Dippy on Tour is set to welcome visitors in Rochdale once again when it reopens to the public at the start of next month.
It’s been quite some time since Dippy last saw the people of Manchester.
It’s now been confirmed though that the Dippy on Tour exhibition – featuring the world-famous dinosaur cast from the Natural History Museum – is back at Number One Riverside and Touchstones Rochdale on Monday 7th September.
The Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure opened in Rochdale as the only North West stop on its national tour back in February this year and it proved a star attraction with almost 115,000 visitors coming to see the dinosaur cast, before lockdown was put in place.
Dippy On Tour was originally supposed to close in Rochdale on 28th June, but due to the months that visits were unfortunately halted amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Dippy’s stay has now been extended until 12th December 2020 to allow for as many people as possible to visit safely before moving to the next location.
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The exhibition will then travel Norwich for its final stop, before returning back home to London.
Dippy on Tour, Rochdale Council and Visit Rochdale have confirmed that a number of additional measures have been put in place at both venues in order to keep visitors safe.
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Cleaning will be significantly increased, numbers will be restricted to allow people to maintain a safe distance inside, hand sanitisers will be available throughout the venues, and ‘hands-on’ parts of the exhibitions, including the sensory room and the dino discovery lab, have been removed.
Visitors can drop in and see Dippy at Number One Riverside, but the Dippy exhibition at Touchstones will need to be booked in advance.
— Rochdale Borough Council (@RochdaleCouncil) August 27, 2020
Councillor Janet Emsley – Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Community and Culture at Rochdale Borough Council – said: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome visitors once again and connect audiences across the region with this incredible piece of natural history.
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“We’ve made some changes to the exhibition to keep everybody safe, and both Number One Riverside and Touchstones Rochdale have been awarded the ‘We’re Good to Go’ COVID-19 industry standard and consumer mark by Visit Britain.
“The fact that the Dippy experience will be with us until December also gives people plenty to time to see him, so we can support social distancing and keep everybody safe – people absolutely don’t need to come at once.
“To help keep people safe, we’re also asking visitors to only attend with members of their own household, as per government guidelines currently covering most of Greater Manchester, and for visitors to follow government guidance on face coverings.”
Opening Hours – Dippy at Number One Riverside from 7th September:
Monday to Friday – 9am to 5pm
Saturdays – 9.30am to 5pm
Opening Hours – Dippy Exhibition at Touchstones Rochdale from 7th September:
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Monday to Saturday – 9.30am to 4.30pm
Freya Stannard – Head of National Programmes at The Natural History Museum – added: “We are thrilled that Dippy on Tour is now able to welcome back visitors [and] we have worked with Rochdale Borough Council to implement new measures and extend the exhibition to allow plenty of time for people to visit when they feel confident in doing so.
“We look forward to Dippy doing what he does best once again, inspiring people and encouraging a love for the natural world that we hope people will carry with them long after their visit.”
You can find more information and book in advance for the Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure via the Visit Rochdale website here.
What's On
Green Island Festival and Nell’s team up for bank holiday street party in Northern Quarter next month
Emily Sergeant
Green Island Festival is teaming up with pizza pros Nell’s and taking over the Northern Quarter for a big street party early next month.
For one day only, Edge Street will be locked off and a ‘fiesta’ will be taking over.
This early May bank holiday weekend, Green Island Festival will be linking up with Manchester’s favourite New York-style pizza merchants, Nell’s, for a special street party takeover right in the heart of the Northern Quarter.
Set to take over from midday on Saturday 2 May, families are first invited to join in on the bank holiday fun, as Born to be Wild Child – celebrated for their family-friendly parties – will be first up, encouraging all daytime ravers to get down early doors with their little ones.
Deptford George then takes the reins afterwards with his signature blend of soulful house, disco, funk and deeper electronic music, while Manc heavyweights Sprechen are guaranteed to bring a mixture of groove, soul, and energy with no limits.
Into the evening, Manchester-based collective Me Gusta will be taking things up a notch, so you can expect to hear sounds ranging from Afro-Latin and Caribbean, to Middle Eastern musical diaspora.
Closing the street party is La Noche, who again, will be bringing the best of Afro and Latin music to the streets of the city.
Green Island Festival and Nell’s are teaming up for bank holiday street party in the Northern Quarter next month / Credit: Supplied | The Manc Group
All day long, Nell’s famous New York-style pizza slices and pies will be available to feast on, as will Yard & Coop’s legendary buttermilk fried chicken, burgers, wings by order.
And then to wash it all down with, RIPE Beer are also getting involved, so partygoers can sip on delicious pints of beer as they dance the night away right through to 9pm.
Green Island x Nell’s Bank Holiday Street Party is landing on Edge Street from 12-9pm on Saturday 2 May, and it’s completely free to attend with no booking needed – just turn up on the day.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
Manchester Village Pride reveals first wave of artists for 2026 with ‘historic’ fair pay union agreement
Emily Sergeant
The first 10 acts taking over the main stage this summer for Manchester Village Pride 2026 have now been announced.
In case you hadn’t heard, it was announced back in October last year that Manchester Pride – the charity / organisation that ran the Manchester Pride Festival – had entered into voluntary liquidation, but was then confirmed earlier this year that it would return, once again, this August bank holiday weekend as Manchester Village Pride CIC.
And now organisers have announced the first 10 acts who’ll playing the festival this year, alongside a landmark commitment to fair pay – marking the first UK union of its kind for a Pride event.
Manchester Village Pride 2026 wristband holders will be treated to a wide range of pop hits and queer performances this year, as the first wave of acts includes the iconic Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner, Danny Beard, noughties R&B and hip hop collective, Booty Luv & Big Brovaz, and award-winning singer Alison Jiear.
Russell Small and vocalist Katherine Ellis, as well as powerhouse singer Michelle Lawson, Newcastle’s drag cabaret comedian Gladys Duffy, and three of Manchester’s best-loved drag performers, KY Kelly, Misty Chance, and Shania Pain, also join the lineup.
This first wave reveal is said to be one of the first of many announcements coming up, as the new organising team curates a lineup that ‘reflects its core promise’ – rebuilding Pride for the community.
Central to this promise is a guarantee that all artists performing at Manchester Village Pride will receive fair pay, and that professional industry standards will be upheld.
This commitment was formalised last week through a partnership with Equity, establishing a historic precedent for Pride events across the UK.
Manchester Village Pride has revealed the first wave of artists for 2026 / The Vain Photos | Manchester Pride
“Our Village party is returning thanks to the incredible support of our LGBTQ+ community, especially those who have already purchased wristbands to help get us up and running,” commented Carl Austin-Behan, who is the founding board member and spokesperson for Manchester Village Pride CIC.
“We cannot wait to see these ten icons take to the main stage, and we are just getting started.”
Carl added that the important difference in the festival this year is that organisers are ‘putting on Pride for the community with grassroots values at its heart’.
He added: “That means paying artists properly and being completely transparent about where the money goes. No one at the organising level is taking a salary this year – funds from wristband sales go straight into event logistics, artist pay, and our five amazing charity partners.”
Manchester Village Pride 2026 will take place this August bank holiday weekend from Friday 28 – Monday 31 August, and you can get your wristbands here.
Featured Image – The Vain Photos (@thevainphotos – Supplied)
Emily Sergeant -
27th August 2020 
