The 200th birthday of the Rochdale Canal will be attended by thousands across Greater Manchester this weekend as Canal Festival at Piccadilly Basin highlights the cream of Mancunian history.
Following on from last year, the free event located on Port Street, will showcase local artistic and musical talent alongside open air film screenings between 12pm and 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.
It is hoped the event will raise the profile of the area and Suzanne Gallagher, Asset Manager at Town Centre Securities (TCS), who own the land on which Piccadilly Basin is located, said: “We received fantastic feedback from last year, some from people who discovered Piccadilly Basin for the first time.
“Town Centre Securities has worked hard to regenerate this part of the city centre over the past few years.
“Right next to the Northern Quarter and minutes from Piccadilly station, this is a great location to live, work and play.”
The event has been put together by local businesses CityCo, Don’t Panic Event Management and 2022NQ and they hope to attract all age ranges with a wide range of attractions.
TALENT: Some of the musicians playing at the event, and the ‘float-in’ screen
On Saturday and Sunday evenings, visitors will be able to watch aquatic themed modern classics Finding Nemo and Life of Pi on a ‘float-in’ screen showing on the side of the Brownsfield Mill building.
Alexandra King, CityCo’s Partnership Director, said: “The screenings are just part of a two-day program of free family-friendly activity in the Basin including children’s craft workshop, live music and DJs.”
Local bands scheduled to appear include Black Lights, Songs for Walter, and Literature Thieves.
They will be sandwiched between sets from Deaf Institute favourites Dance Lady Dance and XFM DJ’s Clint Boon and Gareth Brooks to name just a few.
Street marquees from Northern Quarter staples Kosmonaut and TAKK will offer food alongside stalls from well-established street food vendors such as Las Paelleras Paella.
The cutting-edge café and bar 2022NQ will host the free after party from 10pm-3am on Saturday night as well as an auction of artwork designed exclusively over the weekend.
Proceeds received from the sale of pieces designed by local illustrators and street-artists such as Barney Ibbotson, Arisu and Generic Greeting will be donated to the charity Forever Manchester.
For a comprehensive line-up and schedule, click here.
Picture courtesy of Gene Hunt via Flickr, with thanks.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
