Opinion

A night at Bongo’s Bingo

Stepping into the wild world of Bongo's Bingo.

Dolly Busby - 10th December 2021

Bongo’s Bingo is hands-down a cracking night out. Mix up some cocktail pitchers with a rave in a historical hall and you’ve got a recipe for success.

But it’s also more than your average Manchester event. Bongo’s Bingo is mad, unadulterated entertainment: A Year Six disco crossed with an office Christmas party. Only this time, boys and girls are not lingering in opposite corners and the teachers are stood on tables singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ – fuelled up on Woo-Woos and jaeger bombs whilst waving glow sticks.

With Rich Furness and his two hype-men dressed in drag headlining the show, Bongo’s cranks up the volume and turns Albert Hall into an absolute riot.

Bongo’s is always that night-out where ‘that crazy thing’ happened.

During the event we attended, a lad stopped the game and proposed – a gesture greeted by hoots from an auditorium of smashed strangers and awarded with a pat on the back from Rich.

And that’s the best thing about Bongo’s – nothing is off-limits, and no one cares. Everyone is there for one thing and one thing only – to get smashed and have a cracking night out.

Oh, and to play Bingo, of course.

Bongo’s version of bingo is on steroids – and so are the prizes.

Here’s a bit more about what’s involved…

The Game:

Bongo’s version of bingo is split into five games with three rounds.

First round is won by crossing off just one horizontal row, the second is won by two rows and the third by getting a full house.

Huge numbers flash up on the screen and are read out seriously quickly, so you’ve got to be on the ball. But that also means the more tequila consumed by your competitors, the higher chance of winning the later prizes (just a tip from us).

Then, the steroids kick in. Bongo’s takes a pensioner’s hobby and makes it wild, verging on an X-rated Mad Hatter’s party.

One false call and the crowd shouts “D*ckhead!” repeatedly at you – public humiliation you won’t forget.

Shout “Bingo!” at the same time as someone else, and you’re in for a dance off.

The Prizes:

Prizes at Bongo’s range from a box of Coco Pops (sprayed over the crowd) to a life-size cut out of Michael Bublé – that’s right, you could win the king of Christmas himself.

If you’re really lucky, you might even wheel home a new Henry Hoover or a huge set of Disney Princess Barbies. There’s even a karaoke machine up for grabs – if you’re willing to sing for it.

Lucky winners can take home £50, £200 and £1,000 – and all you have to do is get drunk and turn up.

Everyone’s a winner at Bongo’s, though. Singing Take That whilst ordering in another round of shots… it’s a class night out.

Sound like your bag? Find out more online.