Line-up announced for Feel Good Family Picnics

Visitors to the free family events sponsored by automotive dealer Premier Suzuki will be able to experience over 20 amazing different attractions each day, including live performances, music, theatre, sports and shows for children of all ages. More information on Premier Suzuki

Spectacular outdoor performances include ‘Fussy Foodies: Battle of the Pans’ – the new interactive game show by Just More Productions, exploring how foods help define our cultural identity with music, laughs, audience participation and prizes up for grabs. It’s a celebration of food, music roots and culture, a kitchen party where the audience joins in with the fun, starring number one foodie ‘Messy Mama T’.

‘Teabreak,’ a new heart-warming show by live events company Trigger, will be performed each day. It follows the journey of tea across continents and centuries onto our shores, with tea served from Trigger’s beautifully hand-painted Tuk Tuk. As you stir your cup, you’ll learn how it’s found itself into our tea pots featuring soundbites from gardeners, historians, tea-makers, mothers and children speaking about what one of our most-loved rituals means to them, accompanied by dancers.

‘Teabreak’, a new heart-warming show, will be performed each day, following the journey of tea – one of our most loved rituals.

‘The Lost Opera’ is an interactive sound performance and dance show using the wonders of technology that you can watch as well as join in with on your mobile phone. Featuring 3 mysterious figures, it is inspired by the Bauhaus Ballet of the 1920s.

At 2pm each day a stunning carnival will travel around the parks led by international carnival arts company Global Grooves, reflecting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. Expect giant puppets, costumes, funky beats, flags and high energy dance, animated by local communities and professional street performers.

Live music will be provided by last year’s favourites, Flat Cap Brass.

Live music will be provided by last year’s favourites Flat Cap Brass who play fun and friendly arrangements of popular 90s and 00s pop songs as you’ve never heard them before.

Master storyteller Gav Cross, who went down a storm last year, is also back with a brand new show mixing wonderful tales with his trademark silly humour.

Rochdale’s M6 Theatre Company will be in the storytelling tent this year, presenting the debut of ‘Even Stevens’ – a touching story from a handy man, gardener and chatterbox who travels around on his trusty old bike. There’ll be clowning, a fascinating story, thankfully a happy ending and lots of fun along the way.

Visitors will be able to try a range of popular sports and games including track bikes, badminton, shotput, and archery with staff from Your Trust as well as boxing training with the team from Middleton Martial Arts Academy.

Skylight Circus will perform a range of spectacular feats including ariel tricks, stilt walking, juggling and clowning.

Skylight Circus will perform a range of spectacular feats including ariel tricks, stilt walking, juggling and clowning, with everyone invited to learn the skills led by professional circus artists.

Bring along your bicycle for a free check by Doctor Bike (excludes Rochdale).

Once again organisers want the event to reduce its impact on the environment as well as showing visitors ways to reduce your carbon footprint, save energy and be kinder to our planet so there’ll be lots of sustainable activities to see and try including upcycling, health and wellbeing, nature based craft activities and water saving tips. You’re encouraged to take your picnic waste home, and bring a water bottle as free refills will be available all day.

More on the line-up will be announced later this month.

You’re very welcome to bring a picnic, but good value food and drink will also be available for sale.

The Feel Good Family Picnic will be staged from 12noon to 4pm in Rochdale’s Broadfield Park on Tuesday, 30 July 2024, Limefield Playing Fields in Middleton on Wednesday, 31 July 2024 and Harehill Park in Littleborough on Thursday, 1 August 2024. The final date will be in Heywood’s Queen’s Park on Friday, 2 August 2024.

Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council, said:

“The Feel Good Family Picnic will be 4 magical days out in the beautiful setting of lovely parks and gardens. It’s all free and the perfect opportunity to entertain and educate your children or grandchildren during the holidays. I’m looking forward to seeing lots of local people as well as visitors from across Greater Manchester, giving us the opportunity to showcase what the area has to offer.”

The Feel Good Family Picnic will be staged by the council in partnership with Without Walls, a consortium of festivals and arts organisations bringing fantastic outdoor arts to people in towns and cities across England. It is sponsored by Premier Suzuki, supported through the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).