Dig the City, Manchester’s first urban garden festival, will see the medieval quarter of Manchester transformed into a city centre garden from 24 – 29 July.

Dig the City will include a huge flower festival at Manchester Cathedral and activity within Manchester Arndale, the newly rebranded Corn Exchange and the soon to open National Football Museum.

Public realm areas including Exchange Square, Cathedral Gardens and the recently pedestrianised Victoria Street will be transformed into a city centre garden.

The majority of the events are free to see and take part, making the festiaval an ideal family day out.

Dig the City garden areas

Manchester Cathedral

A stunning flower festival of over 30,000 stunning cut flowers will depict themes of music through the ages and the Diamond Jubilee.

This will be the largest flower festival in the North West, and will rival major Cathedrals in the South.

Manchester Arndale

For two days, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 July, Exchange Court will be transformed into a miniature green haven incorporating artificial grass surrounded by a white picket fence, colourful wheelbarrows brimming over with plants and flowers, plus free interactive workshop areas for children to paint their own plant pot and then to plant their own sunflower seed.

National Football Museum

A floral carpet will be created on one of the levels of the National Football Museum.

Corn Exchange

The ground floor atrium of the newly rebranded Corn Exchange will be transformed into a Mad Hatter’s Tea party.

Sunflower Corner

As part of the MOSI Turing Sunflower project, and Manchester Science Week, Dig the City will be creating a sunflower corner with Manchester City Council.

There will be planters full of sunflowers, and scientists on hand to teach people about the project.

Jubilee Square

Manchester City Council’s impressive Jubilee Garden created for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visit to Manchester will be rebuilt in Cathedral Gardens.

Community Avenue

Stunning gardens by Manchester communities will be on display in planters. Manchester City Council and local volunteers will be on site to talk to the general public about the gardens.

RHS Tatton Garden

A garden will be brought the festival from the RHS Tatton Flower Show. The garden is designed by residents from Newton Heath and depicts a running track and three athletes representing sports that will be included in the London Olympics.

The Olympic Live site

Exchange Square is the site to watch the London 2012 games, and forms part of the festival site with themed planters, life sized topiary sporting figures, food and drink.

Flower Markets

Manchester Markets’ flower markets will be relocated to Cathedral Gardens for the week.

The Living Street by Groundwork

Victoria Street will be transformed into a visual representation of everything that Groundwork stands for.

Workshops, gardens, demonstrations, activities through the promotion of health and well being, play, sustainability, community cohesion and food growing.

The Volunteer Legacy Garden

A garden designed and maintained by Manchester City Council and volunteers will be built on Victoria Street, to celebrate and recognise their achievements.

Nikal
Nikal is one of the lead sponsors of Dig the City and the Manchester property developer’s historic head office will be transformed and open for viewing.

View Dig the City 2012 festival map

working in partnership

Dig the City Manchester 2012 is a partnership of key public and private sector organisations within the city including Manchester Cathedral, Manchester City Council and Nikal Property Development and is the first of an annual event that is set to grow throughout the city centre year on year.

Organisers are working closely with city centre bodies, including Manchester City Council and CityCo, and the aim is for the event to become a week celebration of year round activity to increase green space in the city centre, and develop legacy areas.

Dig the City Manchester 2012 is also working with a number of other organisations from across the city that are supporting the event’s aim of increasing green space; including BDP, Harvey Nichols, Crowne Plaza Manchester, Tidy Marketing, Castlefield Investments, Yvonne Dixon Events, SO Web Design, Nursery Fresh, AGP Energy, Groundwork and Create.

For more information and updates go to www.digthecity.co.uk