CANCELLED – King Street Festival

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

King Street Festival at King Street Manchester, City Centre 6 — 7 June 2020 Entrance is free

It’s hard to think of a more stylish area of Manchester than the dazzling King Street. And now one of the most anticipated events on the summer calendar, the King Street Festival, returns to celebrate the past, present and future of this iconic thoroughfare.

Taking place on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June, this annual festival, organised by Manchester’s Business Improvement District (Manchester BID), celebrates King Street’s timeless architecture and rich history with a glorious weekend filled with alfresco dining, live music, a pop-up gin bar and cocktail trail, lawn games and family activities, historical tours, VIP shopping experiences and the return of the prestigious Manchester Flower Show.

The details of 2020’s festival are currently under wraps, but you’ll get a good picture of what’s in store by looking a last year’s offerings:

Of course, King Street is home to over 50 stores, restaurants and hotels including Boodles, DKNY, Belstaff, Jigsaw, Kiehls, Cath Kidston, Tast, Rosso, King Street Townhouse and Kuoni, who last year gave away a luxury 5* holiday to Mexico!

Food and drink lovers were able to enjoy alfresco dining at Tast and El Gato Negro, and gin tasting at Sam’s Chop House, while cocktail fans followed the ever-popular King Street Cocktail Trail, which returned with a range of summer cocktails created specially for the festival at Sam’s Chop House, Thomas’ Chop House, Tast, Miller & Carter, Kala and Mash Tun, for a mere £5 each.

2019’s festival also included a special focus on Peterloo, two hundred years on, with historic tours by Jonathan Schofield and talks, poetry and storytelling at the Manchester Histories Festival Soapbox. There was also a festival music stage with artists including Vivienne Lynsey, Yemi Bolatiwa, The Rubber Duck Orchestra, Helena Williams, Fifi La Mer and Harvey Brittain, and Dee Olares.

The Manchester Flower Show also transformed the area into a botanical paradise for the weekend, with balconies, lamp posts, bus stops, shop windows and parking bays blooming with floral installations from the region’s best floristry, produce and gardening talent, alongside a market of gardening products, outdoor accessories and flowers including stalls from Tib Street’s award-winning Flourish and indoor plant specialist Nonsense.

Other activities included free tote bag making with ethical brand Patagonia on Lower King Street, complimentary shoe shining at Loake and plenty of family-friendly activities for kids and big kids alike.

Check back here soon for the latest word on what’s on offer at 2020’s King Street Festival!

King Street Festival at King Street Manchester, City Centre 6 — 7 June 2020 Entrance is free

Where to go near CANCELLED – King Street Festival

Rapha Clubhouse Manchester
City Centre
Shop
Rapha Clubhouse Manchester

AKA cyclist heaven, Rapha is more than just a cycle-wear shop. It’s a place for anyone who loves cycling to congregate and celebrate the sport together.

Mr Thomas’s Chop House
City Centre
Restaurant
Mr Thomas’s Chop House

Mr Thomas’s Chop House first opened as a public house in 1870. It has beautiful arches and Victorian tiling, does classic British cooking and has an excellent wine list.

Manchester
Restaurant
Suri

This beautiful King Street restaurant specialises in high quality Middle East-meets-Mediterranean small plates.

City Centre
Restaurant
Quill Manchester

Quill is a former bar and fine dining restaurant on Manchester’s King Street – it’s name drives the decoration and theme, with a spread-winged raven on the menu and ink in the drinks.

City Centre
Restaurant
Enxaneta
at Tast Cuina Catalana

Enxaneta is a fine dining experience at Tast Cuina Catalana on King Street, Manchester. It’s based on the second floor of the acclaimed Catalan restaurant and features two new tasting menus in an intimate 16 cover space.

The Rice Bowl Chinese Restaurant.
City Centre
Restaurant
The Rice Bowl

This family-run business is widely-recognised one of the city’s finest Chinese restaurants. Whether you’re looking for authentic, unusual or just plain tasty, Rice Bowl has it all.

Royal Exchange Theatre
City Centre
Theatre
Royal Exchange Theatre

The Royal Exchange is one of the most celebrated theatres in the country, highly regarded for both new writing and its take on the classics.

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Until
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free entry

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