Barnaby Festival brought magic, music, science and wonder to Macclesfield to round off the best event yet.

Organisers say this year’s 10 day arts and culture festival, which this year had a Space theme, has been the most successful, with 12 sold out shows and the biggest audiences.

Almost 1,000 people gathered on Christ Church lawns at the weekend to see ‘Moon Rising’, the spellbinding finale of family events programme La Lune.

Barnaby director Karl Wallace said: “Barnaby 2016 has been the biggest and brightest with a record number of sold out shows, larger audiences and more involvement from community groups.

“The incredible volunteers have brought arts, culture and science into the heart of the town and Maxonians have loved it. We’re proud the festival has become an attraction with visitors pouring in. Macc once again proves itself to be a cultural town with creative endeavour pulsing through its veins.”

Highlights of this year’s festival have included a Spacepod Challenge where children and adults created pods which were dropped onto the Market Place cobbles in front of an audience of over 100. Only five of the eggs smashed and space writer and Robot Wars judge Dr Lucy Rogers selected a winner.

For the finale, a huge ‘Community Star’ made by members of arts group ArtSpace with groups including Ashgrove Primary School and Macclesfield Beavers was raised 28 meters into the air and flashed above the crowds. An ‘Astronomer’ character on the top of the church tower asked the audience to chant the rhyme they heard at The Astronomer’s Story event the previous weekend. A heliosphere - an illuminated, inflated balloon with an acrobat suspended below - emerged from behind Christ Church and children watched as the aerial dancer swooped down head first down to touch their outstretched hands.

Macclesfield’s first comic convention Macc-POW! was packed with almost 500 visitors and community project Yardens at the Reach Out and Recover premises had more than 800 people visiting the transformed yard which boasts edible plants, handmade furniture and flower beds.

It was a bumper day for Treacle Market which ran activities including a foraging workshop. There was a Brass Band Bonanza and free performance by Macclesfield Youth Brass Band at St Michael’s Church.