One of Manchester’s most-visited museums is celebrating sustainable fashion with an ‘after-hours’ event especially for adults.
Fashion, sustainability, heritage, and self-expression is all set to come together for a unique event down the Science and Industry Museum in the heart of Manchester next week, and it’s an adults-only occasion too, so if you’re looking for an excuse to leave the little Mancs at home, then this might be just what you’re looking for.
Taking place on Thursday 21 March from 6:30pm right through to 9:30pm, the beloved city centre museum is encouraging visitors to “journey through the past, present, and future of fashion” during an exclusive evening of entertainment.
Named After hours: Forward-Thinking Fashion, the event will showcase sustainable self-expression, offer nifty thrifting tips, and even unpick Manchester’s unique fashion history, all before shining a spotlight on the highlight of the night – a colourful cabaret catwalk.
Strike a pose 📸
We've collaborated with @solaflair_ for After Hours: Forward-Thinking Fashion. Get ready for an energising evening of live performance, pop-up markets and dynamic demonstrations
— Science and Industry Museum (@sim_manchester) March 12, 2024
The museum has joined forces with Manchester-based women-led theatre company, So La Flair, for the event, and will be hosting a so-called haberdashery of live performances and demonstrations, pop-up clothes stalls, and after-hours exploration.
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It’s all with the aim of encouraging a greener future for the world of fashion.
The showstopper of the evening will be The Fabric of Us – a sustainable fashion show by So La Flair, curated and styled by fashion-forward thrift brand, Beg Steal & Borrow, that celebrates Manchester’s unique style and features performances from Night People.
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Science and Industry Museum is celebrating sustainable fashion with an ‘after-hours’ event for adults / Credit: Science Museum Group
The hour-long show catwalk happening from 8pm-9pm will weave together catwalk performances, storytelling, archival footage, and dance to showcase planet-friendly self-expression and “a future where looking good doesn’t cost the planet, people, or pockets”, all before culminating in a high-energy cabaret catwalk performance that “celebrates the expression of individuality” through what we wear and how we wear it.
Visitors are told to expect fierce walks, dynamic dance numbers, and an array of exciting pieces from designers that specialise in upcycling, thrifting, and accessible apparel.
Beg Steal & Borrow will also be hosting a pop-up fashion market on the night too, and will be offering a range of planet-friendly garments and slow-fashion favourites.
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Tickets to the forward-thinking fashion event are on sale for £10 each now / Credit: Science Museum Group
As well as all the exclusive events, the museum’s Textiles Gallery will also be open on the night.
This means visitors will have the chance to “follow the thread of Manchester’s textiles history” and experience the sights and sounds of its former industrial mills for themselves during a thunderous demonstration of the historic machinery in action.
After hours: Forward-Thinking Fashion will take place on Thursday 21 March from 6:30pm – 9:30pm at the Science and Industry Museum – with tickets on sale now and setting you back just £10 each, or £8 for concessions.
From drone shows to free ice lollies – what went down at Parklife 2025
Daisy Jackson
It’s been a few days since Parklife 2025 wrapped up, and now that we’ve all caught up on sleep we’re looking back on some of the highlights you might’ve missed.
With such a stacked line-up of live music, it would be impossible to have seen everything – from that sizzling final set from Charli XCX to Morgan Seatree’s emotional hometown show, plus viral sensation Interplanetary Criminal filling Matinee and D.O.D. getting the whole Big Top dancing.
One moment that you couldn’t possibly have missed if you were on the ground at Parklife festival was a surprise drone show which dazzled overhead on Saturday night.
As rap legend 50 Cent wrapped up his huge headline set on The Valley stage, and The Hangar came alive to the sound of Pawsa, fans got an extra special treat way up in the skies.
Hundreds of drones came together in an impressive, illuminated aerial display, starting with a 10-second countdown that stopped festival-goers in their tracks.
The drones then flew in formation to create iconic shapes like a yellow JD Sports duffle bag, an adidas shoebox, and the shape of a slowly-rotating Climacool trainer – and what a trainer it is.
The adidas drone show on Saturday nightadidas handed out Climacool-branded lollies and slushies50 Cent on The Valley stageadidas handed out Climacool-branded lollies and slushies
That wasn’t the only bit of attention the Climacool footwear got at Parklife either – thankful fans were treated to free Climacool branded ice lollies and slushies on their way into the festival on Saturday.
As the sun beat down on Heaton Park (bar the odd brief downpour, classic Manchester), adidas and JD Sports arrived in an ice cream truck with the coolest drop at the festival.
There was a helping hand from social media sensation Yombo to hype up the crowd before the festival had even got started.
The Climacool has a textile lining and upper work, with a perforated midsole to allow airflow and keep your feet fresh – perfect for any city adventure (and pretty perfect for a day at Parklife, we discovered).
If the Climacool trainers have caught your eye – either in the sky, at the Climacool ice cream truck, or on social media – then the good news is you can now shop them for yourselves.
Manchester bar announces huge giveaway of margaritas to celebrate first birthday
Daisy Jackson
A cocktail and shuffleboard bar in Manchester city centre is throwing a weekend-long party to celebrate its first birthday, and there are free cocktails up for grabs.
Electric Shuffle is kindly offering to give all of us presents for its birthday, with an epic free margarita giveaway.
That’s alongside an almighty party that includes resident DJs, live music performances, giveaways, exclusive offers, a cracking happy hour and a free photobooth.
The Deansgate activity bar, which has 15 interactive high-tech shuffleboards to play, each one loaded with different game modes, is celebrating one year in the city centre between Friday 20 and Sunday 22 June.
They’re throwing a three-day-long celebration, kicking off at 5pm on Friday with a giveaway of margaritas for the first 250 guests through the doors.
Then there’ll be an Electric Shuffle birthday prize game, where each slide of the puck could unlock prizes like bar tabs, brunch tickets, branded merch, cocktails, pizzas and more.
Singer-songwriter Luke McColl will be playing live during the evening, and you’ll be able to dive into a free photobooth all evening.
Electric Shuffle ManchesterFood and drink at the premium gaming barElectric Shuffle Manchester turns one
Moving on to Saturday’s celebrations – expect happy hour deals all day long, like £4 pins and £7 Sarti Spritzes, complimentary shuffleboard hire (you need to pre-book HERE), a special late brunch session between 5pm and 7pm, and more prize giveaways.
This part of the birthday party will be soundtracked by resident DJs and a live set from Elle Graham.
And if you thought that was the end of the party, you’re mistaken.
On Sunday, Electric Shuffle will host free shuffleboard all day long.
All summer, there’ll be a Margs and Margs deal, where you can get two margarita cocktails and a margarita pizza for just £25.
Electric Shuffle’s first birthday celebrations take place between 20 and 22 June.
Emily Sergeant -
12th March 2024 
