What's On

The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 10 – 16 October 2022

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 7th October 2022

It’s really starting to feel a lot more like autumn across Greater Manchester now, and the spooky season couldn’t be closer.

After a jam-packed summer, the first couple of weeks of October may not have seemed as busy as others, but with Halloween (and, dare we say, Christmas) just around the corner now, the events calendar is starting to be filled with lots of different things to be getting up to, so we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.

As always, some of the events we’re going to mention are completely free, while others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.

Here’s our top picks.

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Scare City Experience

Camelot

Monday 10 October – onwards

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Have you seen that Scare City Experience is back for 2022?

The hugely-popular outdoor immersive horror experience has taken on a new life just in time for Halloween, and this time round, it’s taken over the derelict site of one of the North West’s most iconic theme parks.

Events company Park N Party’s sell-out success Scare City has arrived at Camelot with a new walkthrough scare attraction, and it’s described as a “blood-soaked ordeal”.

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For those who’ve got the guts to enter this year, a trek through “nightmarish zones” awaits.

Find out more and book tickets here.

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Self Space x Feel Good Club Free Therapy Sessions

Northern Quarter

Monday 10 October

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Self Space x Feel Good Club Free Therapy Sessions / Credit: Self Space

To help mark this year’s World Mental Health Awareness Day, mental health services provider Self Space is teaming up with Manchester’s very-own Feel Good Club to offer 30-minute therapy session slots at its cafe hub in the heart of the Northern Quarter for completely free of charge.

Free sessions will take place on Monday 10 October.

All you have to do is register, walk in, and have a good conversation with a qualified person.

Find out more here.

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Escape Into Autumn

National Trust

Monday 10 October – onwards

Escape Into Autumn / Credit: National Trust

The National Trust is celebrating the arrival of a new season by offering free visits to the sites it cares for this autumn.

Families will be able to visit the many stately homes, grand gardens, beaches and countryside locations that are looked after by the charity. 

The limited-time offer will allow people to book an autumn trip to a National Trust site of their choosing, and each free ticket will admit two adults and up to four children – with hundreds of sites taking part in the campaign.

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Find out more here.

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Bottomless Curry

Zouk Tea Bar & Grill

Monday 10 October – onwards

Bottomless Curry Menu / Credit: Zouk Tea Bar & Grill

One of Manchester’s favourite curry houses has just introduced a bottomless curry menu.

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Costing just £20 a head, for that you’ll get to enjoy endless plates of curry, with freshly baked naans and rice and an alcoholic drink of your choice – be that beer, wine, a gin and tonic, or a cocktail – at Zouk Tea Bar & Grill.

There’s a choice of eight different curries on offer, all varying in spice levels with a mix of veggie and meat options to ensure that everyone can get stuck in no matter their dietary requirements.

Find out more and book a table here.

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Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail 

Chester Zoo

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Monday 10 October – onwards

Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail / Credit: Chester Zoo

Tarantulas, komodo dragons, and poisonous dart frogs are just some of the creatures you can meet on Chester Zoo‘s newest interactive trail.

With the spooky season right around the corner, Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail has taken over the UK’s biggest charity zoo for the whole of this month up until Monday 31 October, and it looks set to be an ideal day out for families during the half term.

The trail is free with the price of admission, and aims to raise awareness of all the “creepy but crucial creatures” at the zoo that are venomous and poisonous.

Find out more here.

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Mayfield Park

Castlefield

Monday 10 October – onwards

Have you had the chance to visit Manchester‘s first new park in the heart of the city centre for more than 100 years that’s officially opened to the public yet?

It’s been a long journey to get here, but Mayfield Park has become a reality.

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Over the last 18 months, the vast and mostly-derelict former industrial site next to Piccadilly Station has been transformed into what project developers are calling a “stunning, accessible, and varied” green space for everyone who visits the city centre to enjoy.

Find out more here.

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Looking for some new restaurants and bars to try out in Manchester city centre this month?

As ever, a host of exciting new restaurants and bars are opening in Manchester in October.

Whether you’re into glitzy late-night hang outs, casual dining turnarounds or award-winning burritos, let’s just say there’s something on the list for you – from the brand new Shogun Ramen and Bar, which sees beloved Chorlton restaurant Peck & Yard give it ‘one more shot’ with a ramen and sushi concept, to Mayfair celeb haunt Mnky Hse.

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You can read our round-up to find out where to put on your list this month here.

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CABABABARAVE

Whalley Range

Friday 14 October

CABABABARAVE / Credit: Supplied

A ‘cabaret rave’ sensory experience especially for babies and toddlers is coming to Manchester this Friday.

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Our city-region may never be short of unique events and interesting things to be getting up to, but CABABABARAVE is gearing up to be unlike anything else on offer for little Mancs and their parents, as it’s bringing the experience of a “big London night out” to a popular social club in Salford.

It’s described as being a “little slice of afternoon delight” that provides “show-stopping cabaret interspersed with baby sensory moments”.

And if all that wasn’t “captivating” enough as it is, each session ends in a rave.

Find out more here.

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Spookfest 2022

Trafford Centre

Friday 14 – Sunday 30 October

Spookfest 2022 / Credit: Trafford Centre

After a successful run in 2021, the Trafford Centre has announced that Spookfest is returning just in time for Halloween.

From 14 October, Trafford Centre’s outdoor space will come alive with Halloween activity, with a variety of exciting family-friendly things on offer for all ages to enjoy, such as thrilling funfair rides, the action-packed Spooktacular Big Top circus, the North West’s first and only pumpkin tower, face painting, creepy costume characters, big-screen scary movies and Halloween-themed food and drink.

Find out more and book tickets here.

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Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience

Arley Hall & Gardens

Saturday 15 October – onwards

The hugely popular woodland trail inspired by the forbidden forest from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchise is returning this weekend.

After what was undoubtedly a massive success back in 2021, with people travelling from all across the UK to see what it was all about, organisers of the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience have announced it’s coming back to the Grade II-listed Arley Hall & Gardens in Cheshire.

Arriving just in time for Halloween, Potter-heads are invited to “walk into the depths of a dark forest”, and “discover fantastic beasts and iconic Wizarding World moments illuminated like never before”.

Find out more here.

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PowerUP

Science and Industry Museum

Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 October

PowerUP / Credit: Science Museum Group

A huge gaming event has returned to Manchester.

With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP is back at the Science and Industry Museum for the first time in three years, taking ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.

Power UP is taking place every weekend and school holiday all the way through to December 2023, and every ticket includes unlimited play all day.

You can find more information here.

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Featured Image – CABABARAVE | The Manc Group

What's On

Co-op Live announce UFC 304 is coming to the brand-new arena for Manchester return this year

Danny Jones Danny Jones UFC 304 returns to Manchester

Co-op Live has announced one of the biggest nights yet and their first-ever sporting event after confirming that the UFC is coming to the new state-of-the-art arena.

While the shiny new music and live entertainment stadium suffered an unfortunate setback earlier this week, with both of Peter Kay’s gigs being postponed following power supply issues discovered during their test event, the confirmation of UFC 304 at Co-op Live is a big plus for the opening month.

Rumours had been circling that a huge sporting event might be coming to the UK’s newest indoor arena, one of the biggest of its kind in Europe, but this being just the fourth time the UFC has washed up on British shores, it’s a huge coup for their debut year.

Announced on Wednesday, 24 April, the global MMA phenomenon and multi-billion-dollar promotion company will be bringing their 304th fight night to Manchester on 27 July and you can roll your eyes at the pun all you like, but it’s going to be a knockout.

The UFC is coming back to Manchester for the first time in eight years.

As the UFC has said in an official press release, “UK MMA is currently experiencing what is being described as an unheralded golden era, with stars such as welterweight champion Leon Edwards, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, and local favourites, including Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Muhammad Mokaev, Michael Page and Arnold Allen, with more rising through the ranks.”

That being said, there isn’t a better moment for the brand to capitalise on the growing fight audience here in the UK and 0161, specifically, with the aforementioned Aspinall having created a real appetite for the discipline in and around the city.

The Greater Manchester region has always been home to iconic fighters regardless, be it boxing or otherwise; Ricky Hatton, Tyson Fury, Amir Khan, as well adopted Manc MMA legend Michael Bisping, whose pedigree helped bring UFC to Manchester and the AO Arena for the first time back in 2016.

Nearly a decade later the promotion is now part of Co-op Live’s maiden calendar and set to be the first of many sporting events they hope to host – a plan bolstered by their partnership with neighbours, Manchester City.

ufc returning to manchester july 2024
ufc co-op live
The UFC 304 fight card is yet to be announced but there are a few local names you can probably bank on. (Credit: The Manc Audio)

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“I’m so excited to get back to Manchester, and no better time than this summer,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “We have two champions from the UK and fans have been dying for a UFC PPV event. So here we come to the largest indoor arena in the UK. See you soon, England!”

As for Co-op Live, Executive Director and General Manager Gary Roden added: “With the north of England home to so many of the world’s leading fighters, we are primed and ready for UFC and its knowledgeable, passionate fanbase.

“Offering a state-of-the-art platform for globally broadcast events, Co-op Live is extremely proud to welcome entertainment of this scale and calibre as the future home of combat sports in the UK.”

Co-op members get early access to presale tickets at 10am on 5 June and general admission goes live via Ticketmaster at the same time on Friday, 7 June. UFC Fight Club members will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets early on the Wednesday from 9am BST.

You can also register your interest HERE to gain access to a special pre-sale which starts on Thursday, 6 June 6 from 10am as well. Roll on fight night!

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Supplied

What's On

Chester Zoo named best zoo in the UK thanks to more than 11,000 ‘excellent’ ratings

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

It’s official… Chester Zoo has been named to best zoo in the UK for 2024.

Everyone in and around Greater Manchester and the North West is familiar with just how brilliant the UK’s biggest charity zoo is and all the work it contributes towards conservation and protecting endangered species all across the world – but now, it’s got itself a respectable new title to prove it, and it’s all thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews.

The world’s biggest travel guidance platform has named Chester Zoo as the best-rated zoo to visit in the UK this year, with more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings.

Based on millions of online reviews, the new ranking puts the beloved Cheshire-based attraction ahead of the country’s other zoos after earning consistently good feedback from its visitors.

Chester Zoo has been named the best zoo in the UK for 2024 / Credit: Chester Zoo

According to Chester Zoo, the “wonderful news” means that, as a conservation charity, it can continue its work with countries across the world to “help all animals survive and thrive”, as well as provide expert care to the 37,000 animals who currently call the zoo their home.

The zoo has also thanked its visitors for all their continued support each year, as this allows to “keep making a difference”.

“With every admission ticket, membership, animal adoption, or experience purchased, you are contributing to our mission of preventing extinction,” Chester Zoo said in a statement.

Speaking on the coveted new TripAdvisor title, Jamie Chirston, who is the CEO at Chester Zoo, says he’s “over the moon to be named the best zoo in the UK”, adding in a statement that: “It’s an incredible achievement and especially pleasing given it’s based on thousands upon thousands of genuine reviews and opinions.

“It’s a real seal of approval from our visitors, and testament to every single one of our dedicated, hardworking, and talented staff that make our conservation zoo the wonderful place it is.

“Every time someone walks through our gates, not only do they enjoy all kinds of wildlife experiences and a have great day out, but they’re also contributing to the vital conservation work we carry out here and around the world, and that’s why, as a not-for-profit conservation zoo, this top TripAdvisor ranking means such an awful lot to us.

It’s all thanks to more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings by visitors on TripAdvisor / Credit: Chester Zoo

“It’s confirmation that we’re getting things right for our visitors, [which is] especially important as, together, we’re preventing extinction and making a real difference for wildlife.”

The UK’s best zoo isn’t the only title Chester Zoo has claimed this month either, as TripAdvisor has also listed it as the eighth-best zoo or aquarium to visit in the whole of Europe too.

Read more:

So it double congratulations are in order – and they couldn’t be more well-deserved, right?

Featured Image – Chester Zoo

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