The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 11 – 17 July 2022
July is well underway across Greater Manchester.
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.
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Lakeside Dining Dome
Heaton Park
Monday 11 July – onwards
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.
You can find out more and book tickets here.
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Bingo Balls
Printworks
Monday 11 July – onwards
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.
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.
You can find out more here.
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British Pop Archive
John Rylands Library
Monday 11 July – onwards
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.
Find out more here.
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Summer Daze
Trafford Centre
Monday 11 July – 4 September
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.
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.
You can find out more here.
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Amazônia
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 11 July – onwards
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.
You can find out more here.
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Crossing The Line: The Story of Women’s Football
National Football Museum
Monday 11 July – onwards
The National Football Museum and Manchester City Council has launched a new exhibition dedicated to the history of the women’s game.
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.
Find out more here.
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UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Manchester Fan Party
Piccadilly Gardens
Monday 11 – Sunday 31 July
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.
Find out more here.
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Coronation Street Stars Tour
MediaCityUK
Monday 11 July – onwards
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.
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.
Find out more and book tickets here.
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Skatefire Club at Good Life Skates
Escape To Freight Island
Friday 15 – Sunday 17 July
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.”
You can find out more and grab tickets here.
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Madness
Haydock Park Racecourse
Saturday 16 July
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’.
You can find out more and grab tickets here.
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We Love MCR Charity Abseil Challenge
One Regent Tower
Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 July
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.
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Featured Image – Good Life Skates | Lakeside Dining