Circus skills workshops, climbing walls, den building, and bug hunts are just some of things Manchester youngsters can be getting up to at a new festival next week.
Just in time to kick-off the start of the school summer holidays across the region, and coinciding with Play Day 2022 – the national day for play, which is celebrated every year across the UK on the first Wednesday in August – Manchester City Council has organised a day jam-packed full of activities and opportunities for children to get stuck into.
Taking over Whitworth Park in the heart of the city centre on Wednesday 3 August, there’ll be everything from face-painting, storytelling, messy play, and other sensory activities for younger children, to a climbing wall, a DJ, circus skills workshops, and so much more for the big kids.
Manchester Play Day Festival promises to be be “filled with fun” from start to finish, with something for everyone to enjoy.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 27, 2022
On top of all the fun free activities planned throughout the day, families will also get the chance to say hello to TV stars Pip and Posy from Magic Light Pictures’ popular, award-winning animated pre-school series on Milkshake! and Sky Kids.
Pip and Posy will be bringing their “special brand of play” to Manchester Play Day Festival – with lots of entertaining activities lined up and goodies to take home.
Manchester Play Day Festival is part Our Year 2022 – a council initiative to create more activities, opportunities, experiences, and support for children and young people in the city, as the council says its recognises that play is “essential” for children.
Manchester Play Day Festival promises to be be “filled with fun” from start to finish / Credit: Senjuti Kundu | Katherine Hanlon (via Unsplash)
Running from 11am – 3pm, with no need to book in advance, the festival will allow young people to make friends, channel their creativity, and to feel connected to each other.
Professionals from Manchester’s youth and play sector will also be on hand with information and resources on how play can support your child’s development.
Refreshments will also be provided.
Manchester Play Day Festival is taking over Whitworth Park on Wednesday 3 August / Credit: Manchester City Council
“National Playday is a great day where we can celebrate the importance of coming together to play, and in true Manchester fashion, we are hosting a full day of exciting activities and entertainment,” said Cllr Garry Bridges – Executive Member for Early Years, Children & Young People at Manchester City Council.
“We’re hoping that young people from all over the city will come along and take part in the event, maybe uncover a new hobby, and even make some new friends.
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“It promises to be lots of fun, and it’s free.”
Find out more about Manchester Play Day Festival 2022here.
Sacha Lord set to back local hospitality again with money behind the bar of Manchester pub
Danny Jones
Local figure Sacha Lord is once again looking to help support Greater Manchester’s food and drink scene once again this spring by putting a total of £2.5k behind the bar of one lucky pub.
Well, let’s be honest, we’re about to be the real lucky ones.
It’s far from the first time that the Night Time Economy Advisor has done this, having previously put sizeable sums towards shared tabs on a few occasions over the last few years.
Lining up his next handout for this coming early May bank holiday (perfect timing), it’s going to be a super and potentially very sloppy Sunday…
Tell me your favourite pub in Greater Manchester.
Bank Holiday Sunday 3rd May, I’ll be turning up and putting £2500 behind the bar.
Sharing the video above online earlier this week, the 54-year-old simply wrote, “Tell me your favourite pub in Greater Manchester. Bank Holiday Sunday, 3rd May, I’ll be turning up and putting £2500 behind the bar.”
The message is as straightforward as ever: “Support your local pub.”
Now obviously, the fact that people can reply with their go-to boozers and help influence the decision is one thing – something that has certainly always created an attraction each time he’s done this – but it’s also just a good way of marketing these watering holes to begin with.
Whether or not someone’s favourite public house tucked away in one of the 10 boroughs, or their bar of choice here in Manchester city centre, ends up being selected or not, it’s obviously great publicity having their names plastered on a notable social media account.
This is especially so when you see how much the post itself ends up being reshared and the overall exposure Lord ultimately lends them via creating such a big crowd discussion.
Confirming the chosen pub in a subsequent post, he said: “I asked you to choose a pub you wanted me to support. This Sunday, 4pm, I’ll be turning up at The Ape and Apple on John Dalton St, Manchester, and putting £2500 behind the bar.”
Here’s hoping we get proper beer garden weather over that long weekend – especially with that lovely refurbished outdoor terrace space up on the first floor of the Joseph Holt watering hole.
It’s also worth noting that the further support stunts like this have helped garner support for other regional businesses – in particular, indies that are battling the cost of living crisis and so many other challenges within the sector – has proved crucial for some places to stay open to begin with.
A good example is the Thirsty Korean, who teamed up with the Altrincham-born entrepreneur to cover hundreds of bills back in 2023, and has now been able to expand into a larger venue down the road from their original Chorlton location.
The obstacles facing the hospitality industry remain varied and numerous, but gestures like this can go a long way to helping prop up those who need it.
Which ones are you calling your favourites these days?
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with FREE tacos and frozen margaritas at House of Social
Danny Jones
Manchester, get ready for a fine ol’ springtime fiesta, as city centre food hall, bar, and meeting place, House of Social, is hosting a special Cinco de Mayo celebration with tonnes of free tacos and frozen margaritas up for grabs.
Well, one of their wonderful in-house vendors will be sorting the scran and margs, but either way, you don’t want to miss this one.
Teaming up with local ‘Mexicali’ kitchen, OK Taqueria, the popular First Street neighbourhood hangout will be slinging lip-smacking cocktails, fresh tortillas packed with the good stuff, and serving up good vibes throughout the day.
We will warn you – the freebies will only be available for a limited time, but we still know where we’ll be for this year’s Hispanic holiday.
They made things pretty simple for Cinco de Mayo 2026; as the post read, they’re giving away “FREE build your own tacos from 12-2pm, along with a healthy supply of frozen margs this Tuesday 5 May, quipping: “Is it even a Tuesday without a free taco?”
And yes, if it’s only just clicked, the name does just mean the fifth day of May (honestly, it took us until our late teens to realise this).
Clarifying that the offer is strictly first-come, first-served – and once they run out, they are out – there’s not much else to tell you, really.
Just take their advice: “Get in early, get involved, get FED”.
OK Taqueria is one of five fabulous indie traders currently located inside House of Social (HoS), including the likes of Mughli, Choi Wan, Burger and Beyond, and Dough Religion, who recently gave us that viral and rather large chicken Caesar wrap.
Yes, it is as hefty and delicious as it looks.
But back to OK Taqueria, their fusion of smoky Mexican street snacks and the Californian food truck culture speaks for itself, and we can’t wait to fill our faces come lunchtime on 5 May, 2026.
Whilst you’re here, if you haven’t visited HoS yourself yet, you really need to tick it off your list; with a great selection of food and drinks, multiple floors and a lovely terrace with numerous benches, coverings and even outdoor heaters, it’s perfect for this time of year.
Emily Sergeant -
29th July 2022 
