Hundreds of dogs are set to descend on a popular Manchester city centre park next month to raise funds for a brilliant cause.
The best bit about it? It’s absolutely FREE to head on down to.
Back by popular demand, after having proven to be such a smash-hit with both pups and their owners, and dog-lovers alike in recent years, the Pooches of Pride festival is returning to Angel Meadow Park near Manchester‘s Green Quarter in a couple of weeks time, and it’ll be coinciding with the Manchester Pride celebrations taking place across the city too.
Now in its third year, the free festival – which is a joint venture between Manchester’s biggest dog community, Ex-PAW, and Far East Consortium (FEC) – has a lineup filled with loads of “paw-tastic” activities to get involved with when it returns next month.
The festival’s headline act this year is set to be the always-popular ‘Furbulous Dog Show’, hosted by local drag queen Belinda Scandal.
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With categories including ‘Animal Kingdom Realness’, ‘Drag Kings of Manchester’, and ‘Shantay you stay’, entry to this year’s contest will cost a £4 donation to Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home, and the winners of each category will take home a ‘pawty bag’.
Over on the main stage, there’ll be a wide range of events to make the most of – including informative talks led by veterinary experts from Pet First Aid, interactive workshops and obedience classes by Make Fetch Happen, and also the chance for dog owners to shop for natural food and treats from some respected traders.
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A popular Pride-themed dog festival is returning to raise funds for Manchester Dogs’ Home next month / Credit: Supplied
Elsewhere across the park, there’ll be dog agility courses, puppy play areas with tunnels, seesaws, and ball bits, a ‘Paws & Unwind’ quiet zone, and a photobooth to snap some pictures of your pup enjoying their day.
Local coffee house, Foundation, will be giving out free puppacinos for well-behaved doggies, while GRUB and Fairfield Social Club next door to Angel Meadow Park will be open for the duration of the event and serving up a street food feast from all their resident traders.
And of course, as the festival is all about raising worthy funds for Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home, like mentioned earlier, there’ll also be dog toy drive and dog food bank running throughout the day for visitors to donate toys and blankets to the local adoption shelter and charity.
Pooches of Pride 2024 will take over Angel Meadow Park on Saturday 17 August, with all the fun kicking off from 11am and running right through to 4pm.
Free tickets can be booked ahead of the event here.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
LEGO-loving little Mancs can now compete against the world to become a ‘Mini Master Model Builder’
Emily Sergeant
Little Mancs who love LEGO can now enter a worldwide competition and battle it out to become a ‘Mini Master Model Builder’.
Is your child a LEGO super fan? Do they reckon they could build impressive LEGO creations in their sleep? Well, if they’re feeling brave enough and are ready to put their skills to the test, then you’ll want to take them down to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester, as the hunt is one for a talented youngster to be crowned the UK’s newest ‘Mini Master Model Builder’.
Young LEGO fans will have the chance to let their imaginations run wild in a “bricktastic” competition, by building the most epic creation entirely out of LEGO bricks in an attempt to take home the coveted title.
Participants are invited to “demonstrate their imagination and creativity” by constructing something extraordinary that will leave the judges in awe – with the judges particularly interested in an array of building techniques and a strong creative flare, so entrants should “think outside the box” and let their personality and interests shine through.
Little Mancs who love LEGO can now compete to become a ‘Mini Master Model Builder’ / Credit: Supplied
Finalists will be chosen by the LEGOLAND Master Model Builders and Playmakers.
Each Discovery Centre in Manchester and Birmingham will then crown its own ‘Mini Master Model Builder’, and the winners will work with the local Master Model Builder to create their final models, which will then compete in the global final.
Winners will be given the unique opportunity of having their creation displayed at the iconic LEGO House in Denmark, plus a prize of £100 to spend in the LEGOLAND store, and a Local Annual Pass for them and their family too.
Up to the challenge then? All hopeful Mini Master Model Builders will need to get themselves down to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester at Trafford Palazzo – which is next to the Trafford Centre – any weekend up until the start of February.
Entry into the competition is included in the price of one standard admission ticket to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester.
All entries must be made by those under the age of 18, and only one entry per person can be made.
To find out more about the competition and how to enter, check out the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester website here.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
There’s a non-alcholic pairing dinner coming to Manchester this Dry Jan
Thomas Melia
A one-night-only pairing of two dining out staples from the food and drink world is coming to Manchester next month, and it also happens to be non-alcoholic for anyone doing Dry January.
Taking place at the wonderful Maray over on Lincoln Square, each dish served throughout the night will be expertly paired with a non-alcoholic drink from zero-per cent experts, Lucky Saint.
This Middle Eastern eatery is always surprising its diners, last September they made their infamous roasts free for one day only, and this upcoming event is sure to be as exciting with its unique tastings.
Lucky Saint came to fruition after partnering with a historical brewery in Bavaria who’ve produced beer for over 400 years, creating a non alcoholic alternative which greeted UK drinkers in 2020.
Lucky Saint will be readily available and paired with every meal.Diners can expect some sensational food as always from Maray. Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Titled ‘The Official Beer Of Dry January’, supplying IPAs and lagers to a host of stockists, not only are their products fully non-alcoholic but they’re also entirely plant-based – meaning they’re the perfect tie-in with Veganuary.
If their website is anything to go by, diners are set to enjoy refreshments such as their unfiltered lager and a 0.5% ‘Hazy’ IPA which contains juicy tropical notes. Don’t mind if we do.
Although it’s hard to say what the food offerings may be, it’s guaranteed that anyone who attends is in for a treat as this site has even served famous faces like Dua Lipa back in 2022 while she was on tour.
Their vegan menu features some meat free feasts like a falafel sharer and a delicious oyster mushroom shwarma, it’s a well-loved restaurant.
Vegans are certainly catered for at this event as it’s not only the free-flowing drinks that contain no animal products, there will also be an entirely vegan menu on hand.
Maray have multiple locations but anyone who couldn’t get enough of the flavours the first time in Manchester can attend their Liverpool pairing dinner which is happening the very next day.
The Maray x Lucky Saint Dry January Pairing Dinner is coming to Manchester on Wednesday, 15 January from 7-9:30pm with tickets live HERE.
And if you’re looking for other places to enjoy a guilt-free drink in the city centre this month, we’ve got a few suggestions for you:
Doing #DryJan doesn't have to mean staying in or saying goodbye to the pub. 🍹
Emily Sergeant -
31st July 2024 
