We Invented the Weekend is a bold and imaginative free festival for the North, celebrating all the ways we fill our free time in the very place the weekend was invented!
Back in 2019, in a workshop with local workers and residents, someone said to us “I was watching Who Do You Think You Are on the telly and the weekend was invented here”. What a claim! We did some research and found out it was true – a Salford-based workers rights activist called Robert Lowes (who also happens to be Sir Ian McKellen’s great great grandfather) led a campaign to allow workers to finish early on Saturdays to give everyone more free time. And with that, the weekend was born.
This felt like a story worth telling – and what better way to tell the world that with a new, bold and imaginative free festival for the North, celebrating all the ways we fill our free time in the very place the weekend was invented!
We Invented the Weekend raised over £350,000 in year one and has fantastic partners including the BBC, The Lowry, the University of Salford, Eat Well MCR, HOST, Ipsos, The Open University, the Royal Horticultural Society, Salford Community Leisure, Salford City Council, Salford CVS, Sounds From the Other City, the Science and Industry Museum, Unity Radio, the University of Manchester and hundreds of community organisations from all regions of the city. And then on the eve of the festival with all stages built, the artist and performers rehearsing and the delivery team on site, Queen Elizabeth passed away. Unfortunately we had to cancel the event.
Thankfully, the partners rallied round and in June 2023 the inaugural We Invented the Weekend took place throwing open all MediaCity and Salford Quays’ spaces and places to over 60,000 people (massively smashing all MediaCity football records) to celebrate the joy of free time with a programme over 270 free activities including sports, music, greening and gardening, theatre, dance, workshops, talks, food, charity, wellness, crafts and more. By bringing people to the space, activating the water, celebrating the history, and filling the place with creativity, culture and community activity, this event brilliantly communicates all of MediaCity values, lives up to its vision and activates the placemaking strategy.
We Invented the Weekend was placed within the top ten UK free festivals 2023 and will now be a regular fixture in the calendar.
We were able to build upon an already enviable list of partners for 2024 including the BBC, The Lowry, The University of Salford, Bupa, TfGM and Salford Community Leisure by adding Title Partners Auto Trader to the mix raising a sponsorship income of £250,000
Once again MediaCity and Salford Quays opened their spaces to over 96,000 people across the free celebratory two day festival. 12 different venues across the site hosting over 200 pieces of content including a headline set by DJ Paulette, appearances by the Gladiators and Bluey, BMX Freestyling with British Cycling, folk legend Peggy Seager performing an abandoned verse of Ewan MacColls ‘Dirty Old Town’, the Peoples Catwalk, Freetime Parade plus ethical shopping, sports, creative workshops, watersports, boat rides and more!
Evaluation estimates the event generated an economic impact of over 2 million and evidenced a positive impact on the local community, both culturally and economically. The weekend attracted returning and first time visitors, indicating a growing audience base and was praised for its inclusivity and a wide range of activities available for both families and individuals.
The third We Invented the Weekend, always conceived as a biennial event, will return to MediaCity in 2026
