Lightopia is officially returning to Heaton Park for a new, socially-distanced edition of adventures, lights, lanterns, sculptures and shows this December.
Following the UK government’s announcement that England’s national lockdown will end on 2nd December, Lightopia – which was originally due to open on 20th November – is now to open its award-winning and visually spectacular lantern and light festival at Heaton Park on Thursday 3rd December, and extend its run all the way through until Sunday 10th January.
The event will be also now be open every day, except Christmas Day.
With Christmas very much the theme for this year’s light and lantern festival, Lightopia will use the stunning Grade I-listed Heaton Hall as its sparkling backdrop for all its festive merriment, and will feature a 10-metre illuminated Christmas tree.
Ticket holders whose booking has already been affected by lockdown restrictions have been informed directly and advised on all their options – including moving their booking to another date in December, or being offered a refund – and Lightopia is currently working with local authorities in accordance with government guidelines to create its socially-distanced festive spectacular.
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This year’s event showcases unique interactive and immersive lights and lanterns, with new installations and a brand-new route for guests to explore for 2020.
The new route has been designed to create a safe environment where visitors are able to see the sights safely with friends and family, and there will be wider footpaths to maintain social distancing, a one-way system, three entry points to reduce queuing, and direct access to two car parks.
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Lightopia has also implemented a series of further measures to ensure all steps are taken to keep visitors safe, and these include:
NHS Test and Trace: QR codes will be displayed at multiple locations on the trail.
Social Distancing: This shall be mandatory at the event at all times.
One Way System: The Lightopia trail is one direction only.
Pre-booked Tickets Only: Trail tickets are only available to prebook online.
Contactless Ticket Scanning: All ticket scanning will be contactless on entry to the event.
Card Payments Only: Vendors and car parks will only accept card payments.
No Alcohol: Following latest government guidance no alcohol is permitted onsite.
Quick Food and Drink: All food & drink on the trail will be takeaway only.
Hand Hygiene: Hand sanitising stations will be located throughout the trail.
Increased Cleansing: All facilities, surfaces and touch points will be cleaned regularly.
Increased Stewards: Increased number of stewards on our route to manage social distancing and assist with any visitor queries onsite.
Lightopia
Lightopia will be open to the public from Thursday 3rd December – Sunday 10th January (except for Christmas Day) and opening times are between 5pm to 10pm, and last entry is 8.30pm daily.
Advance pre-booked tickets are priced at £20 for adults (or £22 on the day), £13 for children (or £15 on the day), and £60 for families of two adults and two children (£68 on the day).
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Children under three can go free.
Essential carers of disabled visitors can also attend the event for free, with the disabled visitor paying the normal admission fee.
There are also a limited number of tickets available for key workers – with a 20% discount off the standard ticket price when using code KEY20 – plus, the 20% discount is applied to all tickets in the online basket.
One essential worker ID is required for entry, per party.
The festival will also launch a Wheel of Light for Black Friday with special prizes to be won from Wednesday 25th November – Sunday 29th November, and you can head to the Lightopia website to spin the Wheel of Light and be in with a chance of winning 25% off tickets, a VIP tour for two, and many more prizes (T&Cs apply).
You can book your tickets and find more information via the Lightopia website here.
What's On
Enter Shikari announce SUPER intimate show in Manchester
Danny Jones
Much-loved British alternative band Enter Shikari have just announced a very, VERY intimate gig in Manchester city centre, and it’s happening rather soon.
It doesn’t matter how die-hard or casual a fan you are, you are simply not ready for this one…
Almost a full 20 years from what they still covet as a watershed breakout gig here in Greater Manchester, Enter Shikari are set to play none other than grassroots rock bar and nightclub, Satan’s Hollow, right in the heart of the city centre.
Pretty much the life and soul of the heavier music scene here in 0161 for decades now, it remains not only a treasured small-cap venue but arguably still among thego-to post-gig spots after any hard gig; you could say Enter Shikari are simply cutting out the middle man.
It’s fair to say that a group of their size very rarely get to play rooms as tiny as this one these days, so it’s sure to be quite a rowdy one for the electronically influenced post-hardcore outfit.
Formed way back in 1999 (if you can believe that), they’re more used to selling out arena tours all over the world, including their upcoming Co-op Live gig this winter.
It’s also worth mentioning that this will be their single biggest domestic headline show to date.
But not before they go back to where it all started for them in this city, booking a certain-to-sell-out Shikari show at Satan’s Hollow – a Manchester venue they first played in 2006.
In fact, they’ve actually shared footage from that fateful night, and yes, the quality is as bad as you’d expect, but it gives you an idea of what the atmosphere was like then, let alone now their fan base has grown so much over the years.
Here’s us, almost 20 years ago, playing ‘OK Time For Plan B’ at our first ever Manchester show in @satanshollow on April 10th 2006.
Funny to think that in November, Manchester will host our biggest ever UK headline show at the @TheCoopLive. Both shows with the same promoter. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/uHKVOwZbM2
Speaking on this milestone moment, the band wrote in a statement: “Manchester’s a city that means a lot to us. The Satan’s Hollow show back in April ’06 was the first sense we got that ‘something’ was ‘happening’. A queue around the block and total chaos inside.
We’ve had a lot of memorable shows in Manchester since then (and in November we’ll play our biggest ever UK headline show there!), but for some reason that night at Satan’s Hollow kept coming up in conversation, so the anniversary show was just too tempting.”
Tickets for this unmissable show will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for those who register HERE up until 9:30am tomorrow, Wednesday, 25 March.
The gig itself is happening on 9 April, with support from Liverpool’s very own East Exchange as support. Best of luck to all those trying to cop tickets, and hopefully we’ll see you at Satan’s.
Featured Images — Kate Hook (supplied via Chuff Media)
What's On
Gladiators Live Tour to make ‘triumphant’ return to Manchester on UK arena tour
Emily Sergeant
The Gladiators Live Tour will make a triumphant return in 2026.
Following its explosive debut in 2025 and overwhelming fan demand, the Gladiators Live Tour is set to head out on a UK tour later this year, bringing the iconic phenomenon back to arenas nationwide for an electrifying new run of shows, and making a stop off in Manchester, of course.
Audiences will, once again, have the chance to experience the action-packed spectacle featuring the stars of the hit BBC reboot series on an epic scale.
The 2025 live tour thrilled audiences nationwide, selling over 200,000 tickets and proving the arena spectacular is ‘bigger, bolder, and more electrifying’ than ever, and that energy is only set to continue this year when the show returns to Manchester’s popular AO Arena.
GLADIATORS, READY!
Following its epic debut in 2025 the triumphant live show brings the energy to Manchester on 14 & 15 Nov!
This adrenaline-fuelled event sees the legendary Gladiators storm back into the arena to face fearless contenders in a heart-pounding live adaptation of the smash-hit television phenomenon.
Expect iconic fan-favourite events, breathtaking stunts, epic head-to-head battles and the unforgettable Eliminator finale.
Featuring stars from the hit BBC series, audiences are being told to expect a truly immersive, high-octane experience, as arenas are transformed into modern gladiatorial battlegrounds complete with purpose-built sets, spectacular lighting, and cinematic staging.
The Gladiators Live Tour 2026 kicks off in Aberdeen on 10 October, before heading to other major cities like Glasgow, London, and Birmingham, as well as northern locations like Leeds and Newcastle, and of course, Manchester’s AO Arena for two nights on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November.
Tickets officially go on sale this Friday 27 March, with two shows per day available, and you can grab them when they go live here.
Emily Sergeant -
24th November 2020 
