Silcock’s Winter Wonderland and its indoor Christmas theme park is returning to Greater Manchester this December.
The massive festive event will be taking over EventCity for the first time in four years, transforming the space into a magical wonderland.
The 22,000 sq metre exhibition space will have more than 50 rides and attractions, including rollercoasters and waltzers, all under one roof.
As well as its indoor fairground, Kingpin Events will be putting on theatrical entertainment.
TV stars Daisy and Ollie, an Ice Princess Show, Chrsistmas Meltdown and a Christmas Circus will all have daily performances.
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Live performances at Silcock’s Winter Wonderland. Credit: Prakash Photography
The organisers have also confirmed a return of the Celebrity VIP Night and an annual Charity Night, which this year will work with NHS and mental health charities.
Visitors will be greeted by elves and fairies and have the chance to visit Father Christmas – and his real-life reindeer friends – for a photo and a present.
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Silcock’s Winter Wonderland was a top attraction for the region when it ran between 2013 and 2017.
Organisers Tammy and Billy Silcock of Kingpin Events said: “We are absolutely delighted to be returning to Manchester this Christmas after a four-year gap.
“After the last 18 months we all need to create magical memories with our families, and we hope the return of the event will spread joy across the region.
“As a special thank you for the hard work of our NHS and Armed Forces we are introducing reduced ticket prices on specific days throughout the run.
“We have worked really hard to ensure that we bring back all the magic we had before as well as ensuring we create a safe space for our visitors, performers and staff.
“We recommend early booking to ensure you get a ticket.”
Tickets include four-hour sessions of non-stop entertainment, with food stalls on site and free parking for up to 3000 cars.
Silcock’s Winter Wonderland Manchester is offering ticket insurance and a ‘Buy with confidence, exchange with ease policy’ should a ticket-holder have to isolate.
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The event will return between December 4 and January 2.
A Black Friday sale means you can get tickets for opening weekend (December 4 and 5) for £24 each.
Science and Industry Museum reveals CGIs of iconic Power Hall that’s been closed for years
Daisy Jackson
One of the Science and Industry Museum’s most iconic attractions will reopen this summer – and the beloved museum has revealed a sneak peak of how things will look.
The museum has shared CGIs of the reimagined Power Hall: The Law Family Gallery, where visitors will be able to explore a lively working gallery full of engines and rail vehicles.
The popular part of the museum closed for urgent repairs in 2019 and has since been undergoing conservation work and a new look created by award-winning designers Studio MUTT.
The sounds, smells and sights of Manchester’s past and present industry will be brought to the Power Hall when it reopens.
Visitors will soon again be able to rediscover objects and learn the stories behind those who powered Manchester’s industry.
There’ll be three main themes within the Power Hall – Making More, which will explore how engines helped people make more, faster, with steam engines installed at factories and mills.
Then there’ll be Powering Lives, which will examine how engines power the electricity network we all plug into every day.
And also Connecting Places, which looks at how locomotives have connected communities around the world, starting at the site of the museum which sparked a transport revolution in 1830.
Science and Industry Museum reveals CGIs of iconic Power Hall that’s been closed for years
Kate Chatfield, Interpretation and Content Manager at the Science and Industry Museum, said: “Power Hall: The Law Family Gallery will be a must-see Manchester experience – a living gallery that showcases a unique collection of historic 19th and early 20th century working engines to tell the story of Manchester as an epicentre for the engine-driven ideas and industry that shaped the world as we know it today.
“Our most iconic objects will be available to explore like never before as we bring to life the people behind the power through stories of the engineers, makers and technicians who use their skills and senses to create and care for engines, both today and in the past.”
The work on the Power Hall is part of a multi-million-pound regeneration project across the Science and Industry Museum, which is conserving and reimagining these historic buildings.
The Power Hall has been future-proofed in the six years it’s been closed to the public, including urgent roof and timber repairs.
Further information about what to see and do and the Power Hall’s opening date will be announced in the coming weeks. Sign up to the museum’s mailing list to be among the first to hear more.
Power Hall: The Law Family Gallery project has been made possible with support from The Law Family Charitable Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Headley Trust, Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, Atmos International, The Beaverbrooks Charitable Trust, The Zochonis Charitable Trust and other donors who choose to remain anonymous.
Special thanks to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for their significant contribution to the gallery, and to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for funding the decarbonisation of the Power Hall through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, delivered by Salix Finance.
Featured image: Supplied
Kids & Family
Manchester Marathon 2025 guide – all you need to know about the ‘largest day of UK marathon running’
Danny Jones
It’s nearly here… The 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon is just days away, and the mix of pre-race nerves, excitement and general hysteria is palpable, so much so that the only way we can think to calm both us and all you lot down is putting together a helpful guide.
Take no notice of those anticipatory jitters: don’t worry, they’re completely natural, but it’s worth reminding you that the Manchester Marathon is known worldwide not only as one of the flattest and fastest in Europe but also one of the most well-attended and fun to run full stop.
With London’s counterpart taking place simultaneously, the Manchester Marathon this Sunday, 27 April, is set to make up the single biggest day of running in UK history – what a thing to be part of.
All the hard work’s been done, you’re coming towards the end of the taper; supporters, we hope your homemade signs are primed and ready; there’s just one long run left, so with that in mind, here’s all the important info you need to know for this year’s Manchester Marathon.
2025 Manchester Marathon – everything you need to know
How about we start with the start times, eh?
MCR Marathon waves – colours, times and more
By now, those of you taking part should have all received/picked up your event packs, including your bib number and wave colour.
However, if you haven’t received it yet or need a replacement, you can find pack collection info HERE.
These are essential not only in order for your chip time to be recorded but for you to enter the start process before you actually begin your marathon and, of course, for your loved ones to track your progress throughout the day. Here’s where you need to be at what time, depending on your wave:
You can also find info on your pacers HERE. (Credit: Manchester Marathon)
2025 Manchester Marathon route
Now, the main headline this year is that the Manchester Marathon has a brand-new finish line, with the annual race relocating from the home stretch near the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground to the iconic Oxford Road.
Wrapping up proceedings in the shadow of one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, we can’t think of a more picturesque place for a box office finish.
You can see a quick run-through of the route down below:
As for the points where you’ll be able to grab extra fluids and even back-up HIGH5 energy gels, there will be a total of eight water stations throughout the marathon, spread out as evenly as possible across the various parts of Greater Manchester that the route runs through.
There will be portable toilets available at every single water stop in case of emergencies too, and there is also a full map of where to find them.
As for bag drop, a new system is in place for the 2025 Manchester Marathon, with belongings from each wave being carefully loaded onto separate lorries and transported from the initial drop point near the starting area over towards the finish line, saving your tired little legs from doing any extra work.
Participants will first drop their bags off near the front of Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium, on Wharfside Way – it’s recommended you arrive at least 45 minutes before your actual start time – before being given a wristband and picking them up over at the Oxford Road finish line. More info HERE.
As for this year’s dedicated Manchester Marathon fan zones and cheer points, you’ll find popular spectator hotspots, including the Deansgate Interchange, the Chester Road strip leading up past Stretford Mall and a main section of Chorlton’s high street, just to name a few.
Thankfully, you can find lots more tips on where to cheer on your friends and family via the online Supporter Hub, including help when it comes to tracking them.
In addition to the multiple signposted junctures and atmosphere hubs seen in the virtual route tour above, with more live music and festivities from artists, charities and local organisations than ever, the 2025 equivalent of previous years’ event village comes in the form of an all-new fan zone on Oxford Rd.
Find out more about what those taking part and cheering from the sidelines can enjoy in and around the action.
It’s also worth noting that the new ‘Adizero: For The Fast‘ pop-up will be open all the way from Thursday, 24 April to race day at Impossible Bar on Peters Street in the city centre.
The space is open to all and will host shake-out runs, exclusive product ranges, panel discussions and a variety of other activities; a collaborative adidas and Made Running cheer point will also be located at the one-mile mark on the corner of Deansgate.
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If, for whatever reason, you can’t help line the streets yourself on the day, then you’ll be glad to hear that you can watch the whole thing online via a livestream on the Manchester Marathon YouTube channel – including Atherton’s very own Olympian getting the runners underway.
MCR Marathon road closures
As for the part of the city, Trafford and other sections of Greater Manchester that will be impacted by the Manchester Marathon road closures, here at the key points to know:
Parts of Oxford Road, Hulme Street, Grafton Street and other city centre streets will shut from 8am on Saturday and noon before the race on Sunday. As for the event itself, the route will go on to shut down the likes of Deansgate, Chester Road, and various other sections of road from 4am onwards.
You can find a full guide along with specific timings for each road closure HERE.
Further travel advice and public transport info
It’s predicted to be the busiest day of the entire year on the tram network, with a bunch of travel advice released this week which you can read in full HERE.
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If you’re travelling into or across the city region for the action, Transport for Greater Manchester have recommended using our brilliant Bee Network to get around wherever possible.
Not only will this help reduce congestion in and around the city limits, but it also helps contribute to the adidas Manchester Marathon’s commitment to making the event as green as possible.
There are plenty of park and ride facilities at your disposal, and TfGM have also put together an interactive map for you to consult when planning your journey:
Now, we’re not trying teach you how to suck eggs, but it goes without saying that you should eliminate all panics possible, so get those phones, smart watches earphones and so on charged up, get your safety pins sorted early and so on.
Make sure you take in plenty of carbs for those much-needed energy stores in the days leading up to the race, lots of water too, not to mention as much rest and actual sleep as possible.
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As for active preparation, you don’t need to be doing much more than a casual 5k jog or some light exercise in the last few days before the actual race – a steady little shakeout run the day prior at most. Lastly, ensure your race kit is washed and ready because a wardrobe dilemma is the last thing you need.
No matter what happens on the day, we’re already so proud of you all, whether you’re a returning runner, a first-timer, a dedicated fundraiser, or even just walking those magnificent 26.2 miles. Now go and SMASH it and we’ll see you for a refreshing reward at the pub!
Daisy Jackson -
24th November 2021 
