Events | Knutsford Town Council

1Feb2023

Knutsford Bunny Hop 2023

The Easter Bunny will be hopping into Knutsford soon as the town prepares for the return of its favourite Easter event Knutsford Bunny Hop!

The event will be back on Easter Saturday, 8^th April 2023 between 10am – 4pm. Families can search for 10 bunnies which will be hidden around Knutsford Town Centre. Every bunny has a letter on it; find all 10 letters and spell out the hidden phrase on your entry form. Completed entry forms can then be submitted into our special postbox outside of Knutsford Olde Sweet Shoppe and you will be entered into a prize draw!

The event will feature extra entertainment and activities including balloon modelling, face painting, an Easter Bonnet Competition and more!

The event runs casually in the town centre and does not feature any road closures, so please ensure children are supervised at all times as there will be normal traffic flow through the town centre.

This year’s event is very kindly sponsored by Neptune Ltd, suppliers of fantastic furniture and kitchens, based on Chelford Road in Knutsford.

Announcements will be made over the next couple of months on social media, so follow the Bunny Hop on Facebook and Twitter or follow the Knutsford Town Council Instagram to keep up to date with news.

For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact enquiries@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk or call 01565 653 929.

23Jan2023

Knutsford Music Festival 2023

Dates have been confirmed for the 2023 Knutsford Music Festival, which returns for a three-day celebration of all things music this June!

The popular festival will return this summer for its sixth year, following five successful festivals between 2017 and 2022. The festival hosts a variety of events across the weekend in multiple venues across the town centre.

Three nights of folk shows hosted by Mark Radcliffe will return hosting a number of folk award winners and nominees in Knutsford Little Theatre and St John’s Church.

Friday Night Blues will also make a comeback after a sell out show in 2022, which was hosted at Brook Street Chapel Hall.

Music on the Moor will take place on Saturday 10^th June. This free event sees live music, refreshments and activities for all ages from 12-4pm on the Moor behind King Street car park.

Local businesses will also host their own music events throughout the weekend as part of the festival fringe with events ranging from open mic nights, acoustic and band performances to DJ nights!

There is currently an open call for artists to get in touch if you are interested in performing at this year’s festival. You can email info@knutsfordmusicfestival.com to apply.

Full plans for this year’s festival programme will be confirmed over the coming months – to keep up to date with news and announcements you can follow the festival on social media or visit www.knutsfordmusicfestival.com

10Oct2022

Three weeks until Pumpkin Path returns

Spooky season is upon us and it’s just a few weeks until Knutsford’s favourite Halloween event is back for three hours of spooktacular fun!

Knutsford Pumpkin Path returns this year on Halloween evening, Monday 31^st October, from 4pm to 7pm. The event will be held in Knutsford Town Centre, in a closure area of King Street, Minshull Street, Church Hill and Regent Street, which are closed to traffic to facilitate the event.

The event is very kindly sponsored by Redrow and The Mere Nature Kindergarten, whose generous support has helped to make this event possible!

Families can collect an entry form in advance of the event or on the night and follow the hints on the included map to find 11 pumpkins hidden around the closure area. All the pumpkins have a letter carved into them; find all the pumpkins and use the letters to spell the hidden phrase.

You’ll find lots of fun on your way, from themed character actors to live entertainment! Fuschia School of Dance will entertain you on King Steet near Giovannis at 5pm and 6pm, while Knutsford Beats will sing some songs at the bottom of Regent Street at 5.30pm and 6.30pm.

Don’t forget to visit Wallwood (the wooded area at the top of King Street, opposite Tatton Park) for some spooky fun. You can also enter our Pumpkin Carving competition and drop your pumpkin off here in Wallwood from 4pm to 5pm, and the Mayor of Knutsford will judge the best ones at 5.15pm (with prizes up for grabs for the top three!)

Remember to vote for your favourite Halloween window display on your entry form and drop off your completed entry form to one of the post boxes in Wallwood or at 60 King Street (the old Belle Epoque building).

The event is free to enter however an optional donation of £1 per child will be graciously accepted to help cover some of the event costs. Entry forms can be collected on the night from one of four desks on King Street and one on Minshull Street.

To find out more about the event, visit www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk or email enquiries@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk, or alternatively you can call 01565 653 929.

2Sep2022

Town invited to get REFRESHED

As university students prepare to scout out their Freshers Fair, a community freshers fair is coming to Knutsford on Saturday 10^th September.

ReFresh Knutsford is organised by Knutsford Town Council and brings together a range of community organisations, charities, clubs and societies to help introduce (or refresh) the community on what it has on the doorstep.

Over 30 groups are coming together to meet potential new volunteers, service users and the wider community. Groups booked to attend cover a range of interests and topics including:

Knutsford Floral Design Club
Thai Chi Classes
Friends of the Moor
Knutsford Skatepark
Knutsford Community Transport Association
Jodrell District Girl guides
Canute Badminton Club

“This event is all about connecting our community” said Town Clerk, Adam Keppel-Green.

“Whether you are interested in trying out bellringing, want to get involved in the community orchard or learn what the Rotary and Lions do for the town this is a chance to make those connections – you never know what impact your interaction might have on the wider community or whether you’ll discover your new hobby.”

Refresh Knutsford takes place in Knutsford Methodist Church and St John’s Church from 1pm to 3pm.

8Apr2022

Mayor’s Cabaret Raises £2k for Local Charities

On Saturday 2^nd April, The Mayor of Knutsford welcomed over 50 guests to his Spring Cabaret at The Courthouse. Knutsford. Mayors from across the North West attended to support the Mayor of Knutsford with the penultimate fundraising activity for his chosen charities.

Guests were welcomed with a red carpet entrance where they were greeted by The Mayor and his consort, Mr Simon Hutchence before taking seats in front of the Courthouse’s grand stage from which they were dazzled with performances starting with the incredibly talented students of Fuchsia School of Dance following by a medley popular songs from Knutsford Beats. International Comedian Sully O’Sullivan served as Master of Ceremonies whilst singing duo Igloo Hearts and the acrobatic delights of the show-stopping Circus House completed the bill of entertainment.

The evening was a fantastic success and a combination of sponsorship, ticket sales, prize balloons, an auction, and raffle ticket sales has raised over £2,000 for the Knutsford and District Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Knutsford Branch of The St Vincent De Paul Society; the two charities which have been the focus of Cllr Gardiner’s fundraising efforts.

Prize were found hidden in balloons, each one containing a voucher for a fabulous prize donated by local businesses including gifts from The Botanist, Real Fruit Creamery, Rose and Crown, Shamoli, Pastiche, Eastern Revive, Pizza Express, Crewe Hall, The Lambing Shed and The Courthouse. The sound of balloons popping filled the reception space and started the party atmosphere.

The Raffle proved popular and prizes included donations from Elite Health, Pete The Pilot, Knutsford Directory, Knutsford Music Festival, White Orchid, Cheshire Quality, Rohan, Midas, Roberta Beauty, Sarah Jane King Photography, Tree Tops Holistics and Beauty and the Town Mayor too.

The Live Auction raised over £500 with bidding war between guests to win beautiful prizes donated by Pulse of Perfumery and Andrew Collier Photography.

Tables were decorated with decadent candelabras and were sponsored by Packaging Automation Ltd, Golden Stitches and Elite Health. All are local Knutsford businesses and who each gave incredible support to ensure The Mayor’s Charities have the funds they need in order to support local people.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner said: “What began as inspired thought, after some very hard work became an incredibly enjoyable event with some very impressive performances and delicious food. Everyone who attended told me how much they had enjoyed the evening. I would like to thank everyone who attended or supported me in some way to make the inaugural Cabaret event such a success. “

Cllr Gardiner’s final fundraising event will be a sponsored danceathon taking place in early May.

2Mar2022

Town Mayor to host a cabaret evening

Knutsford Town Mayor, Cllr Stewart Gardiner is looking forward to his Spring Charity Cabaret which takes place on Saturday 2^nd April at The Courthouse, Knutsford. The Mayor hopes that the Cabaret will be the biggest fundraising event of his mayoral year and promises to be a fun filled evening with performances from a variety of local and national entertainers.

The Spring Cabaret will raise funds to support the Mayor’s chosen charities – the Knutsford Royal British Legion and the Knutsford St Vincent De Paul Society.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner said: “Following the success of my autumn ball, I’m hoping to increase the funds that I will be able to share between my chosen charities. The Cabaret will be an opportunity for everyone to experience a variety of entertainment whilst enjoying dinner in the historic courthouse. Please accept this as my invitation to each you all to come along and join what will hopefully be a highlight of this year’s social calendar.

Tickets are available for the night at £50 per person for a delicious 2-course meal, and all the evening’s entertainment. To book your place you can contact the Civic Events Officer Michelle Bate as soon as possible before 7^th March on 01565 653929 or email michelle.bate@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk.

Raffle tickets are also now on sale for the Mayor’s Prize Draw at £2 each with a range of great prizes up for grabs. The raffle will be drawn at the Ball but anyone can purchase tickets by contacting Michelle or visiting the Council Offices.

Any businesses wishing to make a prize donation for the raffle can contact Michelle at the details above.

2Mar2022

Knutsford Music Festival 2022 Artists Announced

Knutsford Music Festival returns with a bang this year with an exciting line up set to take stage across a weekend of musical entertainment.

The three-day festival will take place from 10^th to 12^th June, with a variety of events across the weekend coordinated by Knutsford Town Council.

Festival organisers at the Town Council have teamed up with BBC Radio’s Mark Radcliffe to once again bring a line-up of incredible folk music to the festival, with events split this year across Knutsford Little Theatre and St John’s Church.

Folk sensation Kate Rusby will headline the Saturday night folk event at St John’s Church with support from Catherine and Ciara McGoldrick.

Friday night will see critically acclaimed duo Zervas and Pepper will headline at the Little Theatre joined by local favourites Fine Lines who will support alongside singer-songwriter and producer Tim Prottey-Jones.

Sunday’s line-up promises just as much with a headline performance from the lively eight-piece Hope & Social who will be joined for support by local singer-songwriter Chris Tavener, who combines jangly-guitar rock and a biting sense of humour.

Also returning in 2022 is Friday Night Blues, taking place in the beautiful Brook Street Chapel Hall on Friday 10^th June and headlined this by Mat Walklate who returns followinga sell out performance in 2018; this year he is joined by duo partner Alex Haynes, with support from local folk stomping duo Two Hats Blues Band.

All ages can enjoy outdoor fun on Saturday 11^th June, as the festival brings music back to the Moor. The free event, which runs from 12-4pm, features live acoustic music from incredible local talent, as well as activities for all ages including a children’s music themed craft workshop, African drumming for all ages and more activities and refreshments provided by local vendors.

Taking place on the Sunday at a venue to be confirmed is A Brief History of Music, a fun 90-minute tour of western musical history starting in the middle ages which combines the vigour of the medieval period, the musical intricacy of the Renaissance, the grandeur of the Baroque and the pomp and bombast of Victoriana!

Tickets for all headline events will go on sale on 1^st March at 12.00pm via www.knutsfordmusicfestival.com – tickets are limited so don’t miss out.

Join the festival’s mailing list via website to receive up to date news and announcements including notification of ticket sales opening. For any info relating to the festival please email info@knutsfordmusicfestival.com or call 01565 653 929.

11Feb2022

Bunny Hop Bouncing Back for ’22

The Knutsford Bunny Hop will be bouncing back to the Town Centre this Easter Saturday.

The event had a forced two-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic but will return for the first time since 2019 on Saturday 16^th April.

The family event features an easter themed trail where the objective is to find bunnies hidden across the town centre each of which have a letter pinned to them. Find all the letters which together spell a hidden phrase! You can then submit your completed entry form into the Bunny Hop postbox outside of Mr Simms Sweet Shop on King Street. You will also be able to enjoy other festivities on the day such as face painting and competitions.

The event is very kindly sponsored by Mere Day Nursery, who have supported the event for a number of years. Mere Day nursery is located on Chester Road just outside Knutsford in Mere where children can enjoy the baby room, toddler room or pre-school room and an outdoor space including trees, woodlands and regular access to acres of fields where the play opportunities are endless.

Alex Brown, Events Officer at Knutsford Town Council, said: “We are thrilled to bring this event back after it has not been possible the last couple of years due to lockdown restrictions. It will be fantastic to celebrate Easter again with our community and we hope everyone comes out to enjoy the event!”

You will find lots of town centre businesses with ‘Bunny Hop Friendly Shop’ posters in their windows, which means the business are involved in the event by offering promotions or giveaways.

Keep up to date with event announcements and news by following Knutsford Bunny Hop on Facebook and Twitter, and by joining the official event on Facebook.

Enquiries related to this event can be sent to alex.brown@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk or you can call 01565 653 929.

8Dec2021

Town lit up with Lantern Parade

Knutsford Lantern Parade returned for the first time since 2018 last Sunday, with a spectacular procession of lights in the town centre.

The biennial parade took place on Sunday 5^th December, kicking off at 5pm on King Street. Scores of local people lined the streets to enjoy the parade which was led by City of Chester Brass Band and featured Travelling Light Circus LED performance troupe.

Local families had created handmade lanterns at free workshops provided by the Town Council in November and processed along the streets with their moon and stars themed lanterns, joining others in the community who had made lanterns and alongside large feature lanterns made by Handmade Parade. The parade was kindly supported by volunteers from Knutsford Hosts.

Alex Brown, Events Officer at Knutsford Town Council, said: “It was wonderful seeing so many people come along to enjoy the Lantern Parade and Crib Service on Sunday. The lanterns looked beautiful under the Christmas lights and the Crib Service was a wonderful start to the festive season.”

The Town Mayor’s Community Crib Service followed outside the Lost and Found, where the Mayor of Knutsford, Cllr Stewart Gardiner, was joined by Knutsford clergy to bless the town crib and welcome the festive season to Knutsford.

Children from St Vincent’s Primary School led in the singing of Christmas carols accompanied by City of Chester Brass Band. After the service the Knutsford Catenians warmed the community with mince pies and mulled wine.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner, Mayor of Knutsford, said: “It was lovely to see such a great turnout for the Lantern Parade and Crib Service on Sunday. Thanks to all those who helped make it such a lovely event. Particular thanks go to the children of St Vincent’s School for their beautiful singing.”

19Nov2021

Charity Screening of Bridget Jones’s Diary

The Mayor of Knutsford is inviting you to join him for special screening of the 2001 ‘hilarious blockbuster’ Bridget Jones’s Diary hosted by The Curzon.

The evening will help raise funds for his chosen charities, the Knutsford branches of the Royal British Legion and St Vincent de Paul Society and takes place from 6pm on Wednesday 8^th December.

“This iconic film has something for everyone; laughter and tears with a sprinkling of seasonal festiveness” said Town Mayor, Cllr Stewart Gardiner.

“Even if you’ve seen it before its worth another viewing and on this occasion you can enjoy the film after a glass of wine and help me raise money for my chosen local charities, so bring your friends and enjoy a pre-Christmas a mid-week night out and in the name of a good cause”

Tickets are £15 which includes a glass of wine on arrival, popcorn and one entry into the raffle where a selection of great prizes can be won. To secure your tickets contact Michelle Bate, Civic Events Officer on 01565 653929 or email michelle.bate@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk.

Any businesses wishing to make a prize donation for the raffle can contact Michelle on the details above.

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