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A FREE music festival is happening in one of Manchester’s best beer gardens this weekend

Manifest is back at The Oast House

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 5th April 2023

A completely free festival is making its return to Manchester this bank holiday weekend, taking over the enormous beer garden space at The Oast House. 

Manifest will once again be bringing an all-day line-up of musicians, who will take to the stage from 1pm until the early hours. 

Set to take place on Sunday 9 April, Manifest takes place in The Oast House’s outdoor terrace, where a dedicated stage is built. 

After its launch over the Easter weekend, Manifest will return every bank holiday weekend throughout spring and summer, plus a couple of extra Sunday events. 

Gig-goers can expect days filled with bands, solo artists, and resident DJs, playing music spanning rock, pop, soul, R&B, funk, disco and blues. 

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Manifest at The Oast House
Manifest at The Oast House. Credit: Supplied
Manifest at The Oast House
Manifest at The Oast House. Credit: Supplied

The Spinningfields bar hosted five jam-packed Manifest events last spring and summer and will again be making this year’s free to attend on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The Oast House, which opened way back in 2011, was recently crowned ‘Leading Bar’ at the This is Manchester Awards.

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It’s continued to be considered one of the city’s best pubs, with by far one of the best outdoor spaces. 

Throughout Manifest, there’ll be cold pints and house-made cocktails served, including twists on the classics like a watermelon margarita, passionfruit colada, and pink gin punch. 

The Oast House’s street food menu will also be on offer, featuring signature dishes like buffalo chicken mac n cheese, Bury black pudding Scotch eggs, and ‘Northern Poutine’, plus vegan options like a plant-based burger and a vegan meatball protein bowl. 

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More details of each event will be released soon. For more information, you can visit theoasthouse.uk.com/manifest.

Featured image: Supplied

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The family-run gem doing tapas, craft beer, cocktails and live music just outside Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Katie Jackson outside Gin & Brews

A good neighbourhood restaurant should be somewhere you can pop in to at any time of day, for just about any occasion. 

Whether it’s coffee and a bake after the school run, a tapas night with your mates, a cosy cocktail with your partner, or even somewhere to end the night listening to live music, Gin & Brews is one such neighbourhood gem.

This brilliant family-run venue opened in an old bank in Garstang in 2023 and quickly spilled over into the unit next door, expanding its offering as it went. 

It’s gone from a cosy bottle shop and microbar to a true neighbourhood haunt, with fantastic deals (like two pizzas and a bottle of wine for £25 on Thursdays) and cocktails made with their own distilled spirits. 

The food is a big part of the appeal, particularly the tapas.

There’s bread and oils, chorizo and prawns, goat’s cheese and loaded potatoes, with plenty designed for sharing – you might want to order more than you think you need, but at £12 for three dishes, that’s no hardship.

You can get three tapas dishes for £12
You can get three tapas dishes for £12
Lemon curd French toast
Lemon curd French toast

Then there’s the homemade honey and sea salt butter. It’s the sort of butter you try once and immediately want to tell everyone about. 

For daytime visits, the brunch menu brings out perfectly poppable eggs and seriously good French toast, with the lemon curd a particular must-try.

And if you have dietary requirements, Gin & Brews is unusually well set up for gluten-free diners, with almost everything on the menu gluten free – even the beer – plus a generous selection of gluten-free bakes.

The drinks offering is where things get particularly interesting.

The team make their own spirits under the Garstang Gin name, with the distillery growing from just three spirits to an impressive 46.

It’s a natural progression for the owner, who previously worked in the drinks industry before leaving to set up her own gin distillery.

They distill their own Garstang Gin spirits for cocktails
They distill their own Garstang Gin spirits for cocktails
Inside Gin & Brews
Inside Gin & Brews

Those spirits now make their way into the cocktails at Gin & Brews, giving the bar plenty of its own character and making it a particularly good shout if cocktails are your thing.

There’s also a constantly changing selection of craft beer, with the range switching up regularly, alongside the bottle shop, so there’s always something new to discover.

For somewhere that has grown so quickly, Gin & Brews still feels firmly rooted in its community.

Much of what goes onto your plate is sourced from businesses on the high street, including local butchers and egg suppliers. Even some of the cakes and cookies are made by one of the members of staff.

It feels fitting for a venue in Garstang, which is recognised as the world’s first Fair Trade Town.

Bakes at Gin & Brews are made by a member of staff
Bakes at Gin & Brews are made by a member of staff
Bakes at Gin & Brews are made by a member of staff

And while Wednesday and Thursday evenings are already busy, the team are keen to bring more people through the doors during the day. They certainly have the offering for it.

There are coffee-and-cake afternoons, brunch dates, tapas lunches, craft beer, cocktails and plenty of gluten-free treats to take away.

Then, when the sun goes down, the music comes on, with live performances at weekends and regular events bringing the place to life.

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If you’re looking for a reason to venture out of Manchester for something a little different, this might just be it.

Gin & Brews has only been around for a few years, but it already feels like one of those places that has been part of the local scene forever.

And if the homemade butter doesn’t convince you, the cocktails probably will.

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Featured: The Manc Group

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Magical Christmas experience in Manchester will bring The Polar Express to life

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Magical Christmas experience in Manchester will bring The Polar Express to life

A magical new Christmas experience is coming to Manchester this winter, bringing The Polar Express to life. 

The fully immersive walkthrough experience will invite you on an enchanting journey to the North Pole, as you whizz past beautiful landscapes – all without actually leaving Manchester. 

The all-new BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS Experience brings the beloved story to life, following the Hero Boy and Hero Girl. 

Taking place at the O2 Victoria Warehouse, the experience begins in Hero Boy’s bedroom, before you step foot into the iconic The Polar Express carriage as a passenger. 

Then you’ll be glued to the windows as you whizz through the Caribou Forest, past icy lakes, and dazzling Northern Lights displays. 

Entertaining passengers every step of the way are beloved characters like the Conductor, Hero Boy, Hero Girl, and the mysterious Hobo. 

You can get your golden ticket punched, warm up with a complimentary hot chocolate and a cookie, and be swept along by the festive tale. 

Passengers will meet beloved characters from The Polar Express
Passengers will meet beloved characters from The Polar Express
You can visit the nice-o-meter
You can visit the nice-o-meter
And meet Santa himself
And meet Santa himself

At the ‘North Pole’, the magic continues, with a Pyjama Party, a Letter Writing Station where you can send a note to Santa, visit the Naughty or Nice Machine, and craft a special Christmas decoration to take home. 

You’ll even get the chance to meet Santa Claus himself… 

While THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride has welcomed over 1.7 million riders in 2024, BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Experience is a brand-new experience – no moving train, no stations. 

Instead, the wonder of the story is brought off the tracks and into a hands-on environment. 

The magic of The Polar Express will be brought to life
The magic of The Polar Express will be brought to life
Follow Hero Boy on his journey to the North Pole
Follow Hero Boy on his journey to the North Pole

Photo opportunities are available throughout the experience, and little ones (or grown-ups, we’re not judging) are encouraged to wear pyjamas to fully embrace the story. 

BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS comes from Warner Bros., Discovery Global Experiences, Rail Events Inc., and Plus Live Events.

BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS takes place between 14 November and 31 December at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, with tickets now available and expected to sell out quickly HERE.

A Relaxed Performance Day for guests with neurodiverse conditions will also be held.

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Featured image: Supplied

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