THE Castlefield Forum has teamed up with Community Games and local businesses to host the Castlefield Carnival, a day-long programme of family-friendly fun on Sunday 4 August.
“This is an opportunity to showcase Castlefield and we hope the day will not only be an opportunity for the local community to have some fun, but we want to welcome new visitors down who may not have discovered its canalside charm before.”
They’re all getting in on it for 2013: Y Club, Dukes 92, The Castlefield Hotel, the Oxnoble, Dimitiri’s, FC United, The Wharf, Barca, charity Forever Manchester and Castlefield’s Artisan Market.
Centred around the canal basin, the family fun starts at 10am with a kids sports day every half hour in the Castlefield Arena courtesy of the Y Club, while the grown-ups can get involved in Zumba demonstrations. Kids can also take advantage of free football coaching sessions from FC United.
The packed programme will host street performers including the Edwardian picture booth with free photographs, walkabout Roman tours, a bouncy castle, face painting and ice cream from the Cheshire Farm ice cream van.
Castlefield Market
Local businesses will also be offering up some carnival culinary scoffings. The Castlefield Hotel will be hosting a BBQ perched above the arena, while Greek restaurant Dimitri’s will be serving up treats and entertaining the crowds with live music in the Arena.
Dukes 92 will close Castle Street (the cobbled one behind Dukes and Albert’s Shed) to traffic and provide children’s rides, a hog roast and live music, while Barca will be pitching in with children’s goody bags, face painting, live local bands and a BBQ.
Over the Merchant Bridge at The Wharf pub there’ll be a Boules competition from 2pm-4pm, fairground games including pin the tail on the donkey, a coconut shy and hook-a-duck. There’s also a giant Jenga, garden quoits (throwing rings at a stick) and a bake-off.
The weekly Castlefield Artisan market will be offering its usual eclectic mix of craft, vintage and farm food stalls along with music, dancing and the popular Black Cat café.
During the day there’ll also be a Castlefield-themed treasure hunt with prizes, while in the evening the Oxnoble pub will host a Castlefield quiz at 8.30pm. So probably best you make sure you know the name of the Roman fort in Castlefield from which our city took its name. And from what the Oxnoble took its name... it's an extinct potato.
Remains of Roman fort
To coincide with the Manchester Picnic, a picnic area will pop-up in the Arena and Greater Manchester charity, Forever Manchester, will be running a raffle and tombola.
Carol Middleton, Chair of the Castlefield Forum, said: “We’re really grateful to the Y Club, Community Games and all the local businesses for getting involved and helping us put on a fantastic day jam-packed with entertainment for all ages.
“This is an opportunity to showcase Castlefield and we hope the day will not only be an opportunity for the local community to have some fun, but we want to welcome new visitors down who may not have discovered its canalside charm before.”
People wanting to find out more about Castlefield can visit the Castlefield Forum information stall and pick up a leaflet to enjoy local discounts.
For up-dates on the Castlefield Carnival follow @ourcastlefield on Twitter #festivalforall or visit www.ourcastlefield.co.uk.
