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A massive East Asian street food fair is returning to Manchester next month

We're hungry just thinking about it.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 5th February 2025

Manchester’s massively popular East Asian street food fair is returning to the city centre next month.

Merely weeks after the city celebrated the ‘Year of the Snake’ for this year’s Lunar New Year this past weekend, another celebration of East and South East Asian culture is set to arrive back in Manchester by popular demand.

That’s because GRUB has announced that’s its much-loved East Asian Food Fair is returning for another day packed full of tasty eats very soon.

Taking over a Sunday in mid March, the day-long event is set to treat hungry Mancs to food from six of GRUB’s favourite street food vendors, including some newbies too, who will all be serving up delights directly from the east of Asia.

This means that, from noon right through until early evening, you can feast on Taiwanese fried chicken and Japanese Tonkatsu buns from All Fired Up, and South Korean wonders from the aptly-named Korean Grub Club.

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How about some fresh noodles with a choice of toppings and drizzles? Served up from Mala resident, Wok Bros, who will be coming to GRUB for the first time.

Manchester’s popular East Asian street food fair is returning next month / Credit: GRUB

Not only that, but for those with a sweet tooth, there’ll also be an array of desserts and treats courtesy of the popular Mary’s Cakery Makery too.

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GRUB says the East Asian Food Fair is by far one of its best-attended annual events each year, and also a personal favourite to host for foodie fans as well.

It’s free for all to attend, no tickets needed.

Read more:

The East Asian Food Fair is happening on Sunday 15 March from 12-6pm, and you can find out more on the GRUB website here.

Featured Image – GRUB

What's On

The Great Manchester Run is back for 2025

Danny Jones Danny Jones Sign up for the 2025 Great Manchester Run

Get your trainers at the ready, 0161, because the Great Manchester Run is back once again this year and you’ll be glad to hear nothing’s changed: it’s still one of the best days on the sporting calendar.

Taking place in its usual spring slot on Sunday, 18 May, the 2025 Great Manchester Run will once again see thousands of locals and people from all over take on two terrific distances, not to mention thousands raised for charity in what remains a day which shows us Mancs in our best light.

With more than 30,000 runners set to take part and more than 100k spectators expected to line the streets with their signs – and hopefully, some sugary sweets to keep the energy high – we can’t wait to see the crowds gathering throughout the city.

The question is, is this the year you join them?

Credit: Supplied (via AJ Bell)

Great Manchester Run 2025 – This is the one!

Starting on the long stretch of Portland Street for the half-marathon route and running past both Manchester City and Man United’s home grounds, passing through the likes of Trafford and near Salford Quays, it’s a route many regular racers will be familiar with.

Better still, if you’re running Manchester’s 10k course Great Run, you get to avoid the long incline over and Mancunian Way and back (thank the lord), although the entire race is largely considered to be fantastically flat compared to many others in the UK.

One thing that both the HM and 10k runs have in common, though, is the grandstand finish towards Deansgate and if you’ve never soaked in the glory and non-stop cheering in that moment before, it should be more than enough to convince you that this is your time.

Set to be televised on the BBC as it is every year, as well as music zones to keep the tunes and blood pumping throughout the day; multiple designated cheer squads along the route

You only have to take it from those who ran last year to hear how special a day it is:

It’s also a brilliant way to raise money for important causes — read more HERE.

Junior and Mini MCR Runs

But it doesn’t stop there…

Even more excitingly for the young ones who want to lace up their fastest pair of shoes, children can also get involved with this year’s Great Manchester Run as kids aged three and upwards can take part.

Offering both the mini 1.6km dash for 3 to 8-year-olds and a 2.5k supercharged sprint race available for the juniors (8-15), the 2025 event really is a weekend for everyone. Taking place on Saturday 17th May, the day before the main event, it’s the kids’ chance to take centre stage!

If the crowd cheering their names isn’t incentive enough, a shiny new medal and finishers t-shirt should do the trick.

Read more:

With the main event on Sunday, 18 May 2025 and with runners getting started from as early as 8:20am, it’s going to be an action-packed day and one you won’t forget. There are even training plans to help get you up to speed for race day.

Now into its 22nd year – with the likes of Eilish McColgan and Sir Mo Farah having taken part in the momentous 20th anniversary back in 2023 – the pedigree, support and all-round vibes surrounding this event only get bigger and better each time it returns.

We tend to find that many who come along watch from the sidelines inevitably get swept up in the spirit of it all and end up entering themselves the following year, so you might as well just take the plunge and join us this year.

You can sign up for the 2025 Great Manchester Run HERE – see you at the start line!

Credit: Supplied

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — AJ Bell Great Manchester Run (supplied)

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BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is returning to Greater Manchester next month

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

The BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is coming back to Manchester once again, and they’re bringing yet another phenomenal lineup with them.

National radio station and overall upcoming music connoisseurs, BBC Radio 6, are back with their music festival, and just like years previous, it’s taking place across Manchester.

Over the years, the festival has brought some of music’s biggest names to lots of local venues, putting on an array of brilliant live performances.

Last spring saw the arrival of rock band Gossip and Irish singer CMAT, both taking up residency in O2 Victoria Warehouse, Lily Fontaine of English Teacher at Band On The Wall, while DJ Seinfeld went B2B with Salute in Depot Mayfield.

2024 set the bar high, but 2025 is coming in hot.

Leading this glowing roster of performers is Ezra Collective, a Mercury award -winning band known for their brilliant jazz productions, and then from one Mercury-winning band to another, Lily Fontaine won’t be riding solo this year, instead she’s bringing all the crew with her, as English Teacher are set to perform at this huge festival.

Fat Dog, whose debut album is titled ‘Woof’, are joining in on the fun with Scottish band Mogwai also making a feature too.

There’s even a chance for an exclusive first listen too, as Kae Tempest will be debuting new material right here in Manchester.

Ezra Collective are returning to Manchester for this music festival.
Ezra Collective are performing at BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.
English Teacher are performing at BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.
English Teacher make a return to Manchester for this special event.
Fat Dog are performing at BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.
Fat Dog are also playing the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.

All performances will be taking place at a multitude of venues, like the previously mentioned O2 Victoria Warehouse, Depot Mayfield, and Band On The Wall, as well as loads of other events at entertainment bar, Yes.

Every highlight, alongside live and recorded live performances, will be taking place at MediaCityUK in Salford, in order to keep everything Manchester central.

BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is happening from 26 – 29 March 2025, with tickets going on sale from 6 February at 10am here.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image – Publicity Picture (via Supplied)

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