Now that Valentine’s Day has been and gone, it’s all about half term.
Schools across the region are now out for February half term, so as you can imagine, there’s absolutely no shortage of things for the whole family to be getting up to in Greater Manchester throughout this week – both free things, and those that’ll set you back a few pennies too.
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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Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 17 February – onwards
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Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You / Credit: Science Museum Group
You can plunge headfirst into the incredible world of our senses at a new immersive museum exhibition that’s now arrived at the Science and Industry Museum.
Back by popular demand after a successful run over these past two years, but with a fresh new adventure lined up for 2025, Operation Ouch! is giving you the chance to journey through an ear canal covered in gooey wax, squeeze past sticky snot, and delve deeper into how our brains interpret the world.
Tickets to Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You are now on sale, and visitors are being told to prepare themselves for an “epic exploration of the senses”.
NEW OPENING – Oxygen Activeplay / Credit: Jamie McPhilimey
A brand-new indoor activity park is opening in MediaCity this week, just in time for half term.
Salford was chosen by Oxygen Activeplay as the location for its next venture, and the brand-new park has descended on Quayside MediaCity, just above bustling food hall Kargo MKT, following a £2.5 million investment – with state-of-the-art equipment and activities to help local families stay active whilst having fun at the same time.
The new park features more than 30 trampolines, a mega-air bag, a high ropes course, a ‘Rollglider’ aerial ride which flies over the facility, and Oxygen’s signature illuminated sensory experience ‘Excite Tunnel’, along with even more “epic” activities.
Parents and cares can take their little Mancs down to the People’s History Museum throughout this week so they can build their own robot, inspired by the Deceptioncon robot costume which has recently made its home at the museum.
A whole host of colourful junk will be waiting in the museum’s Playful Protest Space, ready to be recycled into your own characterful junkbot that you can either take home or add to the imaginary picket line.
This family-friendly activity is suitable for those aged five-12 years old, making it the perfect half term activity, and it’s free to attend.
Freight Island’s Six Nations fanzone has returned for 2025.
The iconic international tournament is now underway, and so is Freight Island’s fantastic fan experience, providing an unparalleled level of excitement beyond being inside the stadium.
Already proving to be even bigger and better than last year, it’s the largest of its kind anywhere in the country, with everything from free pints and prosecco, live music, top-notch scran from Freight’s in-house vendors, and so much more.
Looking for other places to watch the Six Nations?
We’re absolutely spoiled for choice with places showing all the sporting action across Greater Manchester, so if you’re looking to get together with your mates, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to head to here.
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The Super Duper Family Festival
Manchester City Centre
Monday 17 & Tuesday 18 February
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The Super Duper Family Festival / Credit: ManchesterBID
A brand new festival full of free activities for all the family has arrived in Manchester, and you only have a couple of days left to get involved.
The new event, which is called The Super Duper Family Festival and is free to attend, is featuring a series of pop-up play zones at a variety of outdoor spaces and popular venues across the city centre, all of which will be free to use and ready to explore.
There’s six play zones providing unique experiences for all ages.
Fancy designing your own Rudy’s pizza to be in with a chance of getting added to the menu?
Oh, and getting free pizza for a year too if yours is chosen?
Yes that’s right, you can leave your mark on the Manc pizza world in one of the biggest ways imaginable by taking part in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – the chance to get your pizza creation on the official menu of Manchester-born pizzeria Rudy’s for all to enjoy.
To be in with a chance of winning, budding pizza aficionados just need to roll up their sleeves and submit their pizza creation by 9 March, when entries will be judged on creativity, adherence to Neapolitan style, seasonality, taste and marketability.
As well as your creation being chosen, there’s plenty of other prizes to be won too – including pizza ovens, and of course, that year’s supply.
Smash-hit musical Dear Evan Hansen is currently out on a UK tour for the first time ever, and it’s making a stop off here Manchester this week.
Known for being one of the most beloved new musicals of the last decade, having scooped up dozens of coveted awards after it first debuted on Broadway and the West End, Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of Evan – an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in.
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But the only thing is, on his way to fitting in, he didn’t tell the whole truth, and now must give up on a life he never dreamt he’d have.
The hugely popular wizard-themed steam train will be back travelling through Greater Manchester once again this week.
Aspiring witches and wizards for all ages are invited to enrol in the spellbinding school of sorcery on the East Lancashire Railway this summer as they take a “wacky and wonderful whistle stop tour” of the Wizard Academy.
They’ll get to learn to become a master of mystery and magic during this immersive interactive experience through the Irwell Valley of wonders that’s hauled by a genuine steam – and spell – powered train.
Did you see that Chester Zoo is giving away more than 30,000 free tickets to kids this year?
The UK’s largest charity zoo is on a mission to help nature to “survive and thrive”.
And so, in a bid to do just that, has announced that it will once again be handing out tens of thousands of tickets to schoolchildren for completely free of charge, so that they can explore the zoo up close and learn all about the inspiring work the conservation charity does.
With the hopes of empowering as many youngsters as possible, and sparking their passion for saving species once again, the zoo has now opened the scheme back up for the 2025/26 season – with a whopping 33,000 tickets available for schools, nurseries, and colleges to claim.
Those who secure tickets will have the opportunity to visit the zoo between this November and February 2026.
Little Mancs can try their hand at becoming a pilot, as the popular Flight Academy is returning to Manchester Airport.
After proving to be massively popular with families during plenty of school holidays in recent years, the Flight Academy programme is back at Runway Visitor Park later this week, just in time for half term across the region.
During 90-minute sessions, curious kids will get the chance to learn all about the different job roles that help keep Manchester’s airport in action throughout the year.
Bottomless Pizza Front / Credit: GRUB | The Manc Group
GRUB is teaming up with Pizza Mutt to host a Bottomless Pizza Brunch this weekend.
We’re not just talking bottomless drinks either, you can also tuck into an unlimited number of Tavern-style pizza slices, choosing from toppings such as marinara, double cheese, and pepperoni (with vegan cheese available) – within each 90-minute session.
You can then wash it all down with a selection of drinks, including Aperol spritzes, lager and ales, cider, and both non-alcoholic and soft drinks.
Brickhouse Social’s 90s-themed brunch is back by popular demand.
The Manchester social hub is inviting music lovers down to enjoy 90-minutes of bottomless pizza slices, fizz, bottled beers, and select cocktails on its ooftop terrace every Saturday over the nexr couple of months – with a resident DJ playing all the best tunes from the nineties.
There’s two brunch sittings available, so you can opt for 1-3pm or 3:30-5:30pm, and you can get booking your table now.
Looking to book a last-minute half term staycation?
Well, Cheshire’s premium country estate, the beautiful Carden Park in Chester, could be just the place you’re look for, as it’s offering kids the chance to stay there for free alongside their families on selected dates this half term.
Families visiting Carden Park this half term can enjoy countless on-site activities for completely free of charge.
Think scenic trails around the estate’s luscious gardens, championship golf courses, vineyard and sculpture garden, as well as adrenaline-fuelled experiences like ziplines, climbing, archery, mini quad biking, and more for the thrill seekers.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo | The Manc Group | ELR
What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 22 – 28 September 2025
Emily Sergeant
September is nearly wrapping up and autumn has officially arrived.
The season’s have changed, the weather taken a turn, and the leaves beginning to drop and change colour – but although summer may have come to an end, there’s still plenty of exciting activities to be getting up to in Greater Manchester in the coming weeks, as autumn in our region is always a thing of beauty.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries. We’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured.
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Oktoberfest 2025
Albert’s Schloss
Monday 22 September – Sunday 12 October
Oktoberfest 2025 / Credit: Supplied
Manchester’s ‘Bavarian extravaganza’ is back, and this year, there’s THREE whole weeks of it.
As always, Albert’s Schloss has a jam-packed programme of Oktoberfest-themed events for this year, and there’s plenty of bier-fuelled fun, foodie classics, and round-the-clock revelry that awaits.
Throughout the 21-day-long event, which culminates with one final Bavarian blowout on Sunday 12 October, revellers are invited to head on down to Schloss and enjoy an array of activities – with everything from ‘Keg Tapping’, and specially-selected beers, to must-see ‘eclectic’ entertainment, a live Oompah brass band, and best dressed competitions on the lineup.
Not to mention there’s a full menu of Bavarian-inspired feasting to look forward to too, and it’s more than just pretzels.
=Moulin Rouge The Musical / Credit: Johan Persson | Matt Crockett (Supplied)
If you’re wandering down Oxford Road over these next couple of weeks and take a wrong turn, then you may find yourself in early 20th century Paris.
Moulin Rouge The Musical is a sultry, sexy extravaganza of lust, sin, and debauchery that you just can’t get enough of, so it’s time to lose yourself in the magic and showmanship of the Parisian clubs of yesteryear, as whether you’re a big fan of the hit 2001 movie, or new to the world of Moulin Rouge, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that you will be blown away.
This is possibly the best show I’ve ever seen on stage, and it’s at the Palace Theatre right up until early October.
Read our review of the show, and get your last-minute tickets here.
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Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 22 September – onwards
Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You / Credit: Science Museum Group
You can plunge headfirst into the incredible world of our senses at a new immersive museum exhibition that’s down at the Science and Industry Museum.
Back by popular demand after a successful run over these past two years, but with a fresh new adventure lined up for 2025, Operation Ouch! is giving you the chance to journey through an ear canal covered in gooey wax, squeeze past sticky snot, and delve deeper into how our brains interpret the world.
Tickets to Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You are now on sale, and visitors are being told to prepare themselves for an “epic exploration of the senses”.
Museum of Illusions is celebrating the first birthday of its debut UK attraction in Manchester this September by giving away free tickets to anyone who shares its birthday month.
Loved by locals and tourists alike, the museum blends fun and education for visitors of all ages, and is fully-accessible too, ensuring everyone can enjoy the fun.
To mark the milestone and celebrate its first anniversary, visitors born in September can enjoy free entry to the museum from Monday 22 September through to Friday 3rd October (excluding weekends).
Looking for a bite to eat in Manchester this month? We’ve got a few suggestions to share…
August Food Round-Up 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group
Ooh we were eating good in August.
Even with the last of the warmer weather throughout August, that doesn’t mean we haven’t been having some right feasts – with plenty of cheese pulls, saucy drizzles, and for some reason, ANOTHER Labubu-themed dessert.
With the festive season soon approaching, we’re expecting the next month to get extra cosy and indulgent.
If you need some inspiration for where to eat in our region this month, we rounded up some of our best suggestions for you to pick from:
Did you know you can rent your own private cinema in Manchester city centre?
You may be in deep (far too deep) to the latest teen drama like we were this week, biting your nails through a sporting event, or just wish you could see your favourite film on the big screen again – and that’s where King Street Townhouse comes in.
There’s a luxury cinema tucked away in this popular hotel and you can book it out for all sorts of private screenings.
There’s loads of packages too, so you can stick whatever you want on the cinema screen, relax in plush armchairs, and tuck into cocktails, popcorn, and snacks.
Golf fanatics, get a load of this new spot in the city centre.
This is Pitch Manchester, and after success in London has branched out to the North, bringing state-of-the-art golf simulators, shuffleboard, DJs, and more, making it the perfect spot for beginners and experts alike, as there re experienced golf professionals on hand to help you travel the world through their variety of courses.
There’s a fully-stocked bar serving cocktails and food, plus lounge areas, private rooms, and memberships now available too.
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Does your name happen to be ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’? Do you like katsu?
Well do we have a treat for you…
In what is a small stroke of genius, popular restaurant chain Banana Tree has decided to give out free katsu curries to people with two specific – and very clever names, we have to say – and those names are ‘Kat’ and ‘Sue’, and every delicious variation of those names in between.
Anyone named Kat, Katie, Katherine, Sue, Suzy, Susan, Suzanne, or close enough to qualify, can now head to their local Banana Tree restaurant, show proof of name, and enjoy a free katsu dish of their choice, worth up to £16.75.
The offer is running for just four days only, from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, and you can find out how and where to claim your tasty freebie here.
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MCR Student Social 2025
Manchester Arndale
Thursday 25 September
MCR Student Social 2025 / Credit: Jason Lock (via Manchester Arndale)
MCR Student Social is back at Manchester Arndale this Thursday from 12pm.
It’s set to be the one-stop-shop for all students’ essential needs, whether they’re grabbing a new outfit for a night out, a scented candle for their halls, or even their weekly food shop, as there’ll be up to 50% off at over 130 shops, restaurants, and leisure venues inside the shopping centre.
If all of that wasn’t exciting enough as it is, there’s also set to be free food samples, loads of games, spin-to-win competitions and giveaways on the day too, as well as DJs blasting out tunes.
After five unforgettable years at Red Bank, ahead of its exciting future move, GRUB is set to say goodbye with a three-day ‘blowout’ of food, booze, music, and memories
Taking place this Thursday 25 to Saturday 27th September, it all culminates in one massive send-off, with a Big BOGOF Blowout weekend packed with two-for-one cocktails, shooters, and tacos, a non-stop 72-hour Happy Hour, and GRUB’s resident DJs going back-to-back as partygoers drink the cellar dry.
Find out everything happening this upcoming weekend here.
There’s a brand-new games bar and social space opening in Stockport town centre this week and it looks class – with curling, deck shuffleboard, archery, pétanque, and so much more, turning SK1 into the place to be.
Opening up above Market Place and ran by local lads, this space that’s been empty for more than 30 years has been transformed into a beautiful bar with stunning views of the market hall.
Everything you need to know about this new opening is here.
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Featured Image – Jason Lock (via Manchester Arndale) | The Manc Group | Museum of Illusions
What's On
Influential indie veterans The Wedding Present to embark on 40th anniversary tour
Danny Jones
Influential indie band The Wedding Present are about to begin a big live tour across the UK for their 40th anniversary, and one stop is right here in Manchester.
As boundary-pushing veterans of the genre for the best part of four decades, The Wedding Present have always been one of the most pioneering auteurs of the Northern music scene, and nothing has changed even after all this time.
The Leeds-formed icons are a favourite not only of ours but even more so among our friends over at The Hoot, and with an artistic legacy as strong as Yorkshire’s, that’s saying something.
David Lewis Gedge’s long-standing project rather quietly announced its major retrospective series of live shows back in June – so quiet, in fact, that we missed it until now – but as they gear up for a handful of very special dates, we’d urge Manc gig-goers to give themselves a Wedding Present.
Gedge and co. will be coming to the O2 Ritz in Manchester for just the second show of merely half a dozen confirmed for The Wedding Present 40th Anniversary Tour, having played the venue many times.
In fact, even after visits featuring live configurations over the years, the current lineup played the Ritz as recently as May 2023; the show was met with strong reviews pretty much across the board, and it seemed to signal somewhat of a falling back in love with the crowds of the North.
For anyone unaware of the self-styled ‘semi-legendary band’ (their PR’s words, not ours), The Wedding Present are probably in similar territory to fellow underdogs and Manc natives, James, when it comes to the amount of music they’ve put out over the years, inspiring generations of those who came after.
You might assume we’d name one of their most famous tracks, ‘George Best’, as our favourite, for rather obvious reasons – but you’d be wrong: it doesn’t get much better than ‘Dreamworld’, if you ask us.
Their rich back catalogue encompasses not only so many different eras but also sounds, styles and various other eccentricities; so much so that their multi-genre-spanning music has even produced its own musical.
But before we dive any deeper down into the rabbit hole, let’s get back on track.
Set to play Manchester on Friday, 10 October, The Wedding Present will be kicking off the tour in Bristol at the start of next month.
There are other dates in the likes of Sheffield, Liverpool, Chester, Holmfirth, Buxton, Newcastle and more, but only a few are officially part of the anniversary tour.
Tickets are live as we speak, so if you fancy going along to see them, you can grab yours HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
13th February 2025 
