Friends of Stretford Public Hall are opening their doors to finally allow the community to experience their beautifully restored Victorian ballroom with a series of events taking place over the last weekend of this month.
Musical workshops, an orchestral rendition of timeless classics by the Untold Orchestra and a day-time, family-friendly disco are just some of the events and activities on offer on Saturday 31st July and Sunday 1st August at the Grade-II listed venue in Stretford, which was brought into community ownership in 2015.
Back to the Ballroom: The Untold Orchestra
Saturday 31st July
The Untold Orchestra have been invited down to perform timeless classics from David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Prince and more. Formed in 2018, The Untold Orchestra are a Manchester-based orchestra removing barriers of class, race and gender and explore how the orchestra can play a role in contemporary popular music. Fronted by the 12-piece orchestra, we’ll be bringing you the sounds of the world’s hottest musical icons, in a totally wild new way.
Daylight: A New Sunday Social
Sunday 1st August
A Sunday afternoon social featuring quality music, daytime dancing, pizza & bagels from Bakehouse32 and a licensed bar. The line-up through the day will feature Ruf Dug (Ruf Kutz), Il.Bosco (Red Laser Records) and Williamson & Gaskill. 2pm – 7pm. Adult tickets £5.
The ballroom itself has been lovingly restored following a major fundraising drive that began with a successful community share offer in 2017.
Over 800 local residents and organisations invested over £250,000 in the hall, to undertake essential work to renovate the ballroom and adjacent spaces as part of local volunteers’ plans to transform the hall into an active community hub.
Further grant funding of over £500k was secured for the ballroom’s restoration, which has visually transformed the space alongside modern improvements such as fully functioning and versatile kitchen areas, accessible toilets, a new heating and ventilation system (including traditional cast iron radiators), and adaptable LED lighting.
With most of the work taking place during the series of lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, Friends of Stretford Public Hall can now finally invite the community to enjoy the space, starting with the opening weekend.
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