Backyard Cinema, a huge rooftop cinema and immersive experience in Manchester, has extended its run through into January.
The massive attraction, which whisks visitors into a land of film sets and themed scenes, has added new dates after experiencing ‘overwhelming’ demand.
Backyard Cinema first opened in October and was only meant to stay in town for 10 weeks, but has added screenings all the way through to 25 January 2023.
And its January dates will come with a January deal price tag too – screenings on Mondays to Thursdays will be half price, while Friday, Saturday and Sunday screenings will be charged at the current off-peak price.
One of the Backyard Cinema experience rooms. Credit: The Manc GroupYou enter Backyard Cinema through a Narnia-style wardrobe. Credit: The Manc Group
And new dates also means a raft of new films, including all-time classics and plenty of new releases.
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Film fans will be able to see new blockbusters like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Matilda the Musical on the big screen, watching from custom-made beanbag chairs.
There’ll also be feel-good films for January like Moulin Rouge, Back to the Future, The Greatest Showman, Beauty and the Beast, The Goonies and Pretty Woman.
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Backyard Cinema has transformed the old Depot Mayfield station with magical tunnels, movie-grade sets, hidden doors and more, all leading to The Lost Theatre itself.
You can take a tour of Backyard Cinema through our video below:
The old waiting room has been converted into a pizza and pints bar, with dark green tiles around the bar, where you can pick up pizzas like The Godfather, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Babe: Pig in the City.
There’s also mulled wine, seasonal cocktails, boozy hot chocolates and loads more, served from bar areas including the Tavern bar, which has a castle turret jutting out of it.
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Dominic Davies, founder and CEO of Backyard Cinema, said: “We have loved taking our alternative cinema experience to Manchester for our very first project outside of London, and the team have been overwhelmed by the incredible turnout and rave reviews we received.
“And we now look forward to extending our Manchester run for the last chance to experience The Lost Theatre.”
Rochdale’s popular Feel Good Festival is set to return this summer
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Worried you might have missed your chance to attend a festival this year? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Rochdale Feel Good Festival is one of the longest-running and best-value festivals in Greater Manchester, and luckily for us, it’s returning again with a star-studded main stage line-up this August.
On Saturday 8 August, you’ll have the chance to see some big names bringing sing-along anthems to Rochdale, like two-time BRIT Award winner and pop/soul legend, Gabrielle, who has recently gained a whole host of younger fans during performances on ITV’s The Masked Singer eagerly awaiting this performance.
Other headliners include Northern Irish rock band, Ash, and Wigan-formed alternative rock band Starsailor, attracting fans from far and wide.
You can also expect sets from soul and funk pioneers, The Allergies, and Manchester indie artist, Alex Spencer – who first gained attention busking on the streets and has gone on to support One Direction star Louis Tomlinson across European arenas earlier this year.
This festival also proudly showcases upcoming artists too, and this year, two new Rochdale bands will play the biggest gig of their careers – K-ESTATE, who will be adding some house-pop, funk, and indie disco to the mix, alongside brand new rock band, Metro.
Rochdale’s popular Feel Good Festival is set to return later this summer / Credit: Supplied
Festival gates open at 12pm, so be sure to get down early as there’s plenty going on, including live music across indoor venues, a food and drink village with delicious street food, pop-ups, bars, and much more.
The bi-annual festival is organised by Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) on behalf of Rochdale Borough Council with sponsorship from local businesses, including Premier Kia, The Royal Toby Hotel, Hopwood Hall College, and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).
This is a climate-conscious festival, so to minimise waste on the day, tickets include a reusable drink cup to be collected upon arrival at the festival site.
Rochdale Feel Good Festival 2026 takes place on Saturday 8 August, and tickets are available online for £35 each.
If you’re feeling like treating yourself, there’s a choice of two luxury VIP upgrade packages from only £90, which grants access to a private indoor bar, hot street food table service, indoor and outdoor seating, a viewing terrace, as well as toilets and rest areas.
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.
Daisy Jackson -
14th December 2022 
