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Images courtesy of The Refuge
The Refuge will be offering a refined and socially distanced version of Manchester’s much loved Come As You Are weekend – allowing guests to celebrate safely on this August Bank Holiday.
The feast of love, music and food will commence this Pride weekend on Friday 28 August until Sunday 30 August. Come As You Are will operate according to Government guidelines to ensure the safety of guests and staff, and will be running at a smaller scale than usual. The team have put the love and effort the event is renowned for, to keep the spirit of togetherness in place whilst complying with COVID-19 safety measures.
The Refuge’s General Manager Mark Clinton said, ‘We felt it was important not to cancel Come As You Are and wanted to provide a smaller version of this well-celebrated party with soundtracks and drinks in the sunshine. We are going to do our best to make it an enjoyable weekender for all. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to come as they are – to celebrate the August Bank Holiday.’
The Refuge’s Come As You Are Cocktail, as seen on The Good Mixer Guardian last year, is making a return for the occasion. It’s a festive twist on a Summer English spritz with Earl Grey-infused gin, garnished with fresh strawberry, orange twist and mint leaves. In addition to this, a ‘Tenner Well Spent’ menu is available in the courtyard and in the Public Bar on Sunday, which features a mouth-watering pork sandwich on a crusty baked roll, with a side of roast potatoes and gravy, alongside the famous Sunday Roast available in the dining room. Booking is recommended as very limited spaces are available.
The weekend’s soundtrack will be hand-picked and provided by some of the very finest DJs, producer and club nights within Manchester, starting on Friday with Homoelectric kicking things off on the Friday from 5pm to 11pm with Luke Unabomber, Gina Breeze and Will Tramp on duty. Saturday will see Manchester’s Supernature Disco, High Hoops, Kiss Me Again as well as DJs Mix-Stress and Muddy Feet. Then finishing strong on Sunday with DJ Paulette, Abigail Ward, Massey, Ladybeige (The Social Service), and Kim Lana.
Expect the usual unique and original occurrences from Come As You Are, and be part of the celebration.
Come As You Are is not ticketed; no bookings are available for the outdoor terrace, as it is running on a first-come-first-serve basis. Guests are strongly recommended to come down early to avoid disappointment. Face covering is mandatory when entering in the venue until seated.
Keep up to date with The Refuge on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and visit refugemcr.co.uk for more information.
