Manchester Arndale will be taken over by the MCR Student Social shopping event once again this month, with major retailers offering discounts, prizes, entertainment and loads more.
The annual celebration welcomes new and returning students to the shopping centre for a night of deals, offers and freebies across its shops, restaurants and leisure venues.
This year’s event features live DJs, giveaways, and a roaming Party Tuk Tuk, as well as the return of the Audio North x The Manc DJ truck on Market Street.
The Audio North x The Manc DJ truck will be manned by student DJs from dBs Institute Manchester, who’ll be spinning the finest hip-hop, funk and party anthems throughout the day.
The MCR Student Social will also be getting the Arndale dancing with a huge silent rave right outside Next, hosted by the Super Star MCs.
ADVERTISEMENT
They’ll be pulling together an evening of dance challenges, shout-outs and a chance to win goodies.
There’ll be plenty more entertainment and freebies between 12pm and 7pm on the night too, like sittings to have a special portrait created by an artistic illustrator for your student digs, and a live DJ at Halle Place.
ADVERTISEMENT
Roaming the Manchester Arndale all evening will be the Party Tuk Tuk, packed with giveaways and accepting song requests.
Looking for a refuel? The Food and Drink Zone on Market Street will have treats from Manchester Arndale’s top food and drink traders, including Barburrito, Creams, Franco Manca and Popeyes, while at Exchange Square Papa Johns and Tango will be in situ.
Last year’s MCR Student Social for Manchester Arndale. Credit: The Manc Group
Market Street will also be hosting performances from GFF Damian Dance Studio.
ADVERTISEMENT
In the Party Zone, students can get stuck into games, prizes, freebies and giveaways from Fusion, Hollister, Iolla, King Pins, PureGym, Søstrene Grene and Urban Playground.
And head to the Info Zone for discounts, giveaways, and interactive games from 42nd Street, Manchester Central Library, National Football Museum, NatWest and Recycle 4 GM.
Not forgetting the shopping itself, with huge discounts available between 12pm and 7pm for students.
That includes up to 50% off at more than 130 shops and services, some of which are listed below.
50% off one pair of glasses from the £70 & above range at Specsavers* in the Arndale.
40% off laser hair removal and skin treatments at Laser Clinics
35% off hair styling tools at Amory London
Up to 30% off at shops including JD, Footasylum, AllSaints, Levi’s, Adidas, The North Face, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Space NK, Nike Flying Tiger, Mango, Victoria’s Secret, Barbour and more
Up to 50% off food, drink or leisure* at the likes of Michaels Coffee House, Barburrito, HOP Vietnamese, Popeyes, Archie’s, Immersive Gamebox and King Pins
Organised by Manchester Arndale and Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, the annual student shopping event will once again welcome new and returning students to the city.
ADVERTISEMENT
The MCR Student Social is taking place on Thursday 25 September from 12pm until 7pm – find out more HERE.
Spend summer in space as 30ft rocket ship arrives at Science and Industry Museum next month
Emily Sergeant
Get ready to spend the summer in space, as Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum has announced its summer events programme.
And it’s full of free interactive events and activities to get involved with.
As the temperatures rise, schools across Greater Manchester get ready to break up for summer, and parents and carers gear up to entertain the little ones, the Science and Industry Museum has just announced its summer events programme – with some new space-themed activities on the lineup for the first time.
It’s time to embark on an unforgettable adventure through the Solar System, as families can blast off on a journey packed with hands-on experiences and cosmic fun.
Science and Industry Museum has announced its summer events programme / Credit: Science Museum Group
From live space shows and giant rockets, to tinkering activities Martian discovery trails, and the chance to visit the blockbuster exhibition Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos if you haven’t already, budding astronauts are in for a summer to remember.
By far one of the stand-out free events this summer is the arrival of 30-foot-tall rocket ship, Skybolt 2 – hosted by Manchester-based aerospace company, Starchaser – giving visitors the chance to revel at the real-life space craft and meet the team behind the rocket.
Designed to reach speeds of up to 3200mph, Skybolt 2 first flew in September 2017 and still displays some visible marks from its landing.
There’ll also be a new twist on the classic seaside puppet show, as artist Solar Sister brings space stories to life during interactive walkabout performances alongside an astronaut puppet companion.
Little Mancs can even get involved with draw-a-long workshops, take on space-inspired LEGO challenges, and even turn everyday items into instruments by joining a junk percussion jam inspired by space waste.
Then, on Wednesday 12 August, rocket activities will be swapped for a special event to mark the upcoming solar eclipse.
Expect live interactive shows, demonstrations, spectacular images of the Sun disappearing on giant screens, as well opportunities to discover more about this rare celestial event.
Science and Industry Museum’s Director, Sally MacDonald, said free and affordable experiences are ‘more essential than ever’ during the summer holidays.
“Our summer programme will offer families memorable days out to enjoy together, giving them the opportunity to explore the universe without even leaving Manchester,” she added.
The summer events programme will be running at the Science and Industry Museum from Saturday 18 July through to Tuesday 1 September, and you can find out more here.
Featured Image – Science Museum Group
Sponsored
A dedicated anime, movie and gaming concert with a live orchestra is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Calling all self-proclaimed otakus, cinephiles and gamers: a huge concert experience will see dozens of musicians bring classic anime, film and gaming soundtracks and scores to life later this year, right here in Manchester.
The city is no stranger to events celebrating these beloved kinds of media, but you’ll struggle to find another bringing all of them together in one place.
Brought to us Mancs by KIN Music Entertainment, a locally founded arts, events and music label, this celebration of all things pop culture – and specifically, the music tied to it.
Entitled ‘The Kin & Fushigi Anime, Film & Videogame Orchestra’, this passionate collective serves as not only a platform for rising artists but also to hear some iconic sonic moments like never before.
KIN have created a large-scale live concert experience which will bring together a 25-piece pop orchestra made up of emerging professional performers and conservatoire graduates.
Aside from the impressive total of people behind this production to begin with, they also form an immersive hybrid orchestral and live band capable of bringing.
Speaking on the upcoming date, KIN Entertainment said in a statement: “We wanted to create the kind of live experience that many anime and videogame fans in Manchester have been waiting for — something cinematic, emotional and community-driven that brings these sound worlds to life with the energy of both an orchestra and a live band.”
Kin was founded by bassist, composer and ensemble performer Alejandro Urbina Diaz, who first brought his talents and wider interests over from Mexico to the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) here in the city centre at the age of 23.
Citing Manchester’s multiculturalism and cosmopolitan cultural fabric as a big part of his inspiration, he and his team have ended up carving out this niche for themselves, and now they’ll be playing this beloved music to Mancs at none other than the O2 Ritz.
Credit: KIN Music Entertainment (supplied via Academy Music Group Digital)
With new arrangements inspired by anime, cinematic and videogame culture, not to mention orchestral and even rock crossover twists – including both vocalist and rhythm sections, by the way – it’s set to be a highly unique experience that most will have never come across before.
This event itself is suitable for audiences aged 14+, although under-16s must be accompanied by an adult, and it’s taking place at the Ritz on Sunday, 26 July.
We’re not going to spoil any more details about the show for you, so which particular pieces of pop culture they reference will just have to be a surprise…
Daisy Jackson -
19th September 2025 
