WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2025
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- 5 days ago
- 9 min read
previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2025
A cornucopia of festive activities and events In our stunning Town Hall.
Preview by Steve Cooke
A cornucopia of festive activities and events In our stunning Town Hall - recently awarded Heritage Project of the Year by the RICS [Royal Institute of chartered Surveyors].
There is really something for everybody:
Film Scores by Candlelight 22 November, 7.30pm, £6.
Cantare Ladies Choir Sunday 7 December, 6.30pm, £10.
Wreath making Saturday 13 December, various times, £15.
Christmas Organ Concert Wednesday 17 December(2-3.30pm, £12.
Escape with the Elves Saturday 20 December £5 kids.
Shaun the Sheep the flight before Christmas with the Fairey Band Sunday 21 December, £5.
To find out more visit: https://www.rochdaletownhall.co.uk/events
Elizabeth White’s Retrospective Exhibition at Littleborough Coach House
Preview by Steve Coolke
Elizabeth White is a well-known and much admired artist living and working in the area, who is motivated by the landscape and history of the Pennine district to the east of Rochdale.
Her beautiful paintings are full of colour, inspired by her love of the skies and the moods created by the ever changing light.
She is holding a Retrospective Exhibition at Littleborough Coach House from the 8th November to the 7th December, open from 11 a.m., to 3 p.m.
The exhibition will document her artistic journey showing her paintings not only from the Pennines but also from Greece, Spain and New York in various mediums from watercolour to acrylic and mixed media.
Elizabeth told me “I am really excited by this exhibition and am looking forward to seeing my work that will provoke so many memories of places and people.”
The preview is on Saturday 8th November from 1-3.
Littleborough Coach House, Lodge Street, Littleborough OL15 9AE
Tel: 01706 378481
JAMM Christmas Cheer
Preview by Steve Cooke
The wonderful, inspirational JAMM [ Jamie Alfrey Music Memorial] is named after founder Julie Alfrey’s son who died unexpectedly aged 22 from sudden heart failure.
Johnny was a music obsessed kid from a young age and was writing his own songs from very young. He played many instruments....guitar was his first love, but he also played piano, harmonica, banjo, mandolin, drums, and anything he could get his hands on. He formed the band Starboard Jubilee with his friends whilst at Hollingworth Academy.
His dream was to have a space to rehearse and even a studio to record. Over covid he recorded many songs, and his band play them once a year at the main memorial event...JAMMfest!
His friend Jordan does the vocals now in place of Johnny and his little brother Archie plays drums. His dad is also in there playing guitar
JAMM young people get involved right from the start in anything that takes their interest....videoing, stage design, compering, sound tech...you name it, and the annual festival is planned by and run by young members!
Also, this year they ran a project to design and build their own mobile stage that collapses down so they can take it to different outdoor gigs.
On 14th December they will be celebrating Christmas and what would be Johnny's birthday, with an indoor family extravaganza at Empire Bar Rochdale! Get along to see JAMM’s young bands perform your ‘fave’ Christmas songs and loads of well-known Rock favourites.
It will be a great singalong afternoon and evening with special guests and I am told maybe even Father Christmas will turn up.
Empire, Rochdale, 7 Packer Street, Rochdale
Skylight’s Fireflies dazzling fiery showcase at the Ignite fire Festival
Preview by Steve Cooke
Skylight Circus Arts are busy working with their Fireflies adult community groups in partnership with Culture Co-op and Travelling Light Circus.
While Skylight’s Spotlight youth performance troupe are also getting ready for their fiery showcase.
Both groups will dazzle Rochdale crowds at the Ignite Fire Festival on 22 and 23 November.
Fancy giving circus a go?
They offer Fire Spinning Taster sessions for groups, so reach out if you or anyone you know would be interested!
Skylight Circus Arts also run weekly circus and aerial sessions right in the centre of Rochdale for children and adults, including Youth Circus & Aerial (ages 8+), Adult Circus & Aerial, Silver Circus (for over 55s), Rope Class for adults with disabilities and Sky Hi for children with SEND and disabilities ages 7 - 14 years.
To find out more or join, email info@skylightcircusarts.com or visit www.skylightcircusarts.com
Stories We Tell
Preview by Steve Cooke
When someone says “Rochdale,” what do you feel… what do you remember… what do you expect?
This January and February 2026, there is an opportunity to discover the real Rochdale like never before with Stories We Tell an interactive outdoor audio adventure that brings the town’s streets to life.
Step out after dark, put on your headphones and let local residents guide you through hidden corners, extraordinary stories and unexpected surprises. Soundscapes, visuals and voices turn ordinary streets into something unforgettable.
The streets will become a roaming storybook - a canvas for Rochdale’s past, present, and future.
Stires Stories We Tell is a Breaking Barriers project and part of the Rochdale Town of Culture 25–26 programme, supported by Rochdale Development Agency and Arts Council England.
For more information regarding the event head to www.breakingbarriersrochdale.co.uk
Manchester Camerata perform Handel’s Messiah at The Monastery, Manchester
Preview by Steve Cooke
Two centuries ago, Messiah was the hit everyone queued for. Some called it “too fashionable for church”— and it sold out faster than a Glastonbury headliner!
Handel’s Messiah is a masterpiece and a national treasure- a much-loved staple of our Christmas tradition.
Before writing this piece, Handel was broke and on a cold streak when he made the comeback of the century, writing Messiah in just 24 days, turning his career around completely.
Manchester Camerata are joining forces with Laurence Cummings for this performance. He is the Music Director of The Academy of Ancient Music and ranks as one of Handel’s best advocates in the world, matching the Composer’s energy and invention in his interpretations.
Once again, this is a performance with artistic partner, Kantos Chamber Choir, whose mesmerising, transcendent voices complement the heavenly tones of the Camerata orchestra.
All of this takes place in the stunning setting of The Great Nave in Manchester Camerata’s home, The Monastery, Manchester.
Handel Messiah
Performed By, Director/Harpsichord Laurence Cummings, Kantos Chamber Choir, Manchester Camerata
Tickets from £3 - £35
Sunday 7 December 2025, 4pm,
The Monastery Manchester, Gorton Lane, Manchester M12 5WF
The Monastery is a ten-minute drive from Manchester City Centre and there is a free, on-site car park with ample space. You can also get there by train or bus from Manchester Piccadilly.
Visit: https://themonastery.co.uk/
RECOMMENDED
Saturday, 1 November 2025
Board games and Lego Legends - Smallbridge Library
There's a variety of games and activities on offer for all ages and abilities.
1st Saturday of every month. Join us for some monthly family fun with our board games and Lego. Get creative or competitive, let’s play or build and start the month off right.
Board games and Lego will be provided. You can also bring in your own board games to play here.
For families with children aged 3 and over.
You can just turn up.
Free
11am - 12pm
Smallbridge Library, Stevenson Square, Rochdale OL12 9SA
Saturday, 1 November 2025
Frightful Fiesta Fun - Smallbridge Library
Join us for a spooktacular celebration full of colour, crafts, and chaos (the good kind).
As well as activity sheets, colouring pages, fun facts and stories to explore, there will be the following activities:
Make your own sugar mask
Hunt for hidden treasures
Smash the piñata
Play a lively round of bingo
Take home a themed party bag bursting with fun
For families with children aged 5–8. Children must be accompanied by an adult – but we promise grown-ups will enjoy the fiesta too.
Don't forget to wear black to match the Day of the Dead vibe.
Booking required: book your child's place on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/frightful-fiesta-fun-tickets-1664001185339?aff=oddtdtcreator
Free
1pm - 2pm
Smallbridge Library, Stevenson Square, Rochdale OL12 9SA
Sunday, 2 November 2025
Rochdale Town Hall family tours - Fantastical Tales
Child
Step into a world of wonder with our magical family tour of Rochdale Town Hall.
First Sunday of every month. Step into a world of wonder with our magical family tour of Rochdale Town Hall.
Led by the mysterious Folconians, keepers of secrets and tellers of fantastical tales, this immersive experience invites families to explore the hidden stories and enchanting corners of one of Rochdale’s most iconic buildings.
Designed for curious minds aged 3 and up, the 45-minute tour blends history, imagination, and interactive storytelling to create a truly unforgettable adventure.
Tickets from £5 for each child under 16. Babies and parents go for free.
Tour dates and times: there are 2 identical tours on each date:
10.30am–11.15am
12noon–12.45pm
Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AZ
Monday, 3 November 2025
Middleton Bonfire and Fireworks Display
Join in the fun with our organised bonfire and fireworks displays.
Entry to the event is free. Food and soft drinks will be available to buy. Alcohol will not be on sale, and you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol, fireworks, and sparklers. Unfortunately, we can't accept any more traders.
For everyone, you can just turn up.
6pm - 10pm
The car park and funfair will open at 6pm.
The bonfire will be lit at 7pm.
The fireworks display will begin at 7.30pm.
Bowlee Community Park, Heywood Old Road, Middleton, Manchester M24 4SB
Tuesday, 4 November 2025
Heywood Bonfire and Fireworks Display
Join in the fun with our large, organised bonfire and fireworks display at Queen’s Park Road, Heywood - opposite Queen's Park.
Entry to the event is free. Food and soft drinks will be available to buy. Alcohol will not be on sale, and you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol, fireworks, and sparklers.
Unfortunately, we can't accept any more traders.
Unfortunately, there will be no toilet facilities onsite, and we can't accommodate any additional traders.
Onsite parking is unavailable. Visitors are encouraged to walk or use public transport where possible and be considerate of local residents when parking in nearby streets. Plan your journey on public transport
This event is wheelchair accessible.
6pm- 10pm
The funfair will open at 6pm.
The bonfire will be lit at 7pm.
The fireworks display will begin at 7.30pm.
Queen's Park Road, (opposite Queen's Park), Heywood OL10 4JR
Wednesday 5 November 2025
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - Madeleine Brown piano (Cambridge University & RNCM)
The concert series has been held at St Mary’s since 2001 and was granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2020.
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Heywood Scribblers - Heywood Library
Join our poetry and story writing workshops. All abilities welcome.
First Wednesday of every month. Free, friendly creative writing sessions. Poetry and story-writing workshops. All abilities welcome, whether you're new to writing or a seasoned writer.
For adults, families and teenagers, you can just drop in.
1.15pm - 3.15pm
Heywood Library, LCpl Stephen Shaw MC Way, Heywood OL10 1LW
Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Tea Dances at Rochdale Town Hall
Join us as we waltz back into a cherished tradition and let the rhythm of sequence dancing sweep you off your feet.
Prima Dance invites you to glide in harmony with your fellow dancers while executing the same routines, moving gracefully in an anticlockwise direction around the room. Each step you take offers a chance to bond with others, making memories that linger long after the last note fades.
Whether you're a seasoned dancer or just looking to try something new, we warmly welcome all skill levels. For just £7.50 per person, your dance experience includes not only entry but also refreshments to keep you energized throughout the afternoon.
For adults.
Booking required:
Book your place online at Your Trust: https://www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/whats-on/events/tea-dances-at-rochdale-town-hall/
You can also call 01706 924797 to book.
You can also book in person at the Town Hall reception.
Email: hello@rochdaletownhall.co.uk
Tickets from £7.50 per person
1pm - 3pm
Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AZ
Thursday, 6 November 2025
Rochdale Bonfire and Fireworks Display
Join in the fun with our organised bonfire and fireworks displays.
Free entry
Food and soft drinks will be available to buy. Alcohol will not be on sale, and you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol, fireworks, and sparklers. Unfortunately, we can't accept any more traders.
There will be no toilet facilities provided.
This event is wheelchair accessible.
No onsite parking will be available, so please walk or use public transport if you are able to. Plan your journey on public transport
6pm - 10pm
The bonfire will be lit at 7pm.
The fireworks display will begin at 7.30pm.
Cronkeyshaw Common, Syke, Rochdale OL12 0QR
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