What's On

The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 11 – 17 November 2024

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 6th November 2024

November is in full swing now, and so is the festive season.

There’s officially no escaping from it now, Christmas is fast approaching, so as you can imagine, there’s absolutely no shortage of things for the whole family to be getting up to across Greater Manchester throughout this week.

Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though?

We’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide, so here’s some of our recommendations.

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Manchester Christmas Markets 2024

Manchester City Centre

Monday 11 November – Sunday 22 December

Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 / Credit: Manchester City Council | Flickr

Manchester Christmas Markets are now back open for 2024.

The iconic annual event is an absolute staple in Manchester’s festive events calendar, and always draws in thousands of visitors from all across the globe – with hundreds of stalls across several sites all lining the streets of our city centre.

Visitors are able to tuck into a wide range of festive foods and drinks, and shop for Christmas gifts from countless independent traders.

Find out everything you need to know about Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 here.

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Skate Manchester 2024

Cathedral Gardens

Monday 11 November – onwards

Skate Manchester 2024 / Credit: Matt Eachus (via Supplied)

What’s a festive season in the city without Skate Manchester?

Back once again for 2024, Skate Manchester is festive staple, and this year, skaters can glide across a gleaming ice path and spin around a dazzling seven-metre Christmas tree taking centre stage in the middle of the rink.

Families, friends, and festive fun seekers will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas whatever the weather has in store for our city this year too, as although the rink will be outdoors in the heart of Cathedral Gardens, the ice is fully covered.

Find out more and grab tickets here.

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The Christmas Trail

Trafford Centre

Monday 11 November – onwards

The Christmas Trail is coming to Wilderspool Woods this winter. Credit: Supplied
The Christmas Trail / Credit: Supplied

A brand-new festive light trail has arrived in Greater Manchester for the winter, transforming the hidden Wilderspool Woods at the Trafford Centre into a twinkling wonderland. 

The 4.5-acre event running until early 2025 has brought dozens of jaw-dropping light and interactive illuminations to the woods, filling paths and treetops with festive magic, from giant overhead shooting stars to huge illuminated presents.

There’s also an impressive selection of festive street food on offer curated by Freight Island too.

Find out more and get tickets here.

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Manchester Animation Festival 2024

HOME

Sunday 10 – Thursday 14 November

Manchester Animation Festival 2024 / Credit: MAF

Manchester Animation Festival is back for 2024.

The UK’s largest animation festival, and celebrating its tenth edition this year, the festival is taking over HOME in the heart of the city centre for the week, and promises to offer audiences and the industry alike with the incredible opportunity to experience some of the world’s best animated film content.

Featuring international guests, premieres, masterclasses and panels, there’s something for everyone on the jam-packed programme.

Find out more here.

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The Teepee

The Oast House

Monday 11 November – onwards

The Teepee / Credit: The Oast House

The Oast House’s legendary Christmas has returned to Spinningfields for the festive season.

Bound to be popular spot for locals and those who’ve finished a hard day at work during the colder months, The Teepee officially reopened last week and is made up of three tents joined together with a huge open hub, complete with two roaring fires, twinkling fairy lights, faux fur throws.

The Teepee is famed for its free live music, home-cooked food, and laidback warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Find out more and make a booking here.

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NEW OPENING – Archie’s Atomic

Trafford Palazzo

Archie's Atomic has a full diner serving its signature burgers and shakes. Credit: The Manc Group
The huge pink roller rink at Archie's Atomic.
NEW OPENING – Archie’s Atomic / Credit: The Manc Group

Beloved Manchester-founded burger brand Archie’s has now revealed its latest venture… an all-pink roller rink, diner, and arcade called Archie’s Atomic.

This exciting addition to Greater Manchester over at Trafford Palazzo includes the north’s largest leisure roller rink, geared towards skaters of all abilities, and you can rent a pair of Archie’s Atomic roller skates before going for a spin beneath a huge spinning disco ball on the bespoke bright pink rink.

The 5000sq ft Archie’s Atomic has a full diner with smash burgers and delicious sides.

For the first time ever, the new venue also has a dedicated milkshake bar serving shakes, waffles, coffee and ice cream by the scoop.

Find out more here.

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Jurassic World: The Exhibition

Trafford Centre

Monday 11 November 2024 – January 2025

Jurassic World: The Exhibition / Credit: Supplied

A major Jurassic World exhibition that’s been mesmerising visitors all over the world has now arrived here in Greater Manchester, and it’s recently been announced that it’ll be sticking around until the new year.

Based on the beloved blockbuster film franchise, this official award-winning experience is one of the fastest-selling exhibitions in history.

Manc visitors will be able to walk through the iconic Jurassic World gates, explore some richly-themed environments, and encounter a life-sized Brachiosaurus, Velociraptors, and the most fearsome dinosaur of all, the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Find out more and grab some tickets here.

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Elf The Musical

Palace Theatre Manchester

Tuesday 12 – Sunday 17 November

Elf The Musical / Credit: ATG Tickets

Elf The Musical is visiting our city this week.

Taking over one of Manchester’s most prestigious stages, and set to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year nice and early, Elf The Musical at the Palace Theatre takes one of the best-loved Christmas films and turns it into an all-singing, all-dancing stage production.

Join Buddy the Elf as he embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. 

Get some last-minute tickets here.

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The Big Manchester Bake

New Bailey

Wednesday 13 November – onwards

The Big Manchester Bake / Credit: Big Bakes | Brydn Webb

The Big Manchester Bake has landed, and believe us when we tell you it’s one of the best ways to spend an evening in the city.

Baking enthusiasts and novices alike can indulge in the enjoyment of the Big Bakes experience, with step-by-step instructions allowing you to bake your way through the 90-minute timed task and be crowned ‘star baker’ (or…not).

Take part as a duo or trio as you test your partnership skills in this stressful but delightful frenzy of baking joy.

Find out more and book here.

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Bar Hütte

Kampus & Great Northern

Thursday 14 November – onwards

Bar Hütte / Credit: Supplied

Bar Hütte’s legendary karaoke cabins are coming back to Manchester once again this week.

Bringing Alpine vibes, cosy furnishings, twinkling lights, live music sessions, and flowing drinks to two city centre locations from this Thursday onwards, dozens of cosy private hüttes neatly-positioned under twinkling lights will open down at both Kampus and Great Northern Square.

There’s also a handful of other events on the lineup throughout the festive season, including live music and DJs, wreath making workshops, and movie nights.

Find out more and grab tickets here.

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Manchester Art Fair 2024

Manchester Central

Friday 14 – Sunday 17 November

Manchester Art Fair 2024 / Credit: Supplied

Manchester Art Fair is returning to our city centre this weekend, and there’s so much to look forward to.

Founded back in 2008, and going on to become one of the largest and most significant art fairs in the UK, Manchester Art Fair has cemented itself among the most celebrated cultural events in Greater Manchester‘s annual social calendar.

It’s known and loved for bringing together a wide range of artists, galleries, and artist studios along with a full programme of talks and art classes.  

See everything you need to know about Manchester Art Fair 2024 here.

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The Dashing Dachshund Pup-Up Cafe

Revolution Parsonage Gardens

Saturday 16 November

The Dashing Dachshund’ Pup-Up Cafe / Credit: The Pup Up Cafe

The Dachshund Pup Up Cafe is back in Manchester this weekend, and if the concept of the popular event wasn’t flipping cute enough already as it is, this time around, it’s a Christmas-themed edition, and it’s all sounding set to be the perfect festive day out in the city with your four-legged friend.

More than 250 sausage dogs and their owners will meet under one roof in a safe space to roam free and get festive.

Find out more and get last-minute tickets here.

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The Grotto

Trafford Centre

Saturday 16 November – Tuesday 24 December

The Grotto at the Trafford Centre / Credit: Supplied

The main man is making our northern city his new home at one of Greater Manchester’s biggest shopping centres this winter time.

Starting in this Saturday and running all the way up until Christmas Eve, Santa is swapping the cold air of the North Pole for the cloudy skies of Manchester, as he starts his annual journey around the world by making a visit to our region.

Not only is Santa travelling with his grotto, he’s also giving visitors the chance to experience the world of the North Pole as he brings the chilly destination to the Trafford Centre.

Find out more here.

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Manchester Coffee Festival 2024

Bowlers Exhibition Centre

Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 November

Manchester Coffee Festival 2024 / Credit: Supplied

Manchester Coffee Festival is back for 2024 this weekend.

The renowned event celebrates all things caffeine and is a must-visit for anyone in the industry, or just anyone who’s a coffee fanatic.

Visitors can work their way around the vast event at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre, where there’ll be everything from a marketplace for shopping, a tasting room where you can sample loads of different coffees, workshops to have a go at, and talks and panels with industry experts. 

Find out more and grab last-minute tickets here.

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Yuletide

Tatton Park

Saturday 16 November – onwards

Yuletide at Tatton Park / Credit: Supplied

The magnificent grounds of Tatton Park are being transformed into a ‘glittering winter adventure’ this festive season.

Families will be whisked away into a world of folklore, enchantment, and enthralling performances as they enter the gardens of the stunning Tatton Park in Cheshire for an immersive, festival-like experience known as Yuletide.

Organisers say the captivating event promises to be a “truly magical experience” where folklore stories come to life through storytelling and live music.

Find out more and get tickets here.

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Credit: Manchester Art Fair | Flickr | The Pup-Up Cafe

What's On

The Manchester charity that’s championing the community one step at a time

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia Forever Manchester charity work

There’s a Manchester-based charity which is helping uplift and champion communities throughout the city centre and wider Greater Manchester region.

Us Mancs certainly know a thing or two about community, whether it’s our influential music scene, football clubs, our hospitality scene and so on, but Forever Manchester takes this to the next level.

This charity has been consistently funding and supporting community initiatives throughout Greater Manchester by helping people achieve the extraordinary, all while maintaining plenty of local pride.

Forever Manchester was born from a mission to support the people and places that make Greater Manchester magic, and is all about making sure the community is at the forefront of everything they do.

Credit: Forever Manchester

The community-first charity has invested over £65 million into local communities and awarded £517,968 to over 100 different community groups.

This isn’t a new charity either, Forever Manchester has been deep in our city’s culture for quite some time since launching in 1989, most notably commissioning local poet Tony Walsh’s ‘This is the Place’.

The piece was originally published in 2012 before finding a very special place in our hearts back in 2017 when Walsh performed the poem at a vigil for the Manchester Arena attack.

This love letter to Manchester has not only gone on to become a part of the city’s history but also reaffirmed this organisation’s place throughout communities in the region.

Credit: Supplied

Now, the community-minded charity is ready to make a mark in 2025 with a whole host of initiatives, including a Forever Manchester lottery, pub quizzes, comedy nights and disco bingo.

Anyone looking to find out more information about this community-first charity and see some examples of the work it does can visit Forever Manchester’s official website.

Remember, this is a city that looks after its own – that’s the kind of energy we want to see you keeping up all year long.

And, if you have a soft spot for a tote bag or wall art prints, look no further than Forever Manchester’s shop, where every purchase directly contributes to community activities in Greater Manchester HERE.

Read more:

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

Featured Images – Forever Manchester (supplied)

What's On

Billie Eilish at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Billie Eilish is ready to take over Co-op Live for four nights of tear-jerking, heart-wrenching, belly-aching hits right here in Manchester.

Ms. ‘Ocean Eyes’ herself is coming to Manchester this month, and we’re on hand with all the info you need so you don’t have to ‘Guess’ anything on the day of your show.

Billie Eilish has cemented her position in the music industry as one of the leading hitmakers, and at only 23 years old, this artist has won nine Grammy Awards and racked up three UK number-one singles.

The American star has been grafting since her early teens, dropping her first ever EP, don’t smile at me, in 2017 at only 16 years old and has reached height after height ever since.

Billie Eilish gig guide

Billie Eilish Co-op Live Manchester tickets
Billie Eilish is playing at Co-op Live in Manchester on 19, 20, 22 and 23 July.
Credit: Press shot (supplied)

Her latest album ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’, which is also the name of the tour, is Eilish’s third studio album and it’s stacked with bangers like ‘Birds of a Feather’, ‘Lunch’ and ‘Wildflower’, just to name a few.

Now, Eilish is ready to play four nights at Manchester’s largest indoor entertainment venue, Co-op Live, and join a roster of acts in the top 10 biggest gigs in Manchester music history.

Billie Eilish UK tour dates

  • Tue 8 July – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
  • Thu 10 July – London, UK – The O2
  • Fri 11 July – London, UK – The O2
  • Sun 13 July – London, UK – The O2
  • Mon 14 July – London, UK – The O2
  • Wed 16 July – London, UK – The O2
  • Thu 17 July – London, UK – The O2
  • Sat 19 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Sun 20 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Tue 22 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Wed 23 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live

Are there tickets left for Billie Eilish tickets in Manchester?

Anyone after tickets to any of the upcoming Billie Eilish gigs in Manchester might be in for a ‘not-so-lovely’ surprise, as you can expect, as most general tickets are sold out.

However, anyone who’s missed out on tickets for Billie’s FOUR-gig run in Manchester can still take a look at a variety of premium ticket packages.

You can grab your ‘Birds of a Feather’ and a ticket or two for the Saturday, 19 July show HERE.

Pack your ‘Lunch’ and put on your best outfit because there are exclusive tickets for the Sunday, 20 July gig HERE.

Your friends will be calling you ‘The Greatest’ when you let them know about the premium tickets still left for Tuesday, 22 July right HERE.

Finally, grab ‘L’amour De Ma Vie’ and sing your heart out with a range of hospitality tickets to choose from on Wednesday, 23 July HERE. And breathe…

Billie Eilish setlist

  • Chihiro
  • Lunch
  • NDA
  • Therefore I Am
  • Wildflower
  • when the party’s over
  • The Diner
  • ilomilo
  • bad guy
  • The Greatest
  • Your Power
  • Skinny
  • TV
  • bury a friend
  • Oxytocin
  • Guess
  • everything i wanted
  • lovely / Blue / ocean eyes (Medley)
  • L’amour De Ma Vie
  • What Was I Made For?
  • Happier Than Ever
  • Birds of a Feather

What are the stage times for Billie Eilish in Manchester?

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning concertgoers can be safe knowing ‘when the party’s over’ it won’t be well into the early hours.

Doors for ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ tour are scheduled for 6pm with support acts Syd and Magdalena Bay on hand to soundtrack your evening and leave you feeling ‘Happier Than Ever’ before Billie at 8pm.

The first act, Syd, is known for co-founding influential R’n’B band, The Internet (big fans, by the way), and has just dropped a new solo single ‘Die For This’ ahead of her Billie Eilish tour stint.

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 until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

The ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour’ will mark Billie Eilish’s first ever Co-op Live appearance.
Credit: William Drumm (supplied)

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,e 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 vary, obviously:

  • 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 Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • 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.

Read more:

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

Featured Images – Publicity Pictures (supplied)

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