One of Manchester’s most bold and eclecticcocktail bars is throwing a series of parties to celebrate its sixth birthday next week.
It may be just off the beaten track and tucked away in the basement of a Grade II-listed Victorian building on South King Street – just off Deansgate’s main thoroughfare in the heart of the city centre – but Arcane is no secret and has definitely made a well-deserved name for itself since opening its doors back in 2016.
Arcane was built off longtime friends and owners, Mark Taylor and Gary Kilroy’s, vision for bringing something “creative yet unpretentious” to the city’s nightlife scene, and it’s fair to say that since then, it has more than earned its place as a bar worth hitting up when you’re out in Manchester.
Given that it’s known for having an extensive menu of drinks prepared by some of the city’s most-knowledgeable artisans, and has been surprising even the most seasoned cocktail connoisseurs for the past half-decade, Arcane has got a lot to celebrate.
And next week, six years after the self-proclaimed “drinking den” first opened in the city, it’s going to do just that.
Arcane is one of Manchester’s most bold and eclectic cocktail bars / Credit: Arcane
To celebrate six years in style, Arcane will be throwing a big birthday party on Thursday 9 June from 7:30pm – 4am, and you can expect live music from 10pm, a live DJ afterwards for the rest of the party, and of course, an eclectic mix of drinks and cocktails.
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There’ll also be a couple of spirit brand events throughout the week too, with Jaegermeister Monday 6 June, Ocho on Tuesday 7 June, and Makers Mark on Wednesday 8 June.
After what has been an undeniably difficult two years for the city’s hospitality scene amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the owners and staff at Arcane are also keen to use the sixth birthday party to mark the industry’s return to near normality and “celebrate the fact that we’re still here and we’re still going strong”.
There’ll be plenty of drinks deals to make the most of throughout the big birthday party night, and in a fitting nod to what was available back when the bar first opened, guests can also grab some old industry “throwback” offers too.
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How does a Tom Collins and a can of Tiny Rebel 313 for just £6 sound?
You can also expect beer provided by Tiny Rebel, plenty of cocktails featuring tipples by event sponsors, Sipsmith Gin, as well as some limited-edition cocktails that will be mixed and served especially for the night, and even an ice luge for cask-aged Negronis too.
Staff will be suited and booted for the occasion, and there even promises to be a free welcome drink to any guests who want to get into the swing of things and come down dressed to the nines too.
Fancy it then? Head on down to Arcane from 7:30pm on Tuesday 6 – Thursday 9 June.
Featured Image – Arcane
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Manchester’s biggest virtual reality arcade is slashing prices for families this May half term
Daisy Jackson
DNA VR, the largest virtual reality arcade in Manchester, is running a discount throughout the May half term to save families cash on their day out.
The enormous VR arcade opened in the city centre back in March after being well-established in London since 2017.
Inside DNA VR on Brown Street, people can plug in to new worlds, like flying into orbit with the thrilling Space Station Tibera escape challenge, or come face-to-face with the ocean’s most awe-inspiring creatures in The Blu, or discover the wonders of the savannah in Nature Treks VR.
Visitors can also take part in gruelling challenges like Survive The Night, Arizona Sunshine, Hospital of Horror or After the Fall, or test their music abilities with games including Synth Riders and Ragnarock.
Younger visitors can even swap crayons and paper for art creation simulation, creating 360-degree masterpieces with Tilt Brush.
And any families who want to give it a go over the half term holidays can save 10% on their bookings, with the discount code below.
DNA VR is suitable for thrill-seekers aged seven and above, with a virtual world to suit every preference and ability.
There are now three virtual reality arcades down south, in Battersea, Camden and Hammersmith.
Its celebrity fans include Idris Elba, Roman Kemp, KSI, Claudia Winkleman, Olly Murs and Chris Hemsworth (and his kids).
The Manchester DNA VR opened earlier this year offering more than 70 VR arcade games, experiences and escape rooms in the largest VR arcade in the city.
You can book your half term escape at DNA VR at www.dnavr.co.uk/manchester and use the code DNAVR10 to save 10%, valid until 30 June 2023.
Featured image: Supplied
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You can watch the Champions League final at a massive fan park in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Fancy soaking up the atmosphere and watching the Champions League final surrounded by thousands of other football fans?
Well, there’s a massive fan park coming to Manchester that’ll let you do just that.
As Manchester City set their eyes firmly on what would be a historic treble title-winning season, the Sky Blues just have a showdown against Inter Milan in the final of European football’s flagship tournament to get past first – and the UK’s leading sporting fanpark brand, 4TheFans, is inviting fans to catch all the action live at a huge Champions League-dedicated indoor and outdoor fan park on Saturday 10 June.
Following its sold-out EURO 2020 and World Cup 2022 fan parks – which saw tens of thousands of fans come together to cheer on England – 4TheFans is back with its massively-popular immersive fan experience.
3,000 footy lovers will be put at the heart of the action as they enjoy the biggest final in Europe.
With less than a week to go before the big day, tickets are already being snapped up fast so you’ll need to be quick if you want to make sure you grab yours too.
Every tackle, every shot, and every piece of skill will be shown on four massive anti-glare screens that are backed up with a world-class sound system to deliver a genuine big game atmosphere that’s as close to the real thing as you can get.
And if (when) Man City score, then get ready for big celebrations with special effects, pyrotechnics, and cO2 cannons.
4TheFans is back with a massive Champions League final fan park in Manchester / Credit: 4TheFans
As well as getting to catch all the live game action, there’ll also be a Sky Sports presenter and a soon-to-be-announced City football legend on hand to give their match analysis as part of an interactive show, as well as DJs blasting out tunes, and competitions and giveaways to get involved in.
With all ages welcome, making it the most family-friendly fan park in Manchester, little football-loving Mancs can also take on their parents in penalty shootouts, and try out a precision wall to test their shot accuracy.
To top it all off, there’ll also be some award-winning street food and drink to tuck into too.
Football fans can watch the biggest match in Europe surrounded by thousands of others / Credit: 4TheFans
4TheFans Champions League Final Festival Fan Park is taking over Love Factory in central Manchester on Saturday 10 June from 3pm, and for any Man City fan who can’t make it out to Istanbul to see the game live in person, we think you’ll agree that this is an absolutely unmissable alternative.
Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting at £8 per person for a group of six, and £10 for individual tickets – with a VIP box starting at £75 per person.
Emily Sergeant -
1st June 2022 
