Head for the Hills 2021 at Burrs Country Park

Johnny James, Managing Editor

Book now

Head for the Hills 2021

Burrs Country Park, Manchester
3-4 September 2021

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Head for the Hills
Andrew Allcock
Book now

The award-winning Head for the Hills festival is back this year, moving from Ramsbottom to Burrs Country Park near Bury, as part of The Met’s Burrs Live season of shows.

Running on 3 and 4 September, this will be a smaller – though perfectly formed – Head for the Hills. But size limitations haven’t stopped the organisers programming a great selection of acts.

Iconic singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy will be headlining on the Friday night, 10 years after he topped the very first Head for the Hills in 2011. Expect to hear tunes from across his discography, including new album Banana Skin Shoes. Headlining on the Saturday, meanwhile, are maximalist art poppers Everything Everything, whose fifth album Re-Animator was one of our favourite releases of 2020.

You can also catch Ibibio Sound Machine, who combine African music with electronics to create an explosively jubilant sound that’s made for festivals. Much-loved UK four-piece The Magic Numbers are also taking a trip to Bury, alongside Manchester’s own psychedelic rockers Heavy Salad, folk-pop singer-songwriter Bess Atwell and award-winning folk trio, Harp and a Monkey.

If you’re planning to head for the hills with all the family, then there are plenty of activities and performances to keep the kids entertained, including Global Grooves Carnival Parade, There Once Was a Bird and HMS Sinkipation.

And while you’re soaking up the summer festival atmosphere, you can work your way through a great selection of drinks from Radcliffe-based Brightside Brewery, who’ll be serving up everything from traditional real ale to experimental craft beer. There will also be a host of local food vendors, providing artisan delights to suit every taste.

Where to go near Head for the Hills 2021 at Burrs Country Park

Bury
Gallery
Bury Art Shop

Bury Art Shop is a local gem filled with original artworks, crafts and homewares, championing the work of local artists and makers at the heart of Bury’s growing Culture Quarter.

bury market
Manchester
Event venue
Bury Market

Over the past thirty years, retail giants have developed in the vicinity, yet Bury Market remains the undisputed champion of the North, attracting thousands of visitors every week.

Bury
Restaurant
Colleen’s Ramsbottom

Colleen’s is a casual dining neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of Ramsbottom serving seasonal dishes.

Bar or Pub
The Eagle and Child

The Eagle and Child in Ramsbottom does what good pubs do best, and more.

Restaurant
Levanter Fine Foods

Helmed by chef-owners Fiona and Joe Botham, this tapas restaurant in Ramsbottom serves exclusively Spanish drinks and some of the best small plates going.

The Happy Belly sausages ramsbottom market
Shopping Centre
Ramsbottom Food and Craft Markets

Now ten years old, this double market combines a farmers’ market and a craft fair and provides the perfect excuse to visit the picturesque town of Ramsbottom, which nestles in the Lancashire foothills to the north of Manchester.

Manchester
Restaurant
Listo Burrito

Listo Burrito on Manchester’s Oxford Street tempts busy diners with fresh ingredients and a modestly priced menu.

What's on: Music

MusicLeeds
Poor Creature at The Attic

Poor Creature reimagine centuries-old folk songs with dreamlike textures, earthy harmonies, and a subtle, timeless pull.

From £15.00
Mhaol x Snare Press Image
MusicBirkenhead
M(h)aol at Future Yard

Irish post-punk firebrands M(h)aol return to Liverpool this September, bringing their raw, rhythm-driven new album Something Soft to Future Yard.

From £15.68
MusicManchester
Skee Mask at The White Hotel

Skee Mask, the producer behind some of the most inspired electronic music of the past decade, returns to The White Hotel.

From £11.00
A large mechanical puppet controlled by multiple people. Encounter Festival in Preston
FestivalsLancashire
Encounter Festival in Preston

Expect a jam-packed day of outdoor performance, live music, family fun – plus Preston’s iconic Torchlight Procession and fireworks finale.

Free entry

Culture Guides

Cinema in the North

This month we recommend a season of Film noir, cult Australian movies and a huge celebration of DIY community cinema.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

This season’s theatre is gloriously eclectic: from radical cabaret and reinvented classics to new musicals and boundary-pushing performance.

Exhibitions in the North

Galleries around the North are gearing up for a new season of exhibitions - from iconic art prizes to smaller, artist-led gems.

Wisp Press Image
Music in the North

From corrupted shoegaze to experimental electronica, post-hardcore to Indian classical, these are the shows that should be on your radar.