Manchester is celebrating the start of May with tacos, tacos, and even more tacos, so make sure you’re hungry.
To coincide with both the early May bank holiday weekend, and of course the annual Mexican celebration Cinco De Mayo, Manchester‘s biggest street food and events space GRUB will be hosting its very-own festival dedicated to all things tacos.
The Green Quarter-based social hub will be bringing hungry Mancs two days of ‘tacos, tacos, and more tacos’ from midday onwards.
Five of the city’s very best street food traders, including El Piloto Tacos and Enchilady, will be cooking for you all weekend long, bringing their own authentic take on the humble taco, plus a feast of other specials to go alongside.
The massively-popular Nina’s Taco Truck, and Pez Tacos will also be pulling up at GRUB across the two days, so there’ll be plenty of choice.
And of course, we all need a sweet treat to finish things off, so GRUB favourite Munchie Mummy’s Kitchen will also be on site serving up a wide range of plant-based bakes to suit all tastes and dietary requirements.
To wash it all down, what would Cinco De Mayo be without a margarita?
A tasty tacos festival is taking place in Manchester next month / Credit: GRUB
For anyone that books a table in advance for GRUB’s Taco Fest, there’ll be buy one get one free on margaritas from the special pop-up margarita bar.
You can also expect craft beer, cocktails, special sodas and oft drinks, and great tunes blasting out across the beer garden, so now all we need to do is hope the Mexican-style sunshine graces Manchester with its presence.
Taco Fest will be taking place from 12-8pm on Sunday 4 May, and 12-6pm on Cinco De Mayo itself, Monday 5 May – which is also bank holiday Monday.
GRUB’s themed food fairs are always busy, so big groups are advised to book in advance here.
Featured Image – GRUB
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Stevie Wonder at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Yes, your ‘Superstition’ is correct: an icon is in our midst, because Stevie Wonder is heading to Manchester for a massive headline show.
Grab your ‘Part Time Lover’ and get ready to tell them, ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’; for one night only, theStevie Wonder is coming to town.
Not that this recording artist needs any introduction, but the pop, soul, R’n’B, funk and jazz superstar is well and truly one of the greatest living performers of all time, and his love for the UK and our city, in particular, dates far back.
His other most notable Manc concert took place over a decade and a half ago at AO Arena in 2010, but now he’s back for a debut at our newest and biggest indoor entertainment venue.
This is going to be a very special evening and one that’s likely to have fans ‘Cryin’ Through The Night’.
His career skyrocketed when he burst onto the music scene and the charts by becoming the youngest recording artist to reach the top spot at 12 years old with ‘Fingertips Part II’ in the US back in 1963.
Now, Stevie Wonder is polishing the keys on his glossy piano and warming up his vocal cords to sign, seal and deliver you an unforgettable performance to the 23,500 crowd of Co-op Live.
Stevie Wonder gig guide – all the key info
Stevie Wonder is heading to Co-op Live in Manchester on 5 July.Credit: Supplied
Stevie Wonder UK tour dates
Thu 3 July – Lytham St. Annes, UK – Lytham Green Festival
Sat 5 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 7 July – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Wed 9 July – Cardiff, UK – Blackweir Fields
Sat 12 July – London, UK – BST Hyde Park
Stevie Wonder tickets for Co-op Live gig
Of course, Wonder is a household name and securing tickets for someone who’s been soundtracking so many people’s lives from the ’60s to present day means there are a fair few fans of the icon.
However, there are still a handful of tickets left for Stevie Wonder’s upcoming Manchester gig that you can choose from HERE.
There’s even some exclusive premium tickets that will leave you feeling ‘Overjoyed’ ahead of the ‘Love, Light & Song’ show HERE.
Stevie Wonder setlist
The R&B Soul pioneer is known to change up his set lists, but this one below is taken from the Michigan stop of his US tour back in October, and contains most of the tracks you can expect the now 75-year-old hall-of-famer to play.
Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart
As If You Read My Mind
Master Blaster (Jammer)
Higher Ground
You Are My Sunshine
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
For Once in My Life
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours
My Cherie Amour
Overjoyed
Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)
Feel Like Makin’ Love
You’ve Got a Friend
Something’s Coming
1999
Contusion
Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing
Love’s in Need of Love Today
Village Ghetto Land
Living for the City
Sir Duke
Isn’t She Lovely
I Just Called to Say I Love You
Superstition
My Eyes Don’t Cry
Do I Do
Another Star
Surely has to be one of his best ever, right?
What are the stage times for Stevie Wonder in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11 pm, so you don’t have to worry about seeing ‘Another Star’ appear in the sky; you can be tucked up under the covers before the clock strikes twelve.
There’s no official support act listed for this event, but ‘Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing’ because you’re in safe hands with the ‘Master Blaster’ who’s ready to swoon you over with hits from every decade.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Stevie Wonder takes the stage @TheCoopLive on Sat 5 July.
We have your travel Signed, Sealed and Delivered:
– Trams depart the city centre every six minutes – Etihad Campus is the closest stop – Tram works are taking place, check before you travel Visit: https://t.co/A5MJ5c7Hmbpic.twitter.com/LLpmJ80cyi
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Legendary recording artist Stevie Wonder is heading to Manchester for his ‘Love, Light & Song’ UK tour.Credit: Supplied
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes via the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Featured Images – Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
What's On
Family-friendly places watch the 2025 Women’s Euros in Manchester
Danny Jones
It’s not just festival season we’re right in the midst of enjoying; a fantastic summer of sport is well underway, and with the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euros having now kicked off, we thought we’d round up some of the best places to watch the games in central Manchester.
With the Lionesses still reigning European champions following that unbelievable final against Germany back in 2022, we can’t wait to see if they can retain England’s first major trophy since 1966.
One of our favourite parts about the Women’s Euros is that it tends to attract a much more family-friendly crowd, meaning that wherever you choose to watch it here in the city centre, out into Greater Manchester or anywhere else for that matter, it’s a safe, wholesome and wonderful atmosphere.
So, without further delay, here are 10 of the best places to watch our girls bring football back home once again – because you’re damn right we’re winning it.
10 of the best places to watch the Women’s Euros in Manchester
1. Tony Wilson Place – First Street
First up, rather fittingly, we’re returning to one of our go-to spots pretty much every summer: the big temporary lawn laid out over on the square at Tony Wilson Place. A sun-trap with deck chairs and plenty of places for food and drink around you – what more could you ask for?
The ever-thriving First Street complex has been paving the way for free social listening/watch parties here in Manchester, especially when it comes to utilising public open-air spaces, and it’s sure to be backed once again for this year’s Women’s Euros too. Trendsetters, they are. It’s also the biggest screen.
Heading out of the city centre for a spell – though only a tram ride away – the waterside viewing zone at the similarly titled ‘Screen on the Docks’ over at Media City is back for summer 2025 with a wide range of live sport, including the F1, Wimbledon, cricket and, of course, this year’s Women’s Euros.
Situated on the steps right next to the old harbour area, turned home of Greater Manchester mainstay, Box on the Docks, there are all kinds of entertainment to catch for free. Make sure you check their socials for the regular schedule this summer, even after the tournament is over.
Next up is another regular favourite for any big sporting competition: the ever-busy, family-friendly and massive screens at Freight Island. Not only is it right next to Piccadilly station for those who are travelling into Manchester city centre, but you have all the food and drink vendors you’ll ever need.
With an entire room dedicated to watching live sports all year-round, not to mention quieter, family-friendly spaces like the ‘Plant Room’, outdoor spaces and so on, the Depot’s neighbour is always set up perfectly for big competitions like this, and you can bank on the big room being filled with England fans.
Heading over towards Castlefield direction and the emerging area known as New Jackson, next on the list of family-friendly places to watch the Women’s Euros in Manchester is Deansgate Square, where property developers Renaker have set up a special dedicated section for a jam-packed summer of sport.
Simply called ‘Screen on the Square’, the viewing zone not only sits in the shade of the city’s now skyline-defining towers but also catches plenty of rays throughout certain periods of the day. This space will also be doubling up as a free outdoor cinema throughout the season.
Heading across to the other side of Castlefield and over to the back of St John’s, Aviva Studios – a.k.a. the home of Factory International – are also showing the women’s football this tournament season as part of their current Football City, Art United. exhibition, which began on Thursday, 4 July.
Tickets are available for just a tenner, and children 16 or under go completely free. As well as getting to view the incredible installation as part of this year’s Manchester International Festival (MIF), there are also areas dedicated to watching the 2025 Women’s Euros. Sorted.
Perhaps one of our favourite options this summer is The Cartlon Club’s collaboration with Baller FC, who host accessible, inclusive football watch parties all over the country, but have a particular strong following here in Manchester and down in London.
In this case, FC doesn’t just mean for football club: it stands for ‘Friends Collective’, as the idea is that everyone is welcome, serving as a reminder that the beautiful game is also the people’s sport and no one should feel excluded. You can grab tickets for the games HERE.
With two floors to choose from, kid-friendly games like pool and shuffleboard to be enjoyed, as well as plenty of pub classic food to keep everyone’s bellies full for 90 minutes, it’s pretty much one of the perfect spots to watch all the action.
Moving over to the other side of town towards Victoria now, the National Football Museum is one of the best family-friendly and, most notably, completely FREE places to watch some of the best female players in the world shine on the European stage.
While the local institution and home of Manc footy culture will be open as normal throughout the day as normal, since many of the games are being broadcast during the evenings here in the UK, 2025 Women’s Euros matches will be screened after hours at no extra charge. Find out more down below.
The penultimate stop on our list of the best places to watch Euro 2025 might surprise some of you, but North Bat over on Circle Square – formerly known as North Taproom (just off Oxford Road Corridor) – has quietly become a great place for watching live sport with a more chilled atmosphere.
It might night have the box on all the time, but when they do for big occasions like this, we do sometimes whisper it is an alternative suggestion among friends to avoid the rowdier pub scenes. Maybe give it a try this month and decide for yourselves – and grab some street food from Koto while you’re at it.
And finally, this may be one of the least-known options in the city centre, but the free screenings inside the Hyatt Regency Manchester are also some of the best family-friendly places to watch football, making them a perfect out-of-the-way spot to enjoy the Women’s Euros too.
Emily Sergeant -
10th April 2025 
