A brand-new comedy festival is set to take over one of the city centre’s newest arts venues this summer.
That’s right… some of the UK’s best comedy names are coming to Manchester.
That’s because renowned production company, A Lovely Time, has put together an absolutely jam-packed lineup of television names, internet sensations, and hotly-tipped newcomers, for a weekend full of comedy shows in the heart of the city centre at the exciting new arts venue Fairfield Social Club – which is tucked away down at the Green Quarter.
The exciting new festival, which is called A Lovely Weekend, will kick off on Friday 7 June with a gala show hosted by the company’s very-own Amy Gledhill, who comedy fans may recognise from appearances on BBC‘s Would I Lie To You, and more.
Then, across the rest of the three-day long weekend lineup, you can expect to catch comedy sets and work-in-progress performances from the likes of Edinburgh Comedy Award nominees Phil Ellis (Icklewick FM on BBC Radio 4), and Olga Koch (Live at The Apollo on BBC One), Paddy Young, who recently won the BBC New Comedy Award, Chris Cantrill (Avoidance on BBC One), and Blackpool’s-finest Tom Lawrinson.
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Internet sensations such as Stevie Martin and Abi Clarke are also on the lineup, as well as hotly-tipped Edinburgh debutante, Hannah Platt, and Geordie sketch supergroup, Metroland.
You can even catch something a little bit different from Poppy Hillstead too, who’s set to transfer her popular podcast to the stage.
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One of Manchester’s newest arts venues is set to host a brand-new comedy festival this summer / Credit: @see_hef (via A Lovely Time on Instagram)
Split across two venues over three days, A Lovely Weekend is all looking set to be the largest undertaking from comedy production super-duo, A Lovely Time, which was created by promoter John Stansfield and comedian Chris Cantrill, and, as mentioned, it will take over the newly-opened Fairfield Social Club – a venue which has already hosted brilliant shows from the likes of Josie Long, Three Bean Salad, Ashley Gavin, and Nick Helm since opening back in March.
“We’re so excited to be bringing A Lovely Weekend to Manchester,” commented founder, John Stansfield.
“The city is long overdue a proper comedy festival, and across the three days at Fairfield Social Club, we’ve programmed some of our absolute favourites to ensure a lovely time for all.”
Tickets to A Lovely Weekend have just gone on sale yesterday (Wednesday 1 November), and are already selling fast – with both day and full weekend passes available from £20, and individual show tickets up for grabs from £6 each too.
Curious kids can meet star of hit CBBC show Operation Ouch! in Manchester next month
Emily Sergeant
Got a curious kid on your hands? You can take them to meet the star of one of their favourite TV shows at the Science and Industry Museum next month.
In case you hadn’t heard, Operation Ouch! is back in Manchester again with a fresh new experience for 2025, and this time around, visitors can journey through an ear canal covered in gooey wax, squeeze past sticky snot, and delve deeper into how our brains interpret the world.
Thousands of families from across Greater Manchester and beyond have already visited the city centre museum make the most of the new exhibition, and get stuck into the wide range of immersive and interactive activities it has on offer.
But for those who haven’t been able to pay a visit yet, this summer couldn’t be a more ideal opportunity to do so.
Operation Ouch! star Dr Chris Van Tulleken will be at the Science and Industry Museum next month / Credit: Science Museum Group
That’s because Dr Chris Van Tulleken – who is one of the presenters of the BBC showOperation Ouch! – will be at the museum in a couple of weeks time to meet visitors as part of his myth-busting mission to answer some of the public’s deepest questions about our senses.
Dr Chris will be at the Science and Industry Museum for one day only, and will not only join mini medics on their voyage through the senses, but will also be on-hand to answer brain teasers from the audience during a series of live Q&As.
Whether it’s banging on a super-sized eardrum, venturing into a massive eyeball, or even taking a whiff of a ‘smell library’, this world-premiere exhibition dives into the science behind hearing, sight, touch, taste, and smell – and Dr Chris will be there every step of the way.
Also to celebrate Dr Chris’ visit, the museum is introducing additional sense-themed activities that very same weekend, where sight and sound will be examined during an interactive experience led by the museum’s expert Explainers.
Book your tickets to visit Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You on Sunday 9 November, for any of the time slots between 11:30am – 1pm, and 2:45 – 4:15pm for the opportunity to grab a selfie with Dr Chris from inside the exhibition.
Tickets will cost visitors £10 each, with those under three going free, and a range of family discounts available.
Council announces Manchester’s Remembrance Sunday 2025 parade plans and road closures
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is set to remember the fallen during this year’s annual Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
With Remembrance Day only a few weeks away now, just as it does each year, Manchester City Council has now revealed the details of how the city will mark this important occasion, and has confirmed all the details of the annual Remembrance Sunday Parade on 9 November.
Proceedings will start on John Dalton Street at 10:30am, and run right through until midday – with the service itself being held at 11am.
Veterans, military personnel and cadets, all led by Greater Manchester Police‘s Band, will march from John Dalton Street to the Cenotaph St. Peter’s Square.
This will be followed by a short return march to Mount Street across St Peter’s Square.
Manchester’s Remembrance Sunday 2025 parade plans and road closures have been announced / Credit: Manchester City Council
Civic dignitaries, servicemen and women, service and ex-service organisations, faith leaders, emergency services, and other uniformed organisations, have all been invited to lay traditional poppy wreaths and pay their respects at the Cenotaph, along with members of the public.
As always, a two-minute silence will be observed at 11am, with the start and finish of this silence marked by the firing of a maroon.
In order for necessary security checks and safeguards to be carried out, Manchester City Council has confirmed that a series of road closures will be implemented on Remembrance Sunday itself between 7am and 1pm.
The following road closures will be in place:
John Dalton Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
Princess Street (Cross St to Portland St) with a ‘hard closure’ at Back George St
Cross Street (Princess Street to King Street)
Peter Street (Deansgate to Oxford Street) with a ‘hard closure’ at Watson Street
Oxford Street (Peter Street to Portland Street) with a ‘hard closure’ at Hale Street
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Museum Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Southmill Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Bootle Street (Deansgate to Mount Street)
Lloyd Street (Deansgate to Southmill)
Jackson’s Row (Deansgate to Southmill)
Central Street (Southmill to Mount Street)
Cooper Street (Kennedy Street to Princess Street)
West Mosely Street (Booth Street to Princess Street)
Clarence Street (Princess Street to Kennedy Street)
Bow Lane (Clarence Street to Princess Street)
St James’s Square (South King Street to John Dalton Street)
Ridgefield (Mulberry Street to John Dalton Street)
A number of other parking suspensions, tram suspensions, taxi rank, and bus lane suspensions will also be in place from as early as 6pm on Saturday 8 November.
You can find out more information about these suspensions on the Council website.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd May 2024 
