Although 2022 is over half way through, and the months have passed us by so quickly, July does mean that summer is really here now, and the events calendar is packed with plenty to be getting up to across the region this week, 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.
___
ADVERTISEMENT
Lakeside Dining Dome
Heaton Park
Monday 11 July – onwards
ADVERTISEMENT
Lakeside Dining / Credit: Supplied
Afternoon tea fans can once again enjoy scones and finger sandwiches by the waterside as Heaton Park has reopened its lakeside dining domes for the summer.
The newly-refurbished domes are back to help us enjoy a bit of the al fresco experience this summer – no matter what the Manchester weather decides to do with itself.
Set in the midst of beautiful parkland, the refurbished domes will once again serve up a range of afternoon teas alongside a soon-to-be-launched summer evening picnic menu to help you make the most of the lighter evenings.
Bingo Balls at the Printworks / Credit: Bingo Balls
Bingo Balls is the newest member of the family at Printworks, and it’s home to the North West’s first ball pit for grown-ups.
ADVERTISEMENT
Having officially opened its doors to the Manchester public last weekend, you can expect a wide range of entertainment throughout the summer – with everything from bingo, drag brunches, burlesque shows, and retro food and drink on offer.
DJs will also be blasting out some of the hottest R&B, house, and disco mixes to keep you dancing all night long.
A new national collection dedicated to “the preservation and research of popular culture” has now opened in Manchester city centre.
The British Pop Archive (BPA) has been created by the University of Manchester (UoM) and has opened at the iconic John Rylands Library on Deansgate in the heart of the city centre, with the aim of celebrating British popular music and other aspects of popular culture to recognise its “pivotal influence” on the world stage.
Featuring “iconic items” relating to quintessential British bands, legendary UK television, youth culture, counter-culture, and more that have set trends around the globe, the BPA will be an important academic resource for research and teaching, UoM says.
It’ll also be a public resource for exhibitions and public events that’s open to all.
An all-new water park, funfair, beach, and giant 15sq m outdoor screen showing classic films and some of the summers biggest sporting events have all arrived at the Trafford Centre.
ADVERTISEMENT
The UK’s third largest shopping centre has announced that its “most significant outdoor event to date” will offer a full lineup of family-friendly activities for everyone to enjoy throughout the day and into the night.
Summer Daze will span an impressive 2.5 acres of land, and will be located outside the Great Hall up until 4 September.
One of the new events arriving for 2022 is the Trafford Centre’s summer of sport – which is now live – and it will give sports-lovers the chance to gain free to access to a fan zone to watch some of the summer’s biggest sporting events such as Wimbledon, Tour De France, UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, and the Athletics World Championships, all on a 15sq m giant outdoor screen.
A critically-acclaimed photography exhibition is currently in Manchester as part of its international tour.
In what is the first UK exhibition of this scale outside of London for over 20 years from the world-renowned Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, the Science and Industry Museum has will welcomed Amazônia – a major photography exhibition that celebrates the indigenous peoples and breathtaking landscapes of the Brazilian rainforest.
Salgado worked in the Amazon for seven years with 12 different indigenous communities, and the result is an incredible collection of powerful photographs that present his vision of a forest that is approaching a crucial tipping point in the fight against climate change, the Museum says.
Crossing The Line / Credit: National Football Museum
The National Football Museum and Manchester City Council has launched a new exhibition dedicated to the history of the women’s game.
ADVERTISEMENT
Coinciding with the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 tournament, the new exhibition, Crossing the Line: The Story of Women’s Football, chronicles the game’s early growth, the effects of the FA’s de facto 1921 ban, its survival and its resurgence in recent decades.
The exhibition is split into two halves, with the first half telling the story of the women’s game up until the ban, from its nineteenth-century origins to the all-conquering Dick, Kerr Ladies, and the second half kicks off later in the summer, focusing on the present state of play within women’s football, from the grassroots up to the professional game.
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Manchester Fan Party / Credit: UEFA
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 has announced a huge festival of football this summer.
In Manchester, all the action will happen in Piccadilly Gardens from 11am – 4pm each day right through until Sunday 31 July, and thousands of fans from across Europe are expected to descend on the city centre.
Fans will be able to watch all the matches on a big screen, as well as enjoy food and drink which will be available throughout the tournament.
Coronation Street Stars Tour / Credit: Coronation Street: The Tour
Coronation Street has revealed that its famous ‘Stars Tours’ are returning this summer, and it means you can meet “mystery” cast members on the legendary cobbles.
Just as the name suggests, the Stars Tours not only include the standard 90-minute guided tour of the external Coronation Street set in MediaCityUK, but they also give you the opportunity to meet the a surprise cast member from the show.
ADVERTISEMENT
While bosses of the official guided tours are keeping names of the mystery cast members who are set to make appearances close to their chest, they have assured fans that they’ll pop out to say hello, and pose for pictures, as well as letting you in on a few filming secrets or a story during the special events too.
Skatefire Club / Credit: Netflix | Good Life Skates
A series of Stranger Things-themed skating sessions are taking over one of Manchester‘s newest retro roller rinks this weekend.
There is absolutely no denying that much of the world is Stranger Things obsessed at the moment, and now Good Life Skates – the brand-new roller rink that opened its doors above Escape To Freight Island’s main hall last month – is hosting it’s very-own ‘Skatefire Club’ and inviting fans to “celebrate all things Stranger Things”.
“Lace up your skates and boogie along to the soundtrack of the show we all know and love.”
Madness at Haydock Park Racecourse / Credit: Flickr
Madness is another one of the huge names set to play a headline show as part of a live concert series at Haydock Park Racecourse this summer.
The Jockey Club Live is renowned for bringing live music to thousands of fans in the relaxed open-air setting of some of the UK’s biggest racecourses, and the legendary British band, Madness – who previously headlined the racecourse back in 2015 – will make a return on Saturday 16 July.
Combining the genres of ska, reggae, motown, rock’n’roll and classic pop, Madness have become one of the music industry’s best-loved live acts, and have had so many hits to their name over the last couple of decades, including ‘Baggy Trousers’, ‘It Must Be Love’, ‘Driving In My Car’, ‘Our House’, and the iconic 1982 number one single ‘House of Fun’.
We Love MCR Charity Abseil Challenge / Credit: WLMC
Over 80 brave individuals are gearing up to abseil off the 26-storey One Regent Tower in Castlefield on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July, all with the goal of raising as much money as possible for one of the city’s most iconic charities, We Love MCR Charity, as part of its 2022 ‘Challenge Event Series’.
The abseil is just one of a set of mind-over-matter challenges that will raise funds for the charity’s work supporting Manchester’s communities and young people.
You can find out more about watching the event and making donations here.
___
Featured Image – Good Life Skates | Lakeside Dining
What's On
Pitbull at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, stage times, setlist and more
Danny Jones
People of the world and more specifically Manchester, get ready for the time of your lives because Pitbull is coming to town for his Co-op Live debut, and so is an army of fans in bald caps.
That’s right, ‘Mr Worldwide’ himself is playing his biggest-ever Manc show this Sunday as part of his global ‘Party After Dark’ tour, with European legs starting this month.
His UK and Ireland leg got underway with a double header in Dublin earlier this week, and now Pitbull is coming to Manchester for the first time in seven years.
Safe to say he’s hit on a bit of a renaissance since then, and his fandom – however random it may seem at times – is rampant right now. Exhibit A:
Pitbull gig guide | Manchester – all the important info
As for those of you looking to dress up as the currently viral rapper and singer this weekend, here’s everything you need to know about his 2025 gigs.
Pitbull UK/IE tour dates
5 June – 3 Arena, Dublin
6 June – 3 Arena, Dublin
8 June – Co-op Live, Manchester
9 June – The O2, London
10 June – The O2, London
Are there tickets left for Pitbull in Manchester?
Now, if any of you are looking to score some last-minute tickets for Pitbull in Manchester, we have some good news and some less good news: there are a fair few tickets left, however, they are pretty pricey as verified resale.
The lowest we’ve found clocks in at just under £90 (before fees), and some would set you back even more than VIP packages start from.
Nevertheless, if you’re just thinking, ‘Dale! Let’s make some memories’, then you can see the remaining availability HERE.
Pitbull comes to Co-op Live, Manchester on Sunday, 8 June. (Credit: Press Shot)
Who is supporting Pitbill in Manchester?
Besides already being one of the biggest nights of pop music in Greater Manchester this year, with so many of his shows up and down the country selling out, there’s another big name on the road with him.
If there’s one figure in the genre who has even more Caribbean cache and worldwide status than the Cuban solo star, it’s Jamaican legend, Shaggy.
The now 56-year-old Kingston-born artist is along for the ride on every single one of Pitbull’s EU tour dates, and we can’t wait to welcome him back to Manchester city centre.
For the last time, it wasn’t him…
The two have collaborated on more than one occasion.
What are the stage times for Pitbull at Co-op Live
In terms of when you’ll get to see both of these legends, doors to the venue will open from 6:30pm, and the show is due to get underway an hour later (7:30pm).
Although we don’t know exactly how long Shaggy’s set will be, you can expect at least a 15-minute intermission between the superb support act and your headliner, with Pitbull set to take the stage around 9pm for the main event.
Co-op Live‘s curfew is 11pm, so you can expect approximately two hours of non-stop hits out ‘on the floor’ spanning years of international chart hits.
Pitbull after-party
But don’t worry, the dancing doesn’t have to stop there, as the arena is also hosting one of their increasingly popular after parties for anyone with a valid event ticket.
Pitbull after-party tickets are separate from general admission and are strictly 18+, with tunes kept going until late right after the main show ends, courtesy of multi-genre Manc DJ, Just Yaz. You can secure your spot for the after-party ahead of time.
Now, while we obviously don’t have a fully confirmed setlist for Pitbull’s upcoming Manchester tour date, nor has the running order from his first pair of performances at the 3Arena been published, we can give you an average setlist based on his most recent shows.
Be honest, did you realise he actually had this many bangers!?
A taste of what Co-op Live can expect from a Pitbull concert.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
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 ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
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 come 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
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 via 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.
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)/Audio North/slgckgc (via Flickr)
What's On
The T20 Family Festival is back at Lancashire Cricket Club for 2025
Danny Jones
If you’re a cricket fan or looking for something to keep the kids busy this weekend, get ready for a Blast because Vitality’s T20 Family Festival is back at Emirates Old Trafford.
Lancashire Cricket Club is once again hosting the sport’s fastest-paced format over in Stretford for the latest 2025 fixture, but it also marks the return of the much-loved T20 Family Fest here in Manchester.
With high-flying home side Lancashire Lightning taking on Northants Steelbacks, it’s set to be a stormer (pun very much intended) and fun for all ages.
The question is, are you free this Sunday?
Credit: Lancs Cricket Club (supplied)
Promising big hits, flying catches, music, family-friendly activities to keep the little ones entertained and plenty more, the T20 Vitality Blast’s Family Festival might just be one of the best value for money days out and live sport events you’ll find.
Along with tonnes of street food and drink stalls to keep you fuelled through the action, not to mention everything from circus acts and face painting to free kids’ games in the concourse, there’s plenty to keep you engaged even between the play.
You just better hope for clear blue skies, because that’s when the Blast is at its best.
As mentioned, another reason the T20 is so popular here in Greater Manchester is the Fan Village culture atmosphere itself; we’re not just talking the usual ‘Barmy Army’ antics you get win any domestic cricket – with all there is on offer – it really does feel like the start of a sporting summer.
Better yet, as well as being guaranteed to deliver a brilliant experience for all ages, there will be the opportunity to create even more lasting memories, thanks to the ‘Emirates First Ball Flyer‘ game.
The prize is one you don’t want to overlook, as you can win two return flights to Dubai: all you need to do is be in your seat and hope that Lancashire Lightning take a wicket with their first ball of the match to be in with your chance of winning.
To top things off, the Lancashire stars will then make their way to the front of Lightning Stand C to sign as many autographs and take as many pictures with fans as possible.
Credit: Supplied
Speaking of things being top, this is also a great time to watch the Lancs as Lightning are currently leading the table in the North Group campaign, winning three of their last four games – two of which have come here at Old Trafford.
After winning his first Indian Premier League (IPL) title with Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this week, Lancashire and England all-rounder Liam Livingstone is also expected to make his return to action against the Northamptonshire side.
Speaking ahead of the game, he said: “I’m really excited to play in this summer’s Vitality Blast with Lancashire Lightning – I love playing at Emirates Old Trafford and I love playing for Lancashire.
“This year, I’ll have even more opportunities to play for the Red Rose throughout the Blast campaign. We’ve got a really strong squad and we have a proud record, particularly at home, in the group stages.
“Hopefully I can have a big involvement in us doing something special as a team in T20 cricket this year, ten years on from 2015, it would be really nice to go on and win another.”
There are just four home games left for Lancashire Lightning in this year’s T20 Vitality Blast, and there’s still a £5 discount on adult tickets purchased before matchday; plus, children’s prices are super affordable. You can grab yours HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
8th July 2022 
