A festival of free entertainment is coming to the city centre this weekend as Manchester says “a big thank you” to everyone who’s helped and supported others during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Thank You Manchester Weekender will see the city centre transformed to host a free, fun-filled festival of thanks on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 August for a one-off weekend designed to “bring the laughter back” and “a smile to all”.
Organisers say it’s the city’s way of paying a joyful tribute to all those it wants to thank for helping us get through the past year and a half.
With everything from street theatre and circus performances, to dancing, live music, and even a chance to get involved in working with three city-based artists, Manchester City Council has assured there will be something for everyone.
Doctors, nurses, shop workers, bus drivers, food bank staff, teachers, mums and dads, and vaccination centre volunteers are among those in line for a special mention in the opening event that will pay tribute to everything they have done to help keep us all safe.
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There's only 1 week to go until the Thank You Weekend 😱
Get ready for 2 days celebrating your efforts for our city.
Expect a ton of free and safe performances ranging from street theatre, to music, to dance 🎭
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) August 7, 2021
In line with the thank you theme, Mancunians are being asked to add their own thank you to an enormous sculpture made up of giant 3D letters that spell out ‘Manchester’. It’s hoped that when complete, it will go on display as a reminder of the spirit of the city over the last 18 months.
“None of us will forget what we have been through this last year and a half, and during it the people we have loved and have lost,” said Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council.
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“We will also never forget the people who helped us get through, whether it was for their kindness, practical help, learning support, or life-saving expertise.
“So many people from so many different parts of our city life are owed a massive thank you for everything they have done during the pandemic to keep us safe and keep us going, and we want them to know how much we appreciate them and what their help has meant to us.”
The one-off weekend is designed to “bring the laughter back” to the city centre after a tough 18 months / Credit: Chris Payne | Manchester City Council
Entertainment and events will be taking place across Cathedral Gardens, Piccadilly Gardens, St Peter’s Square, and Exchange Square.
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Manchester’s rich musical heritage will be celebrated with live music in Cathedral Gardens and Piccadilly Gardens, with Bollywood and brass, to samba, soul beats, and everything in-between, as well a special performance curated by Matt and Phred’s.
Manchester Central Library also plays host to a “musical extravaganza” on Sunday, where you can try your hand at playing one of the many instruments from the library’s collection, or hear the Northern Chamber Orchestra perform.
The weekend will also see performances from some of the city’s best loved local community groups.
Exchange Square will be home to a Manchester Market for the weekend – selling iconic Manchester pictures, and themed clothing and accessories, alongside tasty treats from locally-based bakeries and other local produce.
A short community gathering of thanksgiving and remembrance will take place at 12:30pm on St Ann’s Square, too, as well as a minute’s silence to pause, stand together, and remember and reflect.
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The city will say “a big thank you” to everyone who’s helped and supported others during the COVID-19 pandemic / Credit: Manchester City Council
The festival will be spread over the whole weekend, with performances on Saturday repeated on Sunday to give as many people as possible the chance to come into town, enjoy the atmosphere, and have fun safely.
Councillor Pat Karney added: “This is our way of saying a great big Manchester thank you to all Mancunians for supporting each other during this last year, and to all the many thousands of heroic workers in all kinds of jobs and roles in the city that we have all depended on so much.
“After a year like we’ve just had, this is going to be a weekend like no other [and] we’re determined to spread a little Manchester music and magic to help get the city smiling again.”
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 12 – 18 May 2025
Emily Sergeant
May has certainly been treating us well this past couple of weeks.
Even though April is known for being a jam-packed month full of seasonal celebrations, school holidays, and more, there’s still absolutely no shortage of things for the whole family to be getting up to in Greater Manchester this week now that May is in full bloom.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries.
We’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide, both free things, and those that’ll set you back a few pennies too.
The GM Walking Festival is back for 2025, and it’s bigger than ever.
Coordinated by Greater Manchester Moving, and organised in alignment with National Walking Month, the month-long celebratory festival invites people from all across the region to experience the joy of walking and wheeling throughout May.
The festival brings together more than 400 free organised group walks hosted by local organisations and community groups in every borough of Greater Manchester.
Mary Poppins / Credit: ATG Tickets | Daniel Boud (via Unsplash)
Mary Poppins is now back on stage in Manchester as part of its UK tour.
Two decades after the world premiere in Bristol, and subsequent record-breaking run of productions around the world ever since, one of the best-loved musicals of all time has flown back into our city and landed on the iconic Palace Theatre stage.
Based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film, the story of the world’s favourite nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane is even more magical than ever before, featuring dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs.
Australian stars, Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers, are both reprising their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert.
Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You / Credit: Science Museum Group
You can plunge headfirst into the incredible world of our senses at a new immersive museum exhibition that’s now arrived at the Science and Industry Museum.
Back by popular demand after a successful run over these past two years, but with a fresh new adventure lined up for 2025, Operation Ouch! is giving you the chance to journey through an ear canal covered in gooey wax, squeeze past sticky snot, and delve deeper into how our brains interpret the world.
Tickets to Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You are now on sale, and visitors are being told to prepare themselves for an “epic exploration of the senses”.
A new deep listening art installation has arrived at the National Trust’s Dunham Massey.
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ORIGIN invites you to explore the powerful themes of life’s cycle and our deep connection to nature, as this new deep listening experience will have you at one with the mansion and gardens, blending sonic landscapes with visual artistry in an environment designed to soothe and rejuvenate.
Relax, lie back, and surrender to the gentle harmonies of sound and light as you are enveloped in this peaceful exploration of nature, life, and the senses and invites participants to meditate and be mindful, or reflect on our own place in the natural world.
Did you see that Manchester has been named on Europe’s top 100 best cities?
For a long time now, the city has been cementing itself as a tourist hotspot, with new hotels popping up left, right, and centre, and integrated transport systems being introduced to make it easier to get around – but it looks like all that hard work has paid off.
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That’s because Manchester has now been named one of the best cities in the whole of Europe for 2025, thanks to a new ranking by Resonance Co.
The city has claimed itself a respectable 36th place on the list, alongside 17 other British cities forming part of the ranking in total… we just won’t say here which English city got number one.
Stories – Brought To Life / Credit: The Manc Group
A major new National Portrait Gallery exhibition has arrived in Salford.
The ground-breaking new experience by FRAMELESS Creative has opened at MediaCity, bringing some of the world’s most famous portraits to life like never before.
Stories – Brought to Life will explore the fascinating lives of these figures, who have shaped the UK’s history and culture all the way since the Tudor period, and will combine the highest quality digital projection, Hollywood-style visual effects, and the latest audio technology, along with specially created musical scores and creative narratives to shine a new light on each individual.
Visitors will be able to step inside iconic portraits including Grayson Perry, Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Emmeline Pankhurst, Queen Elizabeth I, and William Shakespeare.
Kargo on the Docks / Credit: Supplied | Mark Waugh
Kargo on the Docks is back for the summer.
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MediaCity’s al fresco dining pop-up has taken over the waterfront and gardens once again with a fresh wave of local food traders and stunning artwork by Salford-based creatives, all as the sun shines down on Salford Quays this summer.
A handful of Greater Manchester’s most popular independents have set themselves up Quayside inside those signature re-imagined shipping containers.
Foodies can expect a menu packed with bold new flavours including Caribbean, Lebanese, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Pan-Asian dishes.
Looking for somewhere to soak up the Manchester sunshine and sip on an Aperol Spritz while you’re at it?
King Street Townhouse / Credit: The Manc Group
Well, we’ve found the perfect hidden gem.
Tucked up on the sixth floor of the award-winning boutique hotel, King Street Townhouse, you’ll find a rooftop terrace with beautiful views of the city’s skyline. As Manchester buzzes along beneath you, you can tuck in to everything from full charcuterie grazing boards, to seasonal snacks and small plates, all served alongside an impressive wine and cocktail list.
This often-overlooked local spot is a firm favourite of those in-the-know, thanks to its sheltered location that basks in the sun all afternoon.
Whether it’s a post-work social, a relaxed date night, or a cheeky afternoon cocktail, the King Street Townhouse Terrace is open to the public and available for walk-ins or bookings when it isn’t privately hired.
Or would you consider yourself to be more of a cheese fondue and bottomless wine fan instead?
Who isn’t, let’s be real.
Here at The Manc, we always get asked where the best bottomless brunch is in the city centre, but this on at The Mews is like no other, as this beautiful wine and charcuterie bar up on Deansgate Mews is serving up one of our favourite kinds of bottomless treats… cheese.
You can enjoy a molten pot of Italian Fontina cheese fondue with a side of meats, breads, veggies, and even roast potatoes.
Plus, you can upgrade and enjoy bottomless wine and house pints of pilsner too.
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Okay, what about this… reckon you could tell the difference between a pint of Guinness and a pint of Murphy’s?
Our team gave it a good go anyway – or perhaps ‘good’ is a strong word.
Murphy’s at Mulligans / Credit: The Manc Group
There’s no denying that these two legendary Irish stouts are quite similar.
But for the first time at Manchester’s beloved Irish pub Mulligans, down on Deansgate, has now started serving pints of Guinness’ less-popular cousin on draught, so to celebrate the long-awaited launch, some of our beer-loving team went down to test it out.
Blindfolded (by a big Irish hat covering their eyes), Danny, Amy, Daisy, Will, and Eva had a crack at identifying a sip of Guinness and a sip of Murphy’s… and results were mixed.
Whatever your preference, you can get them both at Mulligans now – find out more here.
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Club Comedy MCR
Fairfield Social Club
Friday 16 May
Club Comedy MCR / Credit: FSC
A new monthly comedy night comedy with ‘some of the UK’s biggest names’ on the lineup is launching in Manchester this week.
As a new chapter for stand-up unfolds, you can expect an evening of belly laughs and big names all under one roof, as Club Comedy MCR and local comedy legend Josh Jones brings a brand-new monthly comedy night to Fairfield Social Club.
The exciting new event aims to bring together some of the very best comedy acts from across the UK, and it’ll be back each month.
The Eurovision 2025 final / Credit: CinemaLive | Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)
The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest is to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester this weekend.
Cinemas up and down the UK are, once again, set to come together to celebrate 2025’s edition of the major night in the music calendar by hosting the ultimate viewing event this Saturday, where it’ll not only be broadcast live on BBC One, but streamed into more than 100 cinemas nationwide – including several in Greater Manchester.
Distributed by CinemaLive, the live stream events will allow Eurovision fans to gather under one roof and share in the unbeatable experience of celebrating the brightest and boldest music party of the year on the big screen.
Featured Image – Kitera Dent | Supplied | Mark Waugh
What's On
The shop where people queue OVERNIGHT for viral toys is coming to Trafford Centre
Thomas Melia
There’s a viral shop in Manchester where people queue for hours to get their hands on viral toys, and it’s now making its way to the Trafford Centre.
After already taking Manchester by storm when it initially opened back in March this year, viral toy shop Pop Mart now has its sights set on another new spot in one of the North West’s most iconic and popular shopping malls.
Known for stocking all the latest viral collectable crazes, Pop Mart is set to open its second Manchester site at none other than the Trafford Centre (TC) and will definitely bring in the same queues as its Market Street predecessor.
The Chinese toy and collectable shop has become in high demand for stocking just one certain toy character: Labubu
This cheeky toy character is quite a marmite topic for some, with many finding the plush toys to be cute and cuddly, while others deem Labubu ‘monsters’ to be a bit creepy and off-putting.
Are we pulling from an internal office debate? Maybe…
Regardless, Labubu are widely recognisable around the world, famed for their bunny-like ears and big, wide eyes; soft, shiny fur and, most notably, a large smile with their teeth on display.
It seems everyone is after one of these Labubu character toys, with Mancs making their commute to work through the city centre, startled by the sheer length of the queues at Pop Mart.
There’s a huge amount of Labubu characters to collect.Labubu has blown up online and will now be stocked across two Pop Mart locations across Greater Manchester.Credit: Pop Mart
One social media user even commented, “I went past on the tram at 7.30 this morning and there were half a dozen people in the queue already!”
Trends may come and go, but it seems this latest viral craze is here to stay as it’s now having a second resurgence thanks to lots of celebrity endorsements, including Love Island star Olivia Attwood.
We’re sure the Trafford Centre venue will be just as healthily stocked.
At present, there’s no official opening date for Pop Mart’s Trafford Centre store besides the ‘Coming Soon’ signage outside the shop front, but we’re sure it won’t be too long before you can get your next Labubu fix – we wouldn’t be surprised to see even more Greater Manchester locations follow.
Emily Sergeant -
10th August 2021 
