally come together for one last huge celebration in Wythenshawe Park next month – and it’s free for everyone to attend.
Taking place on Friday 1 – Sunday 3 July, and organised by hundreds of churches, and businesses, as well as local charities The Message Trust and Luis Palau Association, Festival Manchester will also include a family fun zone, a high-tech gaming lobby, a mass children’s choir, and live music from a lineup of local acts.
Some of the artists on the musical lineup include Goodboys, Lecrae, Kingdom Choir, Matt Redman, LZ7, Saintz, Guvna B, OTC, Amongst Wolves, and SoulBox.
Festival Manchester is aiming to create “region-wide transformation across the North West”, according to festival organisers.
ADVERTISEMENT
It’ll be done so by bringing local churches, charities, and communities together to help address real societal problems amid the cost of living crisis – such as food poverty, homelessness, the environment, and the need for more safe and loving homes for children and teenagers in care.
Festival Manchester will take over Wythenshawe Park on Friday 1 – Sunday 3 July 2022 / Credit: Festival Manchester
The run-up to the event has also seen multiple ‘Love Where U Live’ community action projects launched to support communities across Manchester with a range of local issues.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking ahead of the arrival of Festival Manchester next month, Paul Dennett – Mayor of the City of Salford and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester – said: “After a really difficult few years following the COVID-19 global pandemic, it is great to see community, voluntary and faith-based organisations coming together to celebrate the amazing work our residents and communities do all-year-round through a free family friendly music festival.
“Festival Manchester will be a real spectacle in celebrating our city-region’s rich and diverse talent and creativity, bringing people and communities together, whilst also providing many activities for residents of Greater Manchester and beyond to get involved in.”
Andy Hawthorne OBE – founder and CEO of The Message Trust – added: “We’re filling Wythenshawe Park with live music, a fun fair, extreme sports, huge beach, hi-tech gaming lobby, inflatables, kids zone and so much more that everyone across Greater Manchester and the North West can come and enjoy for free.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’s all being put on by hundreds of churches from across our region who want to bring the community together and share a message of hope with people as they have fun.
“In the build-up to the festival weekend, you may see teams out clearing litter from streets, tidying up gardens or planting some of the 5,000 fruit trees we’re adding to the local environment.
“We can’t wait to welcome you to Festival Manchester.”
Live music, a fun fair, extreme sports, and a huge beach are just some of the attractions to make the most of / Credit: Festival Manchester
Festival Manchester will take over Wythenshawe Park on Friday 1 – Sunday 3 July 2022, and you can find more information here.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
Co-op Live announce UFC 304 is coming to the brand-new arena for Manchester return this year
Danny Jones
Co-op Live has announced one of the biggest nights yet and their first-ever sporting event after confirming that the UFC is coming to the new state-of-the-art arena.
While the shiny new music and live entertainment stadium suffered an unfortunate setback earlier this week, with both of Peter Kay’s gigs being postponed following power supply issues discovered during their test event, the confirmation of UFC 304 at Co-op Live is a big plus for the opening month.
Rumours had been circling that a huge sporting event might be coming to the UK’s newest indoor arena, one of the biggest of its kind in Europe, but this being just the fourth time the UFC has washed up on British shores, it’s a huge coup for their debut year.
Announced on Wednesday, 24 April, the global MMA phenomenon and multi-billion-dollar promotion company will be bringing their 304th fight night to Manchester on 27 July and you can roll your eyes at the pun all you like, but it’s going to be a knockout.
The UFC is coming back to Manchester for the first time in eight years.
As the UFC has said in an official press release, “UK MMA is currently experiencing what is being described as an unheralded golden era, with stars such as welterweight champion Leon Edwards, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, and local favourites, including Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Muhammad Mokaev, Michael Page and Arnold Allen, with more rising through the ranks.”
That being said, there isn’t a better moment for the brand to capitalise on the growing fight audience here in the UK and 0161, specifically, with the aforementioned Aspinall having created a real appetite for the discipline in and around the city.
The Greater Manchester region has always been home to iconic fighters regardless, be it boxing or otherwise; Ricky Hatton, Tyson Fury, Amir Khan, as well adopted Manc MMA legend Michael Bisping, whose pedigree helped bring UFC to Manchester and the AO Arena for the first time back in 2016.
Nearly a decade later the promotion is now part of Co-op Live’s maiden calendar and set to be the first of many sporting events they hope to host – a plan bolstered by their partnership with neighbours, Manchester City.
The UFC 304 fight card is yet to be announced but there are a few local names you can probably bank on. (Credit: The Manc Audio)
“I’m so excited to get back to Manchester, and no better time than this summer,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “We have two champions from the UK and fans have been dying for a UFC PPV event. So here we come to the largest indoor arena in the UK. See you soon, England!”
As for Co-op Live, Executive Director and General Manager Gary Rodenadded: “With the north of England home to so many of the world’s leading fighters, we are primed and ready for UFC and its knowledgeable, passionate fanbase.
“Offering a state-of-the-art platform for globally broadcast events, Co-op Live is extremely proud to welcome entertainment of this scale and calibre as the future home of combat sports in the UK.”
Co-op members get early access to presale tickets at 10am on 5 June and general admission goes live via Ticketmaster at the same time on Friday, 7 June. UFC Fight Club members will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets early on the Wednesday from 9am BST.
You can also register your interest HERE to gain access to a special pre-sale which starts on Thursday, 6 June 6 from 10am as well. Roll on fight night!
Chester Zoo named best zoo in the UK thanks to more than 11,000 ‘excellent’ ratings
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… Chester Zoo has been named to best zoo in the UK for 2024.
Everyone in and around Greater Manchester and the North West is familiar with just how brilliant the UK’s biggest charity zoo is and all the work it contributes towards conservation and protecting endangered species all across the world – but now, it’s got itself a respectable new title to prove it, and it’s all thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews.
The world’s biggest travel guidance platform has named Chester Zoo as the best-rated zoo to visit in the UK this year, with more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings.
Based on millions of online reviews, the new ranking puts the beloved Cheshire-based attraction ahead of the country’s other zoos after earning consistently good feedback from its visitors.
Chester Zoo has been named the best zoo in the UK for 2024 / Credit: Chester Zoo
According to Chester Zoo, the “wonderful news” means that, as a conservation charity, it can continue its work with countries across the world to “help all animals survive and thrive”, as well as provide expert care to the 37,000 animals who currently call the zoo their home.
The zoo has also thanked its visitors for all their continued support each year, as this allows to “keep making a difference”.
“With every admission ticket, membership, animal adoption, or experience purchased, you are contributing to our mission of preventing extinction,” Chester Zoo said in a statement.
We've been named the BEST zoo in the UK, thanks to YOU! 🇬🇧
This news comes after receiving thousands of positive reviews on the travel website, Tripadvisor 🙌
Your support helps us to protect more than 500 of the world's most threatened animal and plant species🐅🌱
Speaking on the coveted new TripAdvisor title, Jamie Chirston, who is the CEO at Chester Zoo, says he’s “over the moon to be named the best zoo in the UK”, adding in a statement that: “It’s an incredible achievement and especially pleasing given it’s based on thousands upon thousands of genuine reviews and opinions.
“It’s a real seal of approval from our visitors, and testament to every single one of our dedicated, hardworking, and talented staff that make our conservation zoo the wonderful place it is.
“Every time someone walks through our gates, not only do they enjoy all kinds of wildlife experiences and a have great day out, but they’re also contributing to the vital conservation work we carry out here and around the world, and that’s why, as a not-for-profit conservation zoo, this top TripAdvisor ranking means such an awful lot to us.
It’s all thanks to more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings by visitors on TripAdvisor / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s confirmation that we’re getting things right for our visitors, [which is] especially important as, together, we’re preventing extinction and making a real difference for wildlife.”
The UK’s best zoo isn’t the only title Chester Zoo has claimed this month either, as TripAdvisor has also listed it as the eighth-best zoo or aquarium to visit in the whole of Europe too.
Emily Sergeant -
7th June 2022 
