The countdown is on to this year’s Manchester Day: Let the Games Begin! which will see a have-a-go sports take-over of the city centre as it is turned into Manchester’s biggest-ever playground for one day only – this Saturday 27 July.
Inspired by an international summer of sport, a medal-winning programme for the day has been curated by the city council in partnership with outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank and some of the UK’s leading sports bodies.
Under starter’s orders from midday, the day promises something for everyone and for all sporting abilities – with enough fun activities throughout the city’s streets and squares to tempt and thrill even the most reluctant of athletes.
With everything from Taekwondo to tennis, running to rugby, hook-a-duck to darts, and Swing-ball to just sitting back and enjoying it, the packed programme runs nonstop until the final whistle at 6 pm.
There’s plenty on offer also for armchair athletes who prefer watching their sports rather than having a go – with a big screen in Cathedral Gardens that will be in action from Friday evening 26 July when it will be showing the Opening Ceremony of this year’s Olympic Games live from Paris, followed by all the sporting action from the French capital throughout the day on Saturday.
With food and beverage stalls also on site in Cathedral Gardens, it promises to be a great place to settle in and watch some elite sporting action.
Sit back also and be amazed by award-winning dance company Motionhouse and their hit outdoor show Wild, that will see performers flying through the city on an urban forest of poles in a daring dance-circus production using careful choreography and acrobatics, whilst performers from No Fit State Circus will be defying the laws of gravity as they bend, flex and build a towering series of bamboo structures as part of a mind-blowing performance that relies solely on human strength, trust, and harmony with nature.
Look out too for the roaming referees who may burst into song – or dish out a red card – at any moment, and keep away from The Collector, a pesky larger-than-life magpie who will be pecking around the winners’ podium trying to grab the gold medals off medal-winners as they enjoy their moment in the spotlight.
The day will also feature a full programme of pop-up performance arts and live music to soundtrack the event in all kinds of unexpected spaces throughout the city centre, put together by award-winning outdoor arts specialists, Walk the Plank.
