Last week, there were just under 29,000 visitors to the market, with 10,000 on Saturday alone - the second highest daily footfall ever for the market. Its great news for our market, Time Square and the wider town centre as people continue to visit Warrington for shopping, leisure and fun.
Even higher footfall is expected this weekend (Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 July) as special Summer events spring up across Time Square and the town centre. The heart of the town will come alive with fun and activity this weekend summer with a packed calendar of live performances, art, music, activity and colour.
29 July – Street Games
Street Games return to Time Square, from 1pm to 4.30pm. Join in with an inclusive and accessible fun day, with games from around the world, and live music and dance with BSL performance and interpretation, hosted by fabulous game hosts and party music sets from EIF Sound.
29 July – Many Hands parade
Many Hands is commissioned by Billie Klinger- creative producer and is premiered in partnership with Culture Warrington and choreographed by Ruth Jones. This vibrant parade will bring people together to explore the shared communicative power and expressive potential of hands. Four professional dance artists will be joined by the Warrington Wolves Foundation, Warrington Youth Zone, Velocity Dance, Mature Movers – and the Warrington community.
The performance starts at 2.40pm at Time Square and will travel past Warrington Market onto Bridge Street and around the Guardians before returning back to Times Square. Here the promenade performers will join the wider community for a en masse dance!
Want to join in? A drop-in workshop is taking place at Time Square between 12pm and 2pm, where you can make your own hand to join the big dance at the end of the parade. Suitable for all the family but children must be accompanied by an adult.
29 July – Wake Me Up Before You Dodo
Tying in with the environmentally themed events in the town centre, this family friendly exhibition at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery is about endangered wildlife, from the smallest insects to the biggest beasts, the importance of biodiversity – and what we can do to help.
As well as taxidermy from the museum’s collection, there will be artwork from two artists – Sculptor Val Hunt, who ‘reincarnates’ rubbish to create animal sculptures with an environmental message, and Warrington’s ‘Mini David Attenborough’, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Aneeshwar Kunchala. The exhibition runs until 5 November.
29 and 30 July – Out of the Deep Blue
Back by popular demand, everyone’s favourite eco-friendly puppet Eko returns to Time Square. Out of the Deep Blue is a large-scale outdoor performance featuring a sea giant puppet and a contemporary dancer, inspired by the themes of the climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis.
30 July – The Whale: Plastic Ocean at Palmyra Square
Culture Warrington invites bold explorers to encounter an ‘aquabatic’ diver, a shipwrecked pirate with a treasure tale to tell, a real life mermaid with a haunting siren’s song and an intriguing secret alongside a true-to-life 50ft inflatable sperm whale.
With the use of exquisite puppets, comedy and music, explore the tale of sea creatures and their battle to survive in an ocean full of rubbish. Their aim is to leave families feeling empowered that everyone can make a difference.
Shows will be held every half hour in Queens Gardens, in front of the Parr Hall, between 11am and 4pm (last performance 3.30pm).
30 July – Sunflowers performance at Palmyra Square
Culture Warrington presents a new, eye-catching dance, aerial and hand balancing performance designed for children and families by Tuckshop Dance Theatre. A show about self-care and personal growth, there are three opportunities to see Sunflowers at 12.15pm, 2.15pm and 3.30pm.
30 July – Be Kind to Our Planet family workshops at the Parr Hall
Six local artists, chosen by Culture Warrington, will host a programme of free, drop-in workshops themed around the environment, between 10.30am and 4pm. Suitable for the whole family but designed for ages 7+. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cllr Tom Jennings, cabinet member for economic development and innovation, said: “These footfall figures prove that the market is thriving and it’s clear that Warrington continues to be the shopping and leisure destination of choice.
“We have everything you’d expect from a thriving town centre, from independent businesses to national chains providing a quality offer of shopping, entertainment, leisure and food and drink. I encourage all to get involved over the Summer as you certainly won't be disappointed, there truly is something for everyone."
Warrington Summer Events funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and delivered in partnership with the council, Culture Warrington, Warrington Market and the Warrington Business Improvement District (BID).