A special 'love festival' filled with music, poetry and picture-perfect spots for romantic proposals and insta selfies is being planned in the centre of Manchester for Valentine's Day. The free event will run across four days in February including Valentine's Day itself on February 14 at Spinningfields.
The "With love, Spinningfields x" event is being described as "the ultimate Valentine's Day experience" and will run in the day on 10th, 11th, 13th and 14th February 2023 around Hardman Square. Organisers say it's open to everyone, not just couples, and that it is as much for "Gals and the Pals as it is for the Vals".
It will bring a huge neon sign to illuminate the area with a well known mix of five words that will "mean something different to everyone and provide the perfect picture backdrop", alongside some of the area’s other permanent light installations. Bosses of the business district say the lights will all be turning a lovely shade of red for the occasion too.
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Those in attendance will be welcomed by a very special host and guided to the starting point located under a Heart Arch (which they're calling a "Harch"). Here, they will be given the opportunity to pick an envelope containing a surprise song from a secret selection of popular tracks, as voted for on social media by the people of Manchester, which will then be played in their honour by a stunning string quartet.
Following the serenade, it will be time to take the envelope to a storyteller extraordinaire who will use it, alongside some skillfully extracted facts from the pair in question, to create a fitting finale in the form of a bespoke love story for the ages.
As part of the experience, Spinningfields will be bringing together businesses in the area to create a "simply perfect proposal package" and offering couples the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enter a competition to win, with details set to be announced on its social media accounts.
Claudia Bloomfield, Spinningfields Marketing Manager at ALL+ Management, said: "Love is in the air at Spinningfields this Valentine’s Day and our interactive experience 'With Love, Spinningfields x' is designed to bring smiles to faces. So whether you're celebrating Galentines, Palentine's, Valentine's or something completely different, this one's for you."
"We spread the love as much as we can, and previous Valentine's Days at Spinningfields have seen us install a monumental, six-metre, inflatable heart by French artist Franck Pelletier, which generated the heartbeat of the city. We also had an iconic, huge, illuminated heart in collaboration with artist Stuart Langley, that was displayed on one of the city’s tallest commercial office buildings, No.1 Spinningfields."
Spinningfields is the business district created just off Deansgate around Hardman Street, Hardman Square and runs down to the River Irwell. Popular bars and restaurants in the area include The Ivy, Australasia, The Alchemist, Tattu, Wagamama and Pret.
The With Love event will run on Friday February 10th, Saturday 11th, Monday 13th & Tuesday 14th February, from 12 – 2pm and 4 – 6pm at Hardman Square. It is free to enter and open to all.
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