What's On: Listings for The Canal Festival 2013

Phoebe Hurst

Celebrate canal culture with a mini-fest in the Northern Quarter. Music, street art, good food, two marquees and a canal-side, pop-up cinema – all free, sponsored by Skiddle.com, and all at Brownsfield Mill on Port Street this September. Here are our listings of what’s on when – check back for updates and download the flier and map here.

Saturday 7 September

Float-in movie: Finding Nemo gets a special screening by the water’s edge in a pop-up cinema. Deckchairs are provided but remember to bring blankets and warm clothes. 6pm

Eat and drink: The Northern Quarter’s favourite bars and eateries are on hand throughout the weekend with delicious things to eat and drink. Kosmonaut lays on burgers and hot dogs; Kaiser UK brings Piri Piri chicken; Las Paelleras cooks up Spanish street food and Grandpa Greene’s Ice Cream offers an array of icy treats. TAKK also delivers the finest homemade cakes and Icelandic coffee, and 2022NQ hosts a pop-up bar with sheltered seating in association with Bury’s Outstanding Beers. 12pm-10pm

Art: Twelve of the city’s best known street artists and illustrators including Emma Reynolds, Barney Ibbotson and Rose Whittingham create new work, live, for the duration of the festival. 12pm-10pm

Music: Watch the street art masters at work while listening to DJ sets from Pasta Paul, Disco Mums, Good for the Soul and XFM’s Gareth Brooks and Clint Boon. Live music comes courtesy of Thugs on Wolves and Black Lights, and 2022NQ hosts the official Canal Festival after party with a free club night at its underground bar.  DJ sets and live music: 12pm-10pm; after party at 2022NQ: 10pm-3am

Kids: Bring the kids during the afternoon for canal-themed activities, including face-painting and craft activities and making shoebox fish tanks and fish on sticks. 2pm-6pm

Sunday 8 September

Float-in movie: Life of Pi undergoes a special canal-side screening in the pop-up cinema. 8pm

Eat and drink: Kosmonaut, TAKK and Kaiser UK serve up canal-side eats, while Stretza joins the party with its woodfired pizza (served from a Citroen H van). 2022NQ and Kosmonaut again supply food and outdoor, covered bars. 12pm-1opm

Art: Check back with the city’s best artists and illustrators to see how their creation of a brand new piece of street art is shaping up. The giant boards that they decorate will be auctioned off for charity at the end of the festival. 12pm-10pm

Music: The musical festivities continue with DJ sets from the Deaf Institute’s Dance Lady Dance, Leggit from The Beat Club, Phil Beckett and Pasta Paul. Literature Thieves and Horses on the Move provide the live music, while local record label, Red Deer Club presents indie duo Songs for Walter. DJ sets and live music 12pm-10pm

Kids: Bring the kids for more canal-themed activities, including face-painting and craft activities and, today, making mini-canal boats, and Rosie & Jim Puppets. 2pm-6pm

Please note: no dogs allowed except Guide Dogs; bags will be searched on entry; alcohol will only be served in accordance with Challenge 21 guidelines (if you are fortunate enough to look younger than 21 please bring a photo ID).

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North

Theatre

You’ll find everything from work-in-progress scratch nights to multi-award winning musicals in this month’s theatre guide.

Classical Music

We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.

Food and Drink

Get ready for spring and summer with the best restaurants and bars in Manchester and the North.

Cinema

Northern flicks, sci-fi masterpieces and some brand new film festivals feature in this month’s cinema preview.

Exhibitions

Spring weather might be dragging its feet a little, but the world of exhibitions isn’t slowing down with new shows popping up everywhere to greet the new season.

The Giant Easter Egg Hunt at RHS Garden Bridgewater

Families

With spring’s indecisive weather in mind, we’ve pulled together a whole load of fun indoor and outdoor family events and activities taking place in Manchester and the North.

Jen Calleja

Literature

Books are most definitely back, with a whole host of live events by writers local as well as international, from pop-up performances to regular reading series, plus some hybrid festival specials and online launches allowing access wherever you happen to be.

Music

From Father John Misty to The Flaming Lips, The Waeve to Big Thief, here are the gigs on our radar for early spring.

Tours and Activities

From indie markets to bit-sized meditation, spoon carving workshops to gallery tours, here are the headlines in the world of tours and activities.