Albert Square is the heart of this year’s Festival, offering:

• Food and drink in the Festival Pavilion and the Bright Stripes Café (provided by Heathcotes Outside – menu below)
• DJs ’til late every night – free (schedule below)
• Free Wi-Fi internet access
• The Pavilion Theatre hosting several of the Festival’s live music gigs and other events
• Festival information and box office

It’s the perfect place to eat, drink and relax during the day and night, either in our large outdoor seating area or within the stunning Festival Pavilion (designed by award-winning architects Stephenson Bell). And, best of all, admission to the site is free.

The Festival Pavilion is open from 11am ’til late, every day until Sat 18 July.

In 2009, the BBC’s Culture Show covered Manchester International Festival, documenting world premiere performances and specially commissioned projects.

Heathcotes Outside – Menu
Bright Stripes Café – Food served 11am ’til late daily
Festival Pavilion – Food & licensed bar 11am ’til late daily

Heathcotes have used ingredients from suppliers in Lancashire and Cheshire wherever possible, so you’ll know that you are getting the best and freshest food from the North West.

To download a more detailed menu, click here.

Hot & cold filled baguettes & ciabattas from £4 Dry-cured Lancashire farm bacon on ciabatta Heathcotes ploughman’s sandwich (ham hock terrine, Mrs Kirkham’s creamy Lancashire cheese, tomato pickle Glasson Dock smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, fennel salad Summer salads from £4.50 Heathcotes ploughman’s ham hock terrine & creamy Lancashire cheese Summer leaves, blushed tomatoes, feta cheese, olives and Northwich asparagus Drinks & snacks from £1.50 A selection of cakes, pastries, coffees, teas, juices and soft drinks. The teas available at the Pavilion have been supplied by Pukka.

Grazing-platters to share from £11.50 for two people BBQ platter Sweet chilli chicken wings, barbecued sticky ribs, onion bhajis, pork brochettes, garlic and herb ciabatta, blushed tomatoes, summer leaves Vegetarian Black and green marinated olives, stuffed mini peppers, seared artichokes, mushroom arancini, onion bhajis, garlin and herb ciabatta, mini mozzarella and cherry tomatoes Antipasti Italian salami, seared globe artichokes, aioli, char-grilled peppers and courgettes, stuffed baby peppers, pesto sauce, crostini, grissini & flat breads and marinated olives Plus… from £3.50 Daily specials Fresh summer fruit salad with natural yoghurt & honey Strawberries & cream

FREE DJs

Come and listen to some of the city’s best DJs every night at the Pavilion Bar. All DJ nights are FREE to attend.
 

Fri 3	‘Contort Yourself’ with resident DJs, plus BICEP (Ghost Town NYC) DJ set Playing the best in cosmic pop, wobbly electro and floorfilling punk funk, ‘Contort Yourself’ has established itself as one of Manchester’s most exciting and forward-looking club nights.
Sat 4	‘Sweet Sensation’ with Dave Haslam & special guest Leo Outcast (Disco Outcasts) ‘Sweet Sensation’ has become something of a word-of-mouth success in Manchester in recent years, building a loyal and enthusiastic following with a perfect Saturday night selection of classic funk, soul, and house.
Sun 5	DJs Hewan Clarke & Dr D (Reno, the Gallery, The Soul Club) Two giants of the Manchester soul scene, with glorious pasts at clubs like the Reno and the Gallery, still flying the flag at their current residency, ‘The Soul Club’.
Mon 6	‘My Bag’ featuring DJs Justine Alderman & Martin Glynn ‘My Bag’ is a relaxed, truly eclectic, and well-established night fronted by two SubSpace residents.
Tue 7	DJ Mike Chadwick (JazzFM / Band on the Wall) Mike Chadwick is probably Manchester’s finest jazz DJ – from Decoy Records, to JazzFM and now Band on the Wall.
Wed 8	Fujiya & Miyagi DJ set Fujiya & Miyagi’s Lightbulbs was one of 2008’s most acclaimed albums. This is their first DJ set in Manchester.
Thu 9	DJ Phil Beckett (Radio Republic) The Pavilion welcomes Phil Beckett, one of Manchester’s taste-makers, renowned in recent years for his work at ‘The Rock & Roll Bar’ and the original 96.2 The Revolution.
Fri 10	‘Micron’ featuring guest DJ Justin Robertson ‘Micron’ is one of Mixmag’s favourite underground clubs, and this evening they host Justin Robertson, one of the big names in clubland since his early days at groundbreaking Manchester clubs like ‘Most Excellent’.
Sat 11	DJs Dave Haslam & Natalie Brogan (Venus) Natalie is a rising star on Manchester’s funky house scene with residencies in Ibiza this Summer, but flies back to go head to head with the Hacienda’s Dave Haslam.
Sun 12	‘Carry On’ with resident DJs, plus special guest Merka Breaks, beats, electro and dub, with the full ‘Carry On’ collective, plus guest DJ Merka
Mon 13	‘Chips with Everything’ DJs Their inspired booking policies and the Chips DJs’ messy, imaginative, sets have established ‘Chips With Everything’ as one of Manchester’s most exciting and unpredictable club nights.
Tue 14	DJ Don Letts (the Roxy, BBC 6 Music) A rare Manchester appearance by Don Letts, a music legend who played reggae at the Roxy, managed the Slits, founded Big Audio Dynamite, and is now an acclaimed film maker.
Wed 15	‘Redbricks’ with special guest DJ Cherrystones A Manchester & London club night awash with acid-folk, psychedelia, krautrock, progrock, and freakbeat.
Thu 16	‘Development’ v ‘Out of the Gloom’ Two of Manchester’s true believers in quality underground house unite, with a line-up including Chris E, Mike O’Mara, Chris Feinmann, Tom Lynch, and Steph Holland.
Fri 17	‘Community’ featuring DJ Irfan plus Republic of Swing Irfan plays broken beats, hip-hop and salsa, alongside the unmissable Republic of Swing.
Sat 18	‘Yellow’ hosted by Dave Haslam, with special guest Ashley Beedle (X-Press 2) An exceptional finale to the DJ series, featuring DJ and producer Ashley Beedle.

Conceptual sketch © stephenson / bell architects