We Invented the Weekend Festival x University of Salford

We Invented the Weekend is a bold and imaginative free festival taking place in Salford, Greater Manchester, this September, delivering a joyful celebration of community and culture for the North.

Taking place on 10 and 11 September, the brand-new event will throw open all of MediaCity and Salford Quays’ spaces and places to celebrate the joy of free time, including a glorious mix of sports, music, greening and gardening, theatre, dance, workshops, talks, food, charity, wellness, crafts and more. 

The University have produced a series of sessions as outlined and linked below:

We Think Big

A series of topical talks, debates, panel discussions and workshops relating to the weekend themes, hosted at the University’s MediaCity Digital Media Performance Lab. This is your chance to hear from local and national industry experts on important subjects of today, with the aim of initiating conversation and driving positive change.

Short and Sweet – The Four Day Working Week

Could the two-day weekend become a thing of the past? In the spirit of Greater Manchester’s radical political tradition, the University will host a debate on the four-day working week and whether it’s right for us today.

Happier Monday – Music Driving Change

Manchester and Salford have been associated with great music for decades. From the Happy Mondays and New Order to Oasis and the more recently Aitch and Bugzy Malone.

Greater Manchester is a place that fizzes with music and creativity. In this session, we take a look at how music shapes this region, its ability to bring people together and the powerful role it can have in changing society.

The University has also produced a host of activities which will run in the Foyer space at MediaCity.

VR Gaming Experience Drop-in Session - Kevin Ingham

Immerse yourself in a VR Gaming Experience! Throughout the day, we’ll be giving you the chance to try out gaming as an immersive experience with our VR Gaming equipment. Take your gaming experience to the next level!

3D Printing and Activity Workshop - Kevin Ingham

Have you heard of 3D printing but have never seen it in action? Come along to and have a go at turning one of your ideas into life. We’ll also have other equipment from our Fab Lab out so you can try vinyl cutting and make some stickers or make a badge of your favourite character or even one of your own. All you need is to bring your imagination and think in 3D!

Arcade Machines & Retro Gaming – Annabeth Robinson and Juan Hiriat

Nostalgic, timeless, and always fun! We’ll have some of our favourite retro-games out for you to pick-up where you left or try something new. Atari, Nintendo, Sega and Spectrum consoles and of course, Pac-Man will all be here for you to play! No booking required, just drop by.

Makey Makey Phigital Jam – Juan Hiriat

Have you ever wanted to turn a bunch of bananas into a keyboard? Or develop cool, interactive tech prototypes? Sign-up for our Makey Make Phitigal Jam! Tutors from University of Salford’s Gaming and Creative Technology team will teach you how to use the Makey Makey as conductor and turn anything into a keyboard and interactive interface.

‘Make a Scene!’ Stop Motion Play Under Camera – Annabeth Robinson

Make a Scene will introduce your kids to the world of stop-motion animation. Through using props, characters and pre-made scenery this workshop will encourage kids to storyboard a simple scene, animate and watch-back. This session will be delivered by the University of Salford’s Animation and Creative Technology team.

Four University of Salford students will be filming events throughout the day with a further two students co-hosting the We Think Big sessions.