Manchester is gearing up to become host to a series of Alice in Wonderland-themed immersive cocktail experiences this summer.
Returning for 2021, each 90-minute “tea party to end all tea parties” – hosted by the interactive team behind the already-successful and popular events, The Wizard’s Den, Beyond Cinema and The Art of Murder – invites you on an “adventure”.
Tea partygoers are taken on a “topsy-turvy journey” into the magical realm of Wonderland.
The description for the event series – which is set to take place in a soon-to-be-announced location in Manchester city centre – reads: “Join us for a theatrical, alternate reality experience that will take you down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass.
“Create two bespoke Wonderland cocktails, solve riddles and challenges just like Alice, devour “Eat Me” cake, paint the roses red, and much more”.
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Previous tea partygoers have got plenty of positive things to say about the event too, with one admitting: “We came for the Alice in Wonderland experience and we were entranced by the effort and detail in the show and the games. The interactive show with the hosts was wonderful, they were funny and high energy [and] it was a great laugh and a fabulous way to spend an afternoon”.
She was also sure to complement the “great cocktails”, and said she would “definitely recommend for a fun day out”.
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Another satisfied customer said “the cocktails were delicious and the games were great”, and also said they would “100% recommend”.
A third commented on the “themed experience and delivery”, and said it was “a blast”.
Wonderland Bar The Alice – An Immersive Cocktail Experience is arriving in Manchester from 1st July – 22nd October 2021.
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Limited tickets will be available, and you can now register your interest here.
Featured Image – An Immersive Cocktail Experience
What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 13 – 19 January 2025
Emily Sergeant
All the fun of the festive season may’ve been and gone now, but that doesn’t mean January is a boring month.
We’re well into our first month of brand-new year, and not only does Greater Manchester‘s events calendar already seem very exciting over these next few weeks, but there’s also lots of things to look forward to in 2025 too.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? We’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide to help you out.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)
Aviva Studios
Monday 13 – Saturday 25 January 2025
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) / Credit: The Manc Group
One of the most influential British artists of the 21st century, David Hockney, is taking you on a personal journey through 60 years of his art in the revolutionary Aviva Studios, and it’s now open for everyone to pay a visit.
This is a real sensory encompassing experience, from the grand and vibrant projections on the walls, to the sound system which will be playing throughout the exhibition.
Hockney opened this installation in London, and this is the first time these pieces of art have left the country’s capital to be viewed by even more spectators.
Stephen Daldry’s multi award-winning National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller, An Inspector Calls, is back in Greater Manchester.
Hailed as the theatrical event of its generation, winning more awards than any other production in history, and described as being “more relevant now than ever”, An Inspector Calls has thrilled millions of people worldwide, and it returns to The Lowry stage in Salford this month.
The play tells the story of Inspector Goole, who arrives unexpectedly at the prosperous Birling family home, with their peaceful dinner party being shattered by his investigations into the death of a young woman.
A groundbreaking new immersive exhibition exploring our relationship with the natural world is now open at Manchester Museum.
‘Wild’ look at how people are creating, rebuilding, and repairing connections with nature, and how the natural world has traditionally been presented and idealised through Western art, as well as looking at some unique approaches to environmental recovery too.
The exhibition will also crucially look at how we can tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by making the world more wild.
Keen to kick off your new year with a pint or two? GRUB’s beloved Winter Beer Festival is back this week, and it will give beer lovers the chance to sip creations from some of the best local breweries.
Running from Thursday 16 – Saturday 18 January, you can expect there to be plenty of local brews to taste test over the course of the three-day festival -with loads of pop-up brewery bars and more than 30 guest taps too.
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If you’re not a big beer lover though, you can also expect a street food market, mulled wine pop-up, beeroke and quiz events, and so much more.
Swinton Ark is a spectacular free-to-attend animated projection onto Salford Civic Centre to celebrate the Salford town through memories and stories from local people.
Created by projection artists Illuminos, and taking place on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 January from 5pm to 8pm, this unique sound and light show inspired by Swinton and its residents features personal stories gathered by local artist Lowri Evans, who asked a wide range of people around Swinton ‘if you could save one object, what would it be?’.
The entirety of the former town hall building’s 70-metre facade will come alive with 3D mapped animation, music, and sound.
A huge gaming event is happening in Manchester this weekend.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP at the Science and Industry takes ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
Power UP is taking place each weekend only throughout this month, with each ticket including unlimited play all day.
Railway 200 ‘Open House’ Day / Credit: Railway 200
Get ready for an action-packed day, as East Lancashire Railway is set to celebrate the power and history of its beloved heritage steam and diesel locomotives this weekend.
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With a fantastic lineup of activities, exclusive experiences, and something for enthusiasts of all ages to get involved with, ELR’s ‘Railway 200’ event promises a memorable journey through railway history for all the family.
The Manchester Derby in the Barclays Women’s Super League is back for 2025.
Taking place at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday (19 January) with a kick-off at 6:45pm, Manchester City are looking to make it two consecutive home victories over Manchester United Women, with tickets now available starting at £15 for adults and £5 kids, or you can elevate your match day experience with hospitality packages from just £35.
As usual, there will be pre-match entertainment including a free kids fanzone, Blue Carpet Experience, and so much more.
Fancy making the most of all the January dining deals on offer over these next couple of weeks?
The time has come again for Manchester’s restaurants and bars to slash their prices in a bid to entice customers to keep eating and drinking out all throughout January, and that means hundreds of places are offering up half-price scran, added freebies, or two-for-one offers this month.
There’s loads of offers beyond Manchester city centre too, as suburban gems are getting in on the action in 2025.
So whether you’re looking for a date night for less, an affordable family dinner, or a cheap eat after work with your mates, we’ve got you covered.
Read our massive round-up of January dining deals here.
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Could a trip to the theatre could be on the cards this year?
Greater Manchester has firmly earned itself a spot as a place for world-renowned touring theatre productions to make a stop off at.
While the past couple of years amid and post-pandemic may have hit the theatre pretty hard, it’s a beloved industry that has now well and truly bounced-back – with the region’s three main theatres, Palace Theatre Manchester, Opera House Manchester, and The Lowry, all having welcomed some absolute show-stopping productions in 2024.
And 2025 is set to be absolutely no different.
Our region’s theatre events calendar is already jam-packed with award-winning musicals, family-friendly plays, inventive dance productions, and so much more in 2025, so we’ve rounded up 10 of the best shows to see and grab tickets for this year.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known for across the world, it’s music.
Our region is not only a historic musical hub in and of itself, having been the birthplace of so many legendary famous names, but it’s also a major UK stopping point on many global artists’ tour schedules too, thanks to the city’s various sizes of stage and venues.
This means there’s a jam-packed schedule of gigs happening all throughout 2025 – with something for everyone, no matter your taste in music.
From world-famous pop and rock stars, to genre-bending artists, and a few comeback tours too, most-notably by one of Manchester – and the world’s – most famous bands of all time (they’re called Oasis… not sure if you’ve ever heard of them?), 2025 has got it all.
Read our picks for 13 of the best gigs happening in Manchester this year here.
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Featured Image – GRUB | The Manc Group | Railway 200
What's On
Free animated projection to create dazzling display on major Salford building
Thomas Melia
A staple Salford landmark is undergoing a huge transformation for two nights only as part of a free animated event suitable for all ages.
Next week, the former Swinton and Pendlebury Town Hall, which is now known as Salford Civic Centre, will look a little different to usual, as the historical building is hosting a special animated display which will be projected onto it.
All of the frontage, situated on Chorley Road, will be lit up with a dazzling display depicting a collection of imagery titled ‘Swinton Ark’.
Salford Civic Centre, where ‘Swinton Ark’ will be projected onto / Credit: Supplied
Some of the visuals that visitors can expect to see alongside the ark include infamous Swinton objects, moments and memories.
This project is really wholesome too, as artist Lowri Evans got involved to help create and fill the ark with meaningful objects that the locals requested.
Evans perched up a mini stand in Swinton and asked a wide range of locals the question: “If you could save one object, what would it be?”, and she received a huge amount of responses.
Residents of the local area will be able to see their suggestions of precious items and special trinkets loaded onto the ark to save from the flood.
Salford Civic Centre has a 70-metre facade, and with all the cargo that the community want to bring onto the boat, it’s a good thing the building is so wide.
Don’t worry about missing a thing either, as this 12-minute projection will run every 15 minutes for just over three hours across two nights on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 January, meaning you can watch the projection until your heart’s content.
Artist Lowri Evans asking Swinton a very thought provoking question / Credit: Supplied
The whole display will be supported by some phenomenal sound and music arrangements too, and the animated screen will really come to life as it will also be 3D.
You can drop in at any point over the two days, and whether you watch the projection a thousand times over, or even just want to catch a glimpse of it, everyone is invited – and better yet, it’s free.
Emily Sergeant -
11th May 2021 
