Manchester’s beloved giant inflatable monster trail will return to the city this Halloween, with the big colourful creatures taking over rooftops once again.
Halloween in the City is the country’s biggest Halloween celebration, with both the monster trail and a two-day family-friendly festival filling Manchester with things that go bump in the night.
The MCR Monsters, in all shapes and sizes, will be creeping and crawling over local landmarks including New Century Hall, the AO Arena, the Corn Exchange, Selfridges and the Manchester Arndale.
You’ll also find them lurking around Harvey Nichols, The Royal Exchange, and – new for 2023 – Castlefield Viaduct.
The gigantic inflatable sculptures are created by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas.
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The monster trail is now in its eighth year, transforming the city centre into a ghoulish green landscape with thousands of pumpkin lanterns dotted around the streets.
The MCR Monsters will be in town between Wednesday 25 and Tuesday 31 October.
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Last year’s inflatable monsters in the Halloween in the City trail in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupLast year’s inflatable monsters in the Halloween in the City trail in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Halloween in the City, organised by Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, also includes a two-day family festival on 28 and 29 October, which will include a fancy dress challenge, a monster procession, and a monster music festival.
The Monsters Rock Music Festival will take over New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, Market Street and Exchange Square, with live bands, DJs, rides, circus acts and even monster portaloos.
Walk the Plank’s popular Monsters Rock Out Procession is also back in Manchester for Halloween 2023, featuring giant puppet monsters, stilt walkers and a live band who will be partying their way through Manchester Arndale and Market Street.
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Thousands of families are expected to flock into the city centre for the celebrations, and will take part in the Team Trick vs Team Treat challenge, where you can win points for your team.
The funds will help improve the already incredible music scene in Manchester, benefitting staples likes Night and Day Café, Matt and Phred’s Jazz Club, SOUP and more.
All of the donations will be distributed across six independent music venues and will be used for various instruments, PA equipment, backline technology and other necessities depending on the requirements of each site.
Elbow have teamed up with Co-op Live in aid of supporting Manchester grassroots venues.Credit: Supplied
This initiative has been keeping Manchester’s Northern Quarter in the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to live music as well as the impressive Co-op Live.
Alongside providing vital resources for these local institutions, Elbow teaming up with Co-op Live also helps cement the North West as one of the main powerhouses in relation to live music.
The latest efforts from the largest indoor arena in Manchester fall in line with celebrating one year of bringing some of the best live music to the city, being officially open for 12 months in May.
Co-op Live have made a commitment to the people and the planet, promising to donate £1 million annually to the Co-op Foundation.
The stunning Co-op Live venue, Manchester’s largest indoor arena.Elbow performing at Co-op Live, marking history as the first act to grace the venue.Credit: Audio North/Supplied
Manchester’s latest live music venue also contributed significantly to selected charities, including Happy Doggo – chosen by Liam Gallagher and Eric Clapton’s addiction recovery centre, Crossroads.
As Elbow teams up with Co-op Live, even more money is making its way to necessary resources, this time in the likes of crucial live music establishments.
Elbow front-person Guy Garvey says: “Playing Co-op Live’s opening night will stay with us for a lifetime, not least because of how incredible the room sounded.”
“When the venue donated funds in our name to support the city we love, it made complete sense to carry that through to the Northern Quarter and to venues that have meant so much to my bandmates and I throughout our career.”
Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Co-op Live, adds: “In the past year, I have been proud to see Co-op Live become an integral part of such an incredible city.”
“Teaming up with Elbow to directly support the venues that first put Manchester on the map, and to share something so intrinsic to us as venues – proper sound – is something truly special.”
Award-winning The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon to kick off UK tour in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Multi award-winning musical Sunny Afternoon is set to kick off its UK tour here in Manchester later this year.
Following a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre, the musical production featuring all the hit songs by legendary rock band The Kinks opened to critical acclaim at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End, where it ran for two years ahead of its sensational UK and Ireland tour throughout 2016/17.
It also collected four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music for Ray Davies, along the way.
Award-winning The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon is kicking off its UK tour in Manchester / Credit: ATG Tickets
Set against the backdrop of Britain on the cusp of the rebellious 60s,Sunny Afternoon is described as being an ‘exhilarating and moving’ celebration of the music, life, and the band that changed it all, The Kinks.
Sunny Afternoon celebrates The Kinks’ raw energy, passion, and timeless sound.
Charting the ‘euphoric highs’ and ‘agonising lows’, the smash-hit production tells the band’s story through an incredible back catalogue of chart-toppers – including ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘Lola’, ‘All Day and All of the Night’, and of course, ‘Sunny Afternoon’ itself.
Tickets are on sale now from just £15 each / Credit: Kevin Cummins
Producers Sonia Friedman Productions and ATG Productions announced last week that the show would be returning for another UK tour later this year, and it’ll be opening right here on one of Manchester‘s most iconic stages.
The hit musical will open at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 10 October 2025 and it will run right through until 18 October.
Sunny Afternoon has music and lyrics, and an original story, all by the band’s frontman Ray Davies, along with a book by Joe Penhall, direction by Edward Hall, design by Miriam Buether, and choreography by Adam Cooper.
Daisy Jackson -
9th October 2023 
