Over 28,000 people celebrate our HOMEwarming weekend

We’re delighted to announce that our HOMEwarming weekend of celebrations over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend to mark the opening of our new home attracted around 28,000 visitors.

Headed by our patron Danny Boyle, our Director and Chief Executive Dave Moutrey, and Leader of Manchester City Council Sir Richard Leese, our HOMEwarming weekend saw over 100 events over the the weekend, including a series of new commissions across theatre, art and film alongside touring shows and parties each night. People of all ages came to enjoy our buzzing new spaces, interactive theatre and film screenings, exhibitions, buildings and backstage tours.

On Thursday evening we celebrated the press night of The Funfair, a spectacular new adaptation by Simon Stephens of Odon Von Horvarth’s Kasimir and Karoline. The opening group exhibition The heart is deceitful above all things, an exploration of heartbreak and the dark side of the funfair opened on Friday. Celebrations on the theme of heartbreak continued into the night with Heartbreak Karaoke, featuring a surprise performance by comedian Harry Hill.

The First Street Party on Sunday celebrated a family day for Manchester’s newest neighbourhood with music, food – including over 400 pizzas served from our outdoor ovens – and theatre, played out in front of around 11,000 people. Storytelling, games, film, workshops and family-friendly theatre performances included Talking Birds’ The Whale, The Incredible Book Eating Boy and a tour of the building by storybook characters inspired by Inkheart, our 2015 Christmas show.

Monday saw the launch of the Music & Film series in our cinemas, newly commissioned live scores set to archive footage and classic films with premieres of Josephine’s Celluloid Love Songs and Robin Richards of Dutch Uncles’ live score to Lonesome. HOME Young Creatives, a programme for the region’s creative 14-25 year-olds was also launched.

Did you join us? Take a look back at all of the great comments, videos and photos from over the weekend…