Manchester Science Festival is back for 2024 later this week, and there’s loads of events on the lineup especially for adults.
In case you missed it, Manchester‘s massively-popular Science Festival confirmed that it would be making a grand return for 2024, and would be offering visitors the unique opportunity to become a genuine part of history through a wide range of hands-on events and activities – including getting to explore the extremes of nature, human capability, and creativity.
The full programme of immersive events for the exciting festival was released last month, and organisers say it’s all about “tackling the extremes of our world” this year.
📢 It’s here 📢
Our Festival line-up is officially here and it’s a packed one! We’ve got immersive installations, hands-on fun celebrating the extremes of science and exclusive adult-only events.
Manchester Science Festival – which is produced and staged at Manchester’s legendary Science and Industry Museum in the heart of the city centre every other year – is one of the UK’s largest and most popular science festivals.
The lineup for 2024 only goes to prove why that’s the case, as there’s something for people of all ages to get stuck into, but this time, we’re shining a spotlight on the events on the lineup that are only for the grown ups to get involved with.
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Here’s some of the stand-out events.
Manchester Science Festival is back for 2024 next week / Credit: Science Museum Group
Conversation: Does AI have a place in space?
Science and Industry Museum
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18 October – £7
This is your chance to join STEM champion, social entrepreneur, and computer scientist, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, and the UK Space Agency’s Head of Space Exploration, Libby Jackson OBE, as they discuss how their worlds collide, and explore important questions like can AI be applied to space exploration? What can you trust AI to do in space? and how will it better our lives back on Earth?.
The opportunities seem endless with the likes of rover navigation, satellite design and lasering space junk – but are we just talking science fiction? Or is this reality?
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Cosmic Quiz
Science and Industry Museum
19 October – £7
Fancy being the star of the Cosmic Quiz? As part of a weekend curated by Dr Anne Marie Imafidon MBE and Libby Jackson OBE, this is your chance to compete for the top prize in a dynamic evening of surprise rounds, pop-up performances, and ‘laid-back cosmic vibes’, where you’ll be challenged on all things space and artificial intelligence.
Compete on your own, or with a team of up to four, in an out-of-this world event produced in collaboration with The Quiz Team, featuring specially-commissioned content from The Poetry Place.
There’s lots of adults-only events on the lineup / Credit: Science Museum Group)
Museum After Hours
Science and Industry Museum
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26 October – £10
If you were hoping to explore everything on offer at the Science and Industry Museum without all the kids running around, then this is your chance, because one of the Museum’s most-popular events, Museum After Hours, is back for a special Manchester Science Festival edition, and it means you get to dive into a world of extremes and gain exclusive after-hours access to the headline experience, State of Mind.
You can explore Squidsoup’s immersive art installation set within the atmospheric 1830 Warehouse, move between rhythmic lights and sound in an abstract and playful representation of our digitised world, and even catch the premiere of new works from artists Liam Ashworth and Luca Agathogli, presented in partnership with Venture Arts.
The events bar will also be popping up on the night, and will be selling a range of wines, beers, and non-alcoholic drinks to sip on while you explore.
Manchester Science Festival 2024 kicks off on Friday 18 October and runs right through to Sunday 27 October – with tickets now officially on sale, including to all of the adults-only events throughout the 10 days too.
Find out more and grab yourself some tickets here.
Featured Image – Drew Forsyth (via Science Museum Group)
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Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning to Manchester next month
Daisy Jackson
One of the world’s silliest and most-loved experiences is returning to Manchester this year, offering people the chance to step inside the world of Fawlty Towers.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience sees immersive theatre blend with a three-course dinner, bringing Britain’s most infamous hotel to life.
Fans of the hit 1970s comedy will enjoy two hours of mayhem led by Basil, Sybil and Manuel, all while tucking into a delicious era-appropriate meal.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience has become an immersive dining phenomenon, scooping awards and selling out venues across the globe since launching almost 30 years ago.
In the years since, it’s welcomed more than one million guests, celebrated 13 years of its West End residency in London, and hosted celebrations for 50 years of the original BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.
And now it’s Manchester’s turn, with the event returning to our city between 3 and 15 February.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning to ManchesterThe event is hosted by actors playing Basil, Sybil and ManuelAround 70% of the action is improvisedGuests are served a three-course 70s-inspired meal during the Faulty Towers experienceCredit: Rosie Powell
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience will be taking over the Voco hotel on Portland Street for a limited run, starring Aaron Millard as ‘Basil’, Rebecca Norris as ‘Sybil’, and Simon Hourihan as ‘Manuel’.
You can definitely expect two hours of theatre, chaos, and a 70s-inspired three-course meal, but with around 70% of the performances completely improvised, we can’t tell you much more than that…
Producer Jared Harford said: “It’s such a joy to be bringing Basil and the team back to Manchester. After such an incredible 2025 celebrating 50 years of Fawlty Towers, we can’t wait to continue sharing the laughter, chaos and community spirit that make this show so special.”
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience in Manchester:
Tuesday 3 February to Sunday 15 February
Tuesday to Saturday – doors open 6.45pm, seating and show starts 7.30pm
Saturday and Sunday – doors open 12.45pm, seating and show starts 1.30pm
Ticket prices, all including three-course meal and two hour immersive experience:
Tuesday to Thursday dinner, and Saturday or Sunday lunch – £67.50 pp (including fees) Friday or Saturday dinner £71.50 pp (including fees). Bookings can be made via the box office on (+44) 020 3700 3138 or online at www.faultytowersdining.com
Autotrader and viral food brand SpudBros are opening their first jacket potato drive-thru
Daisy Jackson
Autotrader has teamed up with SpudBros, the UK’s viral jacket potato trader, to open the first jacket potato drive-thru in Manchester.
The UK’s largest automotive marketplace is working with the SpudBros duo on the new Autotater drive-thru, where the duo will be handing out free jacket spuds – and which can also value your car in less than 10 seconds.
You’ll be able to visit the one-of-a-kind drive-thru for one day only next month, picking up a baked potato from an exclusive menu that includes the Autotater (a twist on a classic loaded spud) and the Curry In A Hurry (SpudBros’ signature garlic chicken curry).
You’ll also be able to tune into the Spud FM radio with SpudBros co-founders Jacob and Harley. Autotrader and SpudBros have teamed up for the drive-thru experience off the back of new research that has shown 44% of UK drivers have no idea what their car is actually worth.
The same research has also revealed that half of those surveyed are unsure how to determine the value of their car.
So now Mancs will be able to have their car instantly valued in less than 10 seconds, by Autotrader’s award-winning valuation service*, simply by visiting the Autotater drive-thru on 12 February.
Autotrader will be dishing out free valuations, to help ensure car owners don’t get small potatoes for their car and are empowered to choose when it’s the right time to sell.
Autotrader and viral food brand SpudBros are opening their first jacket potato drive-thru
This will be the first drive-thru for SpudBros, a brand which grew a traditional jacket potato van into a national sensation, finding viral fame on TikTok.
With a cult following of more than 4.8m people on TikTok and Instagram, the pair are now bringing their trademark energy offline for a drive-thru window with free spuds.
Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Autotrader said: “We know no one loves admin, which is why we want to make it easier and quicker for people to find out the true value of their car, in under 10 seconds.
“There’s something fun about that moment of surprise when you finally see what your car is really worth. Once you have that information, you can decide what to do next – whether that’s selling, upgrading or simply showing off to your mates.”
Jacob and Harley Nelson, the founders of SpudBros commented: “This is a big one for us. We’ve fed people across the country and even internationally, and Manchester is one of our most requested visits, so this is a really exciting opportunity.
“We love doing things that get people talking, and we also love cars, so teaming up with fellow Northern brand Autotrader lets us serve up something new that we feel passionately about – a free spud, a car valuation, and telling the story through social media.”
The Autotrader drive-thru will open in Manchester on 12 February, at Depot Mayfield. Tickets will be available through a draw on the Autotrader website for a limited time only.
To be in with a chance to get on the guestlist and for more details on the event, head HERE, and to join the millions who value their car free with Autotrader, visit HERE.
You can also follow @autotraderuk on Instagram for the latest updates.
*Highly Commended Winner of the 2025 Car Dealer Power Award in the Used Car Valuations category.
Emily Sergeant -
10th October 2024 
