Summer at First plans to serve up jam-packed events schedule

Manchester’s cultural and commercial neighbourhood First Street is set to launch its Summer at First programme for 2022.

James Grigor Square will be transformed into a haven for sports and culture fans and revellers with garden games, deckchairs, pop-up food and beverage stalls and a large outdoor screen sponsored by Starling Bank which events such as Wimbledon, Glastonbury and Commonwealth Games will be broadcasted from.

The screen which is set to be live on 1st June and will remain in situ throughout the Summer and is this year being sponsored by Starling Bank.

Jamie Hills at Ask Real Estate commented: “We are delighted to be bringing Manchester a summer of sporting and cultural events following a long break due to COVID-19.

“We like the First Street neighbourhood to be as inclusive a space as possible, and we love putting on such an exciting schedule of events each year as we feel it works for families, our occupiers, local residents and crowds of all ages – it’s always a great atmosphere and caters to everyone.”

“We are committed to expanding the First Street neighbourhood and creating a special place in the city and are really looking forward to revealing our next stage of development in due course.”

Following the success of Homeground in 2021, HOME will also deliver the inaugural First Street Festival, taking place across five weekends in Tony Wilson Place from 2nd June 2022.

Delivered in partnership with Ask Real Estate, supported by CBRE, First Street Festival will provide a range of free activities throughout June and July 2022, including live music, family events, drag performances, yoga, DJs and more. A central stage in Tony Wilson Place (in front of HOME) will form the focal point of the festival. All events will be free and open to the public.

HOME will programme and deliver the opening weekend (the Queen’s Jubilee weekend) and work with four partner organisations to curate the following weekends, allowing for a wide diversity of artists and voices, all uniquely part of the artistic community of Manchester, to take part over these weekends. This year’s partners are Brighter Sound, SM Music MGMT, All Hands on Deck, and The Untold Orchestra.