Hundreds of teddy bears and soft toys are set to be thrown onto the ice at the next Manchester Storm home game in a wonderful charity drive for local children.
Manchester‘s premier ice hockey team play the Belfast Giants in Altrincham this weekend and on top of the action inside the rink, supporters watching in the stands are being asked to bring plenty of plush toys for the iconic ‘Air the Bear’ ritual.
A popular tradition throughout hockey around the world during the festive period, Air the Bear is a pretty simple concept: fans bring along teddy bears and other soft toys and once the first point of the game is scored, the toys are thrown onto the ice and collected.
Once they are all gathered up, the mass of toys will then be donated to local charities and hospitals around the Greater Manchester area. You love to see it.
𝗔 𝗦𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗜𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗥
Ahead of our '𝗔𝗜𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗥' league fixture this Saturday evening, we decided to put together a simple guide for all those new to the club! 🧸⛈️
The wholesome tradition began back in the ’90s by WHL team, the Kamloops Blazers. Historically called the ‘Teddy Bear Toss’, the first volley of soft toys was launched on 5 December 1993.
Organised by the Marketing Director, Don Larson, as a way of helping out families over Christmas, the first goal of the evening was scored by Brad Lukowich and the charitable trend has been carried out by countless teams every year ever since under various monikers.
The biggest-ever Teddy Bear Toss was carried out in 2019 by the appropriately named AHL side, the Hershey Bears, when a world record 45,650 stuffed toys were thrown onto the ice.
Just look at how mint this looks.
Here’s hoping the popular Manchester hockey team puts in a similarly good showing and managed a massive pile of teddies for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and more.
Most importantly, this unique and heartwarming international toy drive supplies millions of children every year and the Air the Bear is one of hundreds around the world.
Manchester Storm‘s Air the Bear event takes place at 7pm this Saturday, 17 December (doors at 6pm) at their home stadium, Planet Ice Altrincham.
If you want to come along and give the gift of a cuddly toy this holiday season, be sure to wrap your toys in clingfilm so they don’t get wet from the ice and while you can donate your old used teddies, just be sure to give them a clean before bringing them along.
More than 1,000 tickets have already been sold — you can grab yours HERE.
There’s a ‘not snobby’ cheese tasting evening coming to Manchester this autumn
Thomas Melia
An evening dedicated to celebrating all things cheese is coming to a Manchester city centre pub this autumn.
Leeds-based cheese company Homage2Fromage launched its cheese-focused company back in 2011 as a monthly service highlighting all the delicious dairy offerings.
Since this, Homage2Fromage has gone on to host incredible events and activities, including an all-you-can-eat cheese festival right here in Manchester back in 2023.
Now, the cheese fanatics return with a brand-new event titled ‘Extreme Cheese’, where it’s bringing lots of creamy and crumbly varieties to local Manchester city centre pub, The Wayfarer.
You can expect to sample eight dairy delights, with some expected to be ‘very strong’, as the company adds ‘fromage not for the faint-hearted’, so if you like your cheese strong, then this one’s for you.
Homage2Fromage host cheese tasting experiences across the country including Manchester / Credit: Supplied
This cheese provider offers tasting experiences up and down the country, including prime spots in the north like Halifax, Harrogate, Leeds, and Sheffield.
The newest cheese-inspired event is set to be no different, with an itinerary packed regarding all things cheese.
You can grab a drink on arrival, and as soon as you hear ‘CHEESE’ the tasting begins, followed by scoring and, most importantly, an informative chat where you learn all about this dreamy delicacy.
For those who are cheese aficionados, the company even lets you host your own cheese event and provides everything you could ever need – including that golden flavour-packed good stuff.
If you’d rather put your hosting skills to one side though, and just simply tuck into some of the best cheddar varieties there is, then you can do just that at this upcoming cheese testing evening this autumn.
Homage2Fromage is bringing an exclusive cheese tasting evening, ‘Extreme Cheese’, to Manchester city centre at The Wayfarer on 24 September, and you can find tickets HERE.
Featured Images – Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
What's On
Blackpool Pleasure Beach announces its famous ‘late night riding’ is back this summer
Emily Sergeant
Blackpool Pleasure Beach has announced that its famous ‘late night riding’ event is making a grand return this summer.
Don’t quite feel ready to say goodbye to summer just yet, and want to cling onto that laidback lifestyle for a little longer?
Well luckily the Lancashire seaside town’s beloved theme park has just announced that it will be bringing back its ever popular ‘late night riding’ hours for one Saturday only later this month, and tickets are now on sale.
It’s not just us calling it ‘late night riding’ for nothing, by the way, that is genuinely what Blackpool Pleasure Beach has decided to name the event.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s famous ‘late night riding’ is making a comeback / Credit: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Anyway, on Saturday 23 August, Blackpool Pleasure Beach will be open from 10am right through until late in the evening, so thrill-seekers can enjoy their favourite rides under the town’s twinkling lights once the sun has gone down.
“Enjoy the fantastic atmosphere as the park sparkles and shines in the dark,” Blackpool Pleasure Beach said as it announced the event‘s return.
While Blackpool Pleasure Beach is always a great day out during the daylight hours anyway, Late Night Riding gives you the chance to ‘brave your favourite rides in the dark’, and experience the park like never before.
Staying open until late means there’s even more hours to ride into the night on the UK’s tallest rollercoaster, the Big One, check out the twists and turns of ICON in the evening, enjoy a night race on the Grand National, and ride on the the Big Dipper at dusk.
There’ll also be a show-stopping fireworks display on the day at 10pm.
The spectacular fireworks displays have a different theme each Late Night Riding event, and always fill the skies above the rollercoasters, rides, and attractions of the park with plenty of colour, while special shows, themed music, and live entertainment fill the park below, all to make sure that visitors have the most immersive experience
The popular event will return for one night only later this month / Credit: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Tickets for Late Night Riding on Saturday 23 August are available online, and will set you back £35 for an online ticket or £50 on the day.
If you’re unable to make this month’s Late Night Riding though, don’t worry, as you’ll have a chance to visit in a couple of months time when the event returns again in late November
Danny Jones -
15th December 2022 
