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Halloween in the City will return to Manchester with giant inflatable monster trail

The monsters are back!

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th October 2023

Manchester’s beloved giant inflatable monster trail will return to the city this Halloween, with the big colourful creatures taking over rooftops once again.

Halloween in the City is the country’s biggest Halloween celebration, with both the monster trail and a two-day family-friendly festival filling Manchester with things that go bump in the night.

The MCR Monsters, in all shapes and sizes, will be creeping and crawling over local landmarks including New Century Hall, the AO Arena, the Corn Exchange, Selfridges and the Manchester Arndale.

You’ll also find them lurking around Harvey Nichols, The Royal Exchange, and – new for 2023 – Castlefield Viaduct.

The gigantic inflatable sculptures are created by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas.

The monster trail is now in its eighth year, transforming the city centre into a ghoulish green landscape with thousands of pumpkin lanterns dotted around the streets.

The MCR Monsters will be in town between Wednesday 25 and Tuesday 31 October.

Last year's inflatable monsters in the Halloween in the City trail in Manchester.
Last year’s inflatable monsters in the Halloween in the City trail in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Last year's inflatable monsters in the Halloween in the City trail in Manchester.
Last year’s inflatable monsters in the Halloween in the City trail in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

Halloween in the City, organised by Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, also includes a two-day family festival on 28 and 29 October, which will include a fancy dress challenge, a monster procession, and a monster music festival.

The Monsters Rock Music Festival will take over New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, Market Street and Exchange Square, with live bands, DJs, rides, circus acts and even monster portaloos.

Walk the Plank’s popular Monsters Rock Out Procession is also back in Manchester for Halloween 2023, featuring giant puppet monsters, stilt walkers and a live band who will be partying their way through Manchester Arndale and Market Street.

Thousands of families are expected to flock into the city centre for the celebrations, and will take part in the Team Trick vs Team Treat challenge, where you can win points for your team.

You’ll be able to take to the ice on a spooky rink too, with the return of Scare Skate at Cathedral Gardens.

It’s all organised on behalf of city centre retailers, restaurants and businesses.

Where to find the inflatable monsters for Halloween in the City 2023

  • 1. Manchester Arndale, Exchange Square, Above Next, M4 3AJ
  • 2. Selfridges Exchange Square, Exchange Square, M3 1BD
  • 3. Exchange Square (28 + 29 Oct Only), Festival Entrance, M3 1BD
  • 4. Exchange Square (28 + 29 Oct Only), Music Stage, M3 1BD
  • 5. Corn Exchange Manchester – Inside Exchange Square, M4 3TR
  • 6. Harvey Nichols, New Cathedral Street, M1 1AD
  • 7. New Cathedral Street (28 + 29 Oct Only), Near Ted Baker M1 1AD
  • 8. The Royal Exchange Manchester, St Ann’s Square, M2 7DH
  • 9. Castlefield Viaduct, Duke Street, M3 4PU
  • 10. + 11. AO Arena, Victoria Station Approach, Hunts Bank, M3 1AR
  • 12. New Century Hall, Miller Street, M4 4AH
  • 13. New Victoria, Corporation Street, M4 4DZ
  • 14. Kampus, Aytoun Street, M1 3GL
  • 15. The Church, Chorlton Street, M1 3HN
  • 16. Depot Mayfield, Baring Street, M1 2PY

For event updates, follow @halloweenMCR. 

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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Chester Zoo’s FREE family festival returns next weekend – with wildlife shows, live music, and more

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Watching live wildlife shows and building dens are just some of the things you can get stuck into at Chester Zoo next weekend.

That’s because the UK’s biggest charity zoo’s free family festival is returning for another year.

Scientists recently revealed that more than half of all UK species are now in decline, including hedgehogs, butterflies, and wildflowers, Chester Zoo has announced that its Nature Fest is back by popular demand next weekend – with the two-day event boasting a jam-packed lineup of interactive events for all ages.

Taking place across the zoo’s six-hectare nature reserve, conservationists hope the weekend-long event will connect festivalgoers with nature, all while raising awareness of precious UK wildlife.

Open to everyone for free of charge, Nature Fest will have hands-on activities, workshops, talks, and performances – including the interactive Hedgehog Hideaway adventure, which teaches participants how to make their gardens more hedgehog friendly.

Chester Zoo’s free family festival returns next weekend / Credit: Chester Zoo

There’s also opportunities to take on conservation volunteering tasks like habitat restoration, take part in interactive wildlife talks at the Picnic Patch, and even blend together art, music, and nature.

Now in its ninth year, the 2025 event is part of Chester Zoo’s Networks for Nature initiative, which recently received a £4 million boost from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to expand its community-led conservation work across the UK.

“Chester Zoo’s nature reserve is open to people all year round, but Nature Fest is a chance to shine a spotlight on this vital part of the zoo,” commented Ruby Merriman, who is the Estate Biodiversity Manager at Chester Zoo.

“As one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth, British wildlife needs just as much support as species abroad, and Nature Fest offers a way for aspiring conservationists to learn how to get involved.”

There’ll be wildlife shows, interactive hands-on activities, live music, and more / Credit: Chester Zoo

Christopher Ablett, who is the Community Volunteer Coordinator, added: “These experiences help people of all ages build a personal connection with UK wildlife and understand the role they can play in its protection.

“We want people to know that small actions matter, community makes a difference, connectivity is key and that, while UK wildlife is facing serious challenges, everyone can help, and you can find out how at Nature Fest.”

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Nature Fest takes place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September from 11:30am to 4:30pm.

The Nature Reserve is located at the far end of Chester Zoo car park and parking is free. You do not need to book either, so you can just turn up on the day.

Featured Image – Chester Zoo

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Ed Sheeran announces ‘intimate’ Manchester date later this year

Danny Jones Danny Jones Ed Sheeran Manchester December 2025 tickets

The king of contemporary male pop music, Ed Sheeran, is returning to Manchester for one of his biggest dates ever, as well as his venue debut.

Yep, Teddy’s coming to Co-op Live.

The 34-year-old solo star and songwriting extraordinaire hasn’t played a standalone Manchester show since 2023, when he played the legendary AO Arena barely a year on from playing four sold-out nights at the Etihad Stadium.

And now he’s back for more with his first-ever gig at the city’s newest and Europe’s biggest indoor entertainment space.

Confirmed on Wednesday, 3 September, Ed Sheeran is set to play just a small handful of huge headline spaces this winter, including dates in Paris, Munich, Coventry and Dublin, as well as here in Manchester.

Announced ahead of his new LP and eighth studio album, Play, of which we’ve already heard four new tracks: ‘Sapphire’, ‘Old Phone’, ‘A Little More’ and ‘Azizam’ – the latter of which went straight to number one and stayed there for five whole weeks after it dropped.

These upcoming shows will be an extra and rare chance to see Sheeran before his all-new ‘Loop’ stadium tour, which kicks off in Australia next January.

If you saw the scenes at the Etihad, you know how big that one’s going to be.

Revealing details about the limited number of EU dates via his own social media channels, Sheeran wrote: “Coming to play some shows in Europe. These shows will be more intimate than a stadium show, obvz, but still will be incredible.”

We don’t know how he plans to make a room as big as the Co-op Live arena ‘intimate’, but we’re looking forward to seeing what he has in store…

He went on to add that he loves “playing these venues so much”, urging fans to pre-order the new record if they want to get their hands on tickets ASAP.

Play releases on Friday, 12 September, and those who pre-order the album exclusively through Amazon.co.uk before 7pm BST this Sunday, 7 September, can put themselves in with a chance of securing pre-sale tickets.

Elsewhere, early access will also be available to official Co-op members next Wednesday (10/9/25) ahead of general admission going live on Thursday, 11 September.

You can get ready to grab your tickets for Ed Sheeran at Co-op Live on Sunday, 7 December HERE.

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Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)/Ed Sheeran (via Instagram)

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