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10 things to do in Greater Manchester this Bank Holiday weekend

Stuck for plans this Bank Holiday weekend? We’ve rounded up some of the best things to across the region.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 27th August 2021

August Bank Holiday weekend is finally upon us.

Now that it’s been a good few weeks since restrictions were relaxed, the sun is shining, the streets are filled with smiling faces, and this extended summer holiday is always a busy time for our city region – but if you’re stuck for plans this weekend, we’ve rounded up some of the best things to do right here in Greater Manchester.

A few of the events we’re going to mention here are completely free, others will set you back a few pounds, and some may require you to book in advance.

Plenty are still taking COVID-safety measures to give you peace of mind though.

So in no particular order, here’s 10 of our top picks.

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1. Manchester Pride 2021

Manchester City Centre

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Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 August

Manchester Pride

40+ big-name UK and international acts are on the lineup at this year’s Manchester Pride.

The iconic LGBTQ+ festival – which historically takes over the city each August Bank Holiday weekend – may have sadly had its 2020 edition cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and this year’s Pride Parade has also been cancelled following similar safety concerns, but it’s back once again, with Zara Larsson, Sigala, Annie Mac, Gabrielle, Katy B, Example, and Eve all leading a stellar lineup.

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The popular Gay Village Party also has an impressive lineup of acts performing too.

Several other events have been announced to take place instead of the Parade, including five ‘Equality Marches’ on Saturday 28 August, limited to just 400 people per march, with 2,000 participating overall.

The festival is this year to feature six key strands – Activism, Equality, Arts and Culture, Youth and Family, Community and Party.

You can find more information about Manchester Pride 2021 here.

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2. Festa Italiana

Manchester City Centre

Friday 27 – Sunday 29 August

Festa Italiana

The UK’s biggest Italian food festival Festa Italiana is returning to Manchester, with Cathedral Gardens turning green, white and red over the Bank Holiday weekend.

First launched in 2017 and featuring delicious pizzas, fresh pasta, sweet crepes, and deli meats as far as the eye can see, Festa Italiana is known for bringing amazing street food into Manchester city centre and showcasing top Italian chefs from across the region.

Top-class chefs like Aldo Zilli, Giancarlo Caldesi, Gennaro Cantaldo, specialist pasta maker and author Carmela Sereno Hayes, and Festa founder Maurizio Cecco are all confirmed to attend.

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The festival is promising some exciting new additions for its fourth edition too, including a massive outdoor cinema.

You can find more information about what’s on at Festa Italiana 2021 here.

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3. Bolton Food & Drink Festival

Bolton Town Centre

Saturday 28 – Monday 30 August

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Bolton Food & Drink Festival

The hugely-popular Bolton Food & Drink Festival is finally returning this Bank Holiday weekend after a year of postponement.

After COVID-19 restrictions sadly meant that the annual festival had to move online in 2020, the support of local businesses of all shapes and sizes is helping the North West’s biggest food and drink event to return in person for its 16th year this summer.

They’ll serve up some of the best food and drink the region has to offer.

World-renowned chefs will share their secrets during free cookery demonstrations, and a collection of outdoor bars, live music and street entertainment is set to create the usual festival atmosphere that draws visitors from far and wide.

You can find more information here.

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4. Sixes Cricket

Corn Exchange

Sixes

The “world’s first immersive cricket experience with hospitality” is coming to the Corn Exchange this Sunday with the opening of Sixes Manchester.

A social cricket sports bar kitted out with three state-of-the-art cricket nets available to hire for 30, 60 or 90 minutes, as well as a champagne bar, a 70-seater dining space and an open kitchen, Sixes offers the chance to swing for the boundaries whilst enjoying a wide selection of high-quality food and drink.

The opening of this new Manchester venue coincides with an exclusive game at Sixes called ‘The Hundred’ – which is named after the 100-ball cricket tournament taking place for the first time this summer.

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You can find more information about Sixes Manchester here.

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5. Beat the Frog

Frog and Bucket Comedy Club

Monday 30 August

Frog and Bucket Comedy Club

Fancy a good laugh this Bank Holiday Monday? Beat the Frog is the legendary amateur comedy night at Manchester’s iconic Frog and Bucket Comedy Club, and has helped to launch the careers of some of comedy’s biggest names – including Peter Kay, John Bishop, Johnny Vegas, Smug Roberts, and more.

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At the start of the competition, three cards are handed out to lucky members of the audience, and up to 10 acts will then take to the stage and each try to do five minutes of material. If within those five minutes all three cards go up, then the act has lost and must leave the stage – but if the three cards stay down, that act has successfully ‘Beat The Frog’.

They are then invited back to the stage for a clap off at the end of the night – which will determine the overall winner.

It’s been named the “most unpredictable comedy night in the north”.

You can find more information, and grab your tickets via the Frog and Bucket website here.

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6. Deansgate Mews Street Festival

Great Northern

Deansgate Mews Street Festival

A festival full of food and live music is coming to Deansgate Mews at Great Northern Warehouse this weekend.

Completely free-to-attend and spanning three-days, The Deansgate Mews Street Festival was originally due to be held earlier this month, but postponed due to bad weather and rearranged for the Bank Holiday weekend.

It will celebrate the eclectic independent food and drink businesses on the street, alongside welcoming 30 different music acts.

You can find more information here.

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7. I’m A Celebrity… Jungle Challenge

MediaCityUK

Saturday 28 – Monday 30 August

ITV

Did you see that the highly-anticipated Salford Quays adventure attraction based on ITV’s popular survival reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! has officially opened to visitors?

The I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge – which was first announced back in April – will welcome fans into the wilderness from this Bank Holiday weekend, inviting them to “navigate a series of fun-filled physical challenges inspired by the blockbuster ITV show”.

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Located at MediaCityUK, the attraction features a variety of familiar vantage points and landmarks – including the Main Camp, the Throne and, of course, the Winner’s Bridge.

You can find more information, and book tickets here.

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8. Moovin Festival

Stockport

Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 August

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Moovin Festival

Rap royalty Naughty By Nature will headline Moovin Festival at Etherow Country Park this August Bank Holiday weekend, with the hip-hop trio confirmed for a rare UK appearance.

Dance titans Basement Jaxx, rap pioneer Eek A Mouse, UK favourites Asian Dub Foundation, and disco don Todd Terje are also confirmed, alongside other big names such as Sugar Hill Gang, Mr Scruff, Krafty Kuts, Graeme Park, DJ Woody, Craig Charles, Stanton Warriors, K Klass and The Mouse Outfit.

An eclectic mix of support acts have also been confirmed, including Afrobeat collectives, beatboxing violinists, and the Elvis fronted Nirvana tribute band Elvana.

You can find more information, and grab tickets here.

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9. Manchester Pride Music Events

Manchester City Centre

Saturday 28 – Monday 30 August

The Refuge

If you haven’t managed to grab tickets for Manchester Pride 2021 taking place this Bank Holiday weekend but are still keen to properly celebrate, then there’s still plenty of venues right across Manchester city centre that are going all out for the iconic LGBTQ+ festival that you can head on down to.

Escape to Freight Island, Ducie Street Warehouse, and Feel Good Club are just some of the places hosting alternative celebratory Pride events over the weekend.

You can find more information, and grab tickets here.

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10. Summer Social

Trafford Centre

Saturday 28 – Monday 30 August

Trafford Centre

An 8,000 sq ft beach, retro fairground rides, entertainment, and independent food and drink brands have all arrived at the Trafford Centre for the summer.

The region’s biggest shopping mall has announced the opening of its new ‘Summer Social’ event space – a vast new outdoor area that brings together all the fun of the fair, alongside a beach, live music, exciting pop-ups, and selfie-ready backdrops.

As well as several covered events spaces where people can safely relax, a number of independent food and drink brands will also be popping up over the summer, kicking off with Boujee Bar – the renowned, all-pink Instagrammer’s dream founded by Real Housewives of Cheshire star Lystra Adams.

Live musicians, street artists, and buskers will also be welcomed across the month at Summer Social.

You can find more information and grab your tickets here.

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Featured Image – The Refuge | Sixes Manchester

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Co-op Live announce UFC 304 is coming to the brand-new arena for Manchester return this year

Danny Jones Danny Jones UFC 304 returns to Manchester

Co-op Live has announced one of the biggest nights yet and their first-ever sporting event after confirming that the UFC is coming to the new state-of-the-art arena.

While the shiny new music and live entertainment stadium suffered an unfortunate setback earlier this week, with both of Peter Kay’s gigs being postponed following power supply issues discovered during their test event, the confirmation of UFC 304 at Co-op Live is a big plus for the opening month.

Rumours had been circling that a huge sporting event might be coming to the UK’s newest indoor arena, one of the biggest of its kind in Europe, but this being just the fourth time the UFC has washed up on British shores, it’s a huge coup for their debut year.

Announced on Wednesday, 24 April, the global MMA phenomenon and multi-billion-dollar promotion company will be bringing their 304th fight night to Manchester on 27 July and you can roll your eyes at the pun all you like, but it’s going to be a knockout.

The UFC is coming back to Manchester for the first time in eight years.

As the UFC has said in an official press release, “UK MMA is currently experiencing what is being described as an unheralded golden era, with stars such as welterweight champion Leon Edwards, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, and local favourites, including Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Muhammad Mokaev, Michael Page and Arnold Allen, with more rising through the ranks.”

That being said, there isn’t a better moment for the brand to capitalise on the growing fight audience here in the UK and 0161, specifically, with the aforementioned Aspinall having created a real appetite for the discipline in and around the city.

The Greater Manchester region has always been home to iconic fighters regardless, be it boxing or otherwise; Ricky Hatton, Tyson Fury, Amir Khan, as well adopted Manc MMA legend Michael Bisping, whose pedigree helped bring UFC to Manchester and the AO Arena for the first time back in 2016.

Nearly a decade later the promotion is now part of Co-op Live’s maiden calendar and set to be the first of many sporting events they hope to host – a plan bolstered by their partnership with neighbours, Manchester City.

ufc returning to manchester july 2024
ufc co-op live
The UFC 304 fight card is yet to be announced but there are a few local names you can probably bank on. (Credit: The Manc Audio)

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“I’m so excited to get back to Manchester, and no better time than this summer,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “We have two champions from the UK and fans have been dying for a UFC PPV event. So here we come to the largest indoor arena in the UK. See you soon, England!”

As for Co-op Live, Executive Director and General Manager Gary Roden added: “With the north of England home to so many of the world’s leading fighters, we are primed and ready for UFC and its knowledgeable, passionate fanbase.

“Offering a state-of-the-art platform for globally broadcast events, Co-op Live is extremely proud to welcome entertainment of this scale and calibre as the future home of combat sports in the UK.”

Co-op members get early access to presale tickets at 10am on 5 June and general admission goes live via Ticketmaster at the same time on Friday, 7 June. UFC Fight Club members will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets early on the Wednesday from 9am BST.

You can also register your interest HERE to gain access to a special pre-sale which starts on Thursday, 6 June 6 from 10am as well. Roll on fight night!

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Supplied

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Chester Zoo named best zoo in the UK thanks to more than 11,000 ‘excellent’ ratings

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

It’s official… Chester Zoo has been named to best zoo in the UK for 2024.

Everyone in and around Greater Manchester and the North West is familiar with just how brilliant the UK’s biggest charity zoo is and all the work it contributes towards conservation and protecting endangered species all across the world – but now, it’s got itself a respectable new title to prove it, and it’s all thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews.

The world’s biggest travel guidance platform has named Chester Zoo as the best-rated zoo to visit in the UK this year, with more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings.

Based on millions of online reviews, the new ranking puts the beloved Cheshire-based attraction ahead of the country’s other zoos after earning consistently good feedback from its visitors.

Chester Zoo has been named the best zoo in the UK for 2024 / Credit: Chester Zoo

According to Chester Zoo, the “wonderful news” means that, as a conservation charity, it can continue its work with countries across the world to “help all animals survive and thrive”, as well as provide expert care to the 37,000 animals who currently call the zoo their home.

The zoo has also thanked its visitors for all their continued support each year, as this allows to “keep making a difference”.

“With every admission ticket, membership, animal adoption, or experience purchased, you are contributing to our mission of preventing extinction,” Chester Zoo said in a statement.

Speaking on the coveted new TripAdvisor title, Jamie Chirston, who is the CEO at Chester Zoo, says he’s “over the moon to be named the best zoo in the UK”, adding in a statement that: “It’s an incredible achievement and especially pleasing given it’s based on thousands upon thousands of genuine reviews and opinions.

“It’s a real seal of approval from our visitors, and testament to every single one of our dedicated, hardworking, and talented staff that make our conservation zoo the wonderful place it is.

“Every time someone walks through our gates, not only do they enjoy all kinds of wildlife experiences and a have great day out, but they’re also contributing to the vital conservation work we carry out here and around the world, and that’s why, as a not-for-profit conservation zoo, this top TripAdvisor ranking means such an awful lot to us.

It’s all thanks to more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings by visitors on TripAdvisor / Credit: Chester Zoo

“It’s confirmation that we’re getting things right for our visitors, [which is] especially important as, together, we’re preventing extinction and making a real difference for wildlife.”

The UK’s best zoo isn’t the only title Chester Zoo has claimed this month either, as TripAdvisor has also listed it as the eighth-best zoo or aquarium to visit in the whole of Europe too.

Read more:

So it double congratulations are in order – and they couldn’t be more well-deserved, right?

Featured Image – Chester Zoo

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