Everything is starting to look that little bit more autumnal across Greater Manchester.
Now that October is here, and the spooky season is creeping up on us, with another new month comes an events calendar that’s filled with lots of different things to be getting up to, so we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
As always, some of the events we’re going to mention are completely free, while others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.
Here’s our top picks.
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Scare City Experience
Camelot
Monday 3 October – onwards
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Scare City Experience / Credit: Park N Party
Scare City Experience is back for 2022.
The hugely-popular outdoor immersive horror experience is taking on a new life just in time for Halloween, and this time round, it’s set to take over the derelict site of one of the North West’s most iconic theme parks.
Events company Park N Party has announced that its sell-out success Scare City is coming to Camelot with a new walkthrough scare attraction, and it’s already being described as a “blood-soaked ordeal”.
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For those who’ve got the guts to enter this year, a trek through “nightmarish zones” awaits.
Manchester‘s first new park in the heart of the city centre for more than 100 years has officially opened to the public.
It’s been a long journey to get here, but Mayfield Park has become a reality.
Over the last 18 months, the vast and mostly-derelict former industrial site next to Piccadilly Station has been transformed into what project developers are calling a “stunning, accessible, and varied” green space for everyone who visits the city centre to enjoy.
Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail / Credit: Chester Zoo
Tarantulas, komodo dragons, and poisonous dart frogs are just some of the creatures you can meet on Chester Zoo‘s newest interactive trail next month.
With the spooky season right around the corner, Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail is set to take over the UK’s biggest charity zoo for the whole of next month from Saturday 1 – Monday 31 October, and it looks set to be an ideal day out for families during the half term.
The trail is free with the price of admission, and aims to raise awareness of all the “creepy but crucial creatures” at the zoo that are venomous and poisonous.
Coronation Street Stars Tour / Credit: Coronation Street: The Tour
Coronation Street’s famous ‘Stars Tours’ have returned, and it means you can meet “mystery” cast members on the legendary cobbles.
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Just as the name suggests, the Stars Tours not only include the standard 90-minute guided tour of the external Coronation Street set in MediaCityUK, but they also give you the opportunity to meet the a surprise cast member from the show.
While bosses of the official guided tours are keeping names of the mystery cast members who are set to make appearances close to their chest, they have assured fans that they’ll pop out to say hello, and pose for pictures, as well as letting you in on a few filming secrets or a story during the special events too.
Yard & Coop Student Free Fried Chicken / Credit: The Manc Group
Yard & Coop is giving away free fried chicken to help students this week.
From 12pm until close on Wednesday 5 October, students of Manchester and Salford can get their hands on some of the Northern Quarter restaurant’s famous buttermilk fried chicken thighs and fries at no cost at all.
You’ve got the option to pay a fiver to upgrade to a full portion if the hangovers are really getting the better of you.
GRIMMFEST is back for its 10th anniversary special in our city this weekend.
A truly-independent genre film festival, GRIMMFEST is committed and dedicated to sharing great movies from both new and established filmmakers in the world of cinema in the horror, cult, extreme fantasy, and sci-fi genres.
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Some of the northern premieres film fans can expect this year include Better Watch Out, Replace, Game of Death, Killing Ground, Still/Born, 68 Kill, Ruin Me, Double Date, Freehold (2 Pigeons), Leatherface, and Attack of the Adult Babies.
For one night only on 7 October, the iconic Victoria Baths will be transformed into what is being described as the ultimate shopping experience.
From artisans, artists, and jewellers, to designers, bakers, and candlestick makers, The Night Market showcases the finest local small business talent with over 100 independent stalls, plus there’ll be street food to feast on, multiple bars to whet your whistle, alongside a Vintage Pool Party filled with the finest vintage treasures.
There’ll also be a DJ, some live music performances from Manchester based singer/songwriters, and so much more.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP is back at the Science and Industry Museum for the first time in three years, taking ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
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Power UP is taking place every weekend and school holiday all the way through to December 2023, and every ticket includes unlimited play all day.
Self Space x Feel Good Club Free Therapy Sessions / Credit: Self Space
To help mark this year’s World Mental Health Awareness Day, mental health services provider Self Space is teaming up with Manchester’s very-own Feel Good Club to offer 30-minute therapy session slots at its cafe hub in the heart of the Northern Quarter for completely free of charge.
Free sessions will take place on Monday 10 October.
All you have to do is register, walk in, and have a good conversation with a qualified person.
One of the standout experiences on the 2022 East Lancashire Railway (ELR) events lineup has to be the chance to go on a ‘wizarding adventure’ and ride a Harry Potter-themed train through Greater Manchester.
Aspiring witches and wizards can gather at the ELR for a day of sharing spells and magic-themed fun.
This interactive adventure will see visitors, both young and old, enjoy a range of performances from colourful characters and magical creatures – provided by performance company Funcast – all before boarding the ‘Wizard Express’ for a two-hour round trip journey through the Irwell Valley of wonders.
‘Northern Lights’ to be visible in Bolton as popular FREE light art festival returns next month
Emily Sergeant
Bolton’s festival full of fantastic immersive light art installations is set to shine on the town centre next month.
Back by popular demand after proving to be such a success during its inaugural year in 2023, with the first-of-its-kind event attracting more than 50,000 visitors, Put Big Light On Festival is returning for another year of festive magic, and there’s some huge and impressive art installations set to descend on the Greater Manchester town’s centre.
Curated by artistic events company, Things That Go On Things, the festival will take place right across Bolton in late November.
This year’s lineup will feature magical creations from a diverse range of artists.
A free festival of immersive light installations will shine on Bolton again next month / Credit: Bolton Council
Returning in 2025 for what’s said to be ‘the final time’, Dan Acher’s fan-favourite Borealis will illuminate Victoria Square by recreating one of planet Earth’s most incredible natural phenomena, the Northern Lights, in the most immersive way possible.
As beams of light travel through particle clouds, visitors can look up to see the show above their heads, and as the particle clouds are moved by wind, over which there is no control, this means they’ll never see the same pattern twice.
Other installations this year include Mars by the critically-acclaimed artist Luke Jerram, which is a six-metre diameter sculpture featuring high-resolution NASA imagery of the Martian surface, and Submergence by Squidsoup – a walkthrough experience with thousands of suspended lights creating an immersive sense of movement.
Wave by Are You Playing Out, The Garden by Ant Dickinson, Celestial Carousel by Eye of Newt, and Beacon of Hope by Craig Morrison are a handful of the other installations.
As well as the festival itself, there will also be plenty of vibrant street entertainment over the four-day event too, and residents can expect lots of family activities in the run-up to the festive season.
“Put Big Light On is more than just a festival, it’s a celebration of Bolton’s creativity, resilience, and community spirit,” commented Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Culture, Cllr Nadeem Ayub.
“We’re proud to welcome world-class artists and local talent to light up our town and bring people together in a truly magical way.
“Visitors can expect a family-friendly event packed full of entertainment and moving light art displays designed to inspire wonder.”
Put Big Light On Festival returns to Bolton town centre this winter from Thursday 20 and Sunday 23 November, and it’s free for all to visit.
Featured Image – Joel Chester Fildes (via Bolton Council)
What's On
A massive social for Manchester runners is happening in the city centre this winter
Danny Jones
With the bulk of race season nearly over, the local running community is finally starting to wind down and indulge in some well-deserved rest and relaxation – well, that and a sprinkle of clubbing, as the massive Cross Club Social for Manchester runners is back for 2025.
Following a successful sophomore edition last winter, the MCR Cross Club Social is returning for another proper good bash and looks to be shaping up nicely.
Hosted at a brand new venue, with sets from Manc-based DJs, karaoke and even giveaways on the night, the runners are going BIG this year.
So, if you’re part of a local running club or even just a Greater Mancunian who’s partial to a bit of jogging and looking for a night out, you’d best keep 8 November free.
Credit: Cross Club Social
Combining forces once again, the third iteration of the Cross Club Social sees multiple Manchester running clubs putting on one of the biggest parties of the year, with people from all over the community turning up to swap their trainers for dancing shoes.
Ticket prices have crept ever so slightly this year, mainly because of just how well attended the 2025 event was, but also to help raise money for their official charity partner.
However, it goes without saying that all newcomer clubs and solo runners in general and welcome to come along to this year’s event, which is also the first to be held at Fairfield Social Club near Angel Meadows Park – the more the merrier, as far as these lot are concerned.
For example, here’s a taste of the kind of turnout it got last year…
Speaking to The Manc, organiser and resident MC Dave ‘Macca’ McLaughlin said of Cross Club Social 2025: “This event is a celebration of the local running community, by the local running community.
“It’s a great chance to get some of the biggest running clubs in Manchester together to celebrate their achievements of the year without the running kit or carbon-plated trainers.
“It’s a pleasure to organise an event that local runners seemingly love, alongside some of Manchester’s biggest running clubs, all while raising money for our charity partner. Last year, we were able to contribute nearly £400 to their fundraiser, and we’re aiming for even higher this year.
“The demand has been huge – our first event sold out in under 50 minutes, last year was just under two hours at a bigger venue. This year we’re going even bigger to handle the demand, with more clubs than ever and a venue with three separate rooms for different kinds of entertainment.
“Me and Sophie [de Greenlaw – fellow DJ and co-founder] hope to continue expanding the event into a day-long running festival; we’d love to book bigger venues, get more clubs and sponsors involved, and make this a day that every local runner has marked on their calendar. See you there.”
Credit: Supplied
Early bird access will be on sale from 10am this Friday, 10 October, with the general admission tickets going live at the same time next week (17 Oct).
The social itself will run from 5pm until midnight, with last entry at 8:30pm, and you can bank on there being some kind of after-party elsewhere on the night. Get ready to grab your tickets HERE.
It’s also worth noting that the two previous years sold out fast, so make sure you put in a PB-worthy performance when it comes to that online shopping basket if you want to be there.
Once again, the Manchester Runners Cross-club social is a completely non-profit event; all funds from ticket sales go directly towards setting up the next one, back into the running clubs who take part, and to charitable organisations like The MCR 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness.
Emily Sergeant -
30th September 2022 
