Big outdoor gig in Piccadilly Gardens

The Hungry Pigeon Festival is coming to the Northern Quarter on 22 to 25 May with music from 200 bands, both on stage and on the street, as well as live art, poetry, short films, busking, and an art treasure trail.

The centrepiece will be an outdoor stage in Piccadilly Gardens on 23 May where up to 5,000 people can see up-and-coming bands for free. Headline acts have just been announced. They include alt-folk outfit The Travelling Band and Jazz-Latin cross-over act, Whiskycats. It's an impressive line up for a free gig, and alongside all the other shows and events happening in nearby N4, it should make for a lively weekend.

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Also appearing are Nine Black Alps, Karima Francis, The Jessie Rose Trip, Vinny Peculiar and eight-piece two-tone jazz band Misty's Big Adventure. Over 20 venues throughout the Northern Quarter are taking part. In the wee hours, the finest of Manchester's club-DJ ilk will take over proceedings. Manchester Radio Online will broadcast live from the festival and include highlights on its podcasts.

The organisers have certainly put a lot of effort into creating a decent event. But whether it will fill the gap left by the departure of Dpercussion is yet to be seen. Hungry Pigeon looks like it's trying to appeal to a wider audience than Dpercussion with under-18s events and an art treasure trail that'll give families something to do. And spreading the fun out across three days and a whole neighbourhood should avoid the over-crowding and queuing that marred the Castlefield events.

Weekend tickets for the festival cost £19.50, day tickets cost £10. Hungry Pigeon is on over the next Bank Holiday weekend, from 22 May to 25 May. myspace.com/hungrypigeon