By Jack Holmes
The biennial Manchester Histories Festival (MHF) will return to the city for the fourth time this June and bring with it over 180 events. Delivered by the small charity, Manchester Histories, the festival will take place between the 3rd and 12th of June.
The MHF will work in association with the local community and various organizations to deliver ten days of music, film, debate, talks, theatre performances, tours, exhibitions and more. The ten days also includes the Manchester celebration day at the Manchester Town Hall and Manchester Central Library on the 11th June, which promises to celebrate all things Mancunian.
Whether you’re a history buff or not, the MHF aims to shed light on some of Manchester’s lesser known histories, as well as celebrate those that have actively built the city’s current success and status on both a regional and global scale.
Featuring historical re-enactments, spitfire flyovers and the firing of cannons, MHF aims to bring a certain level of excitement for the city’s more active history fans. There will also be a number of debates on the historical significance of ordinary people’s stories, including those from diverse communities, giving the public a chance to learn how their current lives have been affected by the past of the city and its people.
Feminism and sexuality will also be taking centre stage, with talks on LGBT rights and an exploration of the political movements that have sprung from Manchester over the decades and centuries. There will also be a full event focusing on the Suffragette movement within the city.
Other unique events include trips to Godlee Observatory Tour, a unique opportunity to get inside one of Manchester’s hidden gems. The location was famously used by local astronomers for over 100 years to study the wider cosmos and help place Manchester on the scientific world map.
‘Making Music in Manchester’ is another event that will shed light on previously unseen articles from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) Archives. They will be further explored by Director of Research at RNCM Professor Barbara Kelly, Deputy Librarian Geoff Thomason and PhD student Rachel Johnson. This will all be followed by a 1915 WW1 concert recreation, performed by current RNCM students, of Debussy’s Sonata for Cello and Piano.
The festival also aims to use the city’s history to try and predict its future. From walks of Manchester’s underground waterways and discussions of their future within the rapidly changing city, to the scientific breakthroughs predicted in the near future from sociological studies, to the recent developments in graphene research.
With most of the events being completely free and new events added daily, it’s worth keeping an eye on the Manchester Histories Twitter feed at @mcrhistfest and the MHF Facebook page. You can also view the entire festival programme on their website. There’s truly something for everyone to look forward to this June.
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