Printworks in Manchester is on a mission to create low-cost days out this summer, bringing a taste of the seaside and loads of free entertainment to the heart of the city.
The Summer of Fun will be running daily all the way through August, alongside special events every Thursday.
Printworks has installed a giant sandpit and deckchairs beneath Europe’s largest digital ceiling, where you can sit back and enjoy beach-themed content beamed onto the 1,000m² ceiling.
The screens will also show quizzes and games with a live leaderboard for both kids and grown-ups alike.
Families visiting Printworks this summer can enjoy a budget-friendly day out, taking part in high-energy digital games using just their smartphones, with no app required.
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These games are developed by Manchester-based gaming specialists Piing, and can accommodate up to 100 players at a time.
Every Thursday between 10am and 4pm, there’ll be free experiences like live DJs, the world’s largest Pac-Man, challenges, and giant games.
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A giant sandpit at PrintworksThe digital ceilingCredit: Jason Lock Photography
Visitors might have already popped in for soft touch archery, which allows little ones to try the sport safely – but there’s still plenty more to come.
Venues within Printworks will be getting stuck into the summer fun too, with free face painting every weekend at Treetop Golf, Kids Eat Free at Chiquito, £8 kids’ meals at viral sensation Big Licks, and Mighty Mornings at Vue where cinema tickets for children are just £2.49.
Kristian Brennan, Marketing Manager at Printworks, said: “We know the school holidays can be tough on families – both in terms of time and money – so we’re proud to offer a month of free entertainment for everyone. There’s something for all ages to enjoy without spending a penny.”
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Thursday schedule at Printworks
• Thursday 14 August – Giant Games Takeover, with super-sized versions of Jenga, Connect 4 and more.
• Thursday 21 August – Basketball Challenge, where guests can shoot hoops and compete with friends.
• Thursday 28 August – The return of the World’s Largest PAC-MAN, giving visitors the chance to play retro arcade games on a massive scale.
No tickets or bookings are required, but early arrival is recommended – some activities may be subject to capacity.
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For more information about Printworks Summer of Fun and its giant sandpit, head HERE.
Featured image: Jason Lock Photography
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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…
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via AMG Digital)
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You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Manchester’s Deansgate
Daisy Jackson
There’s a brand-new menu of smokehouse-style BBQ dishes being served up on a sunny terrace on Deansgate.
Motley, the neighbourhood bar and restaurant on the corner of John Dalton Street, has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen.
That means they’ve got a whole load of new dishes, slow-cooked over hickory wood, that are bringing a taste of a Deep South BBQ to Manchester city centre.
The smokehouse-style meats are all seasoned in-house and cooked for hours, for a perfect fall-off-the-bone experience.
It might be an authentic American smokehouse menu, but it’s firmly British too, with most products locally sourced.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Deansgate / Credit: The Manc Group
Motley are calling on local suppliers like Althams Butchers (established since 1856) for their meat, plus greengrocers R Noone and Son, and Cheshire Farm for their real dairy ice cream.
Signature dishes on the new menu at Motley include slow smoked brisket, seasoned in Motley’s signature rub before being slow-smoked for more than eight hours.
There’s also a beef short rib with a chimichurri sauce, and a pork belly strip that’s seasoned with sage and onion and finished with a panko breadcrumb crust.
And for the veggies, there’s a vegan smoked veg kebab with courgette, mushrooms, bell pepper, sweet corn and red onion drizzled with homemade BBQ sauce.
Motley has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen / Credit: The Manc Group
Prices across the board start from just £16, served with beef dripping fries, rainbow slaw, pickles and homemade beef gravy.
As for small plates, you can expect short rib bonbons, homemade corn bread, spicy chicken wings, bang bang cauliflower, mac and cheese, and frickles.
House favourites like steak, vegetable hash, salads, and burgers will remain on the Motley menu.
Victor Gonzalez, food and beverage manager at Motley, said: “Our new signature smoked dishes are all crafted and seasoned in-house then slow cooked for hours over hickory wood to create rich and smoky melt-in-your mouth flavours.
“From our slow-smoked brisket to our home-made sides, everything has been carefully crafted to bring an authentic taste of the deep south to Manchester and we can’t wait for guests to try it.”
Motley can be found at 2 John Dalton Street on the corner of Deansgate in the city centre.
Daisy Jackson -
11th August 2025 
