Bright new tulip trail will bring the colour to Ashton this spring

Ashton is about to get a whole lot brighter this spring with the arrival of the Tulips of Ashton Trail launching on Saturday 14 March.

The trail will feature nine 6ft tulip sculptures, each one painted by talented local artists and created with help from community groups across Tameside and will run until Sunday 7 June.

The idea is inspired by Ashton’s history with Tulip trading and the long tradition of Tulip Sunday at Stamford Park, bringing a colourful celebration of local creativity into the town centre.

The tulips will be placed around Ashton Town Centre and nearby gateway locations, creating a fun, colourful route for people to explore. All the sculptures were made and decorated locally, showing off the skills and imagination of artists and residents right here in the borough.

Anyone taking part can also try a letter‑hunt challenge. Every tulip has one letter on it, and if you write all the letters down and unscramble them, they reveal a mystery word. Trail leaflets with the activity will be available online and around the town centre. With the trail covering Easter and the May/June half‑term, it’s designed to be an easy, free day out for families, and visitors or all ages.

Eight artists, including Caroline Coates, Helen Dodsworth, Lizzie Rigby, Gordon Banks, Simon Mound, Jojo Hayfron, Toubie Jack and Anne Louise Kershaw, have each created a unique design inspired by Ashton and Tameside. Some of the pieces were created through workshops with local community groups, college students, museum visitors, family hubs and more, making sure that lots of different voices and ideas are part of the finished trail.

The big launch event on Saturday 14 March from 11am until 3pm will fill Ashton Town Centre with bright costumes, giant butterflies on stilts, dancers from the Great Garden Carnival, a lively twelve‑piece drumming band, and hands‑on creative activities for children and families. There will also be artist‑led sessions where visitors can make something small to take home.

Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Culture, Cllr Leanne Feeley, said: “The Tulips of Ashton Trail is a brilliant way for people to come together and celebrate everything that makes our borough special. These colourful sculptures will bring joy to the town centre and give families and young people something fun to discover this spring.”

The tulips will be located at well‑known spots around the town, including Portland Basin, Ashton Old Baths, the Old Library and Archives, the Memorial Peace Garden, Ashton Library and Tameside One, Clarendon College, Stamford Street and St Michael’s Square.

More information, trail maps and activity sheets will be available at www.intameside.co.uk/tuliptrail