Sport on the Square will take over Victoria Square from Tuesday July 24 to Thursday July 26, for three days of activities for people young and old and of all abilities. Each day will have a different theme and activities will take place daily from 10am to 4pm. To take part you can pick up a free wrist band at the event on the day.
Tuesday will be a ‘Taster Day’, when people can try out a range of different sports; Wednesday is ‘Inclusion Day’ with an emphasis on sports that people with and without disabilities can all try, and Thursday will be Health and Well-being Day and will include a range of sports and activities for older people.
The event will have something for everybody, with a wide range of activities including boxing, crown green bowls, cycling, dance, football, gymnastics, golf, roller skating, rugby, Tae-kwondo, trampolining, weightlifting and wrestling, boxing to bocce there will be something for everyone.
There will also be a special 20m athletics sprint track. Specially adapted bicycles from ‘Wheels for All’ for people with disabilities will be available along with power chair football, and walking football.
In addition to the above – every day there will be a guided walk around the town centre – the Daily Mile – and cycle rides from British Cycling.
“Sport on the Square is always a fantastic event which allows people to try as many sports as possible,” said Councillor John Byrne, Executive Member for Culture, Tourism and Sport.
“Last year we had more than five thousand people on one day alone. There’s a range of sports for people of all levels of abilities. My colleagues and I will be taking part in the Daily Mile and showing how being fit and active can easily fit into your daily routine.”
As part of the Greater Manchester ‘Smoke-free Summer’ campaign, the event will be smoke-free and visitors to the event will be asked not to light up.
Sarah Price, Executive Lead for Population Health at Commissioning at Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, said:
“We see Smoke-free Summer events as an opportunity for people to enjoy temporary smoke-free spaces and better understand the value of more permanent smoke-free zones.”