Chinese New Year Celebrations

As you all may now, today is the beginning of the Chinese New Year, which gives way to the Year of the Snake. That means that today thousands of the Chinese and non-Chinese citizens in the UK have taken on the streets to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Manchester, with the second largest Chinatown in the UK, has had an Oriental blast today, hosting its popular Dragon Parade and Lion Dances, as well as a variety of Chinese street markets and a firework display. All in all, the Chinese can’t say that they haven’t started the year on the right foot!

 

 

 

 

An excuse to celebrate!

Last week Manchester was bombarded with fireworks. Bonfire Night and the Christmas Lights Switch-On ruled the city on the 5th and the 9th November, respectively. For those of you who don't live in the UK and don't know what Bonfire Night is, it is an annual celebration that commemorates King James I’s survival from the attempt on his life by Guy Fawkes. You can find some more information on its historical origins here. The Lights Switch-On, however, is a more Christmassy event that includes performances by some top music bands and theatre companies, as well as an amazing fireworks display (see the video below!).

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of celebrations of this kind (although, as I already commented on a previous post, I'll make an exception for the fireworks at the Manchester Christmas Lights Switch-On!), but I do love dropping by to an event as an excuse to meet up with friends and have a nice time with them! What I mean is that sometimes it doesn't matter what you are celebrating if that makes it possible for you and your loved ones to see each other after a long time or just share one more of those lovely moments together. I have always thought that there is a halo of hypocrisy surrounding Christmas, with people becoming more and more materialistic during those dates and celebrating something that very often they don't have religious beliefs about (I must admit I am one of the latter), but I’ve finally come to realise what Christmas means for many of us. Cheesy as it may sound, it is a special time of the year to celebrate family, friends and everything that makes us happy, go through the past year and plan our new year ahead, be thankful for what we have, and maybe reconcile with ourselves. It’s just an excuse... An excuse to celebrate all good things.

That being so, let Christmas 2012 roll!

Manchester Food & Drink Festival 2012

The last couple of weeks in Manchester have been delicious. The Manchester Food & Drink Festival celebrated its 15th year with a series of food and drink events which lasted no fewer than 17 days. Albert Square, the festival hub, hosted a number of stalls, bars and cookery shows, and offered the opportunity to taste the creations of the best brewers and artisan chefs in the UK. Beer, cider and whisky festivals, live music, eating contests and even an exotic Tiki Shack cocktail were organised in different spots and restaurants throughout the city to celebrate all things foodie!

Manchester Pride 2012

This year’s Manchester Pride took place on 17-27 August. The city had been waiting for a whole year to live the most fun and quirkiest of festivals. However, it wasn’t until last Saturday that the local LGBT communities took on the streets and transformed them into a loud, crazy, colourful carnival. The Manchester Pride Parade has the power to cheer up every single one of its spectators, filling the air with respect and party madness in equal parts. You could see rainbow flags and whistles everywhere – a symbol of diversity, equality and pride. Here are some of this year's highlights!

 

 

  

  

 

  

 

Dig the City Manchester 2012

This week the city of Manchester has welcomed the Dig the City event with open arms and delicious summertime weather. Dig the City is a brand new festival whose aim is to transform Manchester into an urban garden with floral, horticultural and gardening displays of all shapes. Delighted Mancunians strolled around or lay down on the grass chatting with friends and contemplating the flowery surroundings, as they made the most of the British sunshine.

Bushes shaped as Olympic athletes or a floral display of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party are just some of the exhibits that Dig the City 2012 offered. Here are a few piccies of what Manchester city centre looked like during the week!

 

 

 

  

Manchester Histories Festival 2012

Yesterday was the last day of Manchester Histories Festival 2012, a ten-day celebration of Greater Manchester’s history and heritage, which has drawn the attention of Mancunians from 24^th February to 4^th March.

One of the best things about this festival is that it includes activities for all ages, backgrounds and interests. This year’s festival held more than 100 events – enough for all tastes!

Debates, talks and walking tours were organised for those who were deeply interested in their city’s history. The talks, delivered by renowned historians, dealt with such diverse topics like Egyptology or football.

The festival offered a series of family days and learning activities for children, and a few Manchester-related films and documentaries were screened for film lovers’ pleasure. Also, among the many exhibitions and performances, this year the festival surprised its followers with an archaeological dig!

It is almost impossible not to find at least one event that appeals to you in a festival of these characteristics. If you do not like architecture, science, sport or wartime stories, you may instead go for a gig, an art exhibition, a poetry reading or a comedy.

This year, the festival’s highlight was, without doubt, the Celebration Day at the Town Hall, where everyone was invited to join the more than 80 exhibitors offering workshops, games, demonstrations, walking tours, talks, films, … And all that for free!

Its organisers could not be more right when they say that Manchester Histories Festival provides the opportunity for everyone to learn, explore, discover and interpret history in the most diverse ways.

Come join next year’s festival to find out about more Greater Manchester’s new and hidden histories!

TEDx (or the power of ideas)

Yesterday Salford became part of the worldwide TED community thanks to its first TEDx event (TedxSalford), which took place in the shiny, brand-new MediaCity UK.

There is no doubt that the TEDx programme has spread all over the world since its creation back in 1984. It first started out in the spirit of "ideas worth spreading", following the guidelines of the big TED Conferences. Its name stands for “Technology, Entertainment and Design”, which, according to its creators, are the three subject areas that are shaping our future. Nevertheless, with the passing of the years, the scope of the TEDx programme has become broader, covering a wider variety of fields, such as philosophy, engineering, music, life sciences, and so on.

The TEDx events (where x = independently organized TED local event) are local events that hold talks, demonstrations and performances by international leading thinkers and doers, speakers and entertainers who have one thing in common – “they have something remarkable to share and are able to share it in a remarkable way."

If you think I am exaggerating, check out the speakers at TEDxSalford! Irene Khan – former Secretary General of Amnesty International –, Stephen Venables – a renowned British mountaineer –, Dr Umut Kose – leading researcher at CERN – and a NASA astronaut to name only a few!

TEDx events are organised in hundreds of cities all over the world, so if you believe in the power of ideas and want to find out about any upcoming TEDx events near you, just click here. For the information of my fellow Mancunians, the second TEDxManchester will be held next 13^th February!

And for those of you who cannot attend any of the TEDx events, you may want to know that many of them make it possible to watch the stream live on their respective website. Is it not great?!

What is most special about the TEDx programme is that its creators, organisers and participants “believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world”, which means that us, the audience, play a key role in putting those ideas in practice.

So what are you waiting for? Go spread the ideas!

Manchester Christmas Market

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Manchester Christmas Market!

Once you step in, you will not be able to step back! Take the first street on the left. Can you smell it? Hmmmm… It is the smell of the tasty Bratwürste mixed with the mulled wine scent. Now turn right, where the craftsman is waiting. Observe all those perfectly shaped wooden toys. Can you hear that? Turn around, it is the sound of antique jewelry. But do not spend too much time, there is still much more to see!

The Christmas Market turns into a small, cosy village as you walk through its streets. Imagine that you are in a little townlet full of lined-up houses where you can buy food, drink, clothes, toys, plants and many other gifts. Like an air bubble in the heart of Manchester, deaf to the surrounding traffic noises, the Christmas Market has something special that makes you feel good. It may be the feeling of internationality, with a range of stalls representing various European countries – from Spanish chorizo and paella to German sausages or French cheese. Or it may just be the magical atmosphere created by the big, majestic Town Hall's shadow falling over the inhabitants of this tiny village.

And as the Christmas Market days draw to an end, above is Father Christmas, making sure that his guests are having a good time and are feeling at home.



Manchester Christmas Market on Albert Square



All things chocolate!



Beautiful antique-like Polish pottery



An example of the handicrafts in the market



Reindeer and penguins will decorate your garden in the New Year!