About Manchester
Manchester, located in the northwest of England, is a vibrant, bustling city known for its sporting history, industrial past and exciting nightlife. The city is a popular tourist destination in the UK; millions of people travel to Manchester each year to experience all the city has to offer.
Manchester is home to plenty of annual festivals, including the Reggae Festival, Sounds of the City, Psych Fest, the Food and Groove Festival, Tatton Park Pop Up Festival, Greater Manchester Fringe, The Sparkle Weekend, Bluedot Festival, Refract Festival and many, many more.
This makes the city a great place to host a festival; whether you are hosting a music, arts, food, drink or comedy festival, you’re bound to find a suitable festival venue in Manchester. Plus, the city has excellent transport networks, meaning people from far and wide can attend the festival.
In this short guide, we will help you plan an enjoyable festival in vibrant Manchester.
Festival Venue Options in Manchester
If you’re looking to host a festival in Manchester, you’re sure to find plenty of people to attend your event! The challenge is organising the festival itself. The best way to increase the likelihood of success is to hire help from external vendors, such as caterers, furniture hire specialists, and mobile bar hire providers.
- Catering
Festival-goers will be expecting to find a selection of food for them to eat at your festival. For this reason, you should hire catering teams or food trucks to offer a wide selection of food choices to attendees. Thankfully, Manchester is home to dozens of catering businesses and street food vendors that will be happy to provide festival-goers with delicious grub!
- Furniture Hire
Regardless of the nature of your festival, you’re going to need plenty of furniture. The good news is that there are several local and national furniture rental companies available to source, deliver and collect the furniture you need to make your event a resounding success.
- Mobile Bar Hire
Festival attendees are probably going to want to have a few drinks as they explore your event. For that reason, you should consider hiring a mobile bar and experienced staff to provide your guests with a wide selection of tipples. Thankfully, several mobile bar companies are operating in the Manchester area.
Festival Venue Vendors in Manchester
- Dim Sum Su
Dim Sum Su, a street food vendor offering Cantonese and Chinese bite-size food, offers delicious options such as spring rolls, steamed buns, savoury dumplings and much more. So if you’re looking to hire street food vendors for your upcoming festival, consider Dim Sum Su. Festival-goers won’t be able to get enough!
- Furniture Hire UK
You’re going to need plenty of furniture at your event so attendees feel comfortable. Furniture Hire UK will help you meet your furniture needs by providing chairs, tables, outdoor seating, marquees and gazebos, illuminated furniture, barriers and walling, event linen, display plinths and lightboxes—everything you could ever need.
- The Cocktail Service
The Cocktail Service offers mobile bar hire services in Manchester. The company is highly experienced, and its national network of suppliers means that its services can be delivered to the highest standard anywhere in the UK. So if you’re looking to provide festival-goers with delicious tipples they won’t be able to get enough of, look no further!
Pros and Cons of Festival Venues in Manchester
Advantages
- Vendors
When it comes to choosing the vendors for your festival, you shouldn’t have too much trouble selecting the right businesses to help you create an outstanding experience for festival-goers. Manchester is home to dozens of excellent catering, furniture hire and mobile bar hire businesses that have the skills and experience to make your event memorable.
- Choice of venues
In Manchester, there are dozens of suitable venues for you to pick from. Whether you’re looking for a festival venue with plenty of indoor or outdoor space with a modern or historical feel, you’re sure to find somewhere suitable.
- Attractions
Manchester is known for its many sporting and historical attractions, such as Old Trafford, the National Football Museum, the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Museum and the Whitworth. So once festival-goers have enjoyed all there is to do and see at your festival, they may decide to visit some of Manchester’s most popular attractions whilst they’re in the city.
Disadvantages
- Price
Hiring a festival venue in Manchester is expensive. However, it pays to hire a highly-rated venue with all the amenities you require. Hiring an inexpensive but unsuitable venue could result in disaster!
- Weather
Manchester, like most of the UK, doesn’t experience the best weather. If you’re planning to hire an outdoor festival space, you may have some trouble when it comes to the weather. However, you can prepare for rain showers by hiring plenty of marquees, so if the heavens open, festival-goers can retreat inside until it stops.
Famous Locations in Manchester
- Manchester Town Hall
Located in Manchester city centre, the Town Hall is an iconic building in the city’s skyline. The structure, which was built in the neo-gothic style, dates back to the 19th century and has featured in several popular films such as Sherlock Holmes and The Iron Lady. On the building’s exterior, you’ll find notable sculptures of Roman generals as well as English monarchs, including Henry III and Elizabeth I. Manchester Town Hall also has a stunning clock tower; the clock is made from Polish glass and has a 10-foot-long minute hand. So if you’re an architecture enthusiast, don’t miss the opportunity to gaze in wonder at the beautiful building in the heart of the city!
- The Royal Exchange
The Royal Exchange is one of Manchester’s many popular entertainment complexes. Inside, you’ll find a shopping centre and a theatre. The building was completed in the early 20th century and still contains much of its original architecture, as it managed to survive the Second World War. One of the highlights of the Royal Exchange is the theatre, which still has many of its original architectural features.
