Have you seen the playful world of Looney Tunes has started taking to the streets of Manchester over the last week?
Well, your eyes weren’t deceiving you.
11 of the most-beloved characters from the Looney Tunes series – including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Speedy Gonzales, Tasmanian Devil and more – have all been spray-painted at various locations across the city centre as part of an exploratory street art trail that’s aiming to welcome people back to the city post lockdown.
There’s also a family-friendly walking tour taking place, too, so you can see all the colourful characters popping up around the city.
In partnership with Warner Bros UK, CityCo and Manchester BID enlisted the talents of street artist Captain Kris to create artwork of the iconic Looney Tunes characters across 12 of the city centre’s most popular hubs.
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With the art trail hoping to appeal to both families and nostalgia-hunting adults alike, the mischievous artwork sees Daffy Duck waiting for a tram at Exchange Square, Speedy Gonzalez sprinting through Spinningfields, Bugs Bunny bursting out of Primark, Porky Pig popping a pipe at Pen and Pencil, Wile E. Coyote chasing Road Runner around Symphony Park, and the Looney Tunes gang skateboarding through Deansgate Square.
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But how exactly does the tour work?
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Using the latest technology, QR codes have been hidden within each piece of character art revealing a virtual map and the opportunity to discover what else is new from the Looney Tunes – including the chance to watch a trailer for the new Space Jam: A New Legacy film, which is hitting screens this year.
The map shows each location on the trail, and allows people to discover them all as they make their way through central Manchester.
The trail locations are:
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Spinningfields
Deansgate Square
First Street
Circle Square
Canal Street
111 Piccadilly
The Pen and Pencil
Common x2
Primark
Exchange Square tram stop
Printworks
Street artist Captain Kris was able to bring the characters to life through imaginative design / Credit: CityCo & Manchester BID
Captain Kris and street art collective Blank Walls designed the artwork with the aim to make the trail vibrant and interactive.
“Like most people, I’ve loved Looney Tunes since I was a child,” Captain Kris said.
“It’s been a lot of fun creating these cheeky, adventurous poses, with the Looney Tunes characters wreaking havoc across Manchester.”
Speaking on the arrival of the new art trail, Vaughan Allen, Chief Executive of CityCo & Manchester BID, said: “Manchester is renowned for its street art which is well-loved by residents, workers and visitors [so] we’re delighted to be partnering with the legendary Warner Bros company to bring its iconic Looney Tunes characters to the city centre for this fun, family-friendly, outdoor art trail.
“This is a great way of continuing to animate the city this summer in support of our business community.”
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You can explore Manchester’s Looney Tunes trail from now until the end of July.
The Manc has been following the Looney Tunes characters as they’ve been popping up around the city this past week, so head on over to our Instagram (@the.manc) and TikTok (@the.manc) to see them all in action.
Featured Image – CityCo & Manchester BID
City Centre
Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum announces FREE programme of space-themed activities
Emily Sergeant
National Space Day is coming up, and you can celebrate with a bunch of free space-inspired activities in Manchester this bank holiday.
Ever wondered what astronauts eat in orbit? How they use the loo in zero gravity? Or why crumbs are bad news on the International Space Station? Well, to celebrate National Space Day – which is taking place this year on Friday 1 May – you’ll now get to discover the answers to those questions and so much more down at the Science and Industry Museum early next month.
The popular Manchester city centre-based museum has unveiled a programme of free ‘out-of-this-world’ events and activities this upcoming May bank holiday weekend.
The programme of free events are set to accompany the museum’s latest special exhibition, Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos – which you do have to pay for – and will give visitors more ways to explore the ‘wonders and weirdness’ of space.
The Science and Industry Museum has announced a free programme of space-themed activities / Credit: Drew Forsyth / Science Museum Group
Launching on National Space Day (Friday 1 May) and running through to Monday 4 May, the special bank holiday weekend programme is especially timely following the recent return of Artemis II astronauts from their history-making mission around the moon.
Families can get a taste of space during new live shows by sampling real foods used to feed astronauts, and discover more about how humans live and work beyond Earth, while budding space explorers put their skills to the test in interactive activities designed to ‘spark curiosity’ and ‘stretch imaginations’ to the moon and back.
Stargazers can enjoy the night sky as its projected across super-sized screens, or get creative by crafting their very own constellations and designing a mission patch for an astronaut’s spacesuit.
The events accompany the museum’s latest special exhibition, Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos / Credit: Drew Forsyth / Science Museum Group
“2026 has already been a stellar year for space,” commented Tash Camberwell, who is the Interpretation and Content Developer at the Science and Industry Museum, as the programme of free events was announced this week.
“We’ve been so inspired by the amazing Artemis II astronauts, so I’m especially excited to bring space back down to Earth with an action-packed programme for the May bank holiday.
“Just like the exhibition, our holiday activities have been created for young people and their grown-ups to enjoy together by blending humour, hands-on science and spectacular experiences to spark curiosity in space and inspire the next generation of space explorers.”
More information on the bank holiday weekend activities can be found on the Science and Industry Museum’s website here, and free general admission tickets, as well as £10 tickets to Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos, can also be booked online too – with under threes going free.
Following what was a popular spring school holidays, museum staff say early booking is ‘advised’.
Featured Image – Drew Forsyth / Science Museum Group
City Centre
A live concert version of The Muppet Christmas Carol is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
We know it’s not even the summer yet, but we’re about to drop the C word, because a live concert version of The Muppet Christmas Carol is coming to Manchester.
An all-time classic, adored by children and adults alike, Disney’s Muppet Christmas Carol is arguably one of the best seasonal watches of all time.
Set to be hosted right here in the city centre at one of the most magnificent entertainment venues, the much-loved, festive and musical will be celebrated in its true glory, courtesy of a full orchestra.
It isn’t the first time special screenings of this family-friendly favourite have been held here in Manchester – nor is it the first time the UK has been treated to this particular tour – but if you haven’t tried a Disney Concerts experience before, this is an ideal opportunity.
Announcing not one but two dates at the beautiful Bridgewater Hall, The Muppets’ twist on the legendary Charles Dickens tale, which will see the visuals brought to life with the backing of strings, brass, percussion – the whole shebang.
If you’ve ever been to see one of these ‘live in concert’ type shows, you’ll know how magical they can make rewatching even something you’ve seen countless times before.
With Disney Music Group’s regular troupe of touring players taking on the original score and well-known soundtrack, you won’t be able to help but sing back every word.
Originally composed by Miles Goodman (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Little Shop of Horrors), along with songs by Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy-winning songwriter, Paul Williams (Rainbow Connection and Evergreen), there’s a reason the sound of this film, specifically, has stuck with so many people.
Just imagine this on the big screen as all the instruments kick in right then and there, in the flesh…
Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert – 2026 UK tour dates
We’ve also highlighted some other Northern options for you:
28 November – London Eventim Apollo
29 November – Poole Lighthouse
1 December – Bradford Live
2 December – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
3 December – Edinburgh Usher Hall
4 December – Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
5 December – Southend Cliffs Pavilion
7 December – Manchester Bridgewater Hall
8 December – Birmingham Symphony Hall
9 December – Birmingham Symphony Hall
10 December – Sheffield City Hall
11 December – Bath Forum
13 December – Brighton Centre
14 December – Portsmouth Guildhall
17 December – Manchester Bridgwater Hall
With performances booked for 7pm on 7 December and the same time on 17 December, Members’ pre-sale goes live this coming Thursday, 23 April at 10am.
As for general admission, tickets will be available from the same time on Friday, 24 April; you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
It’s not the only big Christmassy concert coming to town this year.
Emily Sergeant -
16th June 2021 
