Indie food, makers and music: Deansgate Mews Festival returns to the Great Northern Warehouse

Back by incredibly popular demand, Manchester’s iconic Great Northern Warehouse is set to welcome its three-day festival back to The Mews, a unique food, drink and entertainment hotspot perched just above Deansgate.

Deansgate Mews Festival will take place from Fri 20-Sun 22 May and will host live music, market traders and outdoor dining from much-loved residents such as Another Hand, The Mews Bar, Lion’s Den, Low Four and Holy Grain.

The festival will be completely free to attend—and the final day will conveniently coincide with the Great Manchester Run.

Music and entertainment will be provided by over 40 different artists and bands from the Lion’s Den outdoor stage, while a second stage will be located just a couple of doors down in Low Four.

The line-up features supremely talented local acts like South By Zero, The France and Uno Mas, all of whom will be taking to the Lion’s Den Stage. Friday night will also see exclusive DJ sets from Mancunian-icon and radio presenter, Clint Boon, while Saturday night will feature Nigel ‘Wingman’ Clucas.

Meanwhile, the brand new Low Four stage will boast a line-up of new Manchester artists including electronic-folk act and current London Roundhouse resident artist IORA on Friday night. Saturday afternoon’s programme has emerging local talent, including fast-rising indie-rocker Hannah Ashcroft, and then in the evening progressive electronic music label Ad Hoc Records takes control ’til late. Starting early on Sunday, the self-proclaimed ‘Marple’s third-best band’ Dutch Uncles will help Great Manchester Runners and festival-goers alike, warm down with what is likely to be a suitably wonky DJ set.

On the food and drink front, there’ll be a tasty array of indie operators to choose from, all straight from the kitchens based on Deansgate Mews. This includes Another Hand—the new project from the team behind 3 Hands Deli—which focuses on the process of low-intervention and locally sourced produce, and The Mews Bar, famed for its spectacular charcuterie boards and perfectly-paired wines.

Festival-goers can also browse an eclectic selection of original and quirky gifts, with pop-up shops such as Gift Emporium setting up alongside other local Manchester makers like floristry specialist Bahflorals and indie clothing brand Elize Clothing.

Festival organisers are actively inviting a range of local independent businesses to showcase their products via a market stall and meet new customers face to face at this year’s festival.

Businesses who wish to get involved will be charged £15 per day to host a market stall, with all fees being donated to local community charity, Forever Manchester—the only charity that raises money to fund and support community activity across Greater Manchester.

Anyone interested in taking a stall should email emma.james@thegreatnorthern.com, and for more information visit the Great Northern Warehouse website.