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.”
Local artist Michael Browne unveils striking new piece after controversial Donald Trump portrait
Danny Jones
Local artist Michael Browne recently debuted another striking new work in central Manchester following his much-talked-about Donald Trump painting.
And if you’ve seen that one, you’ll know that’s quite the statement.
The 62-year-old Moss Side-born artist has enjoyed an increased level of popularity since and his statement piece and de-facto political cartoon following the result of 2025 US presidential election popped up centre-stage in a window on the corner of Deansgate earlier this year.
Now, just a couple of months on from his piece’s debut, Browne is back with another painting loaded with historical and social material that serves as a commentary on contemporary UK culture.
Taking a rather stark look not only at the British Empire and global politics – subjects he’s already flirted with plenty in the past – this towering new painting is entitled Sovereign Servant.
Designed to be a thought-provoking reflection on the legacy on the Empire and its impact on modern UK society as we know it today, it takes stylistic inspiration from Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’ The Apotheosis of Homer, as seen at the Louvre.
Reimagining Britain’s colonial history, controversial impact across the globe; economic exploitation and ever-evolving national identity in a vibrant and truly eye-catching multi-character portrait.
Several faces can picked out from the crowd, including two very obvious royals smack back in the middle of the picture, but other standout aspects include Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster as the backdrop, as well the high contrast colour palette.
All set on the deck of a ship in the most obvious nod towards the nation’s naval fleet and centuries colonialism, not to mention a swirling stormy sky, there is a real sense of the movement to the image even with so many figures standing straight towards the the viewer.
Credit: Supplied
Unveiled to the public in a special event featuring a live Q&A at the museum, as well as series of drop-in sessions with Browne himself last week, his latest neo-classical creation certainly left an impression.
Speaking on its reveal, Browne said: “As a mixed heritage man from the North, I have often compared London’s royal heritage and standing as the centre of the British Empire with Manchester’s working- class heritage born out of industrial hard labour.
“I couldn’t resist juxtaposing these themes within one visual arena, contrasting the British desire for one overarching identity and the reality of a thriving multicultural society. I wanted to revisit those triumphant depictions of Empire to present a vision of how it appears to me today.”
Now on public display, it’s certainly something worth seeing up close for yourselves.
WWE is returning to Manchester for a blockbuster live show
Danny Jones
Just a few months on from making its debut at Co-op Live, WWE has announced it will be returning to Manchester for another turn around the ring and a blockbuster clash of stars later this year.
However, this time they’re heading back to their roots here in Manchester with the AO Arena set to welcome them once again for a very special show.
As part of the build-up to the first-ever WWE Premium Live Event taking place in the French capital this August simply entitled, Clash in Paris, a number of shows will be taking place here in the UK first.
Teaming up not only with the AO but beloved local dive bar, Junior Jackson’s, for a special giveaway, wrestling fans have all the more reason to get excited by the ‘Road to Clash in Paris‘ programme.
With the venue also set to host a special screening of the 1995 Royal Rumble – the same year that the AO Arena first opened its doors – there are prizes to be won.
Not only are there 100 free drinks to be won at Junior’s, with the home venue Bunny Jackson’s and the country-style karaoke spin-off regularly showing the WWE action, but if you happen to be first and second in the queue you’re in for a real treat…
Yes, if you’re an eager enough beaver, the first two people through the door at JJ’s on Wednesday, 19 March will receive two free tickets to the live WWE show in Manchester on Tuesday, 26 August.
They’ll be letting people in for the ticket giveaway from 5pm and the free pints will be poured until approximately 7:20pm when the Royal Rumble rewatch is due to end.
See in the queue, I guess – and be prepared for us to wrestle you to be first in line.
Anything under the Jackson’s banner is considered the unofficial home of WWE in Manchester, as far as we’re concerned.
As for the AO Arena date, fans in attendance will see their favourite WWE Superstars in action, including Undisputed WWE Champion, a.k.a. ‘The American Nightmare’, Cody Rhodes; World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER, Jey Uso, WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton; Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Sami Zayn, and many more.
The final lineup is still yet to be fully confirmed but you’ll be treated to some seriously big names and, of course, they always have a few surprises up their sleeve.
Emily Sergeant -
10th August 2021 
