Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Party promises to be bigger than ever before

Passionate Munyengeterwa
11/ 7/2008

PARTY in the Park comes back bigger and better than ever this weekend, with a talent contest and radio roadshow, 'flower power' from local primary school pupils and Europe's first Urbanathlon.

Sunday's event will see hundreds of people tackle the 10k urban assault course between the City of Manchester Stadium and the park - using stairs, cars and fallen trees as obstacles.

Among the participants will be a group of homeless people from Limes hostel, which provides sporting and other activities and job training.

For those who are vocal rather than athletic there's the East Factor talent contest run by community radio station All Fm, which will also broadcast live through the day.

A 'field of flowers' will be 'planted' by children from Ashbury Meadow, Ravensbury, St Brigid's and St Clement's primary schools, who have made more than 300 flowers using recycled materials with community artists from Gorton Visual Arts.

People can join in on this fantastic display by taking part in the flower-making workshop. There's also chance to create giant bubbles, foam towers, grass seed hedgehogs and decorate a plant pot, as the flowery theme continues throughout the day with the Seeds of the East environmental extravaganza, organised by New East Manchester.

Performance artists and street performers will provide the entertainment - including Greenhouse Mayhem, Space Cadets and a puppet show made and performed by primary school children.

Winners of the garden competition for people in Beswick, Clayton and Openshaw will be announced, with the victors receiving their prizes from Bill Blackledge, chairman of the Royal Horticultural Society in the north west.

Mr Blackledge will also host a gardeners' question time, there's Urban Angels stilt walkers, amazing environmental balloon modelling, a flowery circus show, tours of nearby allotments and the community orchard, a market and plenty of stalls.

Party in the Park is on from 12noon to 4pm.