Parklife Festival

Summer Fun

Now in its 10th year, Parklife Festival is one of the UK’s most popular music events, based at Heaton Park in Manchester. It’s eclectic mix of top artists from different genres makes it a must-attend event in the summer calendar.

The organisers approached Fews Marquees to provide temporary structures for the iconic Palm House stage and the VIP Guest area. Looking for a new and different design to the traditional polygon structures on offer to demonstrate a clear point of difference to other festivals and stages on site, we were challenged to provide a practical, yet striking structure, with the strength to support all the necessary suspended production.

The Fews Solution

We provided an awesome and imposing 14metre high, 30m x 50m Igloo structure with one round end and one gable. With the ability to support 3,000kgs on each of the nine arches, the crew were able to place AV production equipment exactly where they needed it. Above the stage, the roof was covered with Silver PVC external and Black PVC internal, with the section above the audience covered in clear PVC. This was to ensure the right environment inside the structure. The artificial woodland decor inside the Palm House was the most aesthetically ambitious of any stage at the festival and the audience was able to enjoy the music in a comfortable 900m2 covered area.

With sets from Bicep, Helena Hauff and many others, The Igloo made a perfect environment for festival-goers, providing great acoustics and shelter from the typically British summer weather, it was jam packed for the whole weekend.

For the VIP area we built a 10m x 20m premium marquee on a 3m leg with glass walls and doors, plus a clear PVC roof and gables. The open terrace gave the guests a great view of the festival site.

Once again, the Igloo proved its versatility, strength and suitability as a festival structure, and despite the weather the event was a huge success, with the 80,000 strong weekend crowd giving it a big thumbs up.

The Igloo is perfect as a stand alone stage structure, or covering the entire crowd, depending on requirement.