coming together for the Manchester Samagam
The brief was to provide a temporary venue for Manchester Samagam, a significant four-day Sikh spiritual festival. The word Samagam comes from Sanskrit roots, ‘sam’ (together) and ‘agam’ (coming) meaning a coming together or confluence.
The Manchester Samagam is regarded as one of the biggest and most established Sikh events held in the UK, spanning 7th–10th August.
Held at Heaton Park, the event offers a deeply enriching blend of kirtan, prayers, langar (community meals), a kids’ zone, and inspiring devotional sessions. Our client was the Manchester Samagam, a registered Charity who organises the event and they required a diverse range of structures for the scale of the event.
A Five year relationship
Over the 4 days, the event site becomes an outdoor place of worship, with prayers, hymns, meditation, and a community shared kitchen and dining hall serving sacred and blessed food with the congregation and wider community, and Field & Lawn’s understanding is imperative. Each marquee has a different function and different specifications and it’s due to Field & Lawn’s experience, knowledge and flexibility we are able to build the site and each individual marquee to the specification we require to ensure each space adequately serves its purpose.
What was supplied to the event
We suppled a wide range of event marquees, including:
A Darbar Hall – the spiritual heart of the event – 30m × 40m marquee with suspended floors, carpets, and full pleated linings (2,400m²)
Langar Hall – 30m × 45m marquee with suspended floors and carpet (2,700m²)
Jora Ghar – 20m × 50m structure (1,000m²)
Kitchen – 12m × 30m and 9m × 15m marquees for catering support (495m²)
Amrit Sanchar – 15m × 30m marquees with internal divisions and luxury finishes (900m²)
Our equipment was a good fit for this project due to the clearspan frame profiles we hold, the client required 30m widths, and a significant amount of space. 30m is quite a specialised size and not every supplier carries it. We often supply large festivals so having the profile was a big check in the box.
Installing for the Samagam was a unique departure from our usual work in festivals and large-scale events. This project required deep cultural sensitivity where every structure and finish had to reflect its purpose. With thoughtful guidance from the organisers, we adapted our methods and installation programme to honour Sikh traditions creating functional, respectful spaces that supported worship, service, and unity.
Visting the kitchen
The Kitchen marquee comprised of a main 12m × 30m structure and 9m × 15m potwash facility, The food was exceptional!
Delivering the project
The individual marquees were connected together to create a flowing venue, which included a whole range of different finishes, from the ornate Darbar Hall, designed to replicate a gurdwara, with linings, carpet and a suspended floor to the kitchen which was finished to a high standard for mass catering. Our kit integrates well between the different spec options required and the suspended flooring system we stock was ideal in the location, just past the boating lake which is notoriously undulating.
