Gandalf and Girls Aloud in city's floral trail

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A florist puts the finishing touches to a sculpture of Girls Aloud, with a tribute to Manchester's Sarah Harding, ahead of the band's performance in the city
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You shall not pass? Visitors are stopped in their tracks by a sculpture of Sir Ian McKellen in his role of Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings
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The late fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, who was born near Glossop, inspires an eye-catching sight
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Best known for her work with the band Happy Mondays, singer Rowetta is depicted in a design inspired by Manchester's bee emblem
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Emmeline Pankurst, who helped win women's right to vote in 1918, is celebrated on the trail
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Manchester comedian Caroline Aherne features in the trail

25 May 2024

Floral figures of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, actor Sir Ian McKellen and the band Girls Aloud have popped up across Manchester city centre for the Bank Holiday weekend.

They are among 10 gardens and installations in a trail across the city for its annual Flower Festival.

Artworks depicting the painter L.S. Lowry, actress Caroline Aherne and singer Rowetta also feature in the event, which celebrates the region’s icons as it returns for the seventh time.

The free festival, which will also includes works inspired by the city's football clubs, runs until Bank Holiday Monday.

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