It’s a date - Feel good family days out return for summer

The popular days out for families - sponsored by automotive dealer Premier Kia – pulled in more than 15,000 people last year with events in Heywood, Middleton, Littleborough and Rochdale. Organised by the council team behind Rochdale Feel Good Festival, they promise four days of fun activities, performances, music, sports and shows for children of all ages, and once again visitors will be encouraged to bring a picnic. 

The Feel Good Family Picnic will be staged at Rochdale Town Hall Square on Tuesday 29 July and then Limefield Playing Fields in Middleton on Wednesday 30 July before moving to Littleborough’s Hare Hill Park on Thursday 31 July. The final stop will be Queen’s Park in Heywood on Friday 1 August.   

The theme for this year’s picnics will be ‘co-operation,’ covering the arts, culture, communities, togetherness and the power of shared experiences, with line-up details to be announced in the next few weeks.    

Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “After the huge visitor numbers we saw last year and all the fabulous feedback we had I am so looking forward to it returning this summer. Planning is well under way to create another amazing line-up of free things to do in the school holidays, more magical days out in beautiful settings. And as Rochdale is Greater Manchester Town of Culture this year we have moved the Rochdale picnic to our wonderful new town hall square.”   

The Feel Good Family Picnic will be staged by the council in partnership with Without Walls, a consortium of festivals and arts organisations bringing fantastic outdoor arts to people in towns and cities across England. It is sponsored by automotive dealer Premier Kia and supported through the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).   

The Feel Good Family Picnic is part of a spectacular line up of festivals, live performances, exhibitions and art during Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture 2025-26. The title, awarded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, celebrates the town’s rich history, creativity, talent and diverse arts scene. Find out more at www.rochdale.gov.uk/TownOfCulture  

Plan your visit to the Feel Good Family Picnic at rochdale.gov.uk/FamilyPicnic and like FeelGoodFamilyPicnic on Facebook. If you are a local artist or organisation interested in being involved, email FamilyPicnic@rochdale.gov.uk