A new Jurassic-themed trail is opening in Greater Manchester this weekend, and you can go back in time to when “dinosaurs ruled Earth”.
Gearing up to be “an immersive dino experience” where families can walk among huge static dinosaur models, all while learning lots of fun facts and snapping photos along the way, Totally Jurassic is set to open in Walkden town centre in Salford this Coronation bank holiday weekend.
It’s the latest pop-up family attraction by Totally Roarsome – which is one of the North West’s best-loved immersive events companies.
The company’s previous outdoor events – which include the woodland wildlife-themed Totally Roarsome at Arley Hall in Cheshire, and the seasonal Totally Gruesome and Totally Christmas – have proved to be some of the most popular in the region.
Visitors have been known to flock from far and wide in their thousands over the past few years.
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Totally Jurassic will feature more than 100 life-sized dinosaur models, with everything from the mighty T-Rex to the spiky stegosaurus on show.
Mancs can go back to when ‘dinosaurs ruled Earth’ at new immersive Jurassic trail / Credit: Totally Roarsome (via Facebook)
Just like all Totally Roarsome events, Totally Jurassic is open for children of all ages and families to enjoy, but organisers admit it’ll likely be enjoyed most my pre-school and primary school aged little Mancs.
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Arriving in Greater Manchester for a limited four-week run from Saturday 6 May, Totally Jurassic is opening inside the shopping centre in Walkden town centre, and tickets are on sale now and already being snapped up fast.
Tickets cost just £5.95 for adults, while children and those under two go FREE.
Totally Jurassic is opening in Walkden town centre this bank holiday weekend / Credit: Totally Roarsome (via Facebook)
You can also grab family tickets, which is for any mix of adults and children, that’ll set you back just £20, and includes a free souvenir family photo to take home in the price.
Some of the best St. Patrick’s Day deals, offers and specials in Manchester city centre this year
Danny Jones
St Patrick’s Day 2026 is nearly upon us, and we can’t wait to drink a river of Guinness, sing old Irish classics, dance a jig and be generally merry.
It’s a good job we know exactly where to make the most of the festivities then, isn’t it?
The best Paddy’s Day deals and offers around Manchester | 2026
1. Cheap Guinness and brilliant, beefy pies at The Black Friar – Salford
First up on our list this year, the beautiful Black Friar pub and bistro over on the edge of Salford is doing £4.50 Guinness for St. Patrick’s Day 2026 – one of the best prices you’ll find in town these days.
But that’s not all: they’re also doing a special Guinness and Beef Pie special, which you can grab with a pint of the good stuff for £17, plus £15 bottles of wine, as well as beers and cocktails for just a fiver. You can book a table HERE.
2. St Patrick’s Day specials at Hello Oriental – Oxford Road
More of a fun little one-off rather than a deal or discount, per se, but when we saw that even pan-Asian food hall Hello Oriental was getting involved with Paddy’s Day, we couldn’t ignore it.
As well as they’re already viral spice bags, they’re also doing a Black Bean Guinness Noodles dish – available with chicken or completely vegan – and we’ll admit we’re very keen to try it for ourselves.
3. Lots of the black stuff at Black Cat Club – Central
No-nonsense here: £5 pints of black gold, £2.50 shots of Baby Guinness, and a special ‘Frozen Fat Frog’ cocktail, which is basically an alcoholic slushie with Blue WKD, Smirnoff Ice and Orange Bacardi Breezer.
They’ve also got a special Irish-themed food menu for the weekend, too, including Guinness-glazed wings, spice bags, which can be enjoyed with crispy chicken and chip shop curry sauce.
Plus, there are always games to be played. (Credit: The Manc)
4. A big St. Patrick’s Day party on Peter Street – Deansgate
Albert’s Schloss remains one of the best nights in town for all seasons, so it’s no surprise that they’re throwing a smashing St. Patrick’s Day bash every year.
This time around, there’ll be ‘Kunst Kabarat’, Celtic comfort foods like pie, Irish boxty and sticky toffee pudding serving out of the Cook Haus, as well as prizes to be won like free merch, drinks tokens and even £100 off your bill. Tickets are available now.
5. Free entry and MUCH more at O’Malleys – Portland Street
At the other end of the spectrum, you could argue that free entry isn’t anything too spectacular, but it’s becoming increasingly common on Paddy’s Day, and luckily, O’Malleys has lots of other stuff going on too – all the way until 4am.
How about merch, ‘Seflie Guinness’ (with you face on) from their ‘Stoutie’ machine, a happy hour running from 3-6pm on 16, 18 and 20 March, with £6 cocktails, £4 selected beers/ciders, £18 house wine and £5 Guinness available? Oh, and they also do bottomless Guinness brunches, too, so yeah – there’s plenty.
6. Guinness pastries, pies and plenty of pints at O’Connell’s – Oxford Road
It may not be the Thirsty Scholar anymore, but what that does mean is they go extra ham over at O’Connell’s at this time of year nowadays – and they’re bringing back an exclusive fan favourite special as well.
As well as the recent and extremely popular beef and Guinness collab with V. Goode Pies returning for the day, they’ve also teamed up with Half Dozen Other to create a Guinness Pain Suisse – yes, really – which will serve as arguably the best pub snacks in the entire city come 17 March 2026.
7. 50% off special Paddy’s Day cocktails at Slug & Lettuce – Piccadilly (only)
Everyone knows the Slug, it doesn’t need any introduction – BUT, they’ll likely be busy all week around Paddy’s Day and do have a banging offer this year.
They’re doing a Paddy’s Apple and Lemonade made with the brand’s fruity Irish whisky, topped with apple juice and lemonade for half price between 16 March and 12 April, when you download the MiXR app ahead of time. Simple as that.
Now, this is by no means a comprehensive list; we just thought we’d put you on to a few good ones we’ve seen in and around the city.
And, of course, if you spot any good St. Patrick’s Day deals in Manchester, do let us know and drop them in the comments for everyone to make the most of.
We hope you enjoy the celebrations, and please drink responsibly.
Before you leave us, you might as well check out some of our favourite Irish pubs and bars in the area for Paddy’s Day 2026…
Manchester Flower Festival set to fill the city centre with fresh blooms this summer
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s annual Flower Festival is set to return once again early this summer, filling the city centre with fresh blooms.
Now in its ninth year, and always billed as being one of the most colourful and ‘Instagrammable’ events in the annual calendar, The Manchester Flower Festival is set to make a return this upcoming late May bank holiday weekend, and as always, it’s expected that this fabulous floral spectacle will attract thousands of visitors into Manchester city centre.
This is your chance to celebrate the start of summer, as the city comes alive with stunning floral displays, green installations, and dozens of free events, all alongside outdoor dining and entertainment.
This theme of this year’s festival, which is organised annually by Manchester BID, is ‘Green Manchester’.
Manchester Flower Festival is set to fill the city centre with fresh blooms again this summer / Credit: Supplied
It’s all about celebrating the city’s green spaces and future developments – including the Castlefield Viaduct extension, Piccadilly Gardens redevelopment, and Cyan Lines, which is a project to connect 100-miles of nature across the city.
As mentioned, returning this late May bank holiday weekend from Saturday 23 – Monday 25 May, there are lots of ways to participate and get involved in this year’s festival – including various ‘Show Gardens’, floristry displays, festival market stalls, and loads of other events.
The Floral Trail will be at the heart of the event, where visitors can wind their way around the city’s shopping streets to find some of the most beautiful gardens and flowers.
There’ll be a dedicated Festival Zone providing all the action, as well as a Floral Marquee on New Cathedral Street where you can find a collection of beautiful displays from local Manchester florists, alongside daily workshops.
Local businesses in the city centre are also encouraged to show their support for the annual festival by creating window, building, or in-store floral displays, and even hosting dedicated offers and food and drinks specials.
Emily Sergeant -
5th May 2023 
