With everything from pumpkin carving and pumpkin picking, to pumpkin spiced lattes, and more, that time of year has officially arrived and we’re ready for it.
Folk tradition says pumpkins ward off Stingy Jack and other spirits, and they also look good by the window and scare away the nosey neighbours too, but instead of going to your local supermarket for a pumpkin this year, how about doing things the old way and harvesting the pumpkins yourself.
It’s a wholesome activity to do this half term, so wrap up warm and let the kids run around while you fill your wheelbarrow with fresh orange pumpkins.
Here’s just some of the best pumpkin patches near Manchester to head on down to.
Grab a wheelbarrow and browse the Hewitt family’s vast field of pumpkins.
The family have been growing pumpkins for 30 years, but decided to open their patch to the public last year, and for just £5, you get entrance and parking on the site – which then gets taken off the price of any pumpkins you catch.
The fun doesn’t stop there either, as stunning scenic walks around Dunham Massey Hall and Gardens can be polished off with wood fired pizza and Dunham Massey’s homemade cider made from their own apples.
So if you’re up for the challenge, then somewhere at the heart of the maize maze lies a kingdom of pumpkins ready for you to rescue, while a 100 scarecrows are also hiding somewhere in the maize, along with a Harry Potter area.
There’s no booking needed for this one, but themed fancy dress is encouraged.
Open on weekends, Kenyon Hall Farm has a 15,000 strong pumpkin patch.
If doing the dirty work isn’t your style, pre-picked pumpkins are available and you can explore the farm shop or watch your loved ones from the safety of the café.
Book a £2 ticket online for entry, and pumpkins can vary in price.
A great place to spend a day this half term, Lancaster Park & Animal Farm in Chadderton doesn’t just stop at pumpkin carving, as there’s also costume competitions, tales in a Spooky Haunted House, and a whole farm of animals.
Alternative activities that come with the farm include mini-quads and zip lines.
Book online where tickets range from £4-£8, including the pumpkins you take away and access to the activities.
Head on down to Cockfields Farm to pick your perfect pumpkin, create your monster in the Spooky Carving Cave, and tire out the kids with fancy dress and dance competitions, fairground rides, and hand-feeding the farm animals.
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Tickets range from £4.95 to £12.95 per person, depending on ages and how many pumpkins you take home.
It’s cheap and definitely cheerful, and after welcoming thousands of families for the first time last year, Libby’s Pumpkin Patch is back and knows how to host a pumpkin party.
Tickets cost £2.50 per car, and pumpkins range from £1 for ‘minis’ up to £20 for ‘monsters’.
Affordable fun is just what we want and Roby Mill is completely free entry and parking.
Open every day from now until Halloween, pumpkins are everywhere, with prices starting from £2, so you can either dig up a cute mini one yourself, or roll your giant one home – the choice is yours.
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Tickets are advised during weekends and half term, but on quieter times, you can just turn up with shovels.
Woore Fruit Farm is ripe and ready for picking, and it’s open 9am to 5pm daily, so you can go down and grab a pumpkin before Halloween is here.
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Featured Image – PublicDomainPictures
Things To Do
Doja Cat at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
One of the 2020’s leading female artists, Doja Cat, is heading to the UK for a stop on her newest tour and has chosen to host it at Co-op Live in Manchester.
American recording artist Doja Cat is making her long-awaited return to Manchester and an arena debut, with this artist’s first and only visit to the city being back in 2024, headlining Parklife.
Heading to the UK as part of her Ma Vie World Tour, the California-born star is recognised for her spellbinding performances, extravagant outfits and array of UK Top 40 hits.
Not afraid to blend genres, Amala Dlamini, better known by artist moniker Doja Cat, has lent her voice to rap, hip-hop, pop, R’n’B, and now 80’s synths on her newest LP, Vie.
Gig guide | Doja Cat at Co-op Live, Manchester
Doja Cat is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester for one night of her Ma Vie Tour / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Doja Cat UK tour dates
Sat 23 May – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Tues 26 May – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 29 May – London, UK – The O2
Are there any tickets left for Doja Cat at Co-op Live?
Do you ‘Need to Know’ about grabbing tickets to see this multi-hyphenate performer live? Well, you’re in luck…
After seeing this iconic ‘Woman’ live on stage in Manchester? Well, if I’ve got your ‘Attention’, you can find tickets and more info HERE.
All you ‘Need to Know’ about Doja Cat’s Ma Vie World Tour in Manchester / Credit: Greg Swales (Supplied) / The Manc Group
Doja Cat setlist for 2026 UK tour
Lipstain
Cards
Get Into It (Yuh)
Kiss Me More
Gorgeous
Couples Therapy
Take Me Dancing
Woman
Acts of Service
Agora Hills
Make It Up
All Mine
Ain’t Sh*t
Paint the Town Red
Silly! Fun!
Juicy
Need to Know
Streets
Wet Vagina
WYM Freestyle
Demons
Tia Tamera
AAAHH MEN!
Boss B*tch
Stranger
Happy
One More Time
Say So
Jealous Type
What are the stage times for Doja Cat in Manchester?
Doors for Doja Cat’s Ma Vie Tour at Co-op Live in Manchester are set to open from 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 7pm from one very good warm-up act.
Supporting the rapper and performer on her UK and EU leg of the tour is alternative-r&b artist Naomi Sharon with singles like ‘Better Days’ and ‘Bittersweet’.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 25 -31 May 2026
Emily Sergeant
It’s our last week of May, and we’re kicking it off with a bank holiday.
That’s right – we’ve got yet another bank holiday to start the week, and schools across the region are also out on half term, so that means there’s obviously loads of events and activities to be getting up to across Greater Manchester – with everything from flower festivals, to vintage fairs, and loads more on the lineup.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries. We’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured.
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Manchester Flower Festival 2026
Manchester City Centre
Monday 25 May
Manchester Flower Festival 2026 / Credit: Supplied
Manchester’s annual Flower Festival returned this bank holiday weekend, filling the city centre with fresh blooms.
Now in its ninth year, and always billed as being one of the most colourful and ‘Instagrammable’ events in the annual calendar, Manchester Flower Festival is a fabulous floral spectacle, attracting thousands of visitors into Manchester city centre.
This is your chance to celebrate the start of summer, as the city comes alive with stunning floral displays, green installations, and dozens of free events, all alongside outdoor dining and entertainment.
Deansgate Mews Festival and Mews Fest Fringe / Credit: Supplied
Manchester’s much-loved grassroots music festival is back, and this year there’s some new fringe events too as part of Mews Fest Fringe.
Set across a handful of popular venues up on Deansgate Mews – including The Lion’s Den, Low Four Studios and The Mews Bar – Deansgate Mews Festival has returned for its sixth year this May bank holiday weekend, and more than 40 music artists will be performing on a mix of outdoor and intimate indoor stages.
The inaugural Mews Fest Fringe will be hosted in a large unit within Great Northern Warehouse, which will be transformed into a ‘vibrant’ hub celebrating music, art and independent culture.
Manchester City Trophy Parade 2026 / Credit: Supplied | The Manc Group
Manchester City are set to celebrate their 2025/26 season and the trophies they’ve won along the way through the city centre this bank holiday Monday, as well as say goodbye to two key players, Bernardo Silva and John Stones, and of course, their legendary manager, Pep Guardiola – with all three leaving after a decade at the club.
Fans are invited to line the streets to cheer the teams on as they travel through the city centre on an open-top bus, before heading to an after-party celebration at Co-op Live.
Everything you need to know about the Parade – including timings and road closures on the day – can be found here.
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National Trust x Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails
North West
Monday 25 May – onwards
National Trust x Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails / Credit: James Dobson | Annapurna Mellor
National Trust and Pokémon have teamed up for an exclusive trading card game and immersive trail this half term.
The partnership is set to bring together the places the National Trust cares for and Pokémon’s spirit of play and discovery.
Exclusively designed for the National Trust, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails are going to be running throughout May half term at 14 National Trust places nationwide, combining ‘imaginative play’ with ‘gentle physical activity’ inspired by Mega Evolution Pokémon.
Find out where to get involved and book tickets here.
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Half Term at Science and Industry Museum
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 25 – Sunday 31 May
Half Term at Science and Industry Museum / Credit: Science Museum Group
Little Mancs can climb aboard a miniature train and set off on a journey of discovery at the Science and Industry Museum this half term.
As schools across Greater Manchester break up for half term, and parents and carers gear up to entertain the little ones, the Science and Industry Museum has, thankfully, just announced a wide range of events and activities especially for the holidays – with many activities free to get involved in.
The popular cultural hub in the heart of Manchester city centre is promising visitors a May half term full of hands-on experiences designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and imagination.
Information about everything happening this half term is here.
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Forest Tubing
Zip World Manchester
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Monday 25 May – onwards
Forest Tubing / Credit: Supplied
Thrill seekers, this one’s for you, as Zip World Manchester is launching its new Forest Tubing experience this week, and it’s bringing the UK’s longest outdoor tubing slide is coming to Heaton Park.
The new family‑friendly outdoor adventure gives visitors the chance to soar along two slides, winding through woodland at one of the largest parks in the North West.
Suitable for children aged four and above, visitors can book an hour-long session – with unlimited rides during that time slot – and either ride solo, or share the experience with fellow adventurers.
The annual Future is Ours festival is back at the end of this week, and it’s set to be a celebration of youth creativity centred around the importance of creativity as a transformative tool for supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Delivered by mental health charity, 42nd Street through their dedicated creative space The Horsfall, The Future Is Ours is a unique arts festival amplifying and celebrating young people’s creativity, voice, actions, and ideas.
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Putting young artists at the forefront of the work, allowing them to say and create what they want in the way they want.
Blossom and Bloomtown 2026 / Credit: The Manc Group
The blossoms are blooming everywhere you look, and the National Trust’s popular Bloomtown programme full of trails and events is back once again so you can appreciate them in all their glory.
From ornamental magnolias in gardens to hawthorn scattered across the countryside, each spring, the most beautiful blossom covers the UK in swathes of pink and white, and you really don’t have to go far to experience the beauty of this season either, as there’s plenty of blossom to discover right on our doorstep in Greater Manchester.
Whether you’re walking through the city centre on your way to work, enjoying a spot of lunch in the park, or going on a little local adventure with your family, Bloomtown has something for everyone.
Find out more about all the events happening here.
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LUMINISCENCE
Manchester Cathedral
Monday 25 May – 5 June
Luminiscence / Credit: Supplied
Did you see that the spectacular 360° immersive experience that’s currently lighting up Manchester Cathedral has extended its run in our city?
That’s right – due to ‘overwhelming demand’ and following a roster of impressive reviews since making its UK debut earlier this year, LUMINISCENCE has now extended its run at Manchester Cathedral until the early summer.
LUMINISCENCE combines 360° video mapping, new orchestral arrangements of iconic songs, and a narrative story celebrating everything that makes Manchester and its residents so special.
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Visitors are invited to step into a ‘spellbinding fusion’ of light, sound, and storytelling. Find out more and get tickets here.
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Steve Backshall Live
Chester Zoo
Monday 25 – Sunday 31 May
Steve Backshall Live / Credit: Supplied
Wildlife conservationist and TV presenter Steve Backshall is hosting a new stage show at Chester Zoo this half term.
The new show will take visitors on a ‘fascinating’ journey into the lives and ancient origins of sharks, which are by far one of the planet’s most extraordinary and misunderstood predators.
Featuring real shark teeth and jaws, lifelike replicas, and historic footage, during each 30-minute live show, audiences will get the chance to travel back in time and discover the earliest sharks that once swam our shorelines, how they have evolved over millions of years, and what makes them such remarkable animals today.
Salford is celebrating 100 years of being its own city this year, and a raft of exciting new events have been announced to mark the occasion, featuring everything from art commissions to community events from the likes of Walk the Plank and From The Other – with many free to attend.
Salford City Council has put together the cultural programme across Salford’s eight neighbourhoods, supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Everything has been created to explore the past, celebrate the present, and imagine the future of Salford – including special events for the bank holiday.
Find out everything happening for this special centenary year here.
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NEW OPENING – Cat Cafe Manchester
Barton Arcade
Saturday 30 May – onwards
NEW OPENING – Cat Cafe Manchester
Cat Cafe Manchester officially opens the doors to its new home this week.
You may remember that the beloved venue in the Northern Quarter – which first opened all the way back in 2016 – sadly had to close in 2021 following unavoidable economic struggles brought about by the pandemic.
But now they’re back, the fluffy felines are back inside Barton Arcade, off Deansgate, and they’re cuter than ever… you can absolutely take our word for it.
From Maine Coons Ottie and Heathcliff, and fluffy sisters Yumi and Yoki, to Uno the adventurous Bengal, beautiful Gracie the Ragdoll, and Emerson the proud British Shorthair, it’s clear to see that all 12 residents have been making themselves at home ready for the official opening this Saturday.
Find out more about this exciting new opening and book your visit here.
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AJ Bell Great Manchester Run 2026
Manchester City Centre
Sunday 31 May
AJ Bell Great Manchester Run 2026 / Credit: Supplied
The AJ Bell Great Manchester Run is back for 2026 this Sunday.
With a 10K or a half marathon distance to choose from, tens of thousands of runners are set take to the streets of Manchester for city’s most-loved running event.
And in true Mancunian style, it’s a party from start to finish, with a high-energy soundtrack, live music and entertainment zones at every turn – plus, some of the loudest and most enthusiastic local support we’ve seen anywhere in the UK.
Our guide with everything you need to know is here.
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Did you know that Printworks is currently hosting a UK-wide art competition for students?
Do you know an aspiring artist? Students aged 16 and over are invited to bring the ocean to life in a brand-new creative arts competition launched by one of the UK’s leading entertainment destinations, Manchester’s Printworks.
The venue has now opened entries for UK students from sixth forms, colleges, universities, and art colleges across the country to take part in an exciting new art competition.
The winning design is set to be showcased on Europe’s largest digital ceiling.
Fancy saving up to 50% off at some of Manchester’s top restaurants?
A bit of a daft question really, we know.
Well thankfully, EatClub – the free app that’s easy to download, and you can start using right away – has now arrived in Manchester, and there are discounts such as up to 35% off Habbibi, Lina Stores, and Salvi’s to take advantage of, plus many more to explore.
Simply download the app, book your walk-in slot, and enjoy. You don’t have to tell the restaurant either – just pay using your EatClub card, and it’ll sort the discount for you.
Just like we do every month, we’ve rounded up some of the best things we got to eat in April, so if you’re on the hunt for somewhere new to eat in May, then we’ve absolutely got you covered as there’s plenty of places across the city region.
It’s been another jam-packed month of insanely delicious eats, and we’ve been lucky to have a bunch of new openings too.
Dolly Busby -
19th October 2021 
