3rd March 2014
Manchester’s Water Palace Reveals 2014 Event Line-up
Victoria Baths is launching a new line-up of events inviting visitors to immerse
themselves in a world of culture, arts and heritage throughout 2014. Hot on the heels
of last year’s celebrations marking ten years since the BBC Restoration win, events
will include a series of themed Open Days, festivals and never before seen
performances.
First opened in 1906, the grandeur of Victoria Baths with its three vast pools,
sumptuous Turkish baths suite, spectacular stained glass, deep green tiling and
mosaic floors cannot fail to capture the imagination. A Marks & Spencer swimsuit
exhibition featuring retro styles will provide a nostalgic backdrop for the new season.
Vintage Home Shows
16th March, 29th June and 26th October (Sundays, 11am-4pm), £3 per person
Discover Vintage will transform Victoria Baths into vintage heaven, where shoppers
can hunt for unique pieces of furniture, ceramics, textiles and lighting. Dating from
the 20’s through to the 70’s, there’s everything from vintage trunks and retro
telephones to kitsch artwork and antiques. Visitors can refresh themselves with lunch
in the café and also discover the story of Victoria Baths on an afternoon tour of the
building.
Musical Tour of Victoria Baths
Sunday 23rd March (12-3pm), FREE event
As part of Manchester Histories Festival, singer songwriter Dave Carden will perform
his own musical version of the colourful history of Victoria Baths. If you’ve ever
wondered about the difference between the 1st and 2nd class swimming provision, or
how romances started here, or want to celebrate our Channel Swimming heroine
Sunny Lowry, come along for what is sure to be a highly entertaining performance.
Un-Rest
Thursday 24th April – Sunday 4th May (various times): Exhibition free including
opening night with performance lecture, Naomi Kendrick performance £5, Northern
Soul all-nighter £10, Open Day with Morris v Soul dance-off £2.50 adults, children
free
A ten-day arts event exploring physical expression through contemporary art, video
installations and dance performances. The mad and wonderful fusion of events
includes a performance lecture by Dominique Tessier, a drawing to music interactive
performance with artist Naomi Kendrick, a Northern Soul all-nighter with top DJs,
and a Northern Soul v Morris dance-off with designer Wayne Hemmigway. The
exhibition and events have been made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council
England.
Independent Manchester Beer Convention
9th – 12th October, tickets on sale 1st April, more details: www.indymanbeercon.co.uk
Sample some of the world’s newest and most daring beers and speak to the brewers
behind them. Taking place throughout the building, there will be a huge variety of
cask and keg beers on offer as well as food stalls, pop-up tastings, live music and
talks. This will be the third Independent Manchester Beer Convention; it’s a beer
festival like no other and is sure to be a sell-out event, so book early to avoid
disappointment.
Weekly Wednesday tours
Every Wednesday at 2pm from 2nd April to 29th October, £5 per adult, under 16s free
Get to know more about this fascinating building on one of the popular guided tours
of the historic Baths. Hear tales of its champion swimmers, see England’s first ever
Jacuzzi, and take in the opulence of the Males 1st Class pool with its newly restored
stained glass AQUA window. Or discover lesser know areas such as the laundry
house, boiler room and spaces that have been used as TV locations for series
including Life on Mars and Mrs Biggs, on a special Behind the Scenes tour.
Upcoming tours can be found on the website www.victoriabaths.org.uk
Open Days and Fairs
Please see events calendar below for various dates. £2.50 per adult, under 16s free
Monthly Open Days from April to November provide the chance to fully explore
Manchester’s Edwardian architectural gem. Running alongside the Open Days will
be a series of special fairs selling books and collectables, art and crafts, vintage
clothing and homeware. Choirs and acapella groups will entertain visitors, making
the most of the dramatic acoustics. Especially for Heritage Open Days (13th and 14th
September) there will be a colourful exhibition from the Contemporary Glass Society
with the region’s top glass artists displaying and selling their work.
2014 Open Day Calendar
Date and Time
Event
Sun 6 Apr (11am – 4pm)
Open Day and Vintage Fair
Sun 4th May (12pm – 4pm)
UnRest Open Day and Dance Off
th
Sun 1st Jun (11am – 4pm)
Open Day and Book, Record & Collectables Fair
Sun 6 Jul (12pm – 4pm)
Open Day and Art & Craft Fair
Sun 3rd Aug (12pm – 4pm)
Open Day and Tea Dance
Sun 7th Sept (12pm – 4pm)
Open Day with Choir performance
Sat 13th and Sun 14th Sept
(11am – 4pm)
Heritage Open Days and Glass Fair
Sun 5th Oct (11am – 4pm)
Open Day and Vintage Fair
Sun 2nd Nov (12pm – 4pm)
Open Day and Art & Craft Fair
th
Contemporary Glass Society exhibition
For images, press passes and other media requests contact Rose Allerston or
Laura Sullivan Fido PR:
E: rose.allerston@fidopr.co.uk / laura.sullivan@fidopr.co.uk T: 0161 274 3311
ENDS
A brief history of Victoria Baths
Victoria Baths is one of Manchester’s leading heritage visitor attractions and arts
venues which holds regular opens days, guided tours and special event for the public
each year. When it first opened in 1906, the building provided spacious and
extensive facilities for swimming, bathing and leisure. The Baths closed in 1993
despite protests from local residents, but it was listed Grade II* as a result of its
historic and architectural significance and the campaign to save the building has
continued ever since.
In September 2003, the Baths won the first series of the BBC's Restoration
programme, securing £3.4million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The front of the
building has been fully restored externally including many of the building’s unique
stained glass windows, and further funding enabled the renewal of the Gala pool
roof. The vision for the future is to reopen the Turkish baths and one of the three
pools to the public once again.