We’re already well into April now, and there’s another busy week to get stuck into.
With schools still out for half term, and Easter, of course, bringing an extended Bank Holiday weekend and lots of sweet treats, there’s plenty to be getting up to across the region this week, so we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best things happening and put together another fresh edition of our ‘what’s on’ guide for the city of Manchester and beyond.
As always, some of the events we’re going to mention here are completely free, which is great for those looking to keep things on the cheaper side, 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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Half Term at the Science and Industry Museum
Manchester City Centre
Monday 11 – Sunday 17 April
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Credit: Science Museum Group
Families can explore a host of Manchester firsts at the city’s famous Science and Industry Museum this half term.
Home to a host of inspiring innovations, clever contraptions and construction-themed activities designed to suit all ages, families still have one week left to explore the city’s revolutionary heritage and cutting-edge science through a range of hands-on activities and live science shows.
From an indoor ‘builders’ playground filled with larger-than-life foam cubes, bricks and cogs, to an incredible moving sculpture that brings cartoons to life, there’s loads of fun to be had whether your kid’s a dreamer or a hands-on builder.
Manchester City is giving fans the chance to tour the club’s impressive stadium facilities this half term, and there’s a “one-off” interactive, chocolate-themed twist to it.
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With schools out across the region, and parents and carers likely on the lookout for some exciting activities to occupy the little ones, Manchester City has announced that it’s launching new Easter-themed tours of the Etihad Stadium for two-weeks only – and they’re in partnership with Cadbury too, just to make it that little bit sweeter.
Running until Monday 18 April, the Easter Egg Hunt Stadium Tours give you the chance to “treat the family to some Easter fun”.
Looking for some new restaurants and bars to try out that have just opened in Manchester city centre this month?
The nights are longer, the clocks have gone back, and spring has begun to sprung here in Greater Manchester.
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With the turn of the season, comes a host of new openings in the city centre and beyond.
From bespoke butty shops to new delis and tasting rooms, to boozy coffee bars in a secret garden and pop-ups across town, there are loads of great new eateries to get stuck into this April.
You can read our round-up to find out where to put on your list this month here.
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Alice in VR Wonderland
Cheshire Oaks
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Monday 11 – Sunday 17 April
Credit: Cheshire Oaks
Step out of the ordinary and into the fantastical and fearless world of ‘Alice in VR Wonderland’ at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet this week, as the shopping village has partnered with the world-renowned Jasmin Vardimon Company to create a multi-sensory experience with the art of contemporary dance.
You can book a space at the specially-designed VR truck to experience a 20-minute show, and you’ll be comfortably seated with VR headsets and immersed in a spectacular 360-degree wonderland.
The show will follow Alice on her adventures as she meets the famous characters from the much-loved children’s tale.
One of the North West’s most-popular outdoor events has extended its run throughout the Easter half term, and it’s an ideal day out for families.
For the past two years, Totally Roarsome has taken the region by storm and has seen visitors flock from far and wide after it opened in untouched woodland following the initial lifting of lockdown restrictions in mid-2020, before returning after popular demand for the Easter half term in 2021.
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And now, it’s found a new home for 2022’s event at Arley Hall in Cheshire.
There’ll be more than 200 individual dinosaur models making up the woodland trail this year, with tickets priced at £8.95 and already selling fast.
Cloudwater X Levanter Manchester Long Bank Holiday
KAMPUS
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Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 April
Credit: KAMPUS | Cloudwater Brewery
Manchester’s neighbourhood KAMPUS will play host a solid ten weeks of back-to-back block parties from its canalside garden, with each weekend seeing guest DJs take to the decks to spin tunes from different corners of the world – and the first event in the calendar happening this Bank Holiday weekend.
Free-flowing beer will come courtesy of Manchester brewery Cloudwater, and food will be provided by Ramsbottom favourites Levanter serving up tapas, giant paella, and charcuterie boards aplenty.
This weekend, for the Manchester Long Bank Holiday event, you can expect well-known Manchester DJs and homegrown city favourite beers.
One of the standout experiences on the 2022 East Lancashire Railway (ELR) events lineup has to be the chance to go on a “roarsome adventure” through the Greater Manchester countryside this Easter half term, where you can “get your teeth into some Jurassic Lark” and go on a prehistoric expedition on “a time-travelling steam train” to meet with a herd of adorable baby dinosaurs.
The Dino Adventure returns on Thursday 14 April, and means you can get up close with the cute cretaceous critters, and maybe even give the T-Rex a tickle under the chin.
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Tickets are priced at £13.50 for children and £18 for adults – and you can grab yours here.
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Italian Bottomless Brunch
Cibo
Friday 15 – Sunday 17 April
One of Manchester’s best-loved authentic Italian restaurants, Cibo, has launched a three-course bottomless brunch, and you have the choice between ‘The Original’ or ‘The Premium’ – which features the famous flaming parmesan wheel pasta, which is cooked up before your eyes.
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But no matter which option you choose, you’ll get to pick between some amazing Italian dishes. For starters, it’s between dishes like arancini and bruschetta. For mains they offer calzone, carbonara and risotto – and saving the best till last, for dessert you can pick between a classic tiramisu, creme brulee or a panna cotta.
All this starts from just £45, and of course it also includes a selection of drinks including cocktails, prosecco or mimosa.
City centre bar, restaurant, nightlife destination, and live music venue Joshua Brooks is welcoming self-taught House DJ and producer Ben Sterling – who’s known for playing across a range of electronic genres, with sets characterised by an uplifting fluidity – and support from Sucasa, with tickets now available and already selling fast.
You must be over 18 to attend, and tickets will set you back anywhere from £10-£20.
After a bit of nostalgic fun this weekend? New retro games bar Pong & Puck is hosting an Easter egg hunt with a throwback theme around Great Northern in the heart of Manchester city centre this Saturday from 1pm, with some exciting prizes up for grabs – including a £100 bar tab.
Each egg will have either an 80s, 90s or 00s theme, with a special prize connected to each one.
Prizes will be won on a first come, first serve basis, and while there’s no need to book, turning up early is a must to be in it to win it.
Two of the most popular foodie favourite events are back at Manchester’s largest street food fair GRUB – which is currently based at the Red Bank Project just outside of the city centre in Cheetham Hill.
For the Bank Holiday weekend, the GRUB Food Fair this week will see the likes of Igloo Pizza Kitchen, Mus Mus, Rice Over Everything, and Bell Bakes It serve a wide range of mouthwatering delights for you to try, while on Sunday, whether you’re plant based or just curious, there’ll be big handful of the finest vegan food traders there for Plant Powered Sundays to show you what it’s all about.
Both events are free to attend, and you can find more information here.
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ManiFest
The Oast House
Sunday 17 April – onwards
Credit: The Oast House
Popular Spinningfields bar The Oast House is launching a brand-new bank holiday music festival in the city this Spring named ManiFest, and it’s kicking off this Easter Sunday.
Taking place on The Oast House’s large outdoor terrace, complete with a dedicated stage, the event will run from 1pm until 10pm, with a packed roster of musicians lined up including bands, solo artists and duos taking to the stage throughout the day, with interludes from resident DJs.
The event is not ticketed and is free to attend on a first come, first served basis.
10 of the best museums and galleries in Greater Manchester
Lydia Mastrolonardo
In need of a day trip, but the weather’s rubbish and money’s a bit tight? You’ll want to have a read of this then.
We just so happen to have put together a list with some of the best museums and galleries that our wonderful region has to offer – whether transport, dinosaurs, or artwork is your thing, there really is something for everyone.
There are so many amazing options in Greater Manchester that it would be silly not to make the most out of them.
So without further ado and in no particular order, here’s 10 of the best museums and art galleries across the region.
Manchester Museum
Oxford Road
Starting off strong with one of our personal favourites, Manchester Museum.
Manchester Museum is not only side one of the city’s most spectacular 130-year-old neo-gothic buildings, but it also has a little bit of everything, which makes for a lovely day trip for everyone, as no matter your interest, there’s plenty to explore.
Think all things natural history – from taxidermy tigers, to mummies, and cultural exhibitions from across the world. While you’re there, why not take the kids to meet Stan the Tyrannosaurus Rex?
Open every day apart from Mondays, all galleries and exhibitions are free but you must book in advance for the temporary exhibitions.
Hat Works
Stockport
Over in Stockport is where you can find the UK’s only museum dedicated to the hatting industry, tucked away inside a Victorian mill.
Many people don’t even realise that this South Manchester town was, in fact, once the centre of the British hat-making industry, but that’s why this museum walks you through the history of all things hatting, whilst being easy on your pennies.
Admission is free for all, however booking in advance is recommended. If you want to go the full mile, you are also able to book a guided tour, which costs around £8.50 for adults and under 16s go free.
Open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am-4pm.
Credit: The Manc Group
Museum of Transport
Cheetham Hill
Transport enthusiasts, this one’s for you.
Inside the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester, you’ll find over 70 vintage buses, coaches, trams and fire engines.
Not only is this historic 1930s bus garage home to every kind of bus and tram you could imagine, but they also have a traditional tea room and museum shop that completely transport you back in time… get it? And throughout the year lots of different special events take place too, allowing visitors to travel in style on some of the historic vehicles from their collection.
Tickets for adults cost between £6 and £7.50, while people with disabilities, or accompanied children under 16, can enter for free.
Open 10am-4:30pm on Wednesdays, weekends, and bank holidays.
Imperial War Museum North
Trafford Park
IWM North takes you on a journey all the way from the First World War, to current conflicts.
The waterfront museum is completely filled with art installations and interactive exhibitions exploring the impact of war on society
They also run accessible, sensory-friendly ‘relaxed hours’ on the first Sunday of every month, for those that benefit from the opportunity to explore in a quieter environment, and there are also quiet breakout rooms available, as well as an indoor area for anyone wishing to bring a packed lunch.
Open daily from 10am-5pm, except over Christmas, IWM North is completely free to enter and no booking is necessary.
Science and Industry Museum
Manchester City Centre
There’s always something going on at the Science and Industry Museum, that you can guarantee.
From its fabulous selection of permanent free galleries, like Revolution Manchester or the Textiles Gallery, to its ever-changing selection of exhibitions and events, there’s something for all ages and interests to get involved with.
Not to mention a fantastic range of activities for the little astronauts and scientists among us all year round.
The museum is open every day from 10am-5pm.
Credit: The Manc Group
Fireground
Rochdale
Fireground explores the different scenarios that our brave fire service have overcome across the past 200 years – including two World Wars, many terror incidents, house fires, and vehicle crashes – and is fully equipped with uniforms medals, paintings, and the fire engines themselves to really immerse visitors in the world.
The museum is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10am-4pm, with children’s tickets costing £6, adults £8, and those under three going free, but we think it’s well worth a visit.
There’s also free onsite car parking, as well as being easily accessed from the Metrolink stop directly outside and the train station a stone’s throw away.
People’s History Museum
Spinningfields
Everyone should visit the People’s History Museum at least once in their lives if you want to feel empowered.
The museum explains Britain’s major political parties and movements, as well as covering historic activism, protests and events such as the Peterloo Massacre, the emergence of the NHS and the continuous fight for LGBTQIA+ equality, among many other important causes.
This colour-coded gallery explores multiple different themes – including courage, revolution, reform, loyalty, dignity, and peace.
Open 10am-5pm every day, except Tuesdays, and entry is completely free.
Credit: The Manc Group
Bolton Museum
Bolton
The family-friendly Bolton Museum is another one that’s got a bit of everything.
It’s home to over 3,500 pieces of fine art, dating from the 18th century to now, as well as a botanical collection boasting about 60,000 different specimens, over 100 ceramics, and a surprisingly vast collection of Egyptology due to Bolton’s links to the cotton trade.
While the Nature Gallery is currently partially closed, there are plenty of other areas to explore celebrating art, culture and history.
The museum is free to all and open 9am-5pm every day, with slightly different hours on Wednesdays and Sunday.
Portland Basin Museum
Ashton-under-Lyne
This award-winning museum can be found within an old canal warehouse.
Its purpose is to showcase local history of the Tameside area, hence why the location seems particularly fitting with it being located on a historic canal junction – which during the Industrial Revolution would have been a bustling hub for trade.
Their current exhibition, Period Street, serves as a portal back in time to the 1920s, with traditional shops and housing that portray life back then. There’s also an educational play area for the little ones.
It’s open from 10am-4pm on Tuesdays to Sundays, with completely free entry and parking.
Greater Manchester Police Museum
Northern Quarter
Ever wanted to know what a 1879 police station or 1895 court room looked like? Now’s your chance.
Since being founded back in 1981, Greater Manchester Police Museum has curated a collection of police-related objects and archive material packed with history.
To get full access to the archive, you must book an appointment, but the museum is easily accessible from all over Greater Manchester, due to it being in such close proximity to Manchester Piccadilly Station.
It’s open to the public on Tuesdays from 10:30am-4pm, free of charge, but if you wish to book a private tour or larger group visit, this is available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Credit: The Manc Group / Drew Forsyth (Science Museum Group)
Who knew educational activities could be so fun and cheap?
Now all you have to do is plan your route, absorb as much information as possible, and most importantly, enjoy yourself.
While many of these have free car parking, we would always advocate for you to use green methods of travel, as well as aiming to save money where possible, which is why using the Bee Network is the perfect way to get around.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
What's On
High School Musical at Lowry, Salford – a night spent reliving our childhood | Review
Amy Williams
What a night spent reliving our childhood.
Now, I don’t want to exaggerate or seem biased, considering this is one of my favourite film trilogies of all time, but this could be the best stage show I’ve seen in a long while.
We all know how High School Musical goes, right? Set at East High, we follow Troy and Gabriella (the star basketball player, and the geeky new girl) who meet over New Year, and then become ‘star-crossed lovers’ when back at school as they’re part of two different ‘cliques’.
The duo mess with the ‘Status Quo’ when they audition for the school musical. But will they stick to what they know? Or become stars of the stage? I’m sure you know the ending.
High School Musical is currently on stage at Lowry, Salford / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
From the costumes and the characters, to the memorable songs (there’s actually 52 songs in this production, including a mega mix at the end), they’ve kept right to the script of the films – and that’s exactly what we wanted to see.
Of course, the biggest throwback of them all is Kaycee Stroh – who originally featured as Martha Cox in the film trilogy – taking the role as Ms Darbus, and she was just as incredible as we expected her to be. And to see her do the iconic dance in the finale was unbelievable, 13-year-old Amy was screaming.
Also featuring Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton, Tobias Turley as Troy, Leonor Correia as Gabriella, Caitlin Tipping Sharpay, and Luke Bayer as Ryan, it was a proper impressive cast all round.
It’s a night to properly relive your mid-00s childhood / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
There was crowd interaction right from the off, as they taught the crowd a cheerleading routine to be included later in the show, plus for the finale, they had the lyrics on the big screen too so everyone could sing-along.
If we could go and see this show every single night, we would – it is absolutely brilliant.
Emily Sergeant -
7th April 2022 
