The best August bank holiday events in the North
Manchester Pride, The Garden Party, Moovin Festival, Bolton Food and Drink Festival, carnivals, beer, live punk and so much more: yep, it's time for another bank holiday weekend!
We're almost all outta bank holidays, as the last one before Christmas inches closer. Luckily, it's always the August one that pulls out all of the stops, and this year it's following suit with annual shindigs like Manchester Pride, The Garden Party in Leeds and Maguire's Pizza Bar's Punk Weekender joining the inaugural Folk Festival on the Dock and a new beer festival at the beautiful Temple Newsam.
We've picked out the cream of a sizeable crop from each city:
Top 3 events in Manchester
The annual Manchester Pride is one of the city’s favourite summer staples, celebrating LGBT culture through live music, candlelit vigils, parties and fringe events. The Big Weekender this year features none other than M People’s Heather Small, Will Young, Katy B, Fleur East, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Tulisa, though if you don’t fancy following the crowds, we’ve picked out the best alternative parties also worth checking out.
Fri 26-Mon 29 Aug (Big Weekend),
[Photo: Nick Satta]
What began three years ago a small, organic festival that brought together like-minded locals, Moovin Festival has reached new heights this year with an all-star line-up featuring the likes of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Goldie, Congo Natty, Beardyman, Stanton Warriors, Jaguar Skills, Greg Wilson, Channel One Soundsystem, The Mouse Outfit and many more.
Fri 26-Sun 28 Aug, Whitebottom Farm,
[Illustration: Jayde Perkin]
3. Bolton Food and Drink Festival
A quick 20-minute journey out of Manchester's city centre will take you to Bolton, and, over the bank holiday weekend, its Food and Drink Festival - which bills itself as the Northwest’s biggest and best of its kind. Great British Bake Off winner and all-round nice gal Nadiya Hussain makes her debut, while MasterChef presenter and restaurateur John Torode, chef Michael Caines (not that one) and BFDF favourite James Martin add to the celeb factor alongside wine buffs Kate Goodman and Oz Clarke. Oh, and over 150 market stalls across Bolton town centre.
Fri 26-Mon 29 Aug, various venues and times, free (some events ticketed; from £8)
Top 3 events in Liverpool
[Photo: Andy Von Pip]
1. Bank Holiday Punk Weekender at Maguire’s
The good folk of Maguire’s get set to throw their annual three-dayer of punk, ska and hardcore goodness, featuring sets from the likes of punk rock outfit Down & Outs, local quartet Ohmns (pictured), Liverpool trio Pardon Us, modern punksters Queen Zee and The Sasstones and many more.
Fri 26-Sun 28 Aug, Maguire’s Pizza Bar, 6pm, £14.50
Liverpool-based MUMU help techno duo Slam celebrate 25 years of their very own Soma Records, with Mind Against, DVS 1, Monoloc, Lee Rands and Scott Grant all joining the Slam duo behind the decks to keep the party going through 'til 4am. Both of New Bird Street's huge warehouse spaces will be in action, along with that beauty of a garden outside.
Sun 28 Aug, New Bird Street Warehouse & Botanical Garden, 4pm, £13.50-£19.50
The inaugural Folk Festival on the Dock will bring Liverpool to life with over 100 folk, roots and acoustic acts and almost 450 performers, including Bellowhead's Benji Kirkpatrick (pictured), Laura J Martin, Blair Dunlop, The Lost Brothers, Gilmore & Roberts and many more. The festival itself is free, though some events are ticketed such as The Christians' acoustic set at Tate Liverpool on Fri 26.
Fri 26-Mon 29 Aug, Albert Dock, various times and prices
Top 3 events in Leeds
The Garden Party series reaches its climax this bank holiday with its third and final installment. The much-loved annual party will be heading back to where it all began at The Faversham to soundtrack your Sunday with sets from Dusky, Alan Fitzpatrick, Denis Sulta, Grainger and Matt Long.
Sun 28 Aug, The Faversham, 12pm, £20-£30
[Photo: Carl Milner]
Leeds' annual West Indian Carnival started life in the 1960s, and is now the longest running Caribbean carnival parade in Europe. Expect a high-octane spectacle of vibrant costumes, tropical rhythms, authentic food and more. This year, the big parade takes place on 29 Aug, leaving Potternewton Park at 2pm.
Mon 29 Aug, Potternewton Park, 2pm, free
[Photo: Stephen Bowler]
3. Temple Newsam Beer Festival
Drinking beer in a beautiful Tudor-Jacobean setting? Sounds terrible. You won't want to make your way to the Temple Newsam, then, as The Friends of Temple Newsam Park throw their first fundraising beer festival in the Walled Garden Marquee in the Rose Garden. Along with the beer, the family-friendly event will also feature games, activities and food. Awful stuff.
Fri 26-Sat 27 Aug, Temple Newsam, Leeds, times vary, £6