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Battles and bargains
paul r taylor16/ 6/2006
MEDIEVAL FAIR
TATTON Park will host one of the largest historical fairs in the
country this weekend. The annual medieval fair has become a Mecca
for historical traders selling fabrics and silks from the East, as
well as arms, amour, diverse gifts, relics and artefacts from
around the world.
Chris Bruce, from organisers Plantagenet Events, said: "There will
also be plenty of battles and fighting.
"Canon and combat displays will be taking place throughout the day,
there will be a bird of prey demonstration from the Gauntlet centre
and the opportunity for children to join in the interactive
displays."
Fine foods, the best of ales, wine and mead promise to refresh the
weary visitor before the day ends with a Battle of the Flags - a
spectacular battle that sees soldiers attempting to capture the
opposing team's flag.
Tickets are available on the door and the fairakes place in the
grounds of Tatton Park's Old Hall, priced £4 for adults, £2 for
children or £12 for a family. Normal park entry charges apply. Open
11am to 5pm Saturday (June 20) and Sunday.
MANCHESTER BIKE WEEK
MANCHESTER Bike Week begins tomorrow, Saturday, (June 20) with a
city centre cycle show in St Ann's Square from 11am-4.30pm.
There will be amazing stunt cycle displays by the MAD team,
cycling-based street theatre, a cycling clown, a display of vintage
bikes and memorabilia and scores of activities to get involved
in.
During the week, there will be easy evening guided rides at 6pm including the Newton Heath Circular (June 19), Albert Square to Salford Quays and back (June 21) and the Chorlton Circular (June 22).
On Sunday, June 25, world champion and Olympic medallist Chris
Hoy (below) will join a special ride and picnic to celebrate the
opening of the Manchester Cycleway. Cyclists can join at several
locations along the cycleway as the ride progresses to Debdale Park
for a picnic, with Chris joining at the Velodrome.
Cyclists are also being encouraged to bike to work during the
week.
For more information about the early evening rides call Bike Right
on 0161 2307007.
BALLOON FESTIVAL
IT'S up, up and away at Heaton Park this weekend.
Scores of hot air balloons will take to the skies above the park in
Higher Blackley and float across the city, as part of Manchester's
annual festival.
There will be a fantastic selection of round and novelty-shaped
balloons from around the UK, including some from the Balloon
Preservation Group's collection.
There will be some free flights in the morning and evenings, with
various competitions and tethered displays tomorrow and Sunday as
well as the spectacular nightglow tomorrow night. The fun is from
noon to 10pm tomorrow and noon to 6pm on Sunday.
Admission is £2.50 per person with free entry for children unter a
metre high.
SUMMER FEAST
MANCHESTER'S eclectic season of outdoor events continues with a
mass midsummer picnic event for everyone in Platt Fields
Park.
There will be a feast of entertainment for the eyes and ears, with
picnickers invited to take their own picnics or buy food from
stalls offering dishes from different countries and cultures.
There will be musical serenades, circus, street theatre, dance,
activities and games. Performers from Britain and Europe will be at
the picnic, including several British premieres, and a waterborne
tuba serenade will end the evening on Sunday.
The Feast! Midsummer Picnic takes place by the lake in Platt Fields
Park, Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, tomorrow (Saturday) from
7pm-10.30pm and Sunday, from 1pm-5pm.
CAR RALLY
THE Peaks and Dales Car Rally takes place at Quarry Bank Mill in
Styal this Sunday, June 18.
A treat for fathers' day, the first cars are expected on the Mill
Meadow at noon. Normal admission charges apply.
BIG SCREEN OPERA
THE Royal Opera House's performance of Le Nozze di Figaro will be
broadcast from the BBC big screen in Exchange Square on Wednesday,
June 28, at 7pm.
Piazza-style seating and fresh coffee, pizzas and pancakes will
bring a continental atmosphere to the square and visitors are
encouraged to take their own picnics.
Three performances by the Royal Opera House and Royal Ballet are
being broadcast on the giant screen this summer. The Sleeping
Beauty was shown earlier this month and Turandot will be broadcast
on Friday, July 7.
Cllr Mark Hackett, Manchester Council's culture boss, said: "These
public screenings of the performances bring a vibrancy to
Manchester's public open spaces on summer evenings, and are a
delightful way for shoppers, workers and families to spend time
relaxing in the city centre."
The event is free. Details available at
www.manchesterlive.co.uk
SALE FESTIVAL
SALE Festival 2006 promises to be the biggest and the best so
far.
The festival, from tomorrow (Saturday) to Monday, June 26, kicks
off with Summertime Sounds in The Square Shopping Centre from
11.30am. There will be a vibrant mix of dance, music and street
entertainment.
On Sunday (June 18) the programme includes the annual Lions' Fete
from 12noon in Worthington Park, Sale and Come Dancing at the Sale
Waterside Arts Centre, from 7.30pm.
At the arts centre on Monday, there will be an evening of music and
drama with the Arts Showcase; while on Tuesday there will be a
floral demonstration, from 7.30pm; on Wednesday a junior schools
choir celebration; and on Friday, a battle of the bands.
More events will be listed on next week's Days Out page.
MANCHESTER MUSEUM
AN exciting exhibition opens at Manchester Museum on Saturday, June
17. Keeping It Together will give visitors the opportunity to see
what goes on behind the scenes at the museum and to find out more
about how the collections are protected and preserved.
In addition to the main exhibition, displays will be set up
throughout the galleries to highlight the conservation issues
relevant to each collection, from the mummies in the Egyptology
collection and pieces from Ancient Greece to dinosaurs, fossils and
stuffed animals in the Mammals Gallery.
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