What's On

A new age of radical thinking begins this month at the Manchester Jewish Museum

The headline event for this month is a quiz night hosted by Chanukah Lewinsky, a proud Jewish Drag Queen with a history of activism in the community.

Gemma Bradley Gemma Bradley - 23rd November 2020

Manchester Jewish Museum has this week announced the launch season of its ‘Reimagine – Reset – Reconnect’ Trailblazers season in preparation for its reopening in Spring 2021.

The news comes following capital development in the museum – with plans to allow the public more access to its archives so they can reconnect with history.

Creative Producer Laura Seddon said: “Through our trailblazer season, we are thrilled to give audiences a taster of what’s to come in our Thursday Lates when our new museum reopens next year.

“We will be inviting diverse and innovative artists to connect with our audiences in our stunningly renovated synagogue performance space each week.” 

The headline event for this month is a quiz night hosted by Chanukah Lewinsky, a proud Jewish Drag Queen with a history of activism in the community. 

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Founder and host of queer Jewish cabaret ‘Homos and Houmous’, Lewinsky aims to reconnect people with their Jewish history through song, dance and fun, and describes herself as like “Julie Waters on speed.”

Dex, who embodies Chanukah Lewinsky, said: “Jewish and Yiddish theatre has always been really close to street theatre, it’s all about audience engagement and making people feel part of it. So I am excited to bring the history of the museum to life with camp and chaos and revelry. It’s going to be a new way of attaching that history.”

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Chanukah Lewinsky photographed by Ray Filar

This series flies in the face of the suggestion that religion and queerness cannot be safely and positively intertwined, all whilst keeping you entertained and educated. 

Dex said: “I went to an orthodox Jewish secondary school, and I found that people valued discussion and were on the whole really open and supportive and the two identities of being queer and being jewish should not feel at odds.”

Once reopened, the Manchester Jewish Museum will continue to expand this cultural programme with ‘Thursday Lates’, consisting of live and online experiences throughout the rest of the year. 

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More information can be found online.

Upcoming Events: 

Thursday 26 November 2020 – Chanukah Lewinsky’s Big Quiz Night 

Price: pay what you feel, all funds go to supporting the museum’s community art program and re-development of the museum. 

A combination of camp quiz rounds and a ‘guess the celeb’ beamed straight into your living room, hosted by the fabulous Chanukah Lewinsky this one is a must-not miss. Including guest appearances from drag king wrestling duo Men Brûlée and Glasgow’s emerging queer, yiddish café Pink Peacock, and drag poet ‘That Ray’. 

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Thursday 10 – Monday 14 December 2020 – What does the future sound like?

A series of musical digital conversations about the British Museum music scene, with musician Francesca Ter Berg and the Museum’s Creative Producer Laura Seddon, with special guests Carol Isaacs, Anna Lowenstein, Polina Shepherd and Ana Silvera. An exploration of history and music, made even better by a daily musical film gifted straight to your email for the first five days, and the opportunity to join the conversation on social media and the chance to get an extra gift in the post.

Thursday 28 January 2021 – After School Activists 

An opportunity for the next generation of artists aged 16-18 to respond to the theme of 2021’s Holocaust Memorial Day: ‘Being a light in the darkness’. 

Described by the Manchester Jewish Museum as: “A powerful piece of collaborative action that considers how we learn from history whilst looking to the future. A generation is standing up – why not join them?”

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Thursday 25 February 2021 – Eat the Archives 

Theatre Chef Leo Burtin leads a cooking and eating journey in person and online, and will be teaching and telling the food stories of times past via the museum’s archives for example why many Jewish evacuees became vegetarians.

Thursday 25 March 2021 – Historic Jewish Quarter Experience 

The Bare Project Theatre Company lead you on a multi-sensory walk around Manchester historic Jewish quarter and Cheetham Hill Road. With the area still remaining one of the most diverse in the country, discover areas of worship, work and play on this walk. 

Learn more about the latest events happening in Manchester via the What’s On section.

What's On

Scouting For Girls announce stacked UK tour with Manchester date

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

British boyband Scouting For Girls are heading out on an extensive UK tour with dates up and down the country, including right here in Manchester.

If the first thing that pops into your mind when you read this headline is “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know how we’ll make it through this”, then you’re on the right side of history.

Nearly 20 years since their single ‘She’s So Lovely’ reached catastrophic heights and had everyone putting on their best Roy Stride accent, Scouting For Girls are heading back on the road.

This UK tour announcement comes two years after their last project, The Place We Used To Meet, reached our ears and was coined by the band as “Our best work since our debut”.

It’s been 18 years since this Brit trio captivated our hearts with their eponymous debut album, which sold over one million copies and went number one on the UK official charts for two weeks.

Whether you know them for ‘Heartbeat’ or ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’, it’s clear to say this band had their fair share of smash hit singles throughout the noughties.

This tour, however, celebrates the sophomore follow-up: Everybody Wants To Be On TV, which went on to continue their legacy and secure them their only number one, ‘This Ain’t A Love Song’, back in 2010.

Now, the boys are treating UK fans to an array of live performances, and if you can’t make one date, fear not because there are 20 different locations for you to choose from.

Belter.

The group will also be playing the likes of Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and a whole host of other Northern cities, so you have plenty of chances to catch them.

If you can’t wait all the way until March 2026 for your next Scouting For Girls fix, lead singer Stride has his own cameo account where you can get the star to read out a message or even sing you a song: “‘Michaela Strachan’ in full, please?…”

Scouting For Girls are coming to O2 Apollo in Manchester on 21 March 2026, with tickets going on sale next Friday, 2 May at 10am HERE.

Read more:

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

Featured Images — Wikimedia Commons/Press shot (supplied)

What's On

Manchester Marathon 2025 guide – all you need to know about the ‘UK’s biggest day of running’

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester Marathon guide 2025 important info

It’s nearly here… The 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon is just days away, and the mix of pre-race nerves, excitement and general hysteria is palpable, so much so that the only way we can think to calm both us and all you lot down is putting together a helpful guide.

Take no notice of those anticipatory jitters: don’t worry, they’re completely natural, but it’s worth reminding you that the Manchester Marathon is known worldwide not only as one of the flattest and fastest in Europe but also one of the most well-attended and fun to run full stop.

With London’s counterpart taking place simultaneously, the Manchester Marathon this Sunday, 27 April, is set to make up the single biggest day of running in UK history – what a thing to be part of.

All the hard work’s been done, you’re coming towards the end of the taper; supporters, we hope your homemade signs are primed and ready; there’s just one long run left, so with that in mind, here’s all the important info you need to know for this year’s Manchester Marathon.

2025 Manchester Marathon – everything you need to know

How about we start with the start times, eh?

MCR Marathon waves – colours, times and more

By now, those of you taking part should have all received/picked up your event packs, including your bib number and wave colour.

These are essential not only in order for your chip time to be recorded but for you to enter the start process before you actually begin your marathon and, of course, for your loved ones to track your progress throughout the day. Here’s where you need to be at what time, depending on your wave:

manchester marathon start times
manchester marathon waves
You can also find info on your pacers HERE. (Credit: Manchester Marathon)

2025 Manchester Marathon route

Now, the main headline this year is that the Manchester Marathon has a brand-new finish line, with the annual race relocating from the home stretch near the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground to the iconic Oxford Road.

Wrapping up proceedings in the shadow of one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, we can’t think of a more picturesque place for a box office finish.

You can see a quick run-through of the route down below:

A section of this year’s route will even be named after Jamie Lang.

Refill stations, toilets and bag drop

As for the points where you’ll be able to grab extra fluids and even back-up HIGH5 energy gels, there will be a total of eight water stations throughout the marathon, spread out as evenly as possible across the various parts of Greater Manchester that the route runs through.

There will be portable toilets available at every single water stop in case of emergencies too, and there is also a full map of where to find them.

As for bag drop, a new system is in place for the 2025 Manchester Marathon, with belongings from each wave being carefully loaded onto separate lorries and transported from the initial drop point near the starting area over towards the finish line, saving your tired little legs from doing any extra work.

Participants will first drop their bags off near the front of Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium, on Wharfside Way – it’s recommended you arrive at least 45 minutes before your actual start time – before being given a wristband and picking them up over at the Oxford Road finish line. More info HERE.

There is an even more comprehensive participants’ guide available too.

Fan zones, cheer points and activities

As for this year’s dedicated Manchester Marathon fan zones and cheer points, you’ll find popular spectator hotspots, including the Deansgate Interchange, the Chester Road strip leading up past Stretford Mall and a main section of Chorlton’s high street, just to name a few.

Thankfully, you can find lots more tips on where to cheer on your friends and family via the online Supporter Hub, including help when it comes to tracking them.

In addition to the multiple signposted junctures and atmosphere hubs seen in the virtual route tour above, with more live music and festivities from artists, charities and local organisations than ever, the 2025 equivalent of previous years’ event village comes in the form of an all-new fan zone on Oxford Rd.

An all-day fan zone is being set up for the 2025 Manchester Marathon with freebies for runners
Find out more about what those taking part and cheering from the sidelines can enjoy in and around the action.

It’s also worth noting that the new ‘Adizero: For The Fast‘ pop-up will be open all the way from Thursday, 24 April to race day at Impossible Bar on Peters Street in the city centre.

The space is open to all and will host shake-out runs, exclusive product ranges, panel discussions and a variety of other activities; a collaborative adidas and Made Running cheer point will also be located at the one-mile mark on the corner of Deansgate.

If, for whatever reason, you can’t help line the streets yourself on the day, then you’ll be glad to hear that you can watch the whole thing online via a livestream on the Manchester Marathon YouTube channel – including Atherton’s very own Olympian getting the runners underway.

MCR Marathon road closures

As for the part of the city, Trafford and other sections of Greater Manchester that will be impacted by the Manchester Marathon road closures, here at the key points to know:

Parts of Oxford Road, Hulme Street, Grafton Street and other city centre streets will shut from 8am on Saturday and noon before the race on Sunday. As for the event itself, the route will go on to shut down the likes of Deansgate, Chester Road, and various other sections of road from 4am onwards.

You can find a full guide along with specific timings for each road closure HERE.

Further travel advice and public transport info

Last but not least, if you’re travelling into or across the city region for the action, Transport for Greater Manchester have recommended using our brilliant Bee Network to get around wherever possible.

Not only will this help reduce congestion in and around the city limits, but it also helps contribute to the adidas Manchester Marathon’s commitment to making the event as green as possible.

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There are plenty of park and ride facilities at your disposal, and TfGM have also put together an interactive map for you to consult when planning your journey:

Read more:

Final housekeeping

Now, we’re not trying teach you how to suck eggs, but it goes without saying that you should eliminate all panics possible, so get those phones, smart watches earphones and so on charged up, get your safety pins sorted early and so on.

Make sure you take in plenty of carbs for those much-needed energy stores in the days leading up to the race, lots of water too, not to mention as much rest and actual sleep as possible.

As for active preparation, you don’t need to be doing much more than a casual 5k jog or some light exercise in the last few days before the actual race – a steady little shakeout run the day prior at most. Lastly, ensure your race kit is washed and ready because a wardrobe dilemma is the last thing you need.

No matter what happens on the day, we’re already so proud of you all, whether you’re a returning runner, a first-timer, a dedicated fundraiser, or even just walking those magnificent 26.2 miles. Now go and SMASH it and we’ll see you for a refreshing reward at the pub!

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

Featured Images — adidas Manchester Marathon (supplied)

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