Escape to Freight Island, Depot Mayfield’s inspiring urban landscape and vast industrial fairground of food, drink, music and entertainment, has reopened its seated, safe and social outdoor area to standout success. Visitors have been able to meet up in the covered outside courtyard as well as a brand-new Pavilion filled to the brim with plants, creating a calm, green, urban oasis.
This has meant the triumphant return of many much-loved traders including Baratxuri, Belzan Pasta Kitchen, Madre, Mi+Pho, Voodoo Rays, Patty Queen and Krum.
There is very limited availability left for bookings up to 16th May but next batch of bookings for the grand Ticket Hall (for 17th May onwards) are NOW OPEN.
Tickets for the May Bank Holiday extravaganza Kantina Weekender (running from Friday 28th to Monday 31th May) are pretty much sold out, but a few more tables have recently been added as they’ve opened up their terraces for this very special event, so it might be worth trying your luck.
Kantina Weekender will be an opportunity to match the resident culinary talent at Escape to Freight Island with some of the region’s most prestigious chefs, cocktail makers, brewers and local restaurant heroes for next level collaborations.
Mary-Ellen McTague, from Creameries in Chorlton will pair with Great Northern Pies; Gary Usher from Elite Bistros will partner with Forever Changes; Tast of King Street and Baratxuri will join grill forces and Pippy Eats with Mi+Pho for noodle heaven.
The line-up also includes Stosie Madi, from Parkers Arms and Simon Martin from Manchester’s first Michelin starred restaurant in 41 years Mana; Michelin starred chef Brad Carter of Carters of Moseley will partner in house resident Madre, and finally Higher Ground.
Joining Dan Hope of Escape to Freight Island’s Plant Grill will be Sam Buckley (pictured below), from the applauded Stockport-based restaurant Where The Light Gets In, which has most recently taken the accolade of a ‘green’ Michelin star celebrating sustainable gastronomy practises.
Wines and cocktails will be overseen by national natural wine phenomenon Shop Cuvée and World’s 50 Best Bar, Three Sheets. Their participation will see founders Brodie Meah and Max Venning return to their roots in the city with a selection low intervention, juicy wines and world class cocktails.
Pomona Island will team up with Lervig and Northern Monk; Deya and Camden Town Brewery will complete the beer offering and a further wine selection from Charlie Miller from The Laughing Heart and Dom the Som aka Dynamite MC.
All this will be accompanied by a vibrant roster of live entertainment, exclusive talks on stage and satellite events.
The charity partner for Kantina Weekender will be Eat Well MCR – a Manchester collective made up of hospitality professionals and volunteers from all sectors delivering meals to people facing challenging circumstances in the Great Manchester area. A percentage will be included on to bills with the choice to opt-out.
Tickets are £35 per person, (available here) which is fully redeemable as credit to spend at Kantina Weekender (scroll through to May 28-31 when choosing the date.)
Keep an eye on @escapetofreightisland for the latest updates.
Read Escape to Freight Island's Social + Safe Manifesto here.
Escape to Freight Island is open seven days a week, from Monday to Friday (4pm - 12am); Saturday and Sunday (10am - 12am).
Image credit: Jodie Hartley