{"id":830211,"date":"2026-03-16T19:50:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T19:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/830211\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T19:50:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T19:50:22","slug":"a-free-citywide-festival-is-coming-to-manchester-to-celebrate-the-arrival-of-spring-this-week-including-a-trail-where-you-can-see-the-best-of-the-cherry-blossom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/830211\/","title":{"rendered":"A free, citywide festival is coming to Manchester to celebrate the arrival of spring this week, including a trail where you can see the best of the cherry blossom"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"bloomtown<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: \u00a9National Trust Images\/Paul Harris\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0\u2013\u00a0
\n\t\t\t\tStaff Writer\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0
\n\t\t\tMarch 16, 2026<\/p>\n

Rain or shine, spring<\/a> is starting to\u2026 spring. The cherry blossoms<\/a> are rearing their heads and our hearts are fluttering at the sight of the odd daffodil; and as always, Manchester is truly benefitting from these gorgeous blooms already. In this vein, courtesy of the National Trust, Bloomtown<\/strong>\u00a0returns to Greater Manchester for its fourth year\u00a0this spring, celebrating the season when blossom\u00a0can be\u00a0seen\u00a0on trees.<\/p>\n

The festival, organised by the National Trust together with local schools, parks and community groups,\u00a0invites you to notice\u00a0and be inspired by\u00a0blossom where you live, work,\u00a0study\u00a0and play. It\u2019s part of the National Trust\u2019s Festival of Blossom<\/strong>,\u00a0made possible\u00a0by funding from players of People\u2019s Postcode Lottery.<\/p>\n

When does Bloomtown launch?<\/p>\n

\"bloomtownCredit: \u00a9National Trust Images\/Paul Harris<\/p>\n

Bloomtown\u00a0launches\u00a0on\u00a0Saturday\u00a021 March\u00a011am-3pm\u00a0in Heaton Park<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0blossom-themed\u00a0bike rides, poetry walks, arts and crafts<\/strong> and storytelling <\/strong>throughout the park.<\/p>\n

Bee Pedal Ready workshop<\/p>\n

Bee Pedal Ready<\/strong>,\u00a0Manchester\u2019s\u00a0women-led\u00a0workshop<\/strong>\u00a0empowering more people to repair and ride bikes,\u00a0is\u00a0throwing a\u00a0Pedal\u00a0Party<\/strong>\u00a0for children and families.\u00a0Bring\u00a0your bike\u00a0or borrow\u00a0one\u00a0for free\u00a0to adorn\u00a0with blossom and cycle<\/a> through the park<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is an optional\u00a0dress code<\/strong>:\u00a0\u2018celebrating\u00a0spring\u2019.\u00a0There will be\u00a0bike rides for\u00a0little ones\u00a0(2-5\u00a0years old)\u00a0and\u00a0children (6-10 years old)\u00a0accompanied by\u00a0their families.<\/p>\n

Stories in Bloom poetry walk<\/p>\n

Since\u00a0the launch coincides with\u00a0World Poetry\u00a0Day<\/strong>,\u00a0the National Trust has organised a Stories in Bloom poetry walk<\/a>\u00a0through\u00a0Heaton\u00a0Park\u2019s\u00a0blooming trees and plants.\u00a0After learning about\u00a0the blossoms at each stop,\u00a0you\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0given\u00a0a writing prompt\u00a0by\u00a0writing-in-nature guides Oak + Pen\u00a0to get\u00a0your ideas flowing.<\/p>\n

What else to expect at the Bloomtown Trail<\/p>\n

\"bloomtownCredit: \u00a9National Trust Images\/Paul Harris<\/p>\n

Bloomtown\u00a0runs from\u00a021 March\u00a0to 31 May<\/strong>\u00a0and will include more walks and\u00a0bike rides, poetry, dance, storytelling,\u00a0creative workshops\u00a0and blossom\u00a0hotspots to\u00a0visit, taking place at\u00a0the\u00a0National\u00a0Trust\u2019s\u00a0Castlefield\u00a0Viaduct,\u00a0Dunham\u00a0Massey<\/a>,\u00a0Quarry Bank<\/a>,\u00a0Lyme Park<\/a>, Speke\u00a0Hall<\/strong>\u00a0and in green spaces<\/a> all over Greater Manchester.<\/p>\n

Bloomtown Trail map to see the best blossom hotspots in Manchester<\/p>\n

\"bloomtownCredit: \u00a9National Trust Images\/James Beck<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Bloomtown\u00a0team has created\u00a0a\u00a0free\u00a0interactive paper and digital\u00a0map<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>with\u00a0over\u00a050 blossom hotspots to explore\u00a0and ideas for creative, no-cost\u00a0ways to connect with nature <\/strong>wherever you are. The map includes\u00a0walkable<\/a> routes<\/strong>\u00a0that will take you through a series of\u00a0floral\u00a0hotspots.<\/p>\n

Follow\u00a0the\u00a0Bloomtown\u00a0Trail\u00a0in Hulme & South Manchester, East Manchester, Salford, Manchester City Centre,\u00a0Trafford,\u00a0Rochdale<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Stockport<\/strong>, or\u00a0use the\u00a0map to explore and\u00a0create your own route.<\/p>\n

The National Trust\u2019s access to nature ambition<\/p>\n

\"bloomtownCredit: \u00a9National Trust Images\/Paul Harris<\/p>\n

Beyond celebrating the beauty of blossom, the festival is part of the National Trust\u2019s\u00a0goal\u00a0to\u00a0end unequal access to nature<\/strong>\u00a0in Greater Manchester.\u00a0It\u00a0draws attention to\u00a0nature renewal\u00a0that is happening locally<\/strong>\u00a0and green spaces\u00a0that may be small or tucked away<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

National Trust\u2019s Senior Visitor Experience Officer,\u00a0Beth Talbot<\/strong> said: \u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0about finding and noticing nature.\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0so much around us that you might not notice otherwise, small areas with plants and trees and pocket parks. People tell us, \u2018I didn\u2019t realise how many parks I can visit near my\u00a0home\u2019.\u00a0Getting more people out there means that space is used,\u00a0enjoyed\u00a0and better cared for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bloomtown at Castlefield Viaduct<\/p>\n

In 2022 the National Trust transformed Castlefield Viaduct<\/a>, a Victorian\u00a0railway bridge\u00a0in central Manchester\u00a0out of use since 1969, into a sky garden\u00a0and green corridor<\/strong> for nature to enter the city.<\/p>\n

During\u00a0Bloomtown, Castlefield Viaduct will host\u00a0events<\/a>\u00a0for visitors to get creative surrounded by blossoming fuji cherries, apple\u00a0trees\u00a0and spring flowers<\/strong>.\u00a0Bring blossom to even the smallest urban spaces by making your own\u00a0strawberry blossom hanging basket<\/a> to keep, or learn\u00a0about the\u00a0importance of wildflowers<\/a> and plant some of your own.<\/p>\n

\"bloomtownCredit: \u00a9National Trust Images\/Paul Harris<\/p>\n

Laura Nash, Community Engagement Co-ordinator at Castlefield Viaduct<\/strong>, said: \u201cAs Blossom is starting to appear and the warmer weather is inviting people outdoors again it\u2019s a good time to notice and connect with nature.\u00a0We are working with various groups across Manchester doing activities such as flowerpot swaps,\u00a0Hapa\u00a0Zome, poetry,\u00a0murals\u00a0and planting seeds.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Viaduct is also the start\u00a0and end\u00a0point\u00a0for a\u00a0walkable trail<\/a>\u00a0though\u00a0the city centre via\u00a0fifteen blossom hotspots including\u00a0Sackville Gardens, Cutting Room Square, Manchester Cathedral<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0St. Peter\u2019s Square<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Where can I get a Bloomtown Trail map?<\/p>\n

You can collect a\u00a0Bloomtown\u00a0map\u00a0for free\u00a0at the launch event at Heaton Park\u00a0on Saturday\u00a021 March<\/strong>,\u00a0from\u00a0Castlefield Viaduct <\/strong>and other festival venues and hotspots<\/strong>,\u00a0or view it\u00a0online here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Credit: \u00a9National Trust Images\/Paul Harris \u00a0\u2013\u00a0 Staff Writer \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0 March 16, 2026 Rain or shine, spring is starting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":830212,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,96736,238338,393,25924,4884,22283,238339,2465,26793,238340,24380,28671,16,15],"class_list":["post-830211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-manchester","tag-britain","tag-castlefield-viaduct","tag-cherry-blossom","tag-england","tag-flowers","tag-great-britain","tag-heaton-park","tag-lyme-park","tag-manchester","tag-national-trust","tag-quarry-bank","tag-spring","tag-trees","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116240595687222604","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/830211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=830211"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/830211\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/830212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=830211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=830211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=830211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}