Refract 25 at Waterside

With the arrival of the summer festival season, award-winning venue Waterside Arts bring us the 2025 edition of Refract Festival. Taking place over six days this July, Refract 25 is a unique and eclectic arts festival packed with a handpicked programme of experiential theatre, dance, live music and family activities.

The festival is based in Sale with all of the events taking place inside and outside of Trafford’s canalside creative hub, Waterside. Bringing together audiences of all ages, Refract 25 has been carefully curated by Waterside and aims to offer audiences innovative new ways to experience arts, music and performance.

Headlining this year’s festival is world-famous mime-comic TAPE FACE (23 & 24 July), whose Edinburgh-bound solo show blends silent stand-up, physical comedy and absurdist charm. Magician Ben Hart also returns with his “most astonishing and impossible” work yet – a dazzling new illusion show previewing before its Edinburgh run. Elsewhere, Bay Bryan brings theatrical storytelling and folk-infused music to the Cabaret Club (25 July).

Outdoors, the free al fresco programme transforms Waterside Plaza into a carnival of creativity. Catch Levantes Dance’s circus show HUG and Stoptoi’s musical juggling performance, Pocket Loop  (24 – 25 July), followed by Hikapee Theatre’s aerial parasol show Everywhere’s a Beach (25 – 26 July). Autin Dance’s Out of the Deep Blue (26 – 27 July) tackles climate change through physical theatre and puppetry, while Batala Manchester (26 July) bring thunderous Brazilian beats to the plaza. Plus, Linden Dance present a striking outdoor dance piece performed in and around a giant birdcage (27 July).

There’s live music throughout the festival too: clarinettist Arun Ghosh and band launch the festival, The Thingumajigs deliver a joyful family sing-along (26 July), and Global Grooves close out the carnival weekend with big, feel-good rhythms (27 July). The final note comes courtesy of Rodina (Aoife Hearty) with a soulful set on the Refract Bandstand.

Check out the full listings and book early – this one’s always a summer highlight.