On 17 July, Manchester city centre will be taken over by a range of performances as part of the city’s biennial micro-festival Hazard MMX.

Performances include a woman crushed by a knitted boulder, synchronized swimming in Piccadilly Gardens, 100 ‘Dorothys’ marching in unison and Scratch ’n’ Sniff cinema.

Also in Piccadilly Gardens at 5pm will be 10 minute umbrella flashmob performance 'The Smell of Rain Reminds Me of You'. Completely unrehearsed, 100 people will take part. Make sure you're there to enjoy!

The full programme will be launched on Friday 16 July, with the return of ‘Odorama’, a scratch ’n’ sniff cinema, with British classic, ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ being given the fragrant treatment.

The London 2012 Olympic Synchronised swimming team will be recruiting in Piccadilly Gardens, so be prepared for some soggy athletics!
The festival is described by organisers as “an outbreak of cheeky, thought-provoking and sometimes raunchy sprees of eccentricity, turning the city into a playground and the people into performers. HAZARD MMX sets out to both amuse and entertain whilst showing people that contemporary art need not be po-faced or exclusive.”

The two previous outings of Hazard have seen the bold and the beautiful, the eccentric and extreme crop up in every possible location. Cathedral Gardens swaddled in Hazard Tape, gothic clog dancers and giant dancing traffic cones have all featured in Manchester’s micro-festival of incidental intervention and sited performance.

Further outbreaks of mischief and mayhem will see a man recreate every demonstration he has ever been on, a group of Liverpudlians land on the moon and a faded aristocrat give the image of banking a makeover. With over 20 events taking place throughout the city centre, it will be hard to avoid some form of hazardous activity.

To keep up to date with information and the inside knowledge on Hazard, visit www.hazardmcr.org