DIG The City returns at the end of July to carpet Manchester city centre streets with show gardens – with a huge emphasis on grow-your-own in its green agenda.
The weeklong gardening festival offers dozens of attractions including talks, demos and music, but Taste of Manchester, understandably, is keenest on the fresh produce side of it.
Like Salford’s Incredible Edible educating folk in how to plan a food plot even with limited space or the Moss Cider Project, a pop-up orchard which will be selling apple juice and Dig The City Cider made especially for the festival. The latter is running a further event at Manchester Food and Drink Festival in September.
The Dig for Victory Garden, created by Real Food Wythenshawe, offers a horticultural trip from plant to plate. Herbs, vegetables, trailing tomatoes and cucumbers will be planted alongside a team that shares “green smoothies” and simple growing ideas to inspire visitors. Chorlton’s PostBox Cafe and hydroponics cafes are also worth keeping an eye out for, while the hub of the Festival, St Ann’s Square, is home to food vendors, a bar and an al fresco cafe.
Dig The City. Fri 31 Jul-Thu 6 Aug, Various city centre locations, free entry, 10am-8pm, www.digthecity.co.uk