The city‘s leading higher education institution, and currently the third-largest university by student number in the UK, was founded at its original Oxford Road campus base all the way back in 1824, which means that 2024 marks 200 years since it officially opened its doors to the public – and what a 200 years it’s been, too.
So, in a bid to properly celebrate 200 years of educating some of the country’s brightest young talents, UoM has just announced that it will be hosting a brand-new festival this summer, called Universally Manchester.
Gear up for four days of celebration as we host the Universally Manchester festival on 6-9 June.
The four-day event will be filled with all sorts of activities, and it’s set to welcome up to 60,000 people to campus in early June.
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Taking place from Thursday 6 – Sunday 9 June 2024, festivalgoers will be able to curate their very-own varied programme of activities, with everything from behind-the-scenes tours, and salon discussions, to music, medicine, theatre, comedy, art, poetry, creative writing, wellbeing, computing, and so much featuring on the jam-packed lineup.
University of Manchester to host FREE festival to celebrate its 200th year this summer / Credit: Supplied
With more than 150 “imaginative and immersive” events set to take place in what are being described as “unexpected” places across campus, it really does sound like there’ll be something on offer for all ages and interests to get stuck into.
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The festival will have a different focus each day, and events will be popping up everywhere.
Labs, concert theatres, outdoor spaces, and the University’s award-winning culture hotspots like the Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Museum, are set to be some of the hives of activity.
UoM first opened its doors all the way back in 1824 / Credit: Supplied
And the best bit? It’s absolutely FREE to everyone to head on down to.
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If all of that wasn’t exciting enough as it is, a handful of famous figures from the University’s past, present, and future will be attending the festival.
World-renowned physicist, award-winning podcaster, and (most importantly) proud Mancunian, Professor Brian Cox, is one of the first well-known names to be announced as attending, and he’ll be appearing alongside BAFTA-winning broadcaster, writer, and historian Professor David Olusoga.
🎉 We're planning an exciting programme of events to run throughout our bicentenary year. Here’s a taste of what’s to come. #UoM200pic.twitter.com/8EbBzMnmEO
Some of the events planned over the four-day event include the return of the popular ‘Community Festival’ with “insightful” live performances and lots of engagingfamily-friendly fun on the Saturday, and then both ‘The Carinval’ and the ‘Manchester Histories Festival’ on the Sunday.
‘The Carnival’ will be happening down at Whitworth Art Gallery, and will be feature a programme of live art performances, free activities, music, and street food vendors, while festival partners, Manchester Histories Festival, will be hosting a range of exciting events that’ll give people the chance to explore the “richness and diversity” of Manchester‘s heritage.
Full festival listings are set to be announced in due course.
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Universally Manchester is to take over UoM’s Oxford Road campus in the heart of the city centre from Thursday 6 – Sunday 9 June 2024, and you can find out more here.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess to host ‘Merch Market’ in aid of bands
Thomas Melia
Tim Burgess, frontman of legendary band The Charlatans, is set to launch a one-off ‘Merch Market’ event, and its core purpose is to support bands.
He might have a ‘Jesus Hairdo’ but he’s currently serving as a good Samaritan as The Charlatans‘ Tim Burgess is putting on an event solely focusing on funding bands via gig merch and other apparel.
Running across a variety of live music locations within Manchester city centre, the day-long event is called ‘Merch Market’, and it’s encouraging music lovers and bands alike to tag along.
Although ticket sales, album sales and streams are critical in funding the careers of all the artists we know and love, one key drive in securing actual revenue in the music industry is merchandise.
Expect to pick up some rare finds and own some limited edition collections.Band merch will be front and centre at this event which is hosted by The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess.Credit: The Hoot/Audio North
‘Merch Market’ is taking place at O2 Ritz as well as adjacent venues Gorilla and Dog Bowl across the road with a special appearance from ‘Tim Peak’s Diner’, the caffeinated brainchild of Tim Burgess.
The whole point of this event is to make sure that bands can receive the full 100% of merch sales without any cuts from any third party.
Fronted by The Charlatans lead singer Tim Burgess, ‘Merch Market’ is building off his 2021 gathering, which had a similar initiative with ‘Vinyl Adventure’ encouraging the sale of physical music and media.
Alongside stocking up your wardrobe with all the latest band t-shirts, hoodies and everything in between, there will be an array of interesting performances and talks happening throughout the day.
Entry to this incredible celebration of bands is completely free of charge and, better still, there are chances to win some seriously cool prizes – including some tasty festival tickets.
Gorilla is one of the live music venues that ‘Merch Market’ is taking place at.The Manc and Antony Szmierek outside O2 RItz, another venue which will be taking part in ‘Merch Market’.Credit: The Manc Group
Expect stalls, live DJ sets, interviews, panels and even a chance to bag yourself VIP tickets for UK festival, Kendal Calling, which Burgess will be returning for 2025.
Burgess is a man of many talents as he will not only be hosting this fantastic initiative, but he will also be hosting a stall of his own and singing a couple of his biggest hits.
Bands don’t have to worry about forking out a fortune for renting a stall either as tables at ‘Merch Market’ are free, the only thing musicians have to bring is their merch and charming personalities.
So whether you’re an artist with leftover stock from your last tour or a music lover who just missed out on snagging a snap back, head down to these three venues on 25 May.
A queer comedy night is coming to Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
A comedy night packed with raunch and hilarious storytelling is heading to Manchester and its fronted by one of comedy’s leading queer comedians.
Titled ‘Queer as F*ck’ (we love a good pun), this night is devoted especially to queer comedy and sees Welsh comedian Morgan Rees taking the wheel with a wonderful roster of acts set to play too.
Taking inspiration from the cult-favourite queer comedy, this leading comedian is no stranger to seeing his work in the limelight as he has written for some of the funniest flagship shows like Mock The Week and The Great American Joke-Off.
Rees also doubles as the co-writer for smash internet hit The Uncle Roger Show, starring fellow comic Nigel Ng, and will definitely be bringing some of his razor-sharp one-liners on the night.
Ben Hodge, the MC for the queer comedy night in Manchester.Morgan Rees, the comedian headlining ‘Queer as F*ck’.Jenny Hart, one of the acts lined up for the queer comedy night in Manchester.Credit: Press Images (supplied)
The event, which has the full title of ‘brew. haha: Queer as F*ck comedy night’ will be MC’d by trans-male stand-up Ben Hodge and lesbian comedian Louise Young.
The latter may be a familiar name as she is currently supporting Alan Carr and Tom Allen on their latest tour while also stopping off in Manchester for this very special occasion.
Along with Rees and co., finishing the line-up are two impressive performers ready to raise the roof at this comedy night in Manchester: gay author Martin Dixon and trans comedian Jenny Hart.
Obviously, Rees doesn’t want to give everything away, but he has revealed an insight into what guests can expect to be chuckling away at in their seats.
Morgan Rees is excited to talk about “bad one night stands, growing up queer in a Welsh working class town, coming out late, and starting my first relationship in my 30s – it’s all in there.”
Taking place at Contact Theatre, this much-loved arts space is tucked away just behind the University of Manchester and another impressive city centre venue, Manchester Academy.
And if all this comedy talk wasn’t enough to get you down there, brew will be serving up Detroit-style pizzas with a range of draft beers and ciders – what a night you’re in for.
‘brew. haha: Queer as F*ck’ is coming to the Contact in Manchester on Wednesday, 9 April and ttickets are already on sale.
Emily Sergeant -
30th January 2024 
