The city centre is to be transformed into the “biggest-ever playground” for this year’s Manchester Day celebrations.
In case you missed it a couple of months back, Manchester Day – which is often dubbed “the day summer officially starts” in Manchester, and undoubtedly one of the most vibrant and colourful events in the city’s annual social calendar – was confirmed for a 2024 return this summer, with our city all set to host a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” next month.
This means you can expect a day packed full of FREE events and activities to get involved with.
Following the resounding success of last year’s ‘promenade-style’ event that saw activities take place in a number of different locations, , Manchester City Council has revealed that this year’s one-day festival will also take over the city centre.
And now, after weeks of waiting, the theme for this year’s event and all the celebrations lined up, have been revealed.
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The city centre will become the ‘biggest ever’ playground for this year’s Manchester Day / Credit: Manchester Day
This year’s event will be inspired by an international summer of sport, according to the Council, and the city’s streets and squares will be filled with music, dancing, and interactive activities that are designed to “bring out the inner athlete” in visitors, both young and old.
As it has done in previous years, the Council is working with outdoor arts specialists, Walk the Plank, on a jam-packed programme for the day that promises something for all ages and all sporting abilities.
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Visitors can expect to see jaw-dropping acrobatics, pop-up performances of wrestling, breakdancing, opera, drag, and more in “the most unlikely of places”, and a daring dance-circus production, all while getting stuck into various games such as darts, hook-a-duck, or even the ‘actual reality’ arcade filled with larger-than-life consoles.
Manchester Day is back on Saturday 27 July. 🌞
Inspired by an international summer of sport, expect pop-up performances, astounding acrobatics and have-a-go activities. 🤸♀️🎾🚴♂️
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 20, 2024
Most importantly though, in what will be a Manchester Day special for 2024 to mark this sizzling summer of international sport, with UEFA Euro 2024, Wimbledon, and the Olympics being just a couple of the sporting events in the calendar, the Council has also partnered with some of the UK’s leading sports bodies to offer loads of fitness taster sessions and activities throughout the day.
Football, cricket, netball, and taekwondo are just a few of the sports that visitors can expect to show off their skills in.
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Gold medals will be awarded in a special ‘Winners’ Enclosure’ throughout the day, and the honours will be up for grabs in all kinds of categories – including cheekiest grin, best Dad dancer, and more.
Sporty celebrations will take place all across the city centre / Credit: Manchester Day
“We know how much Mancunians of all ages love to celebrate the city’s special day with us, and this year we’re really going for gold,” Councillor Pat Karney, who is the Chair of Manchester Day, teased ahead of this year’s event in a couple of weeks time.
“We’ve got an absolutely fantastic day lined up, stuffed full of free things to see and do for all the family, all with a sporting flavour, so grab your granny and your trainers and come on down and join us.”
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
A queer comedy night is coming to Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
A comedy night packed with raunch and hilarious storytelling is heading to Manchester and its fronted by one of comedy’s leading queer comedians.
Titled ‘Queer as F*ck’ (we love a good pun), this night is devoted especially to queer comedy and sees Welsh comedian Morgan Rees taking the wheel with a wonderful roster of acts set to play too.
Taking inspiration from the cult-favourite queer comedy, this leading comedian is no stranger to seeing his work in the limelight as he has written for some of the funniest flagship shows like Mock The Week and The Great American Joke-Off.
Rees also doubles as the co-writer for smash internet hit The Uncle Roger Show, starring fellow comic Nigel Ng, and will definitely be bringing some of his razor-sharp one-liners on the night.
Ben Hodge, the MC for the queer comedy night in Manchester.Morgan Rees, the comedian headlining ‘Queer as F*ck’.Jenny Hart, one of the acts lined up for the queer comedy night in Manchester.Credit: Press Images (supplied)
The event, which has the full title of ‘brew. haha: Queer as F*ck comedy night’ will be MC’d by trans-male stand-up Ben Hodge and lesbian comedian Louise Young.
The latter may be a familiar name as she is currently supporting Alan Carr and Tom Allen on their latest tour while also stopping off in Manchester for this very special occasion.
Along with Rees and co., finishing the line-up are two impressive performers ready to raise the roof at this comedy night in Manchester: gay author Martin Dixon and trans comedian Jenny Hart.
Obviously, Rees doesn’t want to give everything away, but he has revealed an insight into what guests can expect to be chuckling away at in their seats.
Morgan Rees is excited to talk about “bad one night stands, growing up queer in a Welsh working class town, coming out late, and starting my first relationship in my 30s – it’s all in there.”
Taking place at Contact Theatre, this much-loved arts space is tucked away just behind the University of Manchester and another impressive city centre venue, Manchester Academy.
And if all this comedy talk wasn’t enough to get you down there, brew will be serving up Detroit-style pizzas with a range of draft beers and ciders – what a night you’re in for.
‘brew. haha: Queer as F*ck’ is coming to the Contact in Manchester on Wednesday, 9 April and ttickets are already on sale.
Featured Images — Rachel Sherlock/Press Shots (supplied)
What's On
Lady Gaga announces MASSIVE gig at Co-op Live this year
Thomas Melia
American pop icon Lady Gaga is returning to the UK and is making a special stop in Manchester to celebrate her latest album, MAYHEM.
‘Mother Monster’ is returning to our lovely city for one night only ahead of her ‘The MAYHEM Ball Tour’, which is reaching the UK in October.
Gaga last visited Manchester over a decade ago when she brought ‘artRAVE: The Artpop Ball’ to AO Arena back in 2014.
The past few months have been mega for the 14-time Grammy-winning artist who has seen her Bruno Mars link-up ‘Die With A Smile’ catapult her career to new audiences and even further heights.
This single alone holds the record for the longest-running daily #1 hit on Spotify’s global chart, dethroning ‘Dance Monkey’ by Tones and I, which spent 121 days atop the chart.
Whether you’re showing up and showing out for classics such as ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Bad Romance’, or rocking up to hear new favourites like ‘Rain On Me’ and ‘Garden Of Eden’, this night will be a spectacle, that’s for sure.
This unmatched performer has chosen none other than Co-op Live as the destination for her newest tour, and we’re sure the arena will be packed with 23,500 of Gaga’s devoted ‘Little Monsters’.
Lady Gaga’s newest album, MAYHEM, is an ode to her discography and legacy as an artist with tracks like drawing from almost 20 year career: ‘Disease’, ‘Perfect Celebrity’, ‘Don’t Call Tonight’ and more.
Her latest single, ‘Abracadabra’, is already becoming a modern-day pop phenomenon too, as she evokes her familiar but ever-enigmatic pop star persona – we just wish we could magic ourselves some of those precious tickets.
The US performer took to social media to express her excitement, stating: “This show is designed to be the kind of theatrical and electrifying experience that brings MAYHEM to life exactly how I envision it.”
Gaga’s UK tour run is limited with a three-show residency at The O2 in London confirmed and this one-off Manchester gig announced so far.
With Gaga’s last visit being over 10 years ago, anyone looking to get their hands on any tickets will have to act fast.
She sure knows how to raise a roof, and when you have a single titled ‘Applause’ all about her adoration of playing to live crowds, we have no doubt this will be a night the die-hard fans will never forget.
Lady Gaga is bringing her ‘MAYHEM Ball Tour’ to Co-op Live on 7 October, with pre-sale tickets available from Monday 31 March onwards with general admission tickets going up from Thursday, 3 April at 12pm.
Emily Sergeant -
24th June 2024 
