A colorful new hub for the Manchester International Festival will welcome guests to town later this week, with live music, local food and drink and a stunning new backdrop in Cathedral Gardens.
The popular festival area had to move from its regular Albertplatz this year due to the ongoing city hall work, but has found a shimmering new sunny spot next to the Urbis.
At both ends of the festival area there are two new music stages with a number of brightly colored lounge chairs and picnic tables that are spread over the entire area.
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Festival Square will host dozens of free events during this year’s MIF, which kicks off Thursday July 1st.
Colorful new seating in MIF Festival Square
(Image: Chris Payne)
The square itself will be officially opened to the public for the first time on Friday, July 2nd, after smaller preview events, and there will be no bookings – the rule is: first come, first served.
Guests can expect a variety of regional dishes and drinks, all of which can be ordered via QR codes at tables in the inner city hub.
At the forefront of outdoor kitchens are pizza professionals such as Honest Crust, festival classics Heathcote & Co and Mary Ellen McTague’s Eat Well MCR
Honest Crust, known from Altrincham Market and Mackie Mayor, will again be whipping their famous wood-fired pizzas with their 10 “pizzas at a price of £ 6.50.
Manchester International Festival Square – new location for 2021 in Cathedral Gardens
(Image: Chris Payne)
Acclaimed Chef Dan Hope will also return, this time with the new vegan Stellar offering, serving barbacoa sandwiches, falafel burgers and mushroom burgers for £ 8.
The Creameries’ Mary Ellen McTague is no stranger to MIF as she hosted an Alice in Wonderland-inspired banquet at the festival in 2019.
This year she is returning to the event with her social enterprise Eat Well MCR serving snacks and meals from her partners.
Eat Well MCR is a collective of chefs and restaurants from across the Greater Manchester area who joined forces on the initial lockdown to provide meals to those at risk and deliver nearly 40,000 meals.
They will bring together Chorlton Cheese Shop, Beehive, Holy Grain, Plucky Pickle, Acorn Dairy and several of the Eat Well MCR chefs to create a “Build Your Own Picnic Box” concept of Scottish eggs, cheese platters and hummus.
Award-winning chef Paul Heathcote brings his Heathcote and Cone concept with a range of ice creams for £ 4.50, as well as “house specialty” desserts such as a sundae of “Mad for it Manchester Tart” for £ 6.50.
A selection of beverages are available from Manchester Brewery JW Lees including Manchester Pale Ale for £ 5.50 a pint, Lager for £ 4.50 a pint, wines from £ 5 per glass and soft drinks from £ 3.
Live music at MIF Festival Square 2021
One of the colorful stages for new music in MIF 21
(Image: Chris Payne)
The square is accompanied by a lively music program on three stages.
Homoelectric, Dave Haslam, DJ Paulette, Jamz Supernova, Mr Scruff and BBC Music Introducing will all curate the nights at MIF21.
Earlier in the evening, at a slower pace, Records of Reflection will appear, with melodies selected by Afro-Germans, Feel Good Club, Norman Jay and Lou Rhodes (Lamb), among others.
Up-and-coming talent has been selected by MIF Sounds, which was created to help the people of the city’s music scene keep going through what was tumultuous last year.
For a full schedule of MIF 2021 events, click here.
