The shipping container village at Cheshire Oaks will be transformed into a festival-style hub of live music and street food this summer.
The vibrant Under the Oak Festival site will celebrate local musicians from across the north west throughout July and August, and is calling for up-and-coming artists to take to the stage.
McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks is launching a competition that will give musicians a chance to perform in a packed schedule of live music, as well as receiving a £250 gift voucher to spend at the outlet.
The popular destination unveiled its colourful two-storey container village earlier this spring, featuring a rooftop bar, vintage carousel, outdoor seating, summer huts and selfie spots.
Food on offer ranges from Greek gyros to classic burgers and freshly wood-fired pizzas.
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Aspiring acts who want to perform at Under the Oak Festival can enter the competition by sharing a link to their Soundcloud or social media channel on this Cheshire Oaks Facebook post.
The Designer Outlet’s busy summer schedule will include extended shopping hours – between 25 July and 2 September, shops will open from 9am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 6pm on Sundays.
Kenny Murray, general manager at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks, said: “As summer approaches and everyone is on the lookout for the best places to grab some great food or drink in the sunshine, we are delighted to be able to welcome back the Under the Oak Festival to Cheshire Oaks.
“Not only is it a great place to relax, connect with friends and soak up the summer sun, we are thrilled to be able to provide a platform for local musicians to thrive after a trying few years for the industry.
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“The North West is home to so many talented artists, so we can’t wait to see them take the stage at Under the Oak.”
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 21 – 27 September 2026
Emily Sergeant
Autumn is officially here, the trees are changing colour, and there’s a chill in the air.
And, of course, there’s loads happening across Greater Manchester this week. If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though, no worries, as we’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured, so take a look.
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Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 21 September – onwards
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos / Credit: BBC | Science Museum Group (Drew Forsyth)
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos has made its world premiere at the Science and Industry Museum, and is inviting visitors to explore our wondrous Solar System.
Fresh off-the-back of the new BBC Children’s and Education TV show, Horrible Science, the ‘thrilling’ new exhibition encouraging visitors to ‘do science the horrible way’, and join both scientists and supervillains to unveil the secrets of space.
The new exhibition propels families up into space where mystery, intrigue, and rocket-loads of silly and surprising science await. You’ll get to venture through a series of cosmic zones, walk in the shoes of astronauts, explore the life-giving energy of the sun, marvel at mysterious moons, and discover far-off weird worlds.
50% Off Kids Tickets at SEA LIFE / Credit: Supplied
Families looking for an affordable day out over the next couple of weeks can make the most of a new offer from a popular attraction, with 50% off child one-day tickets when purchased alongside a full-price adult ticket.
The offer gives families the chance to enjoy an underwater adventure for less at either SEA LIFE Manchester inside Trafford Palazzo, or even a tad further afield at SEA LIFE Blackpool.
Trafford Palazzo is now home to a giant 23-foot Earth replica, and it’ll be enchanting visitors throughout autumn.
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Created by artist Luke Jerram and known more formally as Gaia, this floating sculpture has been installed at Trafford Palazzo and will stay there until the beginning of October, with a whole host of events arriving alongside – like live music, wellness and fitness experiences, and even a free Space School.
Oktoberfest 2026 / Credit: Freight Island | Albert’s Schloss
Looking for somewhere to spend Oktoberfest in Manchester this year?
As you might expect, our city’s own Bavarian Bier Palace, Albert’s Schloss, is going big on the festivities for the coming weeks. But there are plenty of other venues throwing open their doors, pouring steins, and getting the bratwursts going.
Dahlia has landed in the Northern Quarter, bringing Latin-inspired open-fire cooking, tequila and mezcal-led drinks, and a seriously impressive sound system under one roof.
This comes from the same team behind Ramona and The Firehouse, and like those popular venues, it’s got a few different concepts in the one space.
Expect everything from achiote chicken and 400g churrasco steak to fresh tortillas, smoky sides, and house-made cocktails, with DJs keeping the vibe going late into the night.
Manchester’s newest restaurant opening has windows that look right across the pitch at the Etihad Stadium. This is Zadie’s – a glamorous new Japanese-Italian sort of hybrid, where dishes include a cacio e pepe with white soy burro bianco, and a roast lobster with tomato ponzu.
The space is pretty striking, built around a beautiful central bar, and with windows that look towards the South Pennines in one direction and into Man City’s home ground in the other.
MCR Student Social / Credit: Manchester BID | The Manc Group
MCR Student Social is heading back to the city this week.
With big discounts, freebies, giveaways, and plenty of entertainment to keep you busy while you browse, this interactive shopping event encourages new and current students to wander round Manchester Arndale and the surrounding streets to snap up some seriously good deals.
Expect discounts of up to 50% off at 120 stores – including big high street retailers like Champion, Søstrene Grene, Selfridges, Sephora, and Berghaus.
Scare City will be back taking over the grounds of the abandoned Camelot Theme Park this spooky season.
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And this year, there’s eight new chilling horror zones to discover.
There is no single story to survive. Instead, guests will be thrown from one nightmare into another – from a Victorian barber with blood on his hands, to a demonic orphanage, a cannibal settlement, a cursed forest, and a military bunker where the deceased are no longer dead.
Find out more about this year’s Scare City experience and book tickets here.
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Medieval Faire
Chetham’s Library
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Saturday 26 September
Medieval Faire / Credit: Supplied
Manchester is going back to the Middle Ages this month, as the city’s Medieval Faire returns to Chetham’s Library for a day of history, live entertainment, and family fun.
Visitors can expect plenty going on throughout the day, including walking tours of Manchester’s Medieval Quarter, birds of prey, specialist stalls, and live demonstrations showing what life was like during the medieval era.
Just like we do every month, we’ve rounded up some of the best things we got to eat in August, so if you’re on the hunt for somewhere new to eat in September, then we’ve absolutely got you covered as there’s plenty of places across the city region.
It’s been another jam-packed month of insanely delicious eats, and we’ve been lucky to have a bunch of new openings too.
Did you know that Go Ape now runs adult-only sessions?
We nipped over to Go Ape at Rivington as we heard you can now act like a big silly kid there without having to share anything with actual children.
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It’s one of the region’s top attractions for good reason, giving you a chance to clamber and fly through the treetops on a sky-high obstacle course, and now every Thursday and Friday evening, you can escape your work inbox and switch it out for a maze of ziplines, ladders, swings, and more.
Less than an hour from Manchester, you’ll find what is essentially a gigantic floating bouncy castle which makes for an incredibly silly afternoon out.
At Wild Shore Delamere you can take on slides, monkey bars, ninja jumps, tyre runs, and plenty of other opportunities to slip and spectacularly fall into the lake. And if you don’t fancy wiping out in front of a lake full of children, there’s also paddleboarding, wakeboarding, open-water swimming, and even a lakeside sauna.
How about that Manchester Museum is hosting its first-ever sleepover?
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
Schools may be back, but unfortunately the rain has arrived, so if you’re running out of things to do, don’t worry as we’ve got you covered. To make life even easier, all the activities are accessible by the Bee Network AND they’re tried and tested by us, so we can guarantee you’ll love them.
Featured Image – Supplied | Manchester City Council
What's On
Giant inflatable monsters descend on Manchester again next month for their BIGGEST celebration to date
Emily Sergeant
Halloween in the City returns next month with its biggest celebration ever to mark a decade of monster mayhem.
Organised by Manchester BID and sponsored by British confectionery maker, Swizzels, Halloween in the City will be back in Manchester city centre next month once the spooky season arrives – bringing a free weekend of family-friendly fun and spectacular street entertainment.
To mark a decade of monster mayhem, the two-day celebration will bring the city to life with walkabout performers, party games, live DJs, spooky storytelling, and a spectacular roaming procession.
There’s also set to be brand-new birthday bake off this year to celebrate the big 10, and everyone is invited to join the party
But, of course, at the heart of the celebrations will be giant inflatable monsters.
The MCR Monsters are back next month / Credit: CityCo & Manchester BID
The MCR Monsters have been a staple in Manchester’s Halloween celebrations for a decade now, and this year, they’re going all out across the city’s iconic buildings and landmarks.
Created by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, and brought to life by Designs in Air, the giant inflatable creatures will make their way into the city for their longest trail to date, celebrating eight days of monster mischief over October half term from Saturday 24 to Saturday 31 October.
Visitors can expect a city-wide monster invasion at locations – including Exchange Square, Manchester Arndale, Selfridges Exchange Square, Corn Exchange Manchester, Printworks, Science and Industry Museum, The Royal Exchange Manchester, Treehouse Hotel Manchester, AO Arena, KAMPUS, Mayfield Park, and Medlock Square.
It’s set to be the biggest celebrations to date to mark a decade of monster mayhem / Credit: Supplied
Then, the big Halloween in the City Weekender will take place on Saturday 24 October from 10am-6pm and Sunday 25 October from 10am-5pm.
Some of the activities on the Weekender lineup this year include a live storytelling performance by Z-Arts in Manchester Arndale, a big Monsters Disco over in Exchange Square, a Rave Yard with resident evil DJs in St Ann’s Square, the Swizzels Spooky Sweet Stop on New Cathedral Street – which is new for 2026 – and then the main event, The Monsters Party Procession.
Designed and created by Walk the Plank, The Monsters Party Procession will ‘bash, boogie, and stomp’ its way through Market Street and Manchester Arndale, so expect dancing monster puppets, towering stilt walkers, and a six-piece brass band suitably spooky soundtrack.
Daisy Jackson -
16th May 2022 
