Manchester

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Alternative bank holiday ideas

Two bank holidays means double the fun! Here's your guide to making the most of those precious days off

6 The Warehouse Project: Lost Weekends, Parts 2 & 3 After a storming first instalment over Easter, those 24-hour party people The Warehouse Project have announced that both May bank holidays will be graced with a Lost Weekend party. On Friday May 2 Radio Soulwax will be in Manchester with 2manydjs, ably supported by Brodinski and Andro. Saturday May 3 sees Ricardo Villalobos headlining with Josh Wink and Romanian hot stuff Raresh and then on Sunday May 4 it’s Ape vs Metropolis with Roni Size, Andy C and Digital Mystikz entertaining the revellers. The third Lost Weekend is scheduled for the final Bank Holiday in May with guests including Sasha and a live set from Booka Shade on the Friday, Tiga and Erol Alkan on the Saturday and Goodgreef taking over on Sunday. Time to get lost.
The Warehouse Project: Lost Weekends Parts 2 & 3 (835 3500/www.thewarehouseproject.com).

7 Asia Triennial Manchester 08
If you prefer to get your kicks from high culture, try this year’s Asia Triennial. With Manchester upping its artistic ante, Asia’s finest artists show their works at Manchester’s major art galleries. It’s a fine arts extravaganza cooked up by Shisha, the brains behind 2007’s The Rusholme Project, and the aim is to explode the cultural myths surrounding contemporary Asian art. Expect site-specific artworks, traditional Chinese ink painting reinvented for the twenty-first century at the Chinese Arts Centre and, best of all, a sculpture of 808 State muso Graham Massey at Manchester Art Gallery. Not to be missed.
Asia Triennial Manchester 08 various venues (www.asiatriennialmanchester.com). April 5-June 1, times vary; free.

8 Queer Up North
Reports of Queer Up North’s death are greatly exaggerated. Despite December’s Arts Council funding scare, Queer Up North is in good health. This year sees the usual heady cultural mix, with around 40 events over three weeks. Our favourites include a debate on the nature of social and cultural identity fronted by political punk-folk singer, Billy Bragg (May 17) and Queering the Pitch, a night of live music that includes Radio 2 favourites and local band-made-good Cherry Ghost (May 10). The highlight of this year’s festival, though – and handily falling during the Bank Holiday weekend – is a triple-bill dance performance from the Steven Petronio Dance Company (May 25). One of New York’s greatest performers, Petronion’s past collaborations include the likes of Anish Kapoor, Radiohead and the Beastie Boys. In an exclusive billing, Petronio gives the Mancunian masses a chance to see three performances set to specially commissioned scores by Rufus Wainwright and Fischerspooner. Songs by Antony & The Johnsons also feature, while Antony Hegarty and Lou Reed have recorded an updated version of Reed’s classic song ‘Candy Says’ – a homage to Andy Warhol film star, Candy Darling.
Queer Up North International Festival venues across the city centre (833 2288/www.queerupnorth.com). May 9-25; times and prices vary.

9 Tatton Park Biennial
Fingers crossed it won’t chuck it down for both bank holidays because if the sun does emerge from behind those heavy clouds Cheshire-set favourite Tatton Park is hosting a new art event, the Tatton Park Biennial. Around 30 artists, writers and performers have been busying away at this grand estate to create a series of evolving artworks that will be shown throughout the summer. Taking climate change and globalisation as its central themes, the Biennial includes six semi-permanent works, 12 works that will ‘grow’ throughout the lifetime of the five-month Biennial and a series of talks, tours and performances. Artist Lisa Cheung is developing a living gown crafted from fruit and veg (a novel way to get your five-a-day), Abigail Reynolds gets to grips with a living sculpture grown from Japanese Knotweed and Jo Coupe has cast an orchid and its root base in solid gold. Elsewhere, watch where you walk, as Simon Woolham’s paper hybrids dot Tatton’s otherwise orderly grounds and beds.
Tatton Park Biennial Tatton Park, Knutsford WA16 6QN (01625 374 400/www.tattonparkbiennial.org). May 3-Sep 28, times and prices vary.

10 Salford heritage trails
If, despite our best efforts, your weekend consists mainly of couch surfing, pub going and kebab eating, why not a bracing walk to put the colour back in your cheeks? Those lovely folk at Salford City Council have come up with three heritage trails, which snake through Worsley Village, Chapel Street and Salford Quays respectively. Ranging from one to three miles, and mostly suitable for buggies and wheelchairs, the walks take in the sights of old and new Salford – from a clock that strikes 13 and an underground canal that stretches for 48 miles, to the modern styles of the luxurious Lowry Hotel.
Worsley Village Heritage Trail, Salford Quays Heritage Trail, Chapel Street Heritage Trail a series of self-guided walks that can be downloaded for free from www.visitsalford.info/industrialheritage. Booklets and maps (£1-£1.50) available from Manchester Visitor Information Centre, Town Hall Extension, Lloyd Street, St. Peter’s Square (0871 222 8223/www.visitmanchester.com) and Salford Tourist Information Centre, The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays (848 8601/www.visitsalford.info).

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