Festival Square is always the beating heart of MIF. Directly in front of Manchester’s town hall on Albert Square, and open every day of the festival from noon to late, the square was home to the Roger Stephenson-designed Festival Pavilion, the Glass House – a beautiful space from Specialist Structures Ltd, the Festival Cafe, home to Heathcotes Outside and of course, the Pavilion Theatre which played host to some unforgettable performances from Paul Heaton, Candi Staton, Sinead O’Connor and Johnny Vegas.
Pavilion Theatre
The Festival’s own performance space returned to the square for MIF11 with an expanded programme that included a very special appearance by Candi Staton,Sinéad O’Connor, Paul Heaton, Johnny Vegas and the True Faith series.
Festival Café
Festival Café was the place to come for delicious snacks presented by the Festival’s catering partner, Heathcotes Outside.
The Glass House
A new addition to Festival Square for this year’s MIF was the Glass House, a beautiful space designed by Specialist Structures Ltd. Open from 5pm on weekdays and noon at weekends, complete with two fully-licensed bars and a rooftop terrace kitted out by Ferrious (ferriousonline.co.uk), Manchester’s uber-cool suppliers of furniture, kitchens, lighting and interior design advice. It’s the ideal place to have a pre- or post-performance drink or just to chill out.