The 1261 Festival and Parade Day is less than a month away!

Back for its third year, the event organised by Macclesfield Town Council on Saturday, June 20, promises to be 'bigger and better' than ever before.

There will be plenty of returning favourites, including Aerial Circus from Lets Circus, Buttonholes from Homestead Grown and the Choose Macc Park Green Party, plus a whole host of new workshops, gigs, exhibitions and more.

Abi Sherratt, town centre manager, said: "We are even more excited about this years event than ever before.

"We have got more acts, more workshops, more venues, more pages in the programme!

"We have given out more money in community funding this year, and it is so great to see the local business response to that, they have really got on board this year with shops such as Gastown, Proper Sound and All Things Nice teaming up to deliver Chestergate LIVE.

"It is going to be a great day with so much going on, and we hope to see as many people there as possible."

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The 1261 Festival is just under a month away (Credit: Nub News)

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What to expect

This year, the Silk Museum will be acting as a Wellness Hub with sensory spaces, writing workshops, music performances and sunflower planting, perfect for little ones.

Meanwhile, Macclesfield Market Hall will be showing off their refurb with a range of activities over the day including crafting with Artspace, caricatures, hanky printing and creative brick building.

From there you can make your way to Market Place via Castle Street, where there will be songs from the Voice Box Music throughout the day plus a special performance from Magic Voices Choir.

Once in Market Place, treat yourself to some foody treats with a visit to one of the street food vans before visiting the information stand to collect your festival programme – this lists all the activities happening across the day plus a handy map in case you're visiting us for the first time or if you're heading somewhere new.

Programme secured you'll be able to plan your day, fitting in as many workshops, exhibitions and performances as possible, with a few walkabout acts to distract you along the way.

Several businesses have teamed up to deliver Chestergate LIVE as part of the 1261 Festival (Credit: MTC)

Parade and after parties

The Community Parade will be setting off from the Town Hall at 11am and looping around the town via Roe Street, past Christ Church and returning along Chestergate.

Co-ordinated by Macclesfield Community ArtSpace and involving many community groups and schools, the theme of this year's parade is Films.

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As the daytime event comes to a close there is not one, not two but three parties ready to shepherd you into the evening.

You can visit a Slice of Summer Days at the Depot Car Park until 6pm, Chestergate LIVE just off Market Place until 7pm or the Choose Macc Party at Park Green until 8pm.

The free official programme will be released on Monday, June 8, and will be available from Macclesfield Library, the Silk Museum, Macclesfield Community ArtSpace plus lots of other shops and café's around town.

Some activities will require booking through the council's Eventbrite page here, which will also go live on June 8 at 9am and some activities at the Silk Museum will be bookable through their website.

To top it all off, free-to-ride buses will be running throughout the day.