Festival City!
Article published: Saturday, August 1st 2009
New culture co-editor Siobhan McGuirk rounds up the festival fun available to fill these long, rainy summer days…
Are you cultured (rich) enough to own a MIF Banner Bag?
Manchester is a festival hotbed year round, offering up a smorgasbord of arty treats ranging from corporate mainstream (sit back down Manchester International Festival) to the low-fi, niche-but-still-appealing (kudos to Ladyfest and Festival of Fantastic Films!).
Before the year is out the city will welcome Literature; Science; Comedy and Food and Drink… perhaps appeasing those of you who missed Queer Up North; Art and Design; The Irish; 24:7 and Viva! Spanish Film festivals? Maybe not. The drive to brand Manchester as the cultural British city appears to be approaching overkill. With so many crammed into the year it’s difficult to register anything specific is going on. Their bus stop publicity has become part of the scenery.
Yet each festival usually does offer events worth catching (as well as things to avoid). The behemoth MIF is behind us; its lamppost banners – taunting us for months with glimpses of wondrous events we’re too poor to see in full – are now being recycled into “fashionable tote bags”. Now’s our chance, anti-fashionistas, because there’s still to enjoy:
Manchester Jazz Festival
Friday 24th July – Saturday 1st August,
Various venues
Free
With far too many events to list, the MJF is that rare breed of musical beast that seeks to a) genuinely innovate and challenge preconceptions and b) get everyone toe tapping with daily free performances (11.45am; 1pm and 3pm in either Albert Sq. or St. Anne’s Sq). For the first time they are linking up with Cornerhouse to offer some great jazz movies. Most eye-catching event scheduled? Myke Wilson’s Speech Pherapy (Matt and Phreds, Fri 31st , 9.30pm, £5) offering a mash-up of rap, spoken word, hip-hop, jazz and beats. This is not your usual jazz fest.
http://www.manchesterjazz.com/
Exodus Festival
Sunday 2nd August, 12pm – 6pm
Urbis
Free
Less of a festival than an afternoon celebration of global arts and cultures, Exodus features music, dance, spoken word and plenty of food and craft stalls. The event celebrates the contributions of Greater Manchester’s diverse refugee communities so expect plenty of political undercurrents. Today, though, solidarity will be best expressed by everyone pitching in, singing and dancing together.
http://www.can.uk.com/exodus/exodus_events.htm
Family Friendly Film Festival
Friday 7th – Sunday 16th August
Various locations
Free
A festival that really delivers on its promise of fun for all the family, this inventive festival is worth borrowing the younger members of your family and close friends, if you don’t have your own already. Not just for dressing up as a Ghostbuster and watching that particular classic late night at Victoria Baths, there’s also filmmaking, animation and even movie poster making workshops for kids. This year’s theme is monsters and there’s some dark offerings tucked into a pleasingly international programme. Some need booking in advance and many are sure to sell out, so check on line.
For listings and more information: http://www.familyfriendlyfilmfestival.org.uk/
Reclaim the Scene
Saturday 29th August
1pm: Parade (meet at the Museum of Science and Industry)
4pm: Post-Parade Picnic (UMIST).
Which, its anarchisty origins imply should be called “Nevermind Pride, here’s… Reclaim the Scene!” but it’s far too family friendly for that really. RtS is product of the increased discontent around Manchester Pride (Ltd.) and their corporatising, sanitising view that gay people should shell out £17 and keep mum on anything political if they want to be out and proud. Join them in remembering that Pride is a Protest and Stonewall was a Riot. Which can be done with a sandwiche too.
See http://reclaimthescene.com/ for the politics behind the picnic.
More: Culture, Manchester
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