What's on in Sale: Refract:25 arts festival - full-line-up
Refract, Trafford’s leading arts festival, a six-day celebration of performance, music, dance, comedy, family fun and immersive experiences, returns to Waterside in July 2025.
Arun Ghosh and band © Dawn Kilner
Now in its eighth year, Refract: 25 takes place from Tuesday 22 to Sunday 27 July and continues to push boundaries with a bold and brilliant line-up designed to challenge perspectives, ignite imaginations and bring audiences of all ages together. This summer’s programme features a dynamic mix of indoor and outdoor events, many of which are free to attend, celebrating the unexpected in the heart of Sale.
The lineup for the summer arts festival has been announced – check out the full programme of listings below.
Tuesday 22 July
Arun Ghosh and full band
Doors 7.30pm
£15 (20% discount for Waterside members)
A magical opening night of Refract Festival as acclaimed clarinettist Arun Ghosh along with his full band, takes to the stage in our intimate Cabaret Club.
Fusing jazz, Indian classical and contemporary sounds, Arun’s spellbinding performance promises a musical journey full of energy and a brilliantly entertaining start to the festival.
90 mins plus interval, in the Cabaret Club.
DJ Ailsa McLaggan
Living Room Dance Club DJ
Local DJ Ailsa McLaggan AKA Living Room Dance Club will be playing vinyl records in ‘Sup Bar from 7pm and after the show.
Wednesday 23 July
Tape Face
Tape Face:20
7pm (suitable for ages 10+)
Tickets £20 / double bill with Ben Hart, £35
International sensation Tape Face brings his brilliantly bizarre world of silent comedy to the Refract stage. A finalist on America’s Got Talent, his wordless wonder blends physical theatre, mime, clowning and audience interaction to create a joyful, unpredictable experience that has wowed audiences from Las Vegas to the West End.
60 mins, in the Cabaret Club
The Remarkable Ben Hart
From 9pm (suitable for age 12+)
£20 / double bill with Tape Face, £35
Ben Hart is back at Waterside with a brand new show – his most astonishing and impossible yet!
This is an exclusive Edinburgh preview performance, your first chance to experience the magic before it takes the Edinburgh Fringe by storm. A brand new mind-binding theatrical experience – prepare to have your reality rewritten..
A unique voice in magic, Ben Hart brings together enthralling storytelling, sharp with and indisputable charm, to create magic shows that are unforgettable, funny, dark and profoundly baffling.
60 mins, in the Cabaret Club
Thursday 24 July
Pocket Loop
Pocket Loop
2.30pm and 4pm (35 minutes per performance)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
A fun and joyful show that blends juggling and music. Using balls, rubber hoops and a drum kit, the performers create a playful and visually striking experience filled with rhythm and imagination.
Hug
3.15pm and 4.45pm (30 minutes per performance)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
Levantes Dance Theatre promises to engage audiences in a unique exploration of relationships between people, objects and the environment that surrounds us. Through a fusion of aerial dance, physical theatre and striking visuals, the audience is invited to rediscover the power of touch, connection and the simple act of a hug.
The Remarkable Ben Hart
The Remarkable Ben Hart
From 7pm (suitable for age 12+)
£20 / double bill with Tape Face, £35
Ben Hart is back at Waterside with a brand new show – his most astonishing and impossible yet!
This is an exclusive Edinburgh preview performance, your first chance to experience the magic before it takes the Edinburgh Fringe by storm. A brand new mind-binding theatrical experience – prepare to have your reality rewritten..
A unique voice in magic, Ben Hart brings together enthralling storytelling, sharp with and indisputable charm, to create magic shows that are unforgettable, funny, dark and profoundly baffling.
60 mins, in the Cabaret Club
Tape Face:20
9pm (suitable for ages 10+)
Tickets £20 / double bill with Ben Hart, £35
International sensation Tape Face brings his brilliantly bizarre world of silent comedy to the Refract stage. A finalist on America’s Got Talent, his wordless wonder blends physical theatre, mime, clowning and audience interaction to create a joyful, unpredictable experience that has wowed audiences from Las Vegas to the West End.
60 mins, in the Cabaret Club
Friday 25 July
Pocket Loop
12.15pm and 4pm (35 minutes per performance)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
A fun and joyful show that blends juggling and music. Using balls, rubber hoops and a drum kit, the performers create a playful and visually striking experience filled with rhythm and imagination.
Everywhere’s A Beach
Everywhere’s A Beach
1pm and 3.20pm (35 minutes per performance)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
A charming performance, taking place on a giant revolving beach parasol! This dynamic, dizzying and downright daft show will leave you dancing with delight. You’ll be swept away as this show embraces everything we love about the beach.
The spinning parasol creates the perfect setting for the eccentric beach-loving characters. Watch as their world collides with yours, as sophistication turns to chaos in this aerial circus performance.
Spend a day at a beach like no other in this high-energy circus theatre show for the whole family.
Hug
Hug
2.45pm and 4.45pm (30 minutes per performance)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
Levantes Dance Theatre promises to engage audiences in a unique exploration of relationships between people, objects and the environment that surrounds us. Through a fusion of aerial dance, physical theatre and striking visuals, the audience is invited to rediscover the power of touch, connection and the simple act of a hug.
Bay Bryan © Jay Fisher
Bay Bryan
Doors 7.30pm
Tickets £15 (20% discount for Waterside members)
Originally from the foothills of Colorado, Bay Bryan is a Manchester-based singer-songwriter whose concept album The Meadow (2023) caught the attention of music lovers across genres.
Bay’s record was proudly displayed in the window of Manchester’s Piccadilly Records and enjoyed a few radio spins including Mark Radcliffe’s Folk Show on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3’s ‘Inside Music’ and Worldwide FM.
With deep roots in the theatre, Bay brings a bard-like flair to his live performances often weaving stories in and out of songs, making for a cabaret-like atmosphere that is playful, authentic and ethereal. Since The Meadow‘s release Bay has gone on to play live shows at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester International Festival, The Jazz Cafe, HOMOBLOC, Shakespeare North Playhouse, York Theatre Royal, Live at Leeds and more.
90 mins plus interval, in the Cabaret Club
DJ Luz
9.45pm-10.45pm
‘Sup Bar
atalaya mixes Latin rhythms, ballroom beats and dance music in euphoric club sets, invoking a global, bass-driven sound, quickly becoming a staple in UK clubs. Their musical journey is primarily influenced by the cultural and musical richness of their upbringing in the North West regions of Spain and the UK, reminiscing their experiences of growing up as an urban dancer, voguer and club lover. They often blend folk influences into their DJ sets and this is something you can expect them to bring to Refract Festival.
Saturday 26 July
Out of the Deep Blue
Out of the Deep Blue
12pm, 2.30pm and 4.45pm (50 mins per performance)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
Out of the Deep Blue is a tale told in two parts - an interactive walkabout of the Sea Giant Eko and a physical theatre duet with little Violet. The show dives into the themes of environmental sustainability and the biodiversity crisis, featuring a 13-foot-tall Puppet operated by 5 world-class puppeteers and contemporary dancers. With children and family audiences in mind, this magical story is about the power of empathy & collaboration between these two beings that speak to the world at large.
Everywhere’s A Beach
1pm and 3.20pm (35 minutes per performance)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
A charming performance, taking place on a giant revolving beach parasol! This dynamic, dizzying and downright daft show will leave you dancing with delight. You’ll be swept away as this show embraces everything we love about the beach.
The spinning parasol creates the perfect setting for the eccentric beach-loving characters. Watch as their world collides with yours, as sophistication turns to chaos in this aerial circus performance.
Spend a day at a beach like no other in this high-energy circus theatre show for the whole family.
Batala
Batala Manchester
1.35pm and 4pm (35 minute performances)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
Batala Manchester is part of a global samba reggae movement. Their primary objective is to bring the carnival culture of Salbador Brazil to the streets of the world. As a community project, Batala welcome people from all walks of life and provides opportunities to learn captivating rhythms created by Giba Goncalves. Join them outside on Waterside Plaza for two engaging family-friendly performances.
The Thingumajigs
5.45pm (60 minutes)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
The Thingumajigs are a musical collective of friends from Salford who play "good time music".
“We don't play moody experimental stuff or virtuoso self-indulgent technical music; instead we play sing-along stuff for you lot, our fans, who we love to bits”.
The music is a blend of pop, funk, folk, reggae, ska, soul, rock and everything in between.
Sunday 27 July
Out of the Deep Blue
12pm, 2.30pm abd 4.45pm (50 minutes)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
Out of the Deep Blue is a tale told in two parts - an interactive walkabout of the Sea Giant Eko and a physical theatre duet with little Violet. The show dives into the themes of environmental sustainability and the biodiversity crisis, featuring a 13-foot-tall Puppet operated by 5 world-class puppeteers and contemporary dancers. With children and family audiences in mind, this magical story is about the power of empathy & collaboration between these two beings that speak to the world at large.
Caged
Caged
1pm and 4pm (25 minutes)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
Linden Dance’s new outdoor dance piece CAGED takes as its starting point themes of loneliness and isolation. Performing inside and around a three-metre-high metal “birdcage”, the performers explore ambiguous worlds of entrapment and safety, a delicate balance that ultimately leads to feelings of hope and reconciliation. The emotive themes are reflected in an athletic, daring physicality and a punchy soundtrack.
The Global Grooves Bloco
1.35pm and 3.20pm (40 minutes)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
How do you know when the party’s started? When Global Grooves Bloco and Brass have arrived, that’s when!
A Carnival Bloco is typically a group of revellers, raising the energy and getting everyone moving and shaking. The Global Grooves Bloco comprises of drummers and brass and horn musicians and can't wait to bring big Carnival beats to Refract 2025!
Rodina
5.45pm (30 minutes)
Waterside Plaza
FREE
Rodina, a.k.a. singer Aoife Hearty will be performing catchy, beautiful soul and jazz songs on the Refract bandstand accompanied by guitar and percussion.
