The Manchester Coffee Festival, presented by Cup North, will make its grand return to the city this month – and you can save on tickets with The Manc.
The renowned event celebrates all things caffeine and is a must-visit for anyone in the industry, or just anyone who’s a coffee fanatic.
You can connect with other coffee lovers from around the UK while doing your favourite thing – drinking loads of coffee.
Visitors can work their way around the vast event at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre, where there’ll be everything from a Markets Marketplace for shopping, a tasting room where you can sample loads of different coffees, workshops to have a go at, and talks and panels with industry experts.
As well as that, Manchester Coffee Festival will have live music featuring incredible local artists, and a fun and entertaining LGBTQ+ friendly family program in collaboration with Drag Queen Story Hour UK and The Proud Trust.
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Cup North will be hosting the coffee competition, Extracted Development, over the two days of the event. Baristas and roasters from across the UK will be bringing the real life behind-the-bar scene on stage.
Unlike the usual competitions, attendees will be encouraged to interact with the competitors and get to taste their delicious competition coffee at a brew bar setting.
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There’ll be more than 60 exhibitors joining Manchester Coffee Festival 2023, each bringing their unique coffee products, artisanal treats, and coffee-related products.
Traders at Manchester Coffee FestivalManchester Coffee Festival 2022The tasting room at Manchester Coffee Festival
And coffee fiends will find plenty of familiar names about, such as Oatly, La Marzocco, Stores, KeepCup, WaterCare and Brew-It Group.
This year, the festival will be going paper cup-free – attendees are encouraged ‘sip responsibly’ and to bring their own reusable cups.
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KeepCup will be on hand with free cups you can borrow for the day too.
This year, the Manchester Coffee Festival will be partnering with Farmers’ Voice Radio as part of its Community Partner Program, which aims to support different charity organisations who share their ambition to make a positive contribution towards specialty coffee communities and the communities local to their events.
Farmers’ Voice Radio has a mission to transform the lives of millions of farmers and rural communities through the power of radio.
It is also working with The Proud Trust to build a more diverse and inclusive event for the local community.
6% of all ticket sales will be evenly donated to both organisations, who will be on site to chat to attendees too.
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Festival co-founder Hannah Davies said: “The Manchester Coffee Festival is all about celebrating the vibrant world of specialty coffee and creating a welcoming community, not just for the industry but for all.
“We’re thrilled to be back, bigger and better than ever, with a program that showcases the very best of coffee, sustainability, and accessibility.”
Manchester Coffee Festival will return to Bowlers Exhibition Centre between 18 and 19 November. Tickets are now available to purchase online at manchestercoffeefest.com/tickets. Use code TheManc to save 10% on Sunday tickets.
Featured image: Supplied
Eats
Huge beer hall in ‘up-and-coming’ Manchester neighbourhood announces shock closure after two years
Daisy Jackson
A huge beer hall and rotisserie chicken restaurant that opened just two years ago in Manchester has announced its shock closure.
Trading Route was a joint venture between some of the city’s most established hospitality figures, including Trof, Manchester Union, and Wandering Palate.
The brilliant local business has described how difficult it has been to operate as the only independent business in St John’s, ‘an area that is still described as ‘up-and-coming”.
They said that not enough footfall has not come to the area to support what they were building, which – combined with rising costs in the industry – has made it too difficult to continue operating.
They added: “We’re proud of what we created at Trading Route and incredibly grateful to our customers and everyone who supported us over the past two years.
“To our team, we’re deeply sorry we couldn’t make it work for you. The friendships made over the past two years mean so much to us, and knowing the impact this closure has on you is especially hard.”
They then urged people to sign the petition to reduce VAT for hospitality, saying it could help to save your favourite places.
The Trading Route in Manchester has closed with immediate effectThe bar served great local beers and rotisserie chicken
Trading Route will close in Manchester with immediate effect.
Their full statement reads: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Trading Route with immediate effect.
“Rising costs and stagnant footfall have made the business increasingly difficult to sustain, with trading conditions particularly challenging over the previous three months.
“We spent our first 12 months operating amid ongoing construction in an area that is still described as “up-and-coming”. As the only independent business in the area, we needed footfall to grow to support what we were building. Unfortunately, that growth hasn’t materialised quickly enough.
“We’re proud of what we created at Trading Route and incredibly grateful to our customers and everyone who supported us over the past two years.
“To our team, we’re deeply sorry we couldn’t make it work for you. The friendships made over the past two years mean so much to us, and knowing the impact this closure has on you is especially hard.
“It’s too late for us, but you could help save your favourite places by signing the petition to reduce VAT for hospitality to 10%. Independent bars, restaurants and pubs need your support to keep their doors open.
Manchester’s tackiest Christmas bar is returning for the first time in three years
Daisy Jackson
One of the most popular Christmas bars in Manchester is making a grand return after a three-year hiatus – and when we describe it as ‘tacky’, we mean that as the highest compliment.
Miracle on Cross Street is a pop-up festive bar that always used to use wrapping paper as wallpaper and cover every inch of the space in some sort of tinsel, bauble, or novelty celebrity portrait.
It was last seen in the city in 2023, but has announced a grand return for this winter, promising a more ‘refined experience’.
Guests can expect twinkling lights, festive spirit, and plenty of seasons greetings, tucked away beneath Salt Dog Slims on Cross Street.
The space will be packed with festive decor and seasonal drinks, plus plenty of nostalgic Christmas touches.
Tickets will be priced at £20 per person, which will get you a festive drink on arrival and a Christmas goody bag to take home, as well as complimentary mince pies and Quality Street during your visit.
You’ll also be sent on your way with a scratch card, which will reveal surprises and rewards (like free shots and hot dogs, or a chance to win £500) to enjoy upstairs in Salt Dog Slims.
Miracle on Cross Street will also offer a glimpse of what is to come from MDNT, the late-night bar usually found beneath Salt Dog Slims, ahead of its return in the new year.
Miracle on Cross Street, a Christmas bar in Manchester, is returning. Credit: The Manc Group
Michael Wood, Head of Bar Operations for Miracle on Cross Street said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring Miracle on Cross Street back to Manchester.
“It has been three years since we last opened the doors and, while guests can expect the same sense of fun, escapism and Christmas spirit, we’ve refined the experience and added some special new touches for 2026.
“Christmas in Manchester is always brilliant, and we want Miracle on Cross Street to be somewhere people can step away from the busy city, enjoy a festive drink and completely immerse themselves in the magic of the season.
“Whether it’s a Christmas catch-up, date night or festive celebration with friends, we can’t wait to welcome everyone back.”
The Miracle on Cross Street Christmas bar will return to Manchester on Thursday 19 November, and will be open seven days a week until 23 December. Bookings are now live HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
21st September 2023 
