First Street, Manchester’s newest cultural and commercial neighbourhood, will be showing Wimbledon in its public square for another year running.
Tony Wilson Place will be transformed into a haven for sports fans and revellers, replete with garden games, deckchairs, pop-ups and a big screen which the tennis tournament will be broadcasted from.
This will be regularly accompanied by beloved local ice cream makers Ginger’s Comfort Emporium, who operate out of Affleck’s Palace in the Northern Quarter but will be bringing their pastel-coloured ice cream van to First Street whenever the sun comes out.
The screen is due to be put up on 27 June and will remain in situ until 27 July. Wimbledon will be taking place from 1-14 July.
Wimbledon will be the anchor event in the estate’s wider summer programme, which will also feature a exhibition at HOME by famed filmmaker David Lynch as part of Manchester International Festival (MIF).
The iconic surrealist behind Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet exhibition will be showing films, live talks, music – and his first-ever UK exhibition of his paintings, drawings and sculptures.
Sophie Stephenson from CBRE, who manages the estate on behalf of First Street Management Company, said: “We’re looking forward to kicking off the summer season with Wimbledon again, following a great success last year.
“We like First Street to be as inclusive a space as possible, and we love putting Wimbledon on each year as we feel it works for families, our occupiers, local residents and crowds of all ages – it’s always a great atmosphere and caters to everyone.”
As well as Wimbledon, First Street will also be showing other sporting and entertainment events on the big screen, such as Glastonbury, Tour de France, F1 British Grand Prix and Cricket World Cup highlights.
First Street will play host to several other community events this summer, including free yoga classes and HIIT fitness sessions across the estate and tenant-only BBQs in partnership with INNSIDE.
On-site hotel INNSIDE will be putting on “Summer Sessions” each Friday, offering a burger and a beer deal for £5 accompanied by live music on its terrace.
