What's On

Brand-new Bury festival to host Badly Drawn Boy, Beatles tribute, Everything Everything and more

The Met will be taking up residence at Burrs Country Park this summer for two weeks of live music, community events and artisan food.

The Manc The Manc - 17th August 2021

A brand-new festival is set to take over Burrs Country Park in Bury for two weeks of live music, community events and artisan food beginning on the bank holiday. 

Running from August 27 to September 5, Burrs Live by The Met will feature a packed programme of live performers including Beatles tribute The Bootleg Beatles, folk supergroup Show of Hands, and one of the biggest success stories in British theatre history, The Magic of Motown.

On September 3 and 4, the park will also play host to Head For The Hills festival – starring multi-instrumentalist Badly Drawn Boy, electronic afro-funk band Ibibio Sound Machine, and psychedelic trail-blazers, Heavy Salad. 

Manchester’s own Everything Everything will headline the Saturday bill, with additional performances from singer-songwriter Bess Atwell, four-piece The Magic Numbers, and award-winning folk trio Harp and a Monkey.

Manchester’s Everything Everything will be making an appearance at Head For The Hills

Happy Festival, an event inspired by the work of much-loved local comedian Victoria Wood, will be taking over the grounds on September 5.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hosted by Britain’s Got Talent’s Steve Royle, the line-up includes Manchester comedian Rachel Fairburn along with Wood’s longtime collaborator (and Coronation Street star) Sue Devaney. 

Brightside Brewery will be providing the drinks throughout Burrs Live with a selection of local food vendors on site, with the event supported by Arts Council England, GMCA, Bury Council and Bury Town of Culture. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Charlotte Morris, Bury Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and the Economy said: “There’s something really special about the way this set of events is designed to bring the best of our borough’s culture and creativity into the heart of one of our fantastic outdoor spaces. 

“I would encourage everyone in our borough to go along if they can.”

Folk supergroup Show of Hands will play an outdoor show at Burrs Live

Burrs Live will take place from Friday 27 August – Sunday 5 September at Burrs Country Park, Woodhill Rd, Bury BL8 1DA.

ADVERTISEMENT

Day tickets range from £11 – £30 (inc. fees)

For the full lineup and event information visit The Met website. 

What's On

Bada Bing sandwich shop is hosting a 24-hour charity run to help the homeless this Christmas

Danny Jones Danny Jones Bada Bing homeless charity run Manchester 2024

Manchester’s beloved Bada Bing sandwich shop is getting in the festive spirit and looking to give back that Christmas by hosting a 24-hour charity run on behalf of Greater Manchester’s homeless.

The Sopranos-themed deli and butty makers made their long-awaited return to Manchester city centre earlier this year after closing back in 2022, much to the delight of us fellow bread-lovers, and it didn’t take long for them to get back on top.

Coming back with a bada-bang this past September, Bada Bing once again has people lining up out the door and down the road for their unreal sandwiches pretty much every lunchtime.

However, apart from the daily queues, another thing that sadly remains a constant on our streets is the homeless community and with this time of year a particularly difficult one, the foodie favourites have decided to lace up their running shoes to help make a difference.

Teaming up with Sam from Peaks and Pubs, who posts his own running, hiking and general outdoor content to more than 40,000 followers, the digital creator will be helping lead the 24-hour charity relay run around the city, starting and ending at the sandwich shop itself.

Put simply, the aim is to raise as much money as possible for the local non-profit Mustard Tree by running 2k loops on the hour every hour. The first lap will kick off at 11am on Friday, 20 December and will finish with one final loop setting off at 10am the following day.

The Ancoats-based charity combats poverty and aims to prevent homelessness all over the 10 boroughs and has been making a huge impact in central Manchester for more than three decades now; their important work only becomes more vital during the holiday season.

As for Sam and co., they will be running at a super social and steady pace meaning no one gets left behind and, more importantly, everyone can get involved to do their bit for a community that desperately needs our help – especially during the winter.

No doubt taking inspiration from the city’s annual 24-Hour Run Against Homelessness on behalf of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, which absolutely smashed its fundraising target in 2024, we already know how brilliant a turnout these events can produce, so we can only hope for similar success.

Manchester’s 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness raises a whopping £50k for ‘A Bed Every Night’
Manchester has been putting in the hard yards to help the homeless for many years now.

Announcing the run last week, Bada Bing reiterated that as well as coming along for the charity run, “all donations, little or large, are hugely appreciated and go a long way”, adding that they “will also be accepting tinned food donations at the shop throughout the challenge.”

We’re sure the sandwich stars will be serving up the odd ‘Bing’, ‘Chicago Beef’ and even a festive special or two to help keep the runners fuelled but, above all else, they’re playing host to a wonderful heartwarming event and we’re always happy to hear of charity events like this.

So, if you fancy getting involved you can turn up any time from 11 onwards this Friday and even if you’re not the running type, you can donate directly to the fundraiser HERE.

See you there for a few loops.

Read more:

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

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Peaks and Pubs (screenshot)

What's On

Thousands of FREE tickets to The Big Night of Musicals at AO Arena have been released

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

There are thousands of free tickets up for grabs to attend ‘The Big Night of Musicals’ in Manchester next year which features a variety of theatre classics.

The curtain has risen once again as returning favourite, The Big Night of Musicals, is coming to AO Arena for a fourth year.

Hosted once again by the one and only Jason Manford, this event contains segments from some of the world’s greatest theatre productions.

Fronted by The National Lottery, this showcase is a thank you to all players whose money has supported more than 20,000 theatre-related projects totalling £1.3 billion.

These funds have been used on many performing arts resources including restoring theatres and enabling hundreds of musical-related projects to commence.

This isn’t something to be missed out on as the bill is shaping up to be one of the event’s biggest to date featuring stars from the West End and some of the most notorious shows.

Attendees can expect to hear some familiar favourites in the likes of Bat Out of Hell, Here & Now: The Steps Musical, Mean Girls and more.

There’s even an exclusive preview of the upcoming theatre adaptation of a Disney superhero as snippets from ‘Hercules’ will be performed live.

Guests even have a chance to be in the same room as musical theatre legend Carrie Hope Fletcher as she takes on the role of Calamity Jane in the theatre show of the same name.

Dear Evan Hansen is also on the bill and if you aren’t free for the musical ensemble, it’s running at Palace Theatre Manchester from 18-22 February next year and tickets are available right now.

Read more:

This event has a super varied lineup too, from throwback pop bangers to Wild West heroines, this night really caters to everyone.

In true musical style, there will be big, bold performances and, of course, lots of excellent surprises all set to make a fantastic night of live music at the AO Arena.

All National Lottery players have the chance to reserve up to four tickets, the only cost is proof they’ve purchased a product from the National Lottery and a £2 booking fee per ticket.

Tickets for the ‘Big Night of Musicals’ on 25 January are already on sale you can try your luck at grabbing some free seats HERE.

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

Featured Image — Publicity Picture (Supplied)

More What's On

Audio

The UK’s much-loved ‘day rave’ with Vicky and Jon McClure returns to Manchester for New Year’s Eve

City Centre

Manchester’s popular Winter Beer Festival is back next month to kick off 2025

Paul McCartney will play in Manchester this weekend. Credit: credit MPL Communications - photographer MJ Kim

Audio

Paul McCartney at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist, and more for tour

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches