THE Co-op sponsored Manchester Picnic (July 22-24) is a highlight of One Big Summer Weekend, offering six outstanding street food traders in an Exchange Square transformed into a live music-packed summer garden.
Try Tibetan Kitchen's (pictured above)freshly prepared Himalayan dishes, Wallace and Sons' Pan-Asian street food including its famous bao, gyoza and kimchi, Mediterranean and Ottoman inspired cuisine courtesy of The Otto-Men, rustic pizza from Fire and Slice, chilli dogs, Boston baked beans and German smoked brat dogs from Al's BBQ Shack plus Matilda's natural artisan ice-cream. In addition there will be tasters from the Co-op’s own summer range from their Airstream.
Expect an eclectic mix of live music from gospel choirs and African drums, to Chinese violins and Northern Soul DJs. Full line-up details here. There’s art, too. The Whitworth will be on hand to help families get crafty using their art hampers – picnic hampers with a difference, filled with art materials and ideas.
Friday, Jul 22 also marks the start of the weeklong Science in the City festival, a key part of Manchester’s year as the UK’s first European City of Science. St Ann’s Square will host the festival’s ‘Allotment of the Future’ exploring how we could make the most of our urban spaces to grow food in the future and what kind of menus we might be choosing in years to come, from bugs for breakfast and algae for lunch to crops grown from used coffee grounds. More at this link.