The Halloween monsters have returned to Manchester and you can now enjoy spotting them all in a whole new way: with a fun charity run.
In case you’re new to the area or simply have never come across them before, around this time every year central Manchester is taken over by several inflatable Halloween monsters hanging over rooftops and lurking around nearly every corner.
Finding them all is always a neat little game we like to play and you can certainly do so by simply wandering around the city centre, but why walk when you can run?
Local charity organisation Run The Streets MCR is returning this Friday as they do every month for their October Halloween event, or the ‘Monster Edition’ as they’re calling it.
Run The Streets has only been running, if you’ll pardon the pun, since the start of 2024 but has been steadily growing a loyal following of volunteers and participants as the year has gone on.
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The club, whose motto is ‘run, rave, raise’, does exactly that: they set off on a steady-paced social run with luminous wristbands and glowsticks from a different Manc location before heading back to said venue for one big party.
All this happens whilst team members play tunes from their portable speaker backpacks and the runners help generate funds for the chosen charity of the month by simply buying a ticket.
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Sounds great, right?
Well, combo all that with an easy twilight running tour of Manchester as you cross off each of this year’s inflatable Halloween monsters and you have a pretty fun night on the cards if you ask us.
You might find some of these easier to find than others. (Credit: The Manc Group)
There are a total of 16 inflatable monsters to be identified in and around the city centre and the organisers will be playing a healthy selectional of seasonal Halloween bangers on the playlist too.
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Fancy dress encourages if you want to make things even more fun and there’ll be two fantastic local DJs on when you make it back to Joshua Brooks for the real party.
This month the RTS crew are raising money on behalf of The Society for Abandoned Animals, so you can rest easy knowing you’ve done you’re bit whilst also enjoying some healthy exercise and a proper good boogie afterwards.
Runners meet at 7pm and tickets cost just £7.21, but you can even grab a discount by using the code RTSMANC – you’re welcome! You can learn more about their usual events down below – it’s one of our favourite charitable initiatives at the moment so definitely check them out.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Supplied (via RTS)
What's On
First wave of ‘Evening 4’ Ricky Hatton lineup in memory of the legendary Manc boxer announced
Danny Jones
Manchester is set to host a night of remembrance and celebration in honour of the late, great, local boxer, Ricky Hatton, and now the first wave of AO Arena’s lineup has dropped.
Coming this summer, the legendary Manchester arena – where Hatton enjoyed so many of his iconic moments – will be holding the first-ever ‘Evening4Ricky’ later this year.
Held at the legendary sports and live entertainment venue just in time for summer, we still only know bits and pieces about what’s in store, but a whole host of famous Manc names and figures from the world of sport have now been announced.
One thing’s for sure, this will be special.
TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR “AN EVENING4RICKY” – A SPECTACULAR CELEBRATION OF RICKY HATTON’S LIFE AND LEGACY
“I’m a Mancunian born and bred and I feel no different to the crowd” – Ricky Hatton
Sharing the news on social media, AO Arena said: “Join us for an unforgettable night of entertainment as Manchester comes together for Evening4Ricky.
“This will be a spectacular, unique celebration of the life, spirit and legacy of one of the city’s most beloved icons – Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton.”
With seats priced at £25, fans are being encouraged to join the early bird sign-up to secure access to discounted tickets.
As you can see, now confirmed for the evening are the likes of Man United legend, Paul Scholes, darts icon Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, as well as fellow former boxers like Frank Bruno, Tony Bellew and more.
Local band The K’s have also been named as part of the in-person performances, with more live music and entertainment set to be revealed in the coming weeks.
They go on to add: “Hosted at the legendary AO Arena, home to so many of Ricky’s big fights, featuring a superstar cast of legends from the worlds of boxing, music, comedy and entertainment.”
So, we do at least know there’ll be some famous faces coming along to help make it a memorable Manc moment, just a few months on from the city and beyond uniting for his public funeral procession.
Ricky was beloved not only by the Greater Manchester community but was a popular figure and friend to many in the sporting and showbiz industries.
The homegrown ‘Pride of Hyde‘ tragically left us on 14 September 2025 at the age of just 46, but his passing has once again helped reassert the importance of having more conversations around wellbeing, suicide prevention, and most specifically, men’s mental health.
You can find more information and see how to grab tickets right HERE.
This isn’t the only charitable in memoriam event happening across the region in the coming weeks, either, as Mancs will be gathering to pay tribute to another fellow inspiring sportsman.
Rick Astley at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Pop hitmaker Rick Astley is playing a few UK shows and is treating Manchester to a night of live music as part of The Reflection Tour.
Newton-le-Willows-born singer Rick Astley has achieved worldwide success, most notably with his work in the 80s alongside songwriting and production duo Stock-Aitken and Waterman.
Astley’s album Whenever You Need Somebody has amassed 15 million sales across the globe and is a pivotal record that many would use to define 80s music.
On this LP is his huge hit ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, a.k.a. the famous ‘Rickrolling’ tune, but he’s gone to have a real renaissance in recent years, smashing Glastonbury, playing beloved covers with Blossoms, and so much more since turning 50 – case in point: playing Co-op Live for a SECOND time.
With that in mind, here’s all you need to know…
Gig guide | Rick Astley at Co-op Live, Manchester – all the info
Rick Astley brings his ‘The Reflection Tour’ to Manchester (Credit: Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons)
Rick Astley UK tour dates 2026
We’ve kindly highlighted other shows in the North for you:
Fri 10 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Sat 11 April – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Mon 13 April – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena
Tue 14 April – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
Thu 16 April – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
Fri 17 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Sat 18 April – Leeds, UK – First Direct Bank Arena
Mon 20 April – Bournemouth, UK – Bournemouth International Centre
Tue 21 April – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
Wed 22 April – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Fri 24 April – Birmingham, UK – BP Pulse Live
Sat 25 April – London, UK – The O2
Fri 5 June – Scarborough, UK – Scarborough Open Air Theatre
Fri 19 June – Newport, UK – Isle of Wight Festival
Wed 24 June – Llangollen, UK – Llangollen Pavilion
Thu 25 June – Lincoln, UK – Lincoln Castle
Sat 27 June – Gloucester, UK – Westonbirt Arboretum
Fri 24 July – Ludlow, UK – Ludlow Castle
Sat 25 July – Sheffield, UK – Tramlines
Sat 30 August – Silverstone, UK – Carfest
Are there any tickets left for Rick Astley in Manchester?
No need to ‘Cry For Help’, there’s plenty of tickets for Rick Astley’s Manchester show at Co-op Live, and you can grab yours HERE.
It’s been ‘Driving Me Crazy’ waiting for the right opportunity to do a little Rickrolling of my own – the actual tickets can be found HERE.
Rick Astley setlist for ‘Reflections’ tour
This year will mark Rick Astley’s first official headline tour since 2024, meaning a full setlist is yet to be confirmed.
Here is a setlist from 2024 when the 80s performer played a series of festival sets:
Stage times for Rick Astley and support act for Co-op Live, Manchester
Doors for Rick Astley’s The Reflection Tourare set to open from 6:30pm, with no official starting time listed as of yet.
Support for this show comes in the form of another celebrated UK performer who achieved prominence in the decade after Astley: Gabrielle.
This R&B-pop singer is recognised for her 1993 hit ‘Dreams’ and is known for soundtracking the 90s and noughties with multiple chart entries throughout the decades.
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event.
Getting there by car and parking
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If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
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Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Danny Jones -
24th October 2024 
