Charity Super.Mkt is back for We Invented the Weekend 2024

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
May 1, 2024

The success of last summer’s ‘We Invented the Weekend’, means the free festival and shopping event will return to MediaCity and Salford Quays, Manchester, across 15-16 June.

And this event promises to be bigger and better than the first, with 200-plus free activities across the weekend.

Under the event's ‘Retail Therapy’ banner, a first for the festival will see Melanin Markets showcase 10 black-owned independent businesses and traders.

Also, Charity Super.Mkt returns to supply a curated collection of fashion, accessories and homewares from a dozen of the UK’s best local and national charity retailers. 

Founder of Community Clothing and presenter of BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee, Patrick Grant, is also returning for 2024 and will join the talks programme as well as the Community Clothing shop.

Other highlights include Northern Music Awards’ Best DJs, appearances by fitness instructor Mr Motivator, popular cartoon dog Bluey, CBeebies Bedtime Stories, the BBC Philharmonic delivering Musical Story and British Cycling. Music sets are provided by Secret Night Gang, DJ Roesh, Zed Bias, Eves Drop Collective and Playhouse Project. 

Other areas will include Sports & Welbeing, Gardening/Green Initiatives, Joyful Mass Participation moments, Education/We Think Big talks.
Last year, the festival saw 60,000 visitors, bringing over £3.2 million to the local economy. 

Wayne Hemingway, co-founder of the festival said: “[The event] celebrates Greater Manchester’s gift to the world in a truly unique and special way.” He noted that all events are free and mostly un-ticketed, although a small number may be bookable.