What's On

An exciting new winter market is arriving at Depot Mayfield next month

Winter Island is the latest edition to Escape to Freight Island's new 'Ticket Hall'.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 15th October 2020
Escape to Freight Island

An exciting new COVID-secure winter market is arriving at Manchester’s newest social experience Escape to Freight Island at Depot Mayfield next month.

It follows the sad news that the Manchester Christmas Markets have officially been cancelled this year.

Winter Island adds to the site’s recently-announced Ticket Hall annex, which has been the much-anticipated second phase for the indoor food market and entertainment space and is heralded as a carefully-planned and exciting expansion towards the “true vision” of what is fast becoming the most talked about and innovative venue in the UK.

Winter is indeed coming, but the warmth of Escape to Freight Island remains.

The Island’s favourite independent food and drink traders – Voodoo Ray’s, Patty Queen, Baratxuri, Madre and Krum – will move into The Ticket Hall on Friday 30th October, and then on Thursday 12th November, Winter Island will take over the outdoor space of Platform 15, where more than 80,000 people have visited safely since it opened in July.

Winter Island will be the UK’s largest fully outdoor, heated winter seated market, with the installation of its new 1500 sqft heated Garden Tent sat underneath a picture-perfect festive setting.

It will also welcome a whole host of new festive traders and stalls.

Winter Island at Escape to Freight Island

These include Great North Pie, a Bratwurst Grill, Traditional Hog Roast, a Mulled Wine & Hot Cider Hut, Local Chocolatier and Artisanal cheese stall, and everything else you could wish for as the winter nights draw in and the Christmas season begins.

The Ticket Hall will also welcome Grace Dent’s favourite Belzan Pasta Kitchen and The Jane Eyre cocktail bar, which will bring classic and signature cocktails set up high in the heart of the Ticket Hall, and offering a view from above in a small cosy bar serving the best mixed drinks in town.

There will also be Plant Grill, Forever Changes wine bar, shop and continental deli, and the Rapha-partnered bike cloakroom, all alongside a huge entertainment stage.

The entertainment programme includes headline acts such as Hot Chip, Rhys from The Horrors and Huey Morgan DJ sets, and there are festival collaborations from the likes of We Out Here festival, with line-ups that include ALFOS, Dave Haslam and PRB Street Gang.

Entertainment will continue with its Sunday Drag spectacular with special guests Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon. 

Festive entertainment comes from Thursday’s cabaret shows, featuring everything from big band Motown and
Jazz performances, to Songs around the Campfire curated by Ríognach Connolly. There will also be a weekly Christmas Cabaret from The Untold Orchestra, performing David Bowie and Stevie Wonder favourites.

For the kids, there will be a big brass band Disney sing-along and some events from The Playhouse Project, and Born to be Wild Child.

The Ticket Hall has undergone a massive transformation.

The industrial space we all associate with Depot Mayfield has been filled with buzzing bars and restaurants, and for the festive season, a 45ft Christmas tree will be installed as the centrepiece, there’ll be a Christmas light projection in the circle area of Winter Island, and a very special installation feature by Lightopia – the stunning light festival from Heaton Park – will extend into Escape To Freight Island for a one off collaboration.

Also, with an additional seasonal spectacular, The Ticket Hall will also become home the city’s first Winter Ice Curling Rink.

Winter Island at Escape to Freight Island

The site will continue to operate with the world-leading Safe + Social Manifesto.

The Safe + Social Manifesto means Escape to Freight Island has been designed as a space where you are able to socialise safely with your party, maintain social distance from others, and remain alert to the risks of coronavirus (COVID-19), while being part of the overall urban festival atmosphere.

You can find more information about Winter Island and book your tickets in advance via the Escape to Freight Island website here.

Follow Escape to Freight Island on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates.

What's On

The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 15 – 21 September 2025

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

September, you’ve been treating us well so far.

Now that September is really in full swing, it’s getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that autumn is nearly here – but even though summer may be coming to an end, there’s still plenty of exciting activities to be getting up to in Greater Manchester in the coming weeks.

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 are featured.

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DARKFIELD

Greater Manchester

Monday 15 – Sunday 21 December

SEANCE
FLIGHT
DARKFIELD / Credit: Floro Azqueta | Mihaela Bodlovic

A pioneering production company is bringing immersive theatre inside shipping containers to Greater Manchester this week.

DARKFIELD has announced their first shows in Greater Manchester for seven years, and will present their three most critically-acclaimed experiences at iconic venues across the region as part of an ‘exciting’ collaboration.

Keen audiences will be able to head to The Lowry, Aviva Studios, and HOME this month to see theatre like they’ve never seen it before.

Find out more and get tickets to the shows here.

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Heritage Open Days 2025

Greater Manchester

Monday 15 – Sunday 21 September

Heritage Open Days 2025 / Credit: Paul Harris

The UK’s largest festival of history and culture has returned, and there’s thousands of free events on the lineup this week.

Always proving to be a smash-hit success, both here in Greater Manchester and nationwide, over the last 30 years, the National Trust’s Heritage Open Days are back by popular demand for the next couple of weeks, and this means loads of the UK’s top attractions will be open to visit for free.

You can explore historic houses, factories, museums, music halls, and countless of other places and spaces – some that are normally closed to the public.

Find out more here.

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Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You

Science and Industry Museum

Monday 15 September – onwards

Operation Ouch!
Operation Ouch!
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”.

Find out more here.

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Kargo on the Docks

MediaCityUK

Tuesday 16 September – onwards

Kargo on the Docks / Credit: Supplied | Mark Waugh

Summer is nearly over, but Kargo on the Docks is clinging on.

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.

Find out more here.

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NEW OPENING – Mappin & Webb

St Ann’s Square

This is a stop-you-in-your-tracks addition to the city.

Mappin & Webb has opened the doors to its exclusive new store right in the heart of Manchester, and it’s two floors of jewellery paradise

The company has meticulously-restored this landmark pink building on St Ann’s Square and filled it with all things heritage and sparkly, with a luxury bar and lounge downstairs.

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NEW OPENING – Primark Home

Trafford Palazzo

Seasonal items like pumpkins are rife
NEW OPENING – Primark Home / Credit: The Manc Group

Home sweet (Primark) home.

New openings don’t get much bigger than this, both metaphorically and literally, as Great Britain’s first-ever dedicated Primark Home store has now opened its doors over at Trafford Palazzo, and it’s an absolute interior-lover’s paradise in there.

The huge new store is packed full of homewares and lifestyle items at Primark’s typical affordable price point so expect bathroom bits, kitchenware, soft furnishings, bedroom decor, and right now, LOADS of pumpkins.

Read more about the exciting new store here.

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Looking for a bite to eat in Manchester this month? We’ve got a few suggestions to share…

Ooh we were eating good in August.

Even with the last of the warmer weather throughout August, that doesn’t mean we haven’t been having some right feasts – with plenty of cheese pulls, saucy drizzles, and for some reason, ANOTHER Labubu-themed dessert.

With the festive season soon approaching, we’re expecting the next month to get extra cosy and indulgent. 

If you need some inspiration for where to eat in our region this month, we rounded up some of our best suggestions for you to pick from:

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NEW OPENING – Slow Jams Bottomless Brunch

The Blues Kitchen

Everyone knows that brunch is better when the booze is bottomless, and there’s bangers blasting in the background, so if you’re on the hunt for a bottomless brunch that will truly get your night out started, Manchester’s The Blues Kitchen is the place to head to.

Endless mimosas, rum punch, and prosecco, banging brunch dishes like their legendary Buffalo wings and popcorn shrimp, and DJs spinning 90s and noughties tunes throughout.

The vibes of a Slow Jams Bottomless Brunch are truly unmatched. 

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Manchester Wing Fest 2025

Victoria Baths

Friday 19 – Sunday 21 September

Manchester Wing Fest 2025 / Credit: Supplied | The Manc Group

The ultimate chicken wing showdown is back. 

Wing Fest, the world’s largest chicken wing festival, will return to Manchester this weekend, taking over the city’s historic Victoria Baths and promising to be the ‘biggest and boldest’ event yet – with over 100,000 drums and flats served across the weekend.

As always, the festival will champion independent food traders, showcasing their skills as they compete for the coveted titles of Best Buffalo Wing, Best Wild Wing, and Best BBQ Wing.

Manchester Wing Fest will run across four sessions – Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and evening, and a Sunday afternoon finale, and tickets are now on sale here.

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SciTech Extravaganza 2025

Alderley Park

Saturday 20 September

SciTech Extravaganza 2025 / Credit: Supplied

SciTech Extravaganza is back for 2025 this weekend.

Set to descend on the grounds of Bruntwood SciTech’s Alderley Park – a unique place where world-leading science, innovation, and stylish living all come together in the Cheshire countryside – SciTech Extravaganza will be a day filled full of fun science-themed shows, interactive activities, new skill-building opportunities, and more.

The popular family festival is designed to ‘spark curiosity’ and ‘encourage engagement’ through STEM-related learning.

Last-minute tickets are on sale now at just £8.50 each, and you can get them here.

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Featured Image – Paul Harris | The Manc Group | Science Museum Group

What's On

Strictly Come Dancing favourite Oti Mabuse is hosting a free dance class in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse. Credit: Michael Wharley

One of Strictly Come Dancing’s best-loved professionals, Oti Mabuse, is going to be hosting a free family dance class in Printworks this month. 

The two-time Strictly champion will be getting Mancs jiving and waltzing with a fun and inclusive workshop, geared towards all ages and abilities. 

Whether you’ve got a little one desperate to boogie or have two left feet yourself but love to dance, this event is for you. 

Oti will be bringing her world-class moves and infectious energy to Printworks, dancing beneath Europe’s largest digital ceiling just in time for the show’s glittering premiere, screened on the huge gaming screen. 

After your own dancing workshop you can watch Strictly Come Dancing’s first show as the new cast of celebs and professionals hit the famous dance floor. 

The evening will kick off at 6.10pm on Saturday 20 September, with a dance class led by Oti followed by the launch episode screened on the giant Printworks gaming screen. 

Oti Mabuse will lead a Strictly Come Dancing dance class at Printworks beneath the digital ceiling
Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse. Credit: Michael Wharley
Oti Mabuse will lead a Strictly Come Dancing dance class at Printworks beneath the digital ceiling
Oti will lead a dance class beneath the digital ceiling at Printworks

Ahead of the event, Oti Mabuse said: “I’m so excited to be coming to Manchester’s Printworks! It’s such an iconic venue, and I can’t wait to feel everyone’s energy and see how the city comes alive here – show me what you’ve got!”

Kristian Brennan, Marketing Manager at Printworks, said: “Printworks is the ultimate city centre destination for anyone ready to catch the Strictly fever. 

“Europe’s largest digital ceiling will feature bold, bright and energy-inducing content to compliment the unique dance class led by the dancing queen herself Oti Mabuse, it’s set to be an unforgettable experience.” 

Don’t miss this chance to learn from one of the UK’s most celebrated (and twice-decorated with the glitterball trophy) performers – book your spot HERE.

Read more

Featured image: Supplied, Michael Wharley

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