A new Peter Rabbit-themed ‘Secret Garden’ is coming to the Trafford Centre next month, and it’s set to be a “captivating indoor family experience”.
The Beatrix Potter character has been a mainstay of British literature for nearly 120 years, and now the shopping centre’s newest attraction is giving kids the chance to explore a secret garden that brings to life the world of Peter Rabbit, as well as the chance to meet the beloved bunny and all of his friends.
The Peter Rabbit Secret Garden will be at the Trafford Centre from 22 July – 30 August, but what exactly can you expect?
Well, when families arrive on the day, kids will be welcomed by the character of Mrs Rabbit, who needs some help decorating and filling her flower pots and explains that the adventurous Peter has run off to Mr McGregor’s garden.
Mrs Rabbit will ask families if they can go and look for Peter, but are brave enough to sneak past Mr McGregor with a little help from Squirrel Nutkin?
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This “enchanting experience” also includes a wide range of activities for all ages, including flowerpot decorating and seed planting, as well as a Peter Rabbit costume character meet and greet for each family or group – which includes a professional photography opportunity within a charming woodland setting.
That’s not all either, as kids will receive a special treat at the end of their trip, and merchandise and personalised photographs will also be available to purchase too.
Speaking ahead of Peter Rabbit’s arrival, Zoe Inman – Centre Director at the Trafford Centre – said: “The charming stories of Peter Rabbit are timeless and treasured by all generations, so we’re delighted to be bringing a new indoor summer experience that the whole family will enjoy.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering once again with the Trafford Centre to bring a new summer experience,” added Thomas Merrington, Creative Director at Penguin Ventures.
“Families will love exploring this new installation, especially as they’ll get to meet and greet the official Peter Rabbit costume character at the end.”
The attraction lets kids explore a secret garden that brings to life the world of Peter Rabbit / Credit: Adrien Welch
Tickets for The Peter Rabbit Secret Garden are now available to get your hands on at £10 for children and £12 for adults, with advanced booking highly recommended.
Relaxed and inclusive sessions will also run every Wednesday at 10am and 4.30pm, featuring smaller groups of visitors and quieter music.
The experience has been designed to comply with current COVID-19 guidelines.
You can find more information via the Trafford Centre website.
Featured Image – Trafford Centre
What's On
Olivia Dean has announced a special intimate show in Manchester
Danny Jones
Soulful singing sensation Olivia Dean has set the UK music scene alight by announcing a number of intimate shows up and down the nation, including one right here in Manchester.
The fast-rising solo artist, who blends everything from pop and jazz to neo-soul as well as R’n’B, is one of the best and up-and-coming artists in Britain right now, with her highly anticipated sophomore album, The Art of Loving, set to release at the start of autumn.
As well as releasing her smash hit new single ‘Nice To Each Other’, the 26-year-old recently delighted even more music fans by joining Sam Fender on stage in London for a live twist on his track ‘Rein Me In’, which was instantly adored by millions and has now been shared as an official studio version.
Safe to say she’s flying high right now, and the second LP isn’t even out yet, which makes this small handful of gigs even more special and tickets super sought-after.
Revealing just seven pared-back shows across the country, Olivia said on her socials: “The art of loving in person! We’re doing some intimate shows, playing some songs acoustically and talking about making the album”, which is due to release on Friday, 26 September.
Partnering up with music shop chain and independent artist champions Rough Trade for the event, she’s set to play the just over 500-capacity gem that is Manchester’s Gorilla.
Other gigs up north include Liverpool at The Jacaranda and over at The Wardrobe in Leeds, where beloved local legends Crash Records will be helping host the show.
With the debut single already out, along with an already viral music video and accompanying dance alongside it, there’s plenty of excitement surrounding this project.
We’d pay virtually anything to see Olivia Dean and a group of backing singers do this at an intimate gig in Manchester.
We think we speak for pretty much everyone when we say that not only are we excited to hear The Art of Loving once it’s out, but hearing it live and in this special acoustic format is sure to go down as one of those ‘I was there moments.’
Playing smaller acoustic album launch shows is nothing new, but they are sometimes the only chance fans will get to hear their favourite musicians play their songs in such a way, so Olivia Dean die-hards are understandably going to be scrambling for these tickets.
Once again, her second album is available to pre-order now, and tickets for her show on Friday, 19 September, will go live tomorrow (Wednesday, 5 June) at 10am.
You can get ready to grab yours HERE, and for now, why not read our review of the last time she came to Manchester for what was a truly magical headline slot?
Manchester Cathedral will be hosting a series of huge concerts this year
Daisy Jackson
Manchester is famed for its music venues, from the tiny (The Peer Hat) to the massive (The Co-op Live) – and now our beautiful cathedral is getting in on the concert action too.
Manchester Cathedral will be the host of a captivating concert series this year as the Echoes live music series comes to town.
The packed programme of concerts ranges from pop music to soul and reggae, all set against the backdrop of the Grade I-listed landmark.
Running from September all the way into November, Echoes will bring together live entertainment with timeless architecture in the city’s most majestic setting.
The line-up includes nostalgic pop royalty like Peter Andre, B*Witched, and Vengaboys, who’ll be bringing pure party energy to the Manchester Cathedral.
Some of the world’s most soulful voices will also be filling the grand building, with performances from Tunde of Lighthouse Family, Heather Small of M People, and Sister Sledge.
There’ll be more 90s energy with Noughties Baby, as JLS’s Marvin Humes brings Dappy as a special guest.
Completing the line-up this autumn are indie rockers The Feeling and a night of reggae with Maxi Priest and David Rodigan.
Expect nostalgia, energy and soul beneath the historic vaulted ceilings and sandstone arches of the Manchester Cathedral.
Whether you’re reliving the soundtrack of your youth, soaking in some proper anthems, or just basking in the acoustics of the magnificent cathedral, Echoes will have something for you.
The concert series is brought to you by JBM Music with tickets on sale on Friday 27 June from 9am HERE.
You can see the full line-up with dates below.
Echoes at Manchester Cathedral concert line-up in full
Thursday 25 September – Sister Sledge
Friday 26 September – Tunde Of Lighthouse Family
Saturday 27 September – B*Witched
Thursday 2 October – Peter Andre
Saturday 4 October – Marvin Humes Presents Noughties Baby with special guest Dappy
Friday 31 October – The Feeling
Saturday 1 November – Boney M
Thursday 27 November – Maxi Priest & David Rodigan
Friday 28 November – Vengaboys
Saturday 29 November – Heather Small – The Voice Of M People
Emily Sergeant -
23rd June 2021 
