MIF25: THE HERDS

MIF’s opening events seem to be gathering momentum with every festival. We’ve seen civically minded catwalks, the whole of Deansgate turned into a moving seascape and Mayfield Park transformed into a meditative journey for water and human connection. It is unsurprising then, that this year’s festival looks set to start with a thought-provoking bang. THE HERDS will be migrating through Manchester, Rochdale and Wigan as they flee habitats destroyed by the climate crisis.

From the creators of the globally popular Little Amal, THE HERDS is a collection of over 70 life-sized animal puppets, who are taking an epic 20,000km journey across Africa and Europe, starting in the Congo and travelling towards the Arctic Circle. It’s a very literal representation of what will happen to animals and wildlife as their natural habitats become unlivable.

To reduce the work’s impact on the planet, all of the puppets are made from cardboard. They are both spectacular in aesthetic and engineering. However, the puppets are truly brought to life by the brilliant puppeteers; in each city THE HERDS passes through, local participants and volunteers are welcomed into the world of puppetry as they learn how to become their animal.

You can get involved in this performance of epic proportions either by helping build the puppets themselves or becoming part of the herd of puppeteers powering the migration. From the end of May and into June, free Making The Herd workshops will be running with participants asked to attend at least 3-4 sessions where they can develop their large-scale puppet-building skills by learning directly from the master puppet-makers. You can now sign up for these workshops through the MIF website.

For those keen to get stuck into the action, THE HERDS is looking for a large number of volunteers (although you will be paid a fair bursary for your time) to become these animals between 30 June – 5 July. You’ll spend three days undergoing intensive puppet training in the heart of Manchester before taking the creatures into the city centre, Rochdale and Wigan. You will be able to sign up to part of the performance from 1 June.

On 3 July, THE HERDS will migrate between Cathedral Gardens and Market Street, soundtracked by musicians from Manchester Camerata. Expect a nuanced take on migration with a beautiful sound, as this orchestra has proven to provide time and time again. Watch how the movement of the animals whips the music into a frenzy before expressing the collective sense of seeking to belong.

On 4 July, after leaving the busy streets of Manchester, THE HERDS will explore the residential area of Heywood in Rochdale. Amongst terrace houses and old mill buildings, the animals continue their search for peace. Finally, on 5 July, they reach the natural serenity of Pennington Flash Country Park. Left to wander environments they could call home, this is their last stop as part of MIF25 before continuing the onward journey north. 

Witness an escaped giraffe on Market Street and a hungry baboon on Exchange Square. Each displaced animal has been left searching for a new home, with nowhere to stay. Although the message behind the piece can have a bleak and stark interpretation, there is a real emphasis on the collective effort needed to fight the climate crisis. It is a real moment for collective reflection as well as a sobering reminder of the scale of the crisis we all face.

Created by The Walk Productions and led by visionary Artistic Director Amir Nizar Zubai, THE HERDS is one of the brilliant free things to do at Manchester International Festival 2025.