We may have been saying it for quite some time now, but the festive season really is in full swing, and the city is suitably getting into the Christmas spirit as there’s absolutely no shortage of things to be getting up to in our region this week, so we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits to put together another fresh edition of our ‘what’s on’ guide for the city of Manchester.
Some of the events we’re going to mention here are completely free, others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.
Plenty are still taking COVID-safety measures to give you peace of mind though.
Here’s our top picks.
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Aladdin
Manchester Opera House
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Monday 13 December 2021 – Sunday 2 January 2022
Credit: Palace and Opera
X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke, and local comedian Ben Nickeless are among the names starring in this year’s festive pantomime at Manchester Opera House.
Promising theatre fans “everything you could wish for in a panto”, a festive production of Aladdin has arrived in Manchester city centre, and will see Alexandra Burke make her pantomime debut as The Spirit of The Ring, joined by local comedian Ben Nickless as Aladdin’s hapless brother Wishee Washee.
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Aladdin runs from Saturday 11 December 2021 to Sunday 2 January 2022.
A new world-first free exhibition that’s set to explore the revolution in science that is transforming cancer care has opened to the public at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.
The Science Museum Group has partnered with expert partner Cancer Research UK for the curation of the new exhibition at what is a key moment in time when one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime, but more of us than ever before are living longer and better with the disease.
Cancer Revolution: Science, innovation, and hope is the first “major object-rich exhibition” to reveal the past, present and future of how cancer is prevented, detected and treated.
Through never-before seen objects and stories, cutting edge treatment and research, reflection, new artist commissions and installations, film, photography, interactive exhibits and a breadth of personal stories, the museum says the exhibition will present the stories of people affected by cancer and those who study and treat it.
You can find more information about the new exhibition here.
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Manchester Christmas Markets
Manchester City Centre
Monday 13 – 22 December
Credit: Flickr | Flickr (Andrew Stawarz)
Manchester Christmas Markets 2021 have officially opened.
After Manchester City Council confirmed the return of the iconic event – which spreads festive cheer right across the city centre, and draws in visitors from all across the globe each year – last month, Piccadilly Gardens has taken over the reigns from Albert Square as the heart of the markets event as the town hall regeneration project continues.
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The area has become the ‘Winter Gardens’, and ionic market huts have also been set up on nine different sites across the city.
This year’s markets will run right through until Wednesday 22 December 2021.
You can find out more about Manchester Christmas Markets here, and about all the Christmas and Winter Markets in Manchester here.
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Christmas at Cheshire Oaks
Cheshire Oaks
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Monday 13 December – onwards
If you’re looking to get a head-start on your Christmas shopping with the festive season just around the corner, then there’s arguably no better place in the north west to get yourself down to than Cheshire Oaks.
Cheshire Oaks is the largest Designer Outlet in the UK, home to over 400,000 square feet of retail space with more than 150 boutiques, restaurants, and cafés to choose from, and there’s up to 60% off the RRP in all of the brands on site too, all year round.
But even though Christmas shopping is probably at the front of your mind right now, that’s not all you could be getting up to at the outlet over these next few weeks and throughout December.
We’ve rounded-up everything happening at Cheshire Oaks this festive season here.
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Lightopia
Heaton Park
Monday 13 December – 3 January 2022
Credit: Lightopia
Award-winning illuminations event Lightopia has returned to Heaton Park for the third year running, and has this year brought some new “festive fantasy” installations, lanterns, and light shows to Manchester.
That’s not all that’s new this year though, as nestled in the park’s woodland and surrounded by lanterns, 10 illuminated ‘Dining Domes’ make for a unique and atmospheric dining experience for families, friends and couples, while The Stables Courtyard Bar and Dining offers a more casual dining experience, with food, music and festive spirit under a heated canopy.
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Lightopia has also announced a new charity initiative called Light of Love that will be supporting a range of local organisations around Greater Manchester this year too.
You can find out more, and grab tickets to Lightopia here.
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Van Gogh Alive
MediaCityUK
Monday 13 December – 23 January 2022
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Van Gogh Alive has officially opened at MediaCityUK.
It’s “the world’s most visited immersive, multi-sensory experience” that exhibits the life and work of the seminal Dutch artist and after having welcomed over eight million visitors in 70 cities around the world – including sell-out runs in London and Birmingham – the art and culture experience is now destined for Salford.
Van Gogh Alive takes people on a trip through the periods of Van Gogh’s life that defined him as an artist and showcases 3,000 images, including some of his most iconic works like Starry Night and Sunflowers, and lesser-known paintings inspired by his love of Japanese woodprints.
The exhibition is home to a life-sized walk-in representation of Van Gogh’s ‘Bedroom in Arles’ painting, a ‘Sunflower selfie room’ – a 360° mirrored space complete with hundreds of sunflowers, and so much more
Credit: Geograph (David Dixon) | Manchester City Council
After captivating visitors in years gone by, 10 twinkly Christmas light sculptures have been brought to life across the city centre once again.
Among the festive sculptures to keep your eyes peeled for will be some giant walk-through baubles, star-spangled archways, a 36ft Christmas tree, and a colour-changing word sculpture that spells out ‘Merry Christmas MCR’, as well as some returning favourites.
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This year, the sculptures are all dotted around Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter’s Square.
Silcock’s Winter Wonderland and its indoor Christmas theme park has returned to Greater Manchester.
The massive festive event has taken over EventCity for the first time in four years, transforming the 22,000 sq metre exhibition space into a magical wonderland with more than 50 rides and attractions – including rollercoasters and waltzers – all under one roof.
As well as its indoor fairground, Kingpin Events will also be putting on theatrical entertainment.
Now that temperatures are dropping and the festive season is right around the corner, the Trafford Centre’s next large-scale outdoor event invites visitors to “grab the gang for some festive fun” at ‘Tinsel Town’.
So wrap up warm and explore a winter wonderland that’s full of rides and festive fayre – including the chance to glide on down the UK’s longest tobbogan slide, take a spin on the big wheel at the festive fairground, hitch a ride on the Santa train, and shimmy and skate around a brand-new magical ice rink.
And of course, no Christmas is complete without a visit to the big man himself, so get ready to share your festive wishes with Santa in his twinkling tipi.
Manchester Arndale’s ‘Santa’s Postbox’ has arrived.
You can help your little one write their Christmas wish list while chatting to the magic postbox in his winter wonderland snow scene, then simply pop it in the letterbox and head home to wait for a special reply from Santa himself. Letters posted up until 17 December will receive a reply via post, and letters posted between 18-24 December will receive a reply via email.
Also arrived at the city centre shopping centre is a brand new magical sleigh ride that’s powered by Virtual Reality technology.
Luxury department store Selfridges has turned part of its building into a Christmas wonderland to host a series of very special dinner parties.
And this is your last chance to take part in one.
With local chef Mary-Ellen McTague at the helm, the events will be raising money for Eat Well MCR and its Christmas wish to deliver 1000 roast dinners to refuges, homeless families and schools.Each ticket will include a seven-course dinner with cocktails and champagne, delivered in a setting packed with nostalgic glamour, fun and surprises.
Tickets are priced at £95 per person with soft drinks paring or £120 with cocktail pairing, and you can book your place here.
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Spider-Man: No Way Home
The Light Stockport
Wednesday 15 December
Credit: Marvel / Disney
The Light cinema in Stockport is going all out for the highly-anticipated release of the new Marvel franchise instalment – Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is being released on 15 December – with a special 7am screening for super fans.
Stockport’s very-own Spiderman – who’s raised thousands of pounds since the start of the pandemic – will also be making an appearance too, so keep an eye out.
A description for the film on The Light’s website reads: “For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighbourhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Super Hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.”
Find out more, and book tickets for the 7am screening here.
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TRIM-IT x The Manc
Manchester City Centre
Wednesday 15 December
“Like Uber, but for haircuts.”
Do you need a haircut for your this Christmas party year, but haven’t got round to booking to one yet? Well, this Wednesday, The Manc is teaming up with revolutionary mobile barber app service TRIM-IT to bring the haircuts to you, so you fresh fade ready for the festive season.
Make sure to keep your eye on The Manc’s Instagram stories here on Wednesday morning if you fancy taking part.
It was the sell-out success of 2020 – and now the immersive drive-in cinema experience Christmas City has returned to Manchester once again.
Christmas City has taken over a brand-new location at the Soccer Dome in Stretford from 26 November 2021 – 2 January 2022 to bring entertainment safely to visitors in their own cars from the biggest screen in the UK.
Having returned with what is being described as a “festive extravaganza”, Christmas City – hosted by Park N Party, the team also behind popular drive-in events SecretCity and ScareCity – is set to show a huge selection of outdoor Christmas cinema classics, including Home Alone, Elf, The Polar Express, and so many more.
There’s also set to be a fully-licensed bar and festive food vendors on site throughout the whole running of the event.
This Christmas, Hotel Football is bringing the best of Bavaria to Old Trafford.
The Old Trafford Supporters Club will be transformed into traditional Christmas Markets, and using custom made market stalls, fully-stocked with delicious sweet and savoury treats and specially selected drinks, Hotel Football is inviting everyone to come down and enjoy the festivities.
You can expect good-quality, classic German delicacies – such as bratwursts, kartoffelpuffer, flammkuchen, and strudel, as well as traditional drinks such as gluhwein, a Hotel Football Alpine special cocktail and of course, plenty of beer.
A resident DJ will also be playing the finest of tunes to get everyone in the mood for the Christmas festivities ahead.
A brand-new “insane and super wacky” live event that’s inspired by popular Japanese game shows has arrived in Manchester.
It’s fair to say that Ginger Vanderpump – known by many as ‘the Duchess of daytime TV’ – and her co-star Mr Leonard Lilypops are giving Manchester an experience like no other, where those who are up to the challenge can expect “mind-blowing entertainment” from a crazy cast of misfits.
There’s some wild games, banging tunes, live DJ’s, Drag Queens, everyone’s favourite drinks, and chaos like you’ve never seen before.
This is Big in Japan.
You can find more information and grab tickets here.
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SANTA’S GROOVE
HATCH
Saturday 18 December
Christmas really has come early at HATCH.
On Saturday 18 December, the popular Oxford Road venue is throwing an all-day and all-night party called SANTA’S GROOVE. Courtesy of the team from The Mu, from 2pm, there’ll be an incredible lineup of local and international DJs mixing disco, funk and tech house, with an exclusive lock-in starting from at midnight.
Tickets start from £15, and you can grab them from the HATCH website here.
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Featured Image – Lightopia | TRIM-IT
What's On
The full list of Greater Manchester Olympians representing Team GB at Paris 2024
Danny Jones
The Paris Olympics are nearly here and this year Greater Manchester happens to have eight athletes competing at the 2024 Summer Games.
It just so happens that eight is also the exact same number of local Olympians who brought home medals from Tokyo 2020, and we’re hoping these lot will help Team GB bring back a record number, with the previous competition seeing them match their all-time record (65) set at London 2012.
Honestly, there are few times in the year that we love as much as when the summer of sport fully kicks in and with the heartbreak of the Euros finally starting to drift, we can fully throw ourselves into the Olympics and get behind our Mancs flying the flag for 0161.
But who exactly is representing Greater Manchester at Paris 2024 and what events are they competing in? Look no further.
Greater Manchester’s 2024 Team GB athletes and their sports
Without further ado, let’s meet our local Olympic heroes:
Keely Hodgkinson – Wigan – Athletics
Starting out over in the home of the Latics, pie barms and The Verve, we have Wigan‘s very own Keely Hodgkinson: a two-time European champion who also recently broke the all-time British record in the 800m at the Diamond League in London on 20 July.
Born in Atherton, the 22-year-old middle-distance runner’s career is already off to a flyer and having already picked up the silver in her event at the last Olympics at just 19, we have every faith she’ll be bringing home the gold this time.
Aimee Pratt – Stockport – Athletics
Over to Stockport (don’t start with that Cheshire nonsense today, just be proud she’s from around here) and our 3000m steeplechase specialist, who already broke the national record twice in 2022 and produced the UK’s best-ever finish (7th) in the women’s event at the World Athletics Championships.
A long-standing member of Sale Harriers running club and a University of Manchester graduate, Aimee Pratt, 26, has got so much local backing behind her and has quickly gone from rising star to very much looking like she’s going to live up to the expectations of becoming ‘world-class’ as coaches predicted.
The third and final Manc representing us in athletics events is Bury-born and bred Hannah Kelly, 23, who is also a member of nearby Bolton United Harriers.
She was part of the crack team at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow that helped Great Britain reach a women’s 4x400m national record, picking up the bronze medal and will no doubt be looking to go on further in her Olympic debut.
Now into the world of combat sport and the incredible story of Trafford boxer Pat Brown’s journey to Paris 2024 who beat Poland’s Mateusz Bereznicki in a qualifier back in March and now finds himself heading to his first-ever appearance at the Olympics.
Coming through the ranks at his local clubs Moss Side Fire Station and Sale West ABC, the 24-year-old has gone through his fair share of challenges of late, losing his best friend and cousin shortly after sealing his place at the Games but now has more spirit and motivation behind him than ever.
Moving over to the world of cycling and there’s just one local name taking part in two-wheeled events this year: 28-year-old sensation, Charlotte Worthington, from just down the road in Chorlton.
One of the select few Team GB athletes who managed to pick up an Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, the BMX star is not only ready to defend her title – becoming the first women’s champion freestyle park champion in history – but is looking to come back stronger than ever after some time out.
Insane stuff.
Anthony Harding – Ashton-under-Lyne – Diving
On to those wading through Paris waters in the name of Manchester, the first of two aquatic athletes competing at this year’s tournament is Antony Harding from Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside.
Joining forces will Britain’s first-ever Olympic diving champion, Jack Laugher (who won the gold at Rio 2016), the duo have already brought home Commonwealth and European gold in the 3m synchro, as well as a pair of World Championship silver medals in the last two years. Is 2024 set for more gold?
And completing the water-bound Team GB athletes hailing from 0161 is multiple-gold medal-winner James Guy who, to use a phrase the kids are using, really is ‘that guy‘.
Another Bury native, the 27-year-old swimmer already has a big collection of gold medals in both the 200m and 4x200m freestyle at the Worlds, as well as silvers across multiple events over the past few years. With five Olympic medals in total to date, we’re desperate for him to add a gold to that list.
Georgia Taylor-Brown – Droyslden – Triathlon
Last but certainly not least is Droyslden’s Georgia Taylor-Brown, who was born to be an Olympian after her mum and Dad swam and ran, respectively, but continues to chase her own story of greatness, having picked up silver on her Olympics debut at Tokyo 2020 – even whilst nursing an injury.
With two golds at the 2019 World Triathlon Mixed Relay Series and AJ Bell World Triathlon in Leeds as well, we already know the colour looks good on her. You can listen to her full interview about going for gold yet again on BBC Sounds HERE but, for now, we’ll admit that her talking about coping with missing her dog come race time has made us love her even more:
Passport ✅ Hotel ✅ Alfie the cavapoo 🥰@TeamGB triathlete Georgia Taylor-Brown from Droylsden on what she can't live without at the Olympics.
Fingers crossed out Greater Manchester Olympians will absolutely smash it at Paris 2024 and regardless of how many medals they come home with, we already know they’ll give it their all.
No matter what, they’ll be welcomed back with a lovely homecoming party over at the AO Arena and we already have a great place to watch the events too.
Best of luck to our Mancs and all of Team GB – now go and do us proud!
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 29 July – 4 August 2024
Emily Sergeant
It feels like we’ve been saying this for weeks on end… but summer might actually be here now.
Although the weather’s been quite hit or miss as of late, now that little Mancs across our region have broken up for the school holidays, and August is arriving this week too, it’s hard to deny that the sunshine season is here.
Greater Manchester‘s social calendar is packed full of festivals, cultural celebrations, and wholesome family-friendly events especially for the summer too, but if you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do, don’t worry, as we’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 29 July – onwards
Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine / Credit: Science Museum Group
More than 100 objects and stories collected during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic are now on display as part of a new exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum.
The groundbreaking new exhibition, titled Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine, explores the worldwide effort to develop vaccines at pandemic speed, while uncovering the inspiring stories of scientists and innovators around the globe who collaborated to tackle the worldwide COVID-19 challenge along the way.
Manchester has been transformed into “a palaeontologist’s playground”.
Back by popular demand, dozens of life-sized animatronic dinosaurs have descended on the grounds of Heaton Park for the summer, and this means our region has become the closest thing to Jurassic Park in real life.
Dino fans of all ages have the chance to get up close and personal with around 40 of the big beasts over the next couple of weeks.
Did you see that a huge Batman experience has now swooped into Manchester?
Having taken over Depot Mayfield in the city centre, and offering fans a chance to see real jaw-dropping props and costumes from the actual Warner Bros. archives, this exclusive event brings the cinematic world of Batman to life.
Through a series of themed rooms, exhibitions, and a comic book and gaming area, Batman Unmasked is packed full of items from this iconic character’s film history.
The Trafford Centre’s massively-popular summer celebration is back, and tickets are only £2.50 each.
Back by popular demand for plenty of family fun, only this time with a new name, Bright Lights, Big Fun has seen a retro fairground and a massive 600sqm beach perfect for sunbathing and sandcastles pop up outside the Greater Manchester shopping centre, alongside a splash park with loads of water jets, and so much more.
There’s also a yummy selection of food and drink traders on site to take your pick from if you’re feeling peckish after getting stuck into some fun and games.
Find out more and get yourself some £2.50 tickets here.
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Wild
Manchester Museum
Monday 29 July – onwards
Wild / Credit: Manchester Museum
A groundbreaking new immersive exhibition exploring our relationship with the natural world is now open at Manchester Museum.
‘Wild’ look at how people are creating, rebuilding, and repairing connections with nature, and how the natural world has traditionally been presented and idealised through Western art, as well as looking at some unique approaches to environmental recovery too.
The exhibition will also crucially look at how we can tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by making the world more wild.
Did you see that John Rylands Library has been named one of the best free UK attractions families should visit this summer?
The historic Grade-I listed building on Deansgate in the heart of the city centre has claimed a coveted fourth spot on a new top 10 list, according to a new analysis of TripAdvisor ratings of free UK attractions.
With the summer break right around the corner now, plenty of parents, carers, and guardians across Greater Manchester will likely be looking for a ways to keep the kids entertained and educated while schools are out for six full weeks – especially ways that are Manchester weather-proof and don’t break the bank too much too.
In fact, internet searches for ‘free tourist attractions near me’ are said to have risen by +5000% over the past 30 days.
John Rylands houses one of the UK’s most unique collections of books and manuscripts, and was found to have an average five-star TripAdvisor rating of 75.2%, according to the study – with visitors describing it as “definitely worth the visit”.
Olympics 2024 – Official Team GB Fanzone / Credit: Team GB
Manchester is one of a handful on UK cities chosen by Team GB itself to host an official Olympics fanzone with a big screen this summer, and the best part of it all is, it’s absolutely free for everyone to enter and make the most of.
A big screen playing all the major sporting action and coverage highlights has been set up at The Lawn Club in Spinningfields.
This means that, for the next couple of weeks, sports lovers in the city centre are able to tuck into an all-day food and drinks lineup, all while they watch the Games surrounded by other equally-enthusiastic fans.
Cheshire Oaks has brought its popular The Great Summer Social event back for another year, and there’s currently loads to get involved with while schools are out.
Not only is there a bunch of retail offers and promotions to make the most of, as well as free family-friendly interactive activities to get involved with too, but there’s also a big wheel, a mini golf course, a big screen showing sporting events, DJs blasting out tunes, and a wide variety of street food and drink vendors across the Designer Outlet.
One of Greater Manchester’s best-loved outdoor dining concepts has returned for 2024, and there’s a proper tasty lineup of traders.
‘Kargo on the Docks’ – which is MediaCity‘s al fresco dining pop-up, in place of the former Box On The Docks – has had itself a bit of a “glow up” and has taken over the waterfront and gardens with a fresh wave of local food traders and stunning artwork by Salford-based creatives, all as the sun shines down on Salford Quays this summer.
Did you see that legendary pizzeria Rudy’s has opened its seventh Greater Manchester site over in Altrincham this past week?
NEW OPENING – Rudy’s Altrincham / Credit: The Manc Group
The wildly popular Manchester-born brand has taken over the former OneCentral food court in the heart of the town, and the new site’s been kitted out in classic Rudy’s style, filled with hanging plants, exposed brick, chalkboard menus, and colourful wooden tables.
And of course, the menu shows off classic Neapolitan pizzas.
Favourites include classics like Marinara, Margherita and Calabrese, plus more modern combos like triple pepperoni with burrata and hot honey, as well as rotating specials.
Greater Manchester just can’t get enough of dinosaurs, apparently, as A major Jurassic World exhibition that’s been mesmerising visitors all over the world is arriving here in Manchester for the summer from this Friday.
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.
A free festival with a lineup packed full of activities, workshops, live music, and more is coming to HOME this weekend.
The independent arts venue in the heart of Manchester city centre is inviting familie to the first of its two weekend-long festivals this Saturday and Sunday to get stuck into everything from interactive theatre and circus skills workshops, to dance, hands-on crafts, and so much more.
Everyone’s favourite little blue engine has once again made a long-awaited return to Greater Manchester for the summer.
The beloved Day Out With Thomas experience is said to be “a train ride like no other”.
Families will have the chance to hop onboard the East Lancashire Railway’s replica of the cult-classic blue train character when he returns this weekend for a 45-minute trip through the Greater Manchester countryside.