One of the best-loved Halloween films is being screened with a live orchestra playing its iconic soundtrack later this month.
It may have only been a couple of weeks since we waved goodbye to summer, but with the nights drawing in, the air starting to feel more autumnal by the day, and the spooky season right around the corner, it won’t be long before Disney fans get all cosy and sit down to watch the 1993 classic that is Hocus Pocus.
Directed by Kenny Ortega, and starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, the film is a brilliant mix of fantasy, comedy, and horror all in one, and follows a villainous comedic trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a virgin teenage boy in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night.
When the film was first released, it actually received mixed reviews from film critics and wasn’t really a success at the box office either, but thanks to people popping it on to watch every October, it’s been rediscovered by audiences.
Halloween has helped make the film a cult classic – and quite rightly so, if you ask us.
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Such a cult classic, in fact, that a sequel, aptly titled Hocus Pocus 2, was finally released on Disney+ last year nearly two decades later, and saw much of the original cast return for the ride, alongside some new faces for a continuation of the story that started in the first movie.
So, if watching Hocus Pocus is already one of your Halloween traditions, then how do you fancy watching it live in concert as well? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening at The Bridgewater Hall here in Manchester in just a couple of weeks time.
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As part of a two-stop UK, Hocus Pocus In Concert is coming back to our city by popular demand, and this year, it’s on actual Halloween night.
Hocus Pocus In Concert will be at The Bridgewater Hall on Tuesday 31 October / Credit: Bridgwater Hall
Sounding set to be “the perfect Halloween treat” for the whole family, the one-off event will feature a screening of the complete 1993 film, with Emmy-winning composer John Debney’s musical score performed live to accompany the spooky classic.
Hocus Pocus In Concert will be at The Bridgewater Hall on Tuesday 31 October at 7:30pm, with tickets now on sale and setting you back anywhere from £34-£69.
Given how much of a success the event was when it was here last, and the fact it’s on the actual night of Halloween itself this year, tickets are already being snapped up fast, so you’ll need to be quick if you want to get your hands of them.
Grab your tickets on the Bridgewater Hall website here.
Featured Image – Disney
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Manchester’s popular board game festival returns this month with hundreds of games to play
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s popular board came festival is set to return later this month, with hundreds of games free to play.
Manchester Board Game Festival is set to kick off 2026 in style, returning for the first festival of the year with a full weekend of board games, role-playing games, indie traders, and community-led fun in the heart of the city.
The festival features a huge board game library, giving fans access to hundreds of games to try out across the weekend – with ‘Library Bees’ on-hand to help people find games, learn the rules, or jump into sessions with other players.
There’ll also be bookable sessions, like RPGs and Blood on The Clocktower, and seminars to take part in over the three-day event.
Manchester’s popular board game festival returns this month with hundreds of games to play / Credit: MBGF (via Facebook)
As well as gaming, visitors can browse the festival’s popular Geek Fayre too, open on the Saturday and Sunday of the event, which showcases indie traders, artists, and tabletop creators from across the UK. From games and accessories, to artwork and geeky gifts, it’s a chance to support small businesses all while discovering something new.
Running from Friday 27 February through to Sunday 1 March, this opening weekend festival marks the start of five events planned throughout 2026.
Events are designed to bring together players of all experience levels for three days of tabletop gaming and social play.
“There’s something really special about the first festival of the year,” commented festival organiser, James Oxley.
“People are excited, they’re ready to play, and there’s a real buzz in the room. Manchester Board Game Festival has always been about bringing people together through games, and we can’t wait to see everyone back in the halls enjoying themselves.
“Whether attendees come for a single afternoon or the full weekend, the focus is on playing at your own pace, meeting new people, and enjoying games in a relaxed and friendly setting.”
Further festivals will follow throughout 2026, including themed Halloween and Christmas editions later in the year, so keep your eyes peeled, but until then, February’s event marks the first chance for players to roll some dice, discover new favourites, and start the year with a table full of games.
Manchester Board Game Festival takes place from Friday 27 February through to Sunday 1 March at Sachas Hotel in the Northern Quarter, with tickets starting from just £13.
You can ride a wizard-themed steam train through Greater Manchester countryside next week
Emily Sergeant
The hugely popular wizard-themed steam train will be travelling through Greater Manchester once again next week.
February half term is right around the corner, and that means East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is back with a whole host of immersive events that give curious Mancs the chance to step back in time by hopping on one of the historic Pullman-style steam train carriages through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.
Thomas the Tank Engine, dinosaur, Peppa Pig, and seasonal themed train rides are just a few of the events that have been entertaining families in the region over the last few years.
By far one of the most popular experiences on the lineup, however, has to be the chance to go on a ‘wizarding adventure’, where little Mancs can come together for a magical day of sharing spells and getting stuck into lots of magic-themed fun.
You can ride a wizard-themed steam train through Greater Manchester next week / Credit: ELR
Aspiring witches and wizards of all ages are invited to enrol in the spellbinding school of sorcery this February half term, as they take a ‘wacky and wonderful’ whistle stop tour through the ‘Irwell Valley of wonders’.
Little Mancs will get to learn powerful incantations and perfect their wand-waving skills, all while using their imagination and learning how to soar through the skies on a broomstick.
They’ll also get to discover the proper way to greet mystical creatures, and take care of a ‘real’ dragon egg too.
The Wizarding Adventure is an “enchanting experience for all the family” / Credit: ELR
Aside from wizard-themed tasks, there’ll also be plenty of photo opportunities along the way.
Aside from wizard-themed tasks, there’ll also be plenty of photo opportunities along the way, and food and drink will be available to tuck into from the café on Platform 3/4 at Bury Bolton Street Station, and from the Rawtenstall Buffet too, making it a truly ‘enchanting’ experience for the whole family.
The Wizarding Adventure is back this half term, with several special journeys lined-up next month on Thursday 19 February, and tickets still available to get your hands on from £18 each for children and £20.50 for adults.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd October 2023 
