On Sunday 10 June, Central Library was proud to host the Manchester Histories Celebration Day, the centrepiece of the acclaimed Manchester Histories Festival. For the first year in its new venue the library welcomed nearly 70 different groups and voluntary organisations. Visitors enjoyed an incredible range of talks, lectures and films in the Performance Space including Manchester’s Forgotten Reformers, and Manchester’s Lost District.
The library was also filled with performances throughout the day, from the Halle Orchestra and Manchester Community choirs to actors from the Contact Youth Theatre presenting She Bangs the Drums. New films were premiered by M13 Youth Project and Niamos – Vox Box, which saw local history captured through the eyes of today’s young people.
On the first floor the lives lost during the battle of Manchester Hill were commemorated through virtual reality and contemporary music. The library was very busy throughout the day with a constant influx of visitors – those who had come specifically for the Celebration day, and those who had taken the opportunity to look around the building. We look forward to next year!