This June, Rochdale and the surrounding areas are bursting with cultural events, from a medieval fayre to library festivals and community choir performances. Here's your guide to the highlights.
Rochdale Medieval Fayre
Taking place in Rochdale Town Hall, Town Hall Square, and the newly restored Broadfield Park Slopes, this event promises to transport visitors back in time to the Medieval period. On Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, history will burst into colourful life with combat displays, live cookery demonstrations, and reenactments of daily life from 1066 to around 1485. Around 80 actors from the 12th-century living history group Historia Normannis will showcase life as it was hundreds of years ago.
Inside the town hall, families can build a giant Medieval castle inspired by the Norman Castle that once stood in Rochdale. A medieval dress-up box will be available, alongside family print and tile-making workshops and a Medieval manuscript workshop. Visitors can even taste Medieval-inspired foods in the town hall’s Martlet restaurant, which will serve a medieval-style dish; advance booking is advised. For a more relaxed experience, the Zodiac bar will offer sandwiches, drinks, and cakes from 10am to 4pm each day.
All activities, except food and drink, are free and require no advance booking. Simply pop along on the day to soak up the unique atmosphere. This event is part of the Broadfield Park Slopes Project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Festival of Libraries 2026
Regular readers will know about the wonderful activities available in libraries across the borough. The Festival of Libraries celebrates the important community and cultural roles of libraries in Rochdale and across Greater Manchester. It encourages everyone to use the diverse library service creatively. Partner libraries host performances, exhibitions, concerts, art installations, workshops, writing classes, and family-friendly activities. Writers, artists, illustrators, and musicians are commissioned to respond to the vital role libraries play.
The programme takes place across all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, including internationally renowned institutions like Manchester Central Library, the busiest public library in the country, as well as Chetham’s Library, The Portico Library, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, and Manchester Poetry Library. Local libraries will also host events within their communities, reflecting Manchester’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature. The festival won Best Event at the Manchester Culture Awards 2024 and was named the second Most Inclusive Literature Festival by Inclusive Books For Children in 2025.
Supported by Arts Council England, the award-winning festival features a vibrant programme highlighting the library network’s full offer across wellbeing, culture, creativity, digital information, and reading. Almost all events are free or operate a ‘Pay What You Can’ ticket policy. To discover activities between Friday, June 5, 2026 and Tuesday, June 30, visit the website for local events or the Greater Manchester events page.
Singing Workshop at St Chad’s
“Come and Sing European Sacred Music” with Gary Hulme, Logan Ferris, and Philip Lowe is a great opportunity for singers. They welcome singers to St Chad’s for their 2026 workshop, working on pieces from European Sacred Music edited by John Rutter. Gary Hulme, one of Manchester’s most respected choir trainers, will lead the event. The repertoire includes Bach, Anerio, Bruckner, Faure, Franck, Hassler, Lassus, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Reger, Stravinsky, Viadana, and Victoria. All music will be provided, though participants may bring their own copy of the Rutter edition.
Please bring a packed lunch and drinks; warm and cold drinks will be available at the lunch break. The event will conclude with a short public concert from 3pm to 3:40pm. The workshop costs £12 for participants (pay on the door), with gathering at 9:45am and starting at 10am. The concert is free with a retiring collection. The event takes place on Saturday, June 13 at Rochdale Parish Church of St Chad, Sparrow Hill, Rochdale OL16 1QT. To register, email jm_stchadschurch@outlook.com or call Jill on 01706 639162, providing your name, voice part, music needs, contact details, and travel area.
Eccles Community Choir at TLC
Annual visitors Eccles Community Choir, with the motto “Singing for pleasure and friendship,” performed at the TLC concert series. The mixed-voice, mixed-ability choir was established in 2009 as an independent community choir open to all adults without auditions, keeping subscriptions low. Musical director Angela Rowley ARCM ensures high standards, providing a two-hour singing lesson at each practice. Their varied programme included Purcell’s Sound the Trumpet, The Blue Danube, Barcarole, and a James Bond Medley. Angela gave a solo performance of Mozart’s Deh vieni, non tardar, accompanied by John Stott. The Abba Medley was a highlight, with the audience joining in. The Queen’s Award-winning Toad Lane Concerts take place every Wednesday at 12:30pm at St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale. Entrance fee is £6. For more information, call 01706 648872.
Heywood Scribblers
On the first Wednesday of every month, Heywood Library hosts free, friendly creative writing sessions from 1:15pm to 3:15pm. These poetry and story-writing workshops are open to all abilities, including adults, families, and teenagers. No booking is required; just drop in. The library is located at LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood.
Toad Lane Concerts
On June 3, the popular afternoon live concert series hosts Richard Haslam on classical guitar. The doors open at 12 noon, and the concert runs from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. Admission costs £6. The venue is St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary’s Gate, Rochdale. For more details, call Dr Joe Dawson on 01706 648872.
All Across the Arts celebrates creative arts and artists, supporting individual and community wellbeing. Stay updated with the latest news in Rochdale and Greater Manchester.
