Yahoo News Greater Manchester town to host free neighbourhood festival this weekend
A new neighbourhood festival will be taking place in a Trafford town this weekend featuring an assortment of entertainment and family activities.
StretFest will be taking place at different venues and public spaces across Stretford on Saturday (July 6) with a range of free performances and interactive workshops including DJ takeovers, interactive theatre and dirt bikes.
A total of 15 venues will be involved in the free festival, including Stretford Mall, Victoria Park, Stretford Library, Stretford Public Hall and St Matthew’s Church. The so-called ‘Stretford strip’ on Chester Road, which features a cluster of independent businesses, will also be taking part.
Split across five ‘zones’, the festival’s highlights include a ‘Cafe Del Car Park’ space within Stretford Public Hall’s car park which will feature local DJ collectives The Sliced Tomatoes and Nite School for daytime music and good vibes.
There will also be a BMX-style ‘pump track’ from Dirt Factory within a temporary car park space outside the Stretford Mall featuring a line-up of DJs, curated by Ruf Dug at Rainy Heart, alongside a DJ monster truck and off-road dirt bikes to use from 12pm to 4pm. The Mall will also feature an art exhibition, a ukulele concert and stalls from local traders.
Manchester based theatre company COMMON will deliver an interactive theatre piece called We Sea Shells around Stretford’s very own sun loungers, situated opposite Victoria Park. Described as a beach party with a twist, the theatre collective will be around between 12pm and 4pm.
In addition, there will also be live music at HEAD Bar, a brass band performance at Victoria Park, and an acoustic pop-up gig at Reel Around the Fountain Records. Stretford Library, meanwhile, will host a family crafts drop-in session and a creative writing and performance workshop, as well as cupcake decorating and storytime sessions.
The event will also feature the grand reveal of the new name suggested for the Stretford town square. After receiving more than 400 entries, the three shortlisted entries have been announced as Hibberd Square, Lloyd Square, and Enriqueta Square - taking inspiration from beloved resident Joan Hibberd, public servant Sir Anthony Joseph Lloyd and philanthropist, and founder of John Rylands Library, Enriqueta Rylands.
The Stretfest event has been organised by the Stretford Town Centre Forum, which is made up of local businesses and community groups with support from Trafford Council and Bruntwood. Andy Simpkins, Chair of Stretford Town Centre Forum, said: “It’s been incredible seeing the first StretFest come together and we’re looking forward to a fantastic day celebrating everything Stretford has to offer.”
Bethany Adam, Head of Purpose and Impact at Bruntwood, added: "We’re delighted to be part of the first StretFest. The programme really showcases the passion and enthusiasm for the community that lies at the heart of Stretford - we’d encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the festival and celebrate the neighbourhoods.”
StretFest will take place on July 6. More details and line-up can be found here.
