The UK’s biggest chicken wing festival is making a grand return to Manchester once again in a couple of weeks time.
But this year, it’s taking over a brand-new location.
After several successful years in our city, Wing Fest is back to pay homage to one of the world’s favourite dishes later this month, and will be celebrating the festival’s 10th anniversary by championing independent food traders from across the UK, who’ll all be gathering under one roof to compete against each other and showcase their culinary talents.
Taking over the iconic Victoria Baths, just outside Manchester city centre, from Friday 20 – Sunday 22 September, Wing Fest Manchester will be divided into different evening and afternoon sessions this year, which means less time waiting and more time eating wings.
Organisers are hoping this new structure will make a “more seamless festival experience”.
Anyone heading down to Wing Fest this year is being told to expect “profound poultry eating”, live music, axe throwing, and beer and bourbon drinking of “epic proportion”.
Festivalgoers can also expect a “seriously saucy” lineup of traders for 2024 too, as local favourites Honey Buns are confirmed to be there, alongside loads of national award-winners from further afield.
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As always, all the traders at this year’s festival will be competing to win your vote and guarantee their spot in the Hall of Flame – with chicken wing fans having the opportunity to cast their votes across categories like ‘Best Buffalo Wing’, ‘Best Wild Wing’, Best BBQ Wing’, and more.
There’s also some epic eating competitions on the lineup too, as well various BBQ demonstrations from some of the best in the business.
Wing Fest returns to Manchester this month in a brand-new location / Credit: Wing Fest UK (via Facebook)
Of course, the UK’s hottest wing challenge, the Lava Wing Challenge – which is renowned for the carnage it causes – will be back for 2024, and as it usually does, you can expect it to get “seriously heated” among competitors, while the Flying Goose Wing Eating Competition sees entrants compete against each other to see who can eat the most chicken wings in the fastest time.
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Wing Fest 2024 will take over Victoria Baths from Friday 20 – Sunday 22 September, and tickets are now on sale, setting you back £22.50 each.
Tickets include a Wing Fest signature trucker hat, axe throwing, all entertainment, competitions, and live music, and you can get your hands on them here.
Featured Image – Wing Fest UK (via Facebook)
What's On
A much-loved Manc grassroots venue is hosting a live screening of The Traitors final
Danny Jones
A beloved grassroots venue here in Manchester city centre is holding a big screening of this year’s The Traitors final.
Consider already there with bells, whistles and a big hood on.
Yes, following the return of The Traitors mainline show this month, not to mention even more versions of the show landing on the BBC in 2026, we’re expecting record-breaking numbers of viewers for this year’s highly anticipated ‘Grand Final’.
With that in mind, Manc favourite arts and entertainment venue, Fairfield Social Club (FSC), will be playing The Traitors season four final on the big screen.
You do not want to miss this, and we don’t just mean the episode: we’re talking about the unparalleled and often unhinged vibes at Fairfield.
Having been to plenty of live events at FSC over the past 18 months or so, from live viewing parties and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia quizzes to nights out with other social clubs and community organisations, we can personally vouch for their hosting chops.
As for this particular watchalong, they’ve promised they’re “going all in for The Traitors Finale 2026, live on the FSC big screen with a full crowd, big reactions and plenty of drama.”
With the team set to deliver a full pre-show Traitors quiz with plenty of prizes up for grabs, and even free drinks for anyone who turns up in a cloak or top-notch Claudia Winkleman fancy dress, there are so many reasons to make this gaff the place you choose as your venue for the final.
We’ll also be making sure to attend their upcoming Lily Allen line-dancing show, because we’re still obsessed with West End Girl.
Like with The Traitors final, don’t worry, they’ve done this dance MANY times before.
Honestly, this place never disappoints when it comes to variety or enjoyment.
As if any of the above wasn’t already convincing enough for you, tickets are just a fiver, and they also include a welcome drink. Doors will open 6pm, and seating plans are simply first-come first first-served.
Not only is that a great deal across the board, but it’s also probably one of the cheapest drinks you’ll find in town these days…
If you fancy joining in the chaos and inevitable chorus of gasps when the Grand Final goes live, you can grab your tickets for the conclusion of this season’s Traitors at Fairfield Social Club right HERE – and we promise you that it will sell out fast.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (via BBC)/Fairfield Social Club (supplied)
What's On
The Boots recycling scheme where you can get £5 off every shop
Thomas Melia
UK high street retailer and healthcare shop Boots has launched an innovative recycling scheme that entitles customers to £5 off their future shopping trips.
If you’re still struggling to come up with a New Year’s resolution, why not try a spot of recycling and earn some money off your next cosmetics shop while you’re at it?
Started in 2020, the Boots Recycling Scheme allows Advantage Card holders the opportunity to get money while also being more conscious about how we recycle our used health and beauty products.
Their third-party app, Recycle at Boots, uses a ‘Scan2Recycle‘ system where users can upload items from various beauty brands by taking a picture of the empty packaging before identifying its form.
This scheme takes items that can’t usually be recycled at home, such as lotion pumps, toothpaste tubes, lipstick, mascaras, travel minis, make-up palettes and more.
Once you have five items approved, head over to your nearest participating Boots store, drop off your empties and scan the QR code on the deposit box.
After you’ve followed all these steps, a voucher will appear entitling you to 500 Advantage Points when you spend £10 in-store at your nearest location, and not only do you have £5 worth of points with your name on it, you’re also an eco-warrior.
There’s even a dedicated section of the app to recycling empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, which gives customers 100 Advantage Points when they spend £5 in-store.
Brilliant.
Credit: Publicity pictures (supplied)
Items dropped into these deposit boxes are taken to MyGroup, a recycling and waste management service which works around the clock to help divert waste from landfill.
These empties will be washed and traditionally recycled into a material called MyBoard, a construction board material most similar to plywood, with lots of different uses.
Nearest Boots locations in Manchester running the Recycle at Boots scheme:
Manchester Market Street – 32 Market Street, M1 1PL
Salford Regent Park – Regents Park, M5 3TP
Manchester Didsbury – 736-740 Wilmslow Road, M20 2DW
The Trafford Centre – 10 Peel Avenue, M17 8BD
Trafford Retail Park – Neary Way, M41 7FN
If you’re up for getting money off your next Boots splurge while also helping recycle cosmetics containers and more, you can download the Recycle at Boots app and find your nearest HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
4th September 2024 
