Bye-bye bees! See all of the big bees together for the last time at the ‘Bee in the City Farewell Weekend’

With one month left to go of the Bee in the City trail, event organisers have today announced details for the celebratory Farewell Weekend.

This special event will give Bee seekers the chance to see all the giant Bee in the City sculptures together for one last time from Friday 12 – Sunday 14 October. Tickets are on sale now at www.beeinthecitymcr.co.uk/event/farewell-weekend

Taking place at the HSBC UK National Cycling Centre, the Farewell Weekend promises to be a sight to bee-hold. All 101 of the Bees will swarm together for one final time in the Cycling Centre’s impressive Velodrome, the training track for Team GB’s Olympic and Paralympic cyclists.

Tickets are available for 90-minute time slots over the three days, which will give Bee fans time to see all of the sculptures featured on this summer’s main trail. As the event is expected to be very busy, organisers are encouraging the public to get their tickets before they fly off the shelves!

Ticket holders will be able to get up close and personal with the Bees at the Farewell Weekend before they are auctioned off to raise funds for the Lord Mayor of Manchester’s We Love MCR Charity. People are encouraged to ‘collect’ any Bees to complete their trail hunt, take selfies with their best Bee pal, meet members of the colony they haven’t yet seen, and take a final look at the bee-autiful designs.

There will be lots of other family-friendly activities at the Farewell Weekend, from free face painting to live entertainment, food stalls and a Bee in the City pop-up shop selling official merchandise. There will also be the opportunity to meet some of the Bee in the City artists who will be showcasing their artwork at a special art fair.

Bee In The City Jodie Silverman3 © David Oates

The Bee in the City Farewell Weekend is the perfect opportunity for people to spot the winged wonder that they might like to bid for at the Bee in the City Auction, which is taking place on Wednesday 17 October at the HSBC UK National Cycling Centre. Over 70 of the giant Bees will be heading off to their new hives after the Auction, but 23 super-sized sculptures that have been decorated by community groups will be staying in Manchester as a lasting legacy of the Bee in the City project. All of the 131 little Bees will make their forever nests with the schools and youth groups that created them

.

Even though the Farewell Weekend is on the horizon there are still many ways to get involved in the Bee in the City trail (until 23 September). As well as doing the trail itself, there are lots of bee-themed events to take part in, from guided walking tours and free activity sessions on Well Pharmacy’s #FeelGoodFridays, to fascinating workshops and cocktail evenings. For more information please visit www.beeinthecitymcr.co.uk/events.

Sally-Ann Wilkinson, Director of Wild in Art, says: ‘It will be such a spectacle to see all of the Bees gathered together in the Velodrome for the Farewell Weekend. The Bee in the City trail has been a huge success so far and it’s all down to the people of Manchester, who have really made the trail their own. We expect the event to be incredibly popular so be a busy bee and book early to avoid disappointment!

But the fun isn’t over yet! There’s still a month left of the trail, so if you haven’t yet completed it I urge you to grab a map and get Bee seeking or get involved with one of our many bee-themed events.’

Shaun Brennan, Marketing and Communications Manager, HSBC UK National Cycling Centre, says: ‘We’re thrilled to welcome the Farewell Weekend and Auction to our facility as a fitting culmination to the wonderful Bee in the City trail, and can’t wait to see all 101 Bees swarm in and around our world-famous Velodrome. The 10 local school community bees that have made a home in our reception and our super-sized Bee have been wonderful additions over the summer, helping us welcome new visitors who normally wouldn’t visit East Manchester. The Farewell Weekend will allow everyone to get up close and personal with their favourite Bee and see the diverse collection of creativity and talent in one location, which we’re clearly buzzing about! The Bee in the City trail has undoubtedly helped ‘cross-pollinate’ the city and perfectly showcases Manchester to all visitors, as well as inviting locals to explore and take a moment to experience what’s already on their doorstep. We look forward to welcoming everyone in October.’

Councillor Luthfur Rahman, Executive Member for Schools, Culture and Leisure, said: “Bee in the City has bee-n the star attraction of this summer in Manchester and has had the whole city buzzing.  The feedback from residents and visitors to the city has been fantastic.  Seeing them all together before they go off to auction to raise money for charity is sure to be-e an amazing sight.”