Albert Square hosts fantastic finale finish for this year’s Manchester Day

The show-stopping grand finale on Albert Square had the whole crowd dancing and cheering in next to no time and saw musicians from Manchester and Barcelona, led by Manchester’s Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, Fat Cat Brass and others.

Together with The Always Drinking Marching Band from Barcelona, descend on the square from every direction, playing their hearts out with a medley of songs each one faster and louder than the rest.

At the same time fiery dragons, dancers, and wheelbarrow-pushing garden gnomes joined Manchester’s fabulous giant bees and Barcelona’s stunning historical King and Queen gegants – on their first-ever trip away from Barcelona – in what soon became a massive party on the square, ending carnival style with a whirlwind of confetti that showered down on the square and everyone in it.

The Catalan performers were in Manchester as part of a unique cultural partnership between Manchester and Barcelona, to bring some Barcelona vibes to Manchester and to help the city celebrate its special day with a Catalan twist.

Their visit follows Manchester’s role as guest city at last year’s La Mercé Festival in Barcelona, which saw performers and musicians from Manchester invited to Barcelona to take part in the iconic annual festival.

The spectacular finale was a fitting end to a day that had seen artists and performers from Manchester and from Barcelona come together to create a fun-filled day of thrills, excitement, and laughter – with a massive Manchester welcome given by the watching crowds to all the performers who had travelled from Barcelona to take part in the day.

Other Catalan highlights included The Ultimate Player’s Handbook – a fabulous dance performance that saw dancers from Manchester’s own Company Chameleon join forces with dancers from Catalan company Clementine & Lisard to perform a vibrant dance piece created and first performed at La Mercé last year.

Performance artist and Catalan superstar Joan Català also paid a visit to Manchester, performing Pelat – his gravity-defying show performed with a giant wooden pole that mixes circus, dance and thrilling theatre, which left the crowds in absolute awe of his daring stunts as they watched.

The crowds also loved the acrobatics, dance and physical theatre of Catalan performers Elelei with their piece Too Much, alongside an immersive travelling pop-up performance theatre piece from Kamchàtka, and Zum-Zum Theatre’s incredible herd of bright pink inflatable hippos.

Cllr Pat Karney, Chair of Manchester Day, said:

“One of the best things about Manchester Day this year was seeing Albert Square playing its part once again in Manchester’s favourite day of the year.  It was fantastic to see it so vibrant and full of life and energy again.  The crowds were loving it and even a sprinkling of good old-fashioned Manchester rain in the morning – much needed as we all know, even though we weren’t really wanting it to rain on our parade – didn’t dampen people’s enthusiasm for coming into town and enjoying the day.

“And seeing our majestic town hall clock tower once again as a backdrop to what was a sensational crowd-pleaser of a finale finish to an incredible day celebrating our wonderful city, felt like coming home again for the first time after a very long time away.  It was simply brilliant – you could see that in the faces of the crowds – utterly heartwarming and it felt so right.

“It’s been a fantastic day from start to finish with such a brilliant atmosphere right across the city, including in Albert Square.  I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped make it happen and to all who took part – from Manchester and from Barcelona – for sharing their talents with us and helping make it the best Manchester Day yet!

“And a massive thank you also of course to everyone here in Manchester who helps make our city the brilliant place it is, the place we all know and love – Manchester, the best city in the world!”