The annual Rochdale Feel Good Festival is to go ahead in 2012. The popular event, which is now in its fifth consecutive year, will return to the town centre on Friday 31 August and Saturday 1 September and organisers are promising the usual combination of live music, tasty food and lots of fun over the two days. The festival will continue to be free to the public and forms part of a year of celebrations of the International Year of Co-operatives.

Over the next few months the line-up of top musical artists and celebrity chefs will be announced. There will be a main stage on the Town Hall Square, where bands can perform in front of the iconic public building as well as some indoor venues. A large food market will take place on the Butts and lower Yorkshire Street and there will be an area to watch live and exciting cookery demonstrations.

Last year thousands packed Rochdale town centre to see live performances from over 20 bands, vocalists and artists including Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Badly Drawn Boy, Frankie and the Heartstrings and local group The Fellons. There was also a BBC Introducing Stage, a first for the festival, showcasing brand new musical talent from across the region and a Bop Local aftershow party. Over on the food market, which last year was bigger then ever, celebrity chefs Ainsley Harriett, Andrew Nutter, Aazam Ahmad and Alison Seagrave tempted taste buds with their culinary masterclasses.

If you’d like to get your business involved in the festival email: suzy@rochdaletcm.co.uk