Town Centre News

Thousands ‘feel good’ at festival

Posted on 16/08/2010

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Over 10,000 people packed Rochdale town centre this weekend to enjoy a full programme of music, food and family entertainment in the sunshine during what organisers say was the most successful ever Feel Good Festival.

Crowds enjoyed the fine weather as the town centre was filled with the biggest line up of free entertainment ever seen at the annual summer festival.

Celebrity chefs Gino D’Acampo, Aazam Ahmad and Andrew Nutter tickled taste buds in the celebrity kitchen, with over 1400 food fans enjoying a live cookery masterclass in the food tent.

A large market on The Butts proved very popular with residents and visitors from across the North West and was busy throughout the festival, with a range of food, snacks, gifts, treats and surprises from across the world.

On Saturday, the big main stage by Rochdale Town Hall was opened by local band Dead Kestrels. They were followed by Ellen and the Escapades, Kirsty Almeida, The Travelling Band and The Herbaliser, before headline act The Lighting Seeds took to the stage around 9.30 pm for a blistering one hour greatest hits set. Lead singer Ian Broudie received a rapturous welcome from the thousands of fans who packed the town hall square and they were treated to hits such as ‘Pure’, ‘The Live of Riley’, Sugar Coated Iceberg’ and ‘Marvellous’. DJ Dave Sweetmore delighted revellers throughout the mammoth seven hour show with a selection of indie and dance classics, as the sun set over the town hall.

During the festival six indoor venues hosted live music performances including a night of indie at the Litten Tree, and a mesmerising acoustic performance from Karima Francis at Bar 5 on Saturday afternoon.

Singer and new Emmerdale star Catherine Tyldesley took to the stage at Touchstones on the Esplanade, along with pupils from Falinge Park High School, rat pack singer Keith Swift and budding young local singing star Ellysse Mason.

Skylight Circus Arts provided breathtaking ariel acrobatic displays and the town was packed with an array of weird and wonderful theatre.

Council Leader Irene Davidson attended the event on both days and said it was a fabulous festival: “Congratulations to all involved in the event, for a job well done. It was wonderful to see the town so busy. This has been our most successful ever festival and was enjoyed by thousands of people of all ages. It helped to bring lots of visitors to the town centre to shop local and the atmosphere was buzzing. The feedback we have had so far from both visitors and businesses has been fantastic, and I am delighted to see once again how each year the event continues to grow and helps us celebrate Rochdale.”

Event Organiser Debbie O’Brien added: “I was delighted with the support we got and it was great to see so many families enjoying themselves. Local businesses have been very busy and the weather was kind to us! Events like this are great in getting people into our local bars and restaurants and supporting local retailers. Last year was really well received by people but for 2010 we worked on making it bigger and better.”

For photos, reviews and videos from the festival visit www.facebook.com/feelgoodfestival and www.rochdale.gov.uk

The Feel Good Festival was organised by Rochdale Town Centre Management and Rochdale Borough Council. It was sponsored by Love Food Hate Waste and Do you Feel Good?

The Feel Good Festival will be followed next month by the Tour of Britain cycle race which starts in Rochdale on Saturday 11 September. 100 of the UK’s top cyclists will be taking part in this major sporting event including Bradley Wiggins and Ed Clancy. There’ll be lots of free activities going on in town including a climbing wall, mountain bike obstacle course, face painting, bouncy castle, folding bike competition and vintage bike display. Visitors will also get a chance to meet the cyclists before the race starts.