A whole host of festive events and food offers are taking over the Printworks this Christmas, and families are being encouraged to make the most of it.
With the Christmas season officially here, and the big day itself fast approaching, there’s still time to escape the chilly weather outside by getting yourself down to Manchester‘s landmark entertainment complex in the heart of the city centre for all sorts of festive fun.
There’s lots of indulgent festive food offers to take advantage of, as well as a handful of special discounted events packages.
Already proving to be proper success though is the venue’s pop-up Santa’s Grotto.
Held in partnership with the Once Upon a Smile charity, free to attend, and now open from 10am-12pm on Saturday 17, Sunday 18, and Wednesday 21 December, families can swap their Santa hats for sombreros at Chiquito and pay a visit Father Christmas and his favourite elf in a pop-up traditional grotto that’s been festooned in Christmas garlands, decorations, and a dash of faux snow.
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While little ones are queuing, there will also be an opportunity to write their letters to Santa and post them in the special letterbox that goes straight to the North Pole.
Elsewhere at the venue, for those who fancy spending a bit more time with Santa before Christmas Day, then you can head over to Hard Rock Café for a special breakfast with the big man himself in what is always a hugely-popular event
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Families can enjoy a buffet-style breakfast along with festive fun and games from 8:30am-10:30am on 17, 18, and 24 December.
If it’s a cosy movie night that you’re after, then head over to Vue for festive showings of some Christmas movie classics, as the cinema will be screening family favourites like Home Alone, Elf, Muppets Christmas Carol, and The Grinch.
Or if it’s a panto you prefer, Vue Cinema will also be showing some theatrical performances on the big screen, including popular shows like Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story, and CBeebies Panto: Dick Whittington and His Cat.
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There’s also a whole host of festive feasting offers to make the most of / Credit: Printworks
Treetop Adventure Golf is also an ideal place to hit up if you’re looking to enjoy a day of rocking around the tropical mini golf course with all kinds of delicious festive food and drink.
Speaking of food and drink, there’s a wide range of restaurants inside Printworks that are ready to cater to each families’ festive feasting needs.
Frankie and Benny’s is accepting bookings for family Christmas parties and will be serving up a Christmas special kids’ menu, including an Elf on a Shelf burger, and a Jack Frost Christmas Tree for dessert.
Nandos is bringing the festive cheer to families with new limited-edition flavours like the all-new maple and orange spice, PERi-PERi Chicken gravy, and Macho sprouts.
A range of discount event packages are also on offer / Credit: Printworks
Yates has a new set Christmas menu for adults and a festive kids menu filled with classic dishes starting at £7.49 per child, while O’Neill’s is also cheffing up a Christmas party menu and festive buffet menu filled with all sorts of bite-sized delights.
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Planning a big festive get-together this month?
You’ll be able to make it hassle-free by enjoying a festive buffet Menu at Walkabout – with meals starting from just £9.99 per person and available in Gold, Silver, and vegan packages.
Find out more about everything happening at Printworks Manchester this Christmas here.
Featured Image – Printworks
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Science and Industry Museum reveals ‘gloriously gross’ half term events lineup
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most-visited museums has unveiled its exciting events lineup ahead of half term in a couple of weeks time.
Fancy diving into the “gloriously gross” world of our brilliant bodies?
It’s certainly not an invite you get every day, but as schools across Greater Manchester break up for half term at the end of this month, 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.
Anyone who considers themselves to be “curious about the incredible inner workings of the human body” are invited to join in with the series of anatomy-themed special events, star-studded appearances, and half term transformations.
And the best bit is that a good chunk of the events planned are actually open for you to get involved with for completely free of charge.
As the curtains on Operation Ouch! are due to close for good on Sunday 9 June, the museum has chosen to dedicate the entire month of May to celebrating the record-breaking exhibition and making sure it goes out in “a blaze of glorious grossness” by having it inspire all the upcoming ‘brilliant bodies’ events – and this half term is no different.
The Science and Industry Museum has revealed its ‘gloriously gross’ half term events lineup / Credit: Science Museum Group
As well as exploring the exhibition before it closes, mini Mancs can also bring a bear (or any soft squishy friend) to the museum and take them round the departments of the ‘Teddy Hospital’, as well as learn all about looking after their brains, bones, and bottoms with fun and fascinating activities, and find out how their skeleton works, what their poo is made of, and why we have blood.
The museum‘s team of Explainers will also be back in action this half term.
They’ll be putting on interactive science shows packed with “fun facts and wow moments” that explore how and why our bodies are all the same, but different too.
There’s so much to discover and explore about our ‘brilliant bodies’ at the museum this month / Credit: Science Museum Group
Away from the ‘brilliant bodies’ events, if you haven’t had the chance the make the most of the museum’s smash-hit gaming exhibition, Power UP, then this upcoming half term is the ideal time to do so.
Revolution Manchester, the museum’s interactive Experiment gallery, and the Textiles Gallery are also open for exploring for free all throughout the half term week.
Both free entry tickets to the museum, and charged-for tickets for Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You and Power UP, can be booked now on the Science and Industry Museum website.
You can find more about all the activities taking place at the museum over the half term here.
Featured image – Science Museum Group
What's On
Manc icons to be turned into trail of stunning floral installations lining city centre streets
Emily Sergeant
Caroline Aherne and Emmeline Pankhurst are among the ‘Manchester Icons’ set to turned into floral installations for a new trail that’ll line the city centre streets.
In case you missed it, it was announced back in January that Manchester is all set to become one of the most picturesque places in the UK once again this summer, and that’s because the city will be getting dressed up in celebration of the annual Flower Festival – which is back by popular demand for its seventh year.
The four-day festival – which is organised annually by Manchester BID and CityCo, and is often dubbed the “most Instagramable event of the year” – always sees Manchester bloom to life, with plants and flowers covering landmark buildings, shop windows, doorways, balconies, statues, fountains, and more right across the city centre.
This year’s Festival will take place over the late May bank holiday weekend from Friday 24 – Monday 27 May 2024.
And now, the theme for this year’s floral trail has now been revealed by the Festival’s organisers.
‘Manchester Icons’ is the name and theme of this year’s trail – which is always one of the most popular events at the Festival each year – and visitors are being told they can expect to see 10 glorious displays inspired by Manchester-born figures, music icons, and even legendary buildings.
All the installations in the trail are created by local artists, gardeners, and flower enthusiasts.
The late Manc actress Caroline Aherne, Manchester suffragette icon Emmeline Pankhurst, Girls Aloud and Stockport-raised band member, the late Sarah Harding, and local singing legend Rowetta are among the ‘icons’ who will be turned into floral art pieces, alongside other famous sites such as Gnome Island, the Hacienda, and Boddington’s brewery.
Manchester will be filled with fresh blooms as annual the Flower Festival returns this summer / Credit: Carl Sukonik & Fabio De Paola | The Manc Group
King Street, New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, the Corn Exchange, and Manchester Arndale are just a few of the sites the installations will call home in a couple of weeks time.
The names and locations of the 10 installations are:
‘What first attracted you to the comedian Caroline Aherne?’ – New Cathedral Street
‘The Girls Aloud Tribute Garden’ – St Ann’s Square
‘Emmeline’s Town Hall’ – On the corner of King Street and Cross Street
‘Queen Bee Rowetta’ – The Royal Exchange
‘Gnome Island’ – King Street
‘The Second Summer of Love’ – Manchester Arndale
‘Boddingtons Blooms’ – Corn Exchange
‘The Iconic Hive’ – New Cathedral Street
‘This is Manchester’ – St Ann’s Square
‘The Hacienda Gardens’ – On the corner of King Street and Deansgate
Alongside the headline floral trail, organisers say this year’a Manchester Flower Festival is also set to bring “fun and frivolity” to the city’s streets – with a cocktail trail, al-fresco dining, live music, lots of family entertainment, floral workshops, arts and crafts markets, and so much more.
Manchester Flower Festival 2024 is free for all to attend from Friday 24 – Monday 27 May, and you can find out more about the floral trail and everything else happening across the four days here.
Featured Image – Carl Sudonik (via Manchester BID)