Manchester Day is back and bigger than ever before for 2023 – with a trip to the beach, a visit to the zoo, and so much more on the lineup.
Fancy breaking out a deckchair and ditching the morning rush for a sun lounger? Doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Well, now that schools are officially out across the region, and summer is well and truly here, the massively-popular Manchester Day is making a return tomorrow – and this year, you’ll be whisked away on holiday.
It’s all set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre.
On Saturday 29 July, 12-9pm, take a holiday right here in the city centre with #ManchesterDay – On Holiday. 🌞
Expect free entertainment, tunes, dance moves, wonderful shows, and delicious street food. 🥁🎶🌭
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 24, 2023
Manchester City Council is promising that the city centre will be transformed to “bring the holiday vibes without having to go near the M60”.
But what exactly can you expect from 2023’s Manchester Day? Where is all the action happening? What showstopping entertainment is on the cards? What activities can you hope to get yourselves involved with? And how about food and drink?
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Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back with a ‘summer holiday’ theme this year / Credit: Manchester Day
When is Manchester Day 2023?
Ready to start summer in style, this year’s Manchester Day is on Saturday 29 July.
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After several successful collaborations in the past, Manchester City Council is once again joining forces with award-winning local arts organisation Walk the Plank to offer a jam-packed schedule of family fun for this year’s event.
Where is Manchester Day taking place this year?
Unlike in previous years, you can expect to see celebrations city-wide this year.
With a wide range of festivities set to kick-off from midday and run right through until 9pm, attractions will be dotted all throughout the city centre in main social hubs – such as Deansgate, Exchange Square, St Ann’s Square, Cathedral Gardens, and more.
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Then, once the sun starts to set, the focus will shift over to the Northern Quarter, with festivalgoers able to continue soaking up the evening sunshine as the party continues.
There’s a trip to the beach, a visit to the zoo, and so much more on the lineup / Credit: Manchester Day
What entertainment is on the lineup? How about food and drink?
A day at the beach, a trip to the zoo, and a picnic in the park are just some of the things you can expect to get involved with at this year’s Manchester Day.
If a visit to the ‘seaside’ and a ride on a retro helter-skelter sounds up your street, then you’ll want to head on down to the fully-pedestrianised part of Deansgate, or if you fancy grabbing a deckchair, unpacking your picnic, and sipping a cool lemonade as you relax by the bandstand, then make your way to St Ann’s Square.
A whole host of ‘zoo’ animals (not quite) will be taking over New Cathedral Street, while Market Street is the place to go if you’re keen to “shop til you drop” with Manchester Markets popping-up to showcase lots of locally-produced goods at its craft market.
Unlike in previous years, you can expect to see celebrations city-wide in 2023 / Credit: Manchester City Council
You can have a dance and test out your cricket skills in Manchester Originals’ batting cages down at St Mary’s Gate, get creative with arts and craft workshops on Exchange Street, watch a competition to find the UK’s fittest firefighter in Cathedral Gardens, learn to ride your bike St Peter’s Square, and then take a break and grab a bit to eat from a selection of local street food traders in Exchange Square.
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Of course, by that time, you’ll be ready to soak in the evening’s party atmosphere as dancers and musicians from Global Grooves take over the Northern Quarter.
And the best part? All of the entertainment is FREE.
Drama Call opening first-ever flagship shop in Manchester
Danny Jones
Streetwear superstars Drama Call are opening their new flagship store and first-ever permanent site in Manchester city centre this weekend.
Expect massive queues and lots turning up wearing the increasingly recognisable starry logo.
Already a much-loved brand not just here in 0161 but across the nation at large, the native independent business turned street-style favourites and UK fashion phenomenon are no strangers to HUGE pop-ups in their hometown.
However, they’ve never had a mainstay location anywhere in the country, let alone Greater Manchester – well, until now, that is…
Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Debuting in the Northern Quarter this Sunday, the venue located on Tib Street will effectively serve as Drama Call‘s new HQ.
The local label has done everything from popping up vans with Manc rapper Aitch to collaborating with Man United for multiple limited edition collections, so it only felt like a matter of time before they’d make a big brick-and-mortar splash in our fair city.
Most notably, they’re also taking over the same unit as the Sheep Shop, a former skate shop and legendary urban clothing tastemaker of the 90s; they were one of the first places in Britain to stock famous names like Stüssy, Supreme, Carhartt, The North Face and many more.
With that in mind, it feels only fitting that they carry on the trendsetting tradition from the same premises, and just spitting distance from the likes of Note, as well.
And that’s not all, either: before the full launch, they’ll also be holding an exclusive cash-only shirt swap event, where a limited number of certain collector’s items will be sold for as little as £10.
Other things to note are the additions of signed vinyls by homegrown artists such as the aforementioned Aitch and even The Smiths.
In fact, the store will also feature strictly Mancunian exclusives, too.
Everything from polo shirts and tees to branded mugs, matchboxes and other accessories will be available in-store only.
NQ is bound to be buzzing across launch weekend, with doors officially opening to the public on Sunday, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see people camping outside the front well ahead of time.
What a moment the Manc shopping scene is having right now.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Pear)
What's On
An innovative new Macbeth stage production is being put on at an unlikely venue in Oldham
Danny Jones
A brand-new innovative take on Macbeth is coming to a rather surprising venue in Oldham as part of a new production by the Coliseum.
It may be BY Oldham Coliseum Theatre, but this new stage show is taking place at a rather different kind of location entirely.
Teaming up with North West actor Nick Bagnall and director, who has already served in an associate role at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, this will be his very first production, and unlike most other Shakespeare performances you will have come across.
With his various plays serving as ever-perfect pairings for adaptation, his version of arguably the world’s most famous tragedy is coming to an iconic site in its own right, which just so happens to be a nightclub.
Yes, Nick Bagnall and Oldham Coliseum Theatre‘s twist on Macbeth will be coming to none other than Liquid and Envy on Retiro Street.
A legendary local institution known for more late-night entertainment, the native artist is using it as a staging ground for a very unique interpretation.
While this version will still revolve around the same themes of ambition, masculinity, power and identity, it will instead be set against a late-1970s backdrop, in a world filled with gangsters, casinos and similarly shifting social codes.
Perhaps not as contemporary as current modern-day (we’ve seen plenty of that even in the past couple of decades alone), but it still looks set to be a creative take on the timeless tale; a retelling of Romeo and Juliet is also part of their autumn/winter programme.
Speaking ahead of the debut, Nick said picking Macbeth was a no-brainer. “Macbeth asks profound questions about power, identity and what it means to be a man,” he said. “Those questions feel urgent in a proud industrial town like Oldham that is navigating huge social and economic change.
“I want to blow the dust off Shakespeare. This isn’t about putting the play on a pedestal; it’s about creating an experience that grabs people by the throat, whether they have seen Macbeth ten times or never encountered it before.
“We want people who have never set foot in a theatre to walk into Liquid & Envy and feel this story belongs to them. Staging Macbeth inside a working Oldham nightclub creates its own intrigue.”
Martina Murphy, Chief Executive of Oldham Coliseum Theatre, went on to add: “This is a huge moment for the Coliseum. Nick’s Macbeth is uncompromising, thrilling and unmistakably of this place, and it announces exactly the kind of theatre we intend to make.
“As we continue our journey back to Fairbottom Street, we are determined to keep creating ambitious work that surprises audiences and reaches people wherever they are. Macbeth demonstrates that the Coliseum isn’t waiting for its building to return before making theatre of national significance.”
Check out the full list of scheduled performances set to arrive later this year:
Macbeth at Liquid and Envy in Oldham – 2026 dates
October
Friday 23 – 1:30pm (preview)
Saturday 24 – 1:30pm and 6:30pm (previews)
Monday 26 – 7pm (preview)
Tuesday 27 – 7pm (press night)
Wednesday 28 – 7pm
Thursday 29 – 1:30pm and 7pm
Friday 30 – 6:30pm
Saturday 31 – 1:30pm and 6:30pm
November
Monday 2 – 7pm
Tuesday, 3 – 1:30pm and 7pm
Wednesday, 4 – 7pm
Thursday, 5 – 1:30pm and 7pm
Friday, 6 – 6:30pm
Saturday, 7 – 6:30pm
It’s also worth noting that these shows have been put together with accessibility in mind, with the two-week season including a relaxed performance, an audio-described version, a fully captioned version, as well as two interpreted with British Sign Language. Things we love to hear.
The Coliseum’s new Creative Director has also ensured that tickets remain affordable, with £15 concessions and preview passes costing just £20, as well as a discount for Oldham locals.
You can see the full list of ticket options and find out more information about this exciting production right HERE.
Safe to say that we can’t wait to see how this thing turns out. It’s not the only inventive theatrical take on a classic that’s coming to Greater Manchester later this year, either; find out more down below.
Emily Sergeant -
28th July 2023 
