Manchester is well known for our world class events, and the cultural legacy of the extremely successful 2002 Commonwealth Games lives on. Today a wealth of diverse events take place across the city, which celebrate the spirit of Manchester and our communities.
This summer in particular has seen a number of awe inspiring events taking place.
I was honoured to be present at the Peterloo bicentenary events, marking an important moment in Manchester’s history. On 16th August 1819, 60,000 people gathered on what was then known as St Peter’s Field in Manchester to peacefully demand the reform of parliamentary representation. When troops, including local government forces, charged the crowds, the tragic result saw 18 people lose their lives and around 700 injured. This was to become known as the Peterloo Massacre.
2019 also saw the return of the Manchester International Festival, bringing exciting new works and huge economic benefit to the city, as well as engaging with diverse audiences within and beyond Manchester.
Both the Peterloo and MIF events provided multiple opportunities for resident participation, and I’m always impressed by the many varied means that our events provide to enable people to be directly involved.
Click here for an exciting snapshot of some of the events that have taken place this year.
Councillor Luthfur Rahman (Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure) Manchester City Council.