Bongo’s Bingo – the wild travelling promotion famed for turning sleepy gaming halls into floor-stomping parties – is returning to Manchester in December, and it’s bringing along a UK novelty icon.
Dene Michael from Black Lace is headlining a series of special Christmas shows at the Albert Hall next month, as Bongo’s Bingo borrows the magnificent venue for a seven-night tropical winter shindig.
Black Lace are the band behind the singalong pop tracks destined to soundtrack UK discos and weddings for eternity – with notable hits including Agadoo, Hokey Cokey, Do the Conga and I Am the Music Man.
Group member Michael will be leading rowdy renditions of these karaoke classics, which will be followed by trance belters, chart-toppers and indie rock songs – from N Trance to S Club to Gerry Cinnamon.
Bongo’s Bingo
The special events are set to feature all the usual weird and wonderful antics you’d expect from a Bongo’s show including conga lines, dance-offs, prizes and, of course, a few good old-fashioned games of bingo.
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A Very Tropical Christmas will take over the Albert Hall across seven dates next month: Sunday 19, Monday 20, Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22, Thursday 23, Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 December.
Eponymous founder of the riotous gaming promotion Jonny Bongo said: “Christmas is my favourite time of the year and we are gearing up for a brilliant season of festive shows in Manchester.
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“Having Dene Michael from Black Lace back for a run of dates is going to be class – he is amazing fun and always has the venue going wild. We can’t wait!”
Rich Furness, Bongo’s Bingo’s Manchester host, added: “Christmas is always huge for us in Manchester. It’s my fifth year hosting Xmas shows in Manchester and I cannot wait to get stuck into this run of shows.
“A couple of years ago we had Dene Michael from Black Lace and it went off that much we had to get him back.
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“It’s been a weird and strange couple of years for us emotional and not having any Xmas shows last years felt really strange, so these Manchester shows feel a bit more special to me this year.
“The crowd here is always well up for it and I can’t wait to hear the Xmas Manchester roars and ear piercing singalongs.”
Bongo’s Bingo is an immersive night out that has dominated the party scene for years.
Blending bingo, dance-offs, rave intervals, bonkers prizes (like Henry Hoovers and giant pink unicorns) and loads of audience participation, it’s a phenomenon that now takes place in almost 50 locations worldwide.
Follow @bongosbingo on Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest news and parties.
You can also keep up with Bongo’s Bingo via the promotion’sFacebook channel.
Christmas
Co-op Live appears to tease major Mariah Carey Christmas gig sending fans into a frenzy
Emily Sergeant
All we want for Christmas… is Mariah Carey in Manchester.
And maybe, just maybe, our Christmas wish might come true very soon, as Co-op Live has taken to social media today to tease its next gig announcement with its hundreds of thousands of followers, and without jumping to conclusions, it does appear to be hinting at the queen of Christmas herself making an appearance.
Look, we know it’s only July and right in the middle of summer, but even if you think it’s too early to be talking about the festive season, you have to admit that the potential of Mariah Carey coming to Manchester is worth getting excited any time of the year.
The US pop powerhouse last performed in our city nearly a decade ago now when she brought her famous All I Want For Christmasshow to the UK for the first time ever, taking to sold-out Manchester Arena stage on 10 December 2017.
Mariah has not performed in Manchester since, but all that could be set to change as Co-op Live has hinted that an announcement is ‘coming soon’.
Taking to its official social media platforms today, Co-op Live posted a very festive-themed AI video of snow falling on the arena as the camera zoomed in and the instrumental of Mariah’s absolutely iconic hit ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ playing in the background, and the caption hinting at the song’s title too.
Of course, we could be wrong, it might not be Mariah at all, but if the 300+ comments from fans in a frenzy thinking the same as us are anything to go by, it’s looking like we might be right.
“The countdown to Christmas is on,” Co-op Live said in its video, before letting fans know that they would be getting some form of confirmation soon.
So, is it Mariah then? What do you think? Only time will tell, so stay tuned.
Featured Image – Picryl
Christmas
Bewitching Christmas light trail Northern Lights will return to Heaton Park this year
Daisy Jackson
The festive light trail that proved to be a smash hit last winter will make a return to Manchester this year.
Northern Lights has just announced a major return to Heaton Park, with a brand-new Christmas Time Machine theme.
The dazzling mile-long light trail will transform the park into a wonderland with 14 different installations, plus selfie spots along the route.
And there’ll be a limited Kids Go Free offer on select dates, as well as inclusive evenings with reduced capacity and lower audio levels.
Northern Lights attracted more than 100,000 visitors when it made its Heaton Park debut last winter, and received rave reviews across the board.
This year, A Christmas Time Machine will take place from 19 November all the way through to the end of the year, inviting visitors to step back into their favourite festive memories with a nostalgic collection in installations.
Original soundscapes, spectacular new illuminations, and even a marshmallow zone will bring the fully accessible trail to life.
Northern Lights is returning to Manchester. Credit: Supplied
Visitors will walk along Candy Cane Lane, admire a giant neon slinky, and ogle at shimmering nutcrackers.
There’ll also be vintage fairground rides, cosy festive pit stops, and an expanded Christmas Village with artisan food and drink producers from across the region.
Demand is expected to be high for this year’s festivities, with Early Bird tickets just released to get you the best value prices of the year.
Emma St.Croix, Senior Marketing Manager at From The Fields, said: “The response to Northern Lights Manchester last year exceeded all of our expectations.
“The warmth and enthusiasm from visitors made it incredibly special for our team, and we’re delighted to be returning to Heaton Park with something completely new.
“Since January, we’ve been reimagining every part of the experience. A Christmas Time Machine takes visitors on a journey through the festive moments that stay with us long after the decorations come down. Nodding to the traditions we return to year after year, the nostalgia of Christmases gone by, and the excitement of creating new memories together.
“We can’t wait to welcome visitors back and share this next chapter of Northern Lights with families, friends and loved ones from across the region.”
Northern Lights will also host dedicated inclusive evenings on Wednesday 2 and Wednesday 9 December. Visitor numbers will be reduced by 75%, with lower audio levels throughout the trail to create a calmer environment that may be preferable for some neurodivergent visitors and those who benefit from a more relaxed experience.
Northern Lights Manchester tickets
Kids Go Free offer – available on selected Off-Peak Early Bird dates until 31 August (or until allocation is exhausted. Use code KIDSLIGHTS before selecting tickets to unlock.
Early Bird Pricing
Peak tickets – from £17.25 including transaction fee
Off-peak tickets – from £13.75 including transaction fee
Daisy Jackson -
26th November 2021 
