Another 4 days of summer family fun returned to Heywood, Middleton, Littleborough and Rochdale last week as the Feel Good Family Picnic events returned to the borough.
Organised by the council team behind Rochdale Feel Good Festival, a record 17,000 visits were made to events at Limefield Playing Fields, Hare Hill Park, Rochdale Town Hall Square and Queen’s Park as the spaces were transformed into a wonderland of theatre, puppetry, circus, dance, storytelling, music, carnival, sports and more. With a theme reflecting ‘co-operation,’ covering the arts, culture, communities, togetherness and the power of shared experiences there were over 20 free different attractions each day at the events, which were sponsored by automotive dealer Premier Kia.
Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council, said:
“We’ve seen a 2,000 increase in visitor numbers this year, the weather was kind to us and it was lovely to see communities coming together as well as so many visitors from across Greater Manchester and beyond enjoying our beautiful outdoor spaces. There were plenty of activities to keep everyone busy. Feedback so far has been superb, but do let us know your thoughts if you haven’t already by filling in our short online survey.”
Visitors enjoying the Feel Good Family Picnic at Queen's Park, Heywood.
‘Enjoying our beautiful outdoor spaces’
Mayor of Rochdale councillor Janet Emsley attended the events in Rochdale and Littleborough, saying they were fantastic:
“The Feel Good Family Picnic is such a joyous event and I was proud to see our parks filled with so many people enjoying the fun and making memories. Thank you to the organising team and all the staff involved, the volunteers who helped deliver such a great event, the performers and also the friends groups and volunteers who support these parks all year round. It was a fantastic showcase of teamwork and had a genuine sense of community spirit.”
'Now I become D/Deaf' featured a clown turning his own hearing loss into something extraordinary, drawing big crowds to every show.
Outdoor shows were staged to packed audiences including Tit for Tat Circus, who presented 2 shows. ‘Now I become D/Deaf’ was a visual spectacle, featuring a clown turning his own hearing loss into something extraordinary, tackling cultural boundaries and personal identity with moments of chaos, sincerity, interconnectivity and utter nonsense. The second - ‘A Knight Away’ featured Sir Kuss and his loyal squire on their well-deserved time off, with games, comedy and stupidity.
‘Stop Toi’ was a crowd pulling concert featuring 2 jugglers and a drummer with a crazy playlist, mixing smooth jazz with garage rock, throwing balls, twisting rings and performing crazy stunts.
Damoclès was a performance by Cirque Inextremiste exploring risk, trust, and collective co-operation.
Damoclès was a performance by Cirque Inextremiste exploring risk, trust, and collective co-operation, combining physical theatre with contemporary circus.
Amy from event sponsor Premier Kia with a visitor at the Feel Good Family Picnic in Littleborough.
Sponsor Premier Kia had an eye-catching brand area at each event including the electric Kia EV3, EV6 and the new Kia Sportage.
Rochdale’s M6 Theatre presented their heart-warming play 'The Street Where I Live'.
The storytelling tent was very busy with Rochdale’s M6 Theatre presenting their play ‘The Street Where I Live’ - exploring the warmth and diversity of a unique community, capturing the friendships, adventures and surprises that take place there. Frolicked Outdoor Theatre performed ‘The Alchemist’ - a light-hearted, magical, slightly-slapstick puppet show.
The carnival parade sets off around Rochdale Town Hall Square.
Each day a stunning carnival travelled around the parks with local performers led by international carnival arts company Global Grooves.
Tea Club celebrated Britain’s passion for tea and all things vintage with Trixie and Tilly serving drinks from their special musical trolley – dancing to their favourite gramophone records.
Music was provided by Flat Cap Brass, who played fun and friendly arrangements of popular nineties and noughties pop.
There was a special edition of the Teenage Market with stalls and performances.
For the first time there was a special edition of the Teenage Market with stalls and performances at each event. The Teenage Market gives local young traders and performers aged between 13 and 25 years old a chance to showcase their creative products and talents.
Hope the Hedgehog was a popular visitor at the event.
Thingumajig Theatre presented 2 shows full of surprises, fun, music and heart-warming stories and Hope the Hedgehog, a larger-than-life puppet crafted from recycled materials, delighted and inspired all ages.
Skylight Circus Arts performed another range of spectacular feats.
Skylight Circus Arts performed another range of spectacular feats including ariel tricks, stilt walking, juggling and clowning, with everyone invited to learn the skills led by professional circus artists.
Cartwheel Arts hosted craft workshops, inviting visitors to make bees and birds from repurposed and reused materials, reflecting the events commitment to environmental responsibility.
Visitors got chance to try a range of popular sports and games with staff from Your Trust.
Performers from HDH Dance based in Heywood, on stage at Queen’s Park.
Lots of visitors praised the event on social media with comments including: “a fabulous week,” “another really good event," "really enjoyed it,” "such a lovely family event," "superb day" "well organised and so much to do," and "brilliant."
The council wanted the event to reduce its impact on the environment as well as showing visitors ways to reduce their carbon footprint, save energy and be kinder to our planet so there were lots of sustainable activities to see and try, including upcycling, health and wellbeing, nature based craft activities, climate change discussions and water saving advice.
The event was staged by the council in partnership with Without Walls, a consortium of festivals and arts organisations bringing fantastic outdoor arts to people in towns and cities across England. As well as sponsorship from automotive dealer Premier Kia it was supported through the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
Frolicked Outdoor Theatre performed 'The Alchemist' – a light-hearted, magical, slightly-slapstick puppet show.
The Feel Good Family Picnic was part of a spectacular line up of festivals, live performances, exhibitions and art during Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture 2025-26. The title, awarded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, celebrates the town’s rich history, creativity, talent and diverse arts scene. Find out more about Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture.
- View photographs from the event on Facebook and leave your feedback
- if you’re posting on social media use #FeelGoodFamilyPicnic
Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture is being delivered by Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) in partnership with the borough’s arts community, supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Arts Council England.