Printworks is helping parents keep kids this busy for the rest of the Easter holiday by hosting a totally free and family-friendly gaming event this Thursday, 4 April.
Fresh from the £21 million refurbishment of the iconic Manchester entertainment venue and leisure destination, which now includes the largest digital ceiling anywhere in Europe, Printworks will be putting their new and improved tech offerings to use through a giant interactive gaming screen.
Having already been unveiled as part of their relaunch party last month, the open area now known as the Pumpyard will see their very own gaming referee, Chris Dresden, hosting a huge interactive game that will see anywhere between 30 and 100 players take part at a time.
Able to play simply by joining through your smartphone, participants will compete in two easy-to-play, interactive multiplayer games created by Manchester-based, crowd-gaming specialists, Piing. We’ve already had a go and trust us, it’s a good laugh.
With the whole thing being shown on Printworks’ new gaming screen as visitors use their smartphones as the controllers, you just have to scan a QR code to get involved. It’ll be taking place between 12pm-4pm on Thursday and it’s sure to attract a big crowd.
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There’s no app to download or sign up necessary, you just join the screen and play – though we’d definitely recommend getting the Printworks app for more benefits throughout the year.
As for what people will be playing, gamers can try out Rebound – a ping pong game where players aim to keep the ball on the court – as well as Buggy Race: a classic racing gamer where you can steer around the islands and chicanes on a fast-paced F1-style circuit.
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A new gaming challenge will take place every 15–30 minutes as part of the family-friendly event, with the winner of each round able to select a fantastic prize from Printworks’ lucky dip, including vouchers for in-house restaurants and leisure destinations, chocolate fountains, footballs and plenty more.
Credit: The Manc Group
Better still, families can also take advantage of a variety of half-term offers with Printworks’ popular venues over the next two weeks, including Easter menus with Chiquito and Frankie & Benny’s, free face painting and balloon modelling events on weekdays with Treetop Golf and lots more.
Kristian Brennan, Marketing Manager at Printworks, said: “We’re so excited to host our first gaming event here at Printworks on our new gaming screen.
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“As part of the recent relaunch following our extensive refurbishment, this gaming event will not only bring free fun for families during the Easter break but will also offer an experience like no other, where they will be surrounded by mesmerising content on our giant digital ceiling.”
The screen isn’t just there as something to look at and to light up the internal street, Printworks is also planning a variety of free content scheduled to run throughout the next year, with families able to marvel at stunning ‘Out of Space’ scenes this school holidays. We can’t lie, it’s pretty bloody impressive.
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.
Danny Jones -
3rd April 2024 
