Now we have the go-ahead that allcurrent COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted on 19 July, venues are finally able to confirm their plans for the big day – including Escape to Freight Island.
The huge former railway station venue at Mayfield Depot has revealed it’ll be putting on one of the city’s first restriction-free events – aptly titled ‘Let’s Start the Dance’.
So, to help wave goodbye to restrictions and finally start dancing again, there’ll be a series of extra special one-off, back-to-back sets from some of Manchester’s most legendary DJs.
From 5pm until midnight, there’ll be no less than 14 DJs spinning all the best feel-good house, disco, garage, and drum and bass tunes to soundtrack your post-lockdown mood.
Featured on the night will be:
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Rich Reason b2b Chimpo
P-RO Jones b2b Katbrownsugar
DJ Paulette b2b Dave Haslam
Jenna G b2b Mix-Stress
Krysko b2b James Holroyd
Gina Breeze b2b Will Tramp
Unabombers b2b Tom Wainwright
Hit&Run boss Rich Reason has hosted a number of more chilled out hip-hop fuelled Sit&Bun Sessions here over the past year, so he’s got the vibe well under control whatever the occasion.
Meanwhile, Mix-Stress and DJ Paulette are also familiar faces, having played countless times across the last couple of months. And not to mention there’ll be appearances from solid Manc faves Gina Breeze, Will Tramp and Jenna G.
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So, it’s good to know we’re in safe hands here.
DJ Mix-Stress back behind the decks at Escape to Freight Island. Credit: @mix_stress/IG
Freight Island has provided the city with such a unique atmosphere over the last 12 months. And alongside a full (and free) music and arts programme, there’s been a selection of top-quality street food vendors and drinks on offer to keep everyone fed and watered.
The venue has proven a massive hit amongst socially-distanced drinkers since opening in July 2020. But now, customers will be able to experience Freight Island in a brand-new unrestricted way for the first time.
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Dan Morris, Managing Director of Escape to Freight Island, said: “We are proud to be preparing Manchester for one of the first restriction free parties happening on Monday 19 July at Escape to Freight Island. This will be a special gathering for everyone in attendance.
“The setting of Freight Island is perfect – outdoor and overlooking the city as the sun sets, with sunny weather, great DJs and a rich diverse mix of people that Manchester is known for. It will be a beautiful moment, a special one-off event to celebrate.”
Tickets for Let’s Start the Dance are free but they are limited. Grab yours here before it’s too late.
See you on the platform.
Featured image: Escape to Freight Island
What's On
We Are Football Festival – Europe’s biggest World Cup fan park is opening in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The largest World Cup fan park in all of Europe is set to open in Manchester this summer, in an ambitious project from 4TheFans, in partnership with Freight Island and Broadwick.
The We Are Football Festival will bring together 15,000 football fans in front of the biggest screens in the UK to cheer on England as they race for World Cup glory.
The enormous fan park will open in June at Depot Mayfield, transforming the space into an unrivalled celebration of football.
Fans will be immersed in all the action thanks to a massive sound system, pyrotechnics, CO2 cannons, DJs, and entertainment around the games themselves, providing the closest thing you can get to a big game atmosphere.
The venue will be open for all late kick-offs and every moment of the World Cup too, with the potential for some games to run well into the early hours.
Fans can head to the rooftop or garden at Depot Mayfield for a 5pm kick-off in the sunshine, or enjoy late-night games in the warehouse.
We Are Football Festival by 4TheFansThe fan park will open at Depot MayfieldIt’s set to be Europe’s biggest World Cup fan zone
There’ll also be a dedicated Footy Fun Village, which will feature sponsor activations, games zones, and family-friendly areas, creating a safe space for fans of all ages to enjoy the tournament.
And 4TheFans and Freight Island will deliver hand-picked and exclusive bar and food traders from around the world.
We Are Football Festival will welcome a special 4TheFans host plus Sky Sports presenters, and will even have genuine England football legends for quality match analysis at each screening.
Since launching, 4TheFans has welcomed hundreds of thousands of fans, and camera crews from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky News, Sky Sports, England TV, and Match of the Day, to fan parks across the UK.
It’s now chosen Depot Mayfield for its World Cup fan park, where they can fill the huge space at Freight Island first before scaling into the rest of the Depot as the fan community grows and the Three Lions march on.
4TheFans is the UK’s original and biggest fan park brand, and it’s working with Freight Island and Broadwick to deliver this game-changing We Are Football Festival – the biggest and best fan park in Europe.
5,000 early bird tickets are available from just £4.50 per person and are on sale HERE.
4TheFans presents We Are Football Festival will run at Depot Mayfield from 11 June until 19 July 2026.
General admission tickets include
4TheFans interactive show with on-stage banter from a Sky Sports presenter
Football legend in attendance
Guaranteed entry to the event
The most enormous anti-glare screens in the UK and a monster sound system
Special effects, lighting, DJ sets and music from doors till close
Access to Footy Fun Village with games, activations and family areas
Food from around the world and an exclusive bar traders
VIP table tickets include
VIP table section with the best view of the giant screens and the event
Meet and greet with a football legend
4TheFans interactive show with on-stage banter from a Sky Sports presenter
Guaranteed entry to the event
The most enormous anti-glare screens in the UK and a monster sound system
Special effects, lighting, DJ sets and music from doors till close
Access to Footy Fun Village with games, activations and family areas
Food from around the world and an exclusive bar traders
‘A new kind of night out’ – new competitive social games venue opens in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
A brand-new competitive social games venue is opening in Manchester city centre this week, bringing a completely original format to the city’s nightlife scene.
Gameface has made itself at home inside Manchester‘s Printworks complex.
Built around 10 games designed and developed from scratch, Gameface turns a standard night out into a fast-paced, shared experience.
The 5,400 sq ft venue has capacity for 120 players and has been created by CONDUCTR, the creative innovation studio powered by technology, meaning every game has been built in-house – with bespoke mechanics and technology developed specifically for the experience.
Having been in development for over a year now, and becoming the first venue for the brand – with further expansion planned in the future – Gameface joins an already-competitive socialising scene at Printworks, alongside venues like Boom Battle Bar, Tenpin, and Treetop Golf.
However, unlike existing concepts, all games at Gameface are completely original and do not exist anywhere else.
So, how does it work then? Well, groups move between games in a 60-minute session, competing for points across physical, reactive, and problem-solving challenges, before heading straight to the bar.
Rather than putting technology front and centre, Gameface uses it to ‘quietly power’ the experience.
Score tracking, reactive gameplay, and dynamic challenges all sit behind the scenes, designed to make each game feel intuitive, fast and competitive from the first round.
New competitive social games venue Gameface opens in Manchester city centre / Credit: Supplied
There are no long instructions or complicated rules. Players arrive, tap in, and start competing within seconds, so the result is apparently something ‘closer to a house party than a traditional activity venue’.
“It’s a night out where you’re actually doing something,” explained Leanne Casey, who is the General Manager at Gameface. “You’re moving, competing, laughing, and it gets competitive almost instantly. People care about the score quicker than they expect.”
Hannah Starkie -
14th July 2021 
