We can all agree that Greater Manchester definitely seems to be getting itself into the spirit of summer at the moment, right?
Thankfully, there’s more where that came from this week.
Sure, the temperatures over the past couple of weeks have definitely dropped from the heights they hit in May, and it’s been a lot more windy and rainy than we would like, but now that June is in full swing, our region’s social calendar is packed full of foodie festivals, cultural celebrations, wholesome family-friendly events, and so much more.
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 this week, so here’s some of our recommendations.
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Power UP
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 17 June – onwards
Power UP / Credit: Science Museum Group
Did you know there’s a huge gaming event currently happening in Manchester?
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP is back for more in 2024 down at the Science and Industry Museum, and it’s taking ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming every weekend.
There’s everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more to get stuck into, and each ticket includes unlimited play all day.
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.
Fancy exploring the Yorkshire Dales in all their glory this summer?
Greater Manchester residents are now able to hop onboard a new train service to discover one of the most picturesque places in the North.
If you’re after a scenic adventure over these next couple of months, then Northern has decided to bring back the ‘Yorkshire Dales Explorer’ train after it proved to be so popular with passengers the last time it was out on its travels.
Yorkshire Dales Explorer / Credit: Northern
The new service is now departing from Rochdale to Ribblesdale twice a day every Saturday throughout the summer, and tickets will set you back around £25 each.
Tickets are now on sale, and you can find out more and grab yours here.
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Disney’s Aladdin
Palace Theatre Manchester
Monday 17 June – 7 July
Disney’s Aladdin / Credit: ATG Tickets
The magic carpet has officially landed, as Disney’s smash-hit musical Aladdin is now here in Manchester for the summer.
Based on the beloved 1992 animated film of the same name, and following several critically-acclaimed and sold-out runs on both Broadway and in London’s West End since it first debuted back in 2011, the Tony and Olivier Award-nominated production has taken to the stage down at Manchester’s iconic Palace Theatre.
The musical features all the timeless songs we know and love from the film, and people are already describing it as a seriously magical show.
The Manchester College ‘Greater Mancunians’ Exhibition
Manchester Central Library
Monday 17 June – onwards
The Manchester College ‘Greater Mancunians’ Exhibition / Credit: Supplied
Photography students from The Manchester College will be showcasing their ‘Greater Mancunians’ project as part of a landmark exhibition at Manchester Central Library’s Main Exhibition Hall from this week.
150 students have participated in the groundbreaking photography project, and it features images of some of Manchester’s most famous and influential people shot at numerous locations across the city.
More than 100 contributors are featured in the project, including musicians Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr, athletes Diane Modahl and Ricky Hatton, local politicians Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, and Bev Craig, actors Maxine Peake and Bill Roache, artists Stan Chow and AKSE P-19, and other local figures like Jonathan Warburton, Simon Martin, and Professor Erinma Bell MBE.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Abridged on a Bridge / Credit: Facing North Theatre
Facing North Theatre is returning to Castlefield Viaduct this week with a unique open-air adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed against the Manchester skyline on an iconic structure.
Returning to mark this year’s Summer Solstice, families and theatre lovers are invited to join some of Shakespeare’s best-loved characters to celebrate “fast paced, fun-filled farce” – with two shows taking place each day from Wednesday 19 to Saturday 22 June at 2-3pm and 7-8pm.
HOME’s popular Horizons Festival is making a 2024 return this weekend, and the Greater Manchester public is invited down to the city centre-based venue for three days of newly-commissioned theatre, performance, visual art, film, community events, family-friendly workshops, live music, and so much more.
Horizons 2024 will respond to this year’s theme of ‘Our Planet, Our Home’, and has been co-curated with the theatre’s Arts & Migration Network of displaced local artists.
Most events are free to attend, and you can find out more about everything happening here.
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Looking for somewhere to watch UEFA Euro 2024 in Greater Manchester this summer?
European football’s flagship tournament has now officially kicked off.
But if you haven’t been lucky enough to grab tickets to catch a game over in Germany itself, and you don’t fancy sitting at home and watching on your own, then thankfully, our region is filled with places where you can catch all the action surrounded by hundreds of other football fans.
UEFA Euro 2024 / Credit: Road to Victory
You’re absolutely spoiled for choice this year, as there’s plenty of places in Manchester city centre and beyond screening all the games.
Will England bring football home though? Only time will tell.
Check out our round-up list of all the best places to watch the Euros in Greater Manchester here.
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Sip & Paint with Music – Taylor Swift
GRUB
Friday 21 June
Sip & Paint with Music – Taylor Swift / Credit: GRUB
Consider yourself a Swiftie? Fancy getting creative at a synesthesia-inspired musical painting night?
Taylor Swift superfans are invited down to GRUB in the heart of Manchester’s Green Quarter this Friday for a ‘Sip & Paint’ event like no other, where you can learn all about synesthesia and paint along to your favourite Taylor tunes in a relaxed, fun, and friendly environment.
The special Taylor-themed session will be led by artist, Libby Ayres, and in a bid to celebrate the release of the new Tortured Poets Department album, the team from Lillet will also be at the event to show you how to make Taylor’s favourite cocktail – the French Blonde.
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway is hosting one of the most unique fine dining experiences in the region this week.
Running on selected Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 1 March right through to November this year, East Lancashire Railway’s Red Rose Diners are described as being “the ultimate first class foodie experience”, as they start with a glass of fizz and stretch over an almost three-hour steam train journey through the Irwell Valley.
The experience includes a four-course dinner with complimentary sparkling wine, followed by tea or coffee and after-dinner chocolates.
Habbibi Manchester has finally opened its doors down at Spinningfields.
Famous in Leeds for its culinary fusions of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, the restaurant is now one of the most luxurious and vibrant spaces to eat in Manchester – with a menu that has been meticulously-crafted to captivate the senses.
As well as the stunning interior, the venue’s terrace offers a unique and relaxed setting for enthusiasts to savour their favourite shisha flavours, all while enjoying the atmosphere.
Find out more here.
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The 90s Brunch
Brickhouse Social
Saturday 22 June
The 90s Brunch / Credit: Brickhouse Social
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 throughout the summer months – with a resident DJ playing all the best tunes from the 1990s.
Tickets will set you back £35pp, and there’s two Brunch sittings available, so you can opt for 1-3pm, or 3:30-5:30pm.
Featured Image – ELR | Road To Victory | National Trust
What's On
Drake at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, support acts, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Rap champion Drake is touching down in Manchester at Co-op Live for four nights of electric energy with some very “special shows 4 u”.
The Canadian hitmaker has just come off the back of three very impressive nights at one of the biggest music events of the year, Wireless Festival, and now he’s ready to tour the UK and Europe.
Drake has solidified his position in the rap field, dropping bangers from 2006 and since then, he’s gone on to have some of the most streamed tracks of all time with ‘One Dance’ and ‘God’s Plan’.
He’s also become a mainstay in online music discussions, earning a place in ‘The Big Three’ where the Toronto-born rapper shares this honour with fellow respected rap nobles J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar.
Now, Drake has teamed up with fellow Canadian artist PartyNextDoor to release their joint album ‘Some Sexy Songs 4 U’
Drake UK tour dates
Sun 20 July – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Mon 21 July – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Wed 23 July – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 25 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Sat 26 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 28 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 4 August – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Drake tickets for Co-op Live gig
Mr ‘Hotline Bling’ is making his way to Manchester not just for one night but for four, and it seems we Mancs couldn’t be more in our feelings as tickets for ‘Some Special Shows 4 UK’ are limited.
If you don’t want to be left saying ‘What Did I Miss?’, you can still get your hands on a couple of tickets to the upcoming Drake gigs in Manchester HERE.
And anyone after getting the best ‘Views’ and a premium seat for the Champagne Papi’s special Manchester tour dates can find all available dates and tickets HERE.
Drake ‘Some Special Shows 4 U’ setlist
Drake last touched down in the UK on his 2019 Assassination Vaction Tour.Now, the rap royalty is taking on 23,500 venue, Co-op Live.Credit: The Come Up Show (via Flickr)
After almost two decades racking up an impressive collection of hits, it’s no surprise that this setlist is quite a lengthy one.
Drake is known to tweak and fine-tune his setlists depending on each city, like his recent three-day headline slot at Wireless Festival, which saw a new roster of hits each night.
The Canadian rapper recently played a huge headline gig in Birmingham, and these were the tracks that played out. Hopefully, a lot of these will get a performance in Manchester when he visits Co-op Live.
Gimme a Hug
Marvin’s Room
Teenage Fever
Passionfruit
Jungle
What Did I Miss?
Headlines
Know Yourself
Nonstop
Sicko Mode
No Face
Circadian Rhythm
Laugh Now Cry Later
God’s Plan
In My Feelings
Nice for What
Controlla
Find Your Love
Hold On, We’re Going Home
One Dance
Blue Green Red
Who Told You
CN Tower
Something About You
Spider-man Superman
Die Trying
Somebody Loves Me
OMW
Girls Want Girls
Fancy
Love Me
Hours in Silence
Rich Baby Daddy
You Broke My Heart
Knife Talk
Rich Flex
IDGAF
Hotline Bling
Nokia
Yebba’s Heartbreak
Who is supporting Drake at Co-op Live?
With so many songs to get through, it’s no real surprise that there’s just one support act for ‘Drizzy’s Co-op Live debut, and it’s a pretty popular compatriot of his.
Teaming up with Drake for their first-ever joint album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U – which lends its name to this tour – you can
His name is often stylised in all caps, but we feel that’s almost like internet shouting, so we’ll just share one of those aforementioned features instead.
They’ve been working together in some capacity for more than a decade now.
Don’t worry, if you haven’t heard much of him before, there’s very little shouting – though you will likely recognise his soft R’n’B vocals.
What are the stage times for Drake in Manchester?
Doors for each of Drake’s ‘Some Special Songs 4 UK’ tour with PartyNextDoor will open from 6:30pm with no official start time listed yet.
That being said, you can expect the pair to spend a fair amount of time together on the stage.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you can hear all 40 songs on the Canadian performer’s setlist without having to say ‘Hold On, We’re Going Home’.
Drake is bringing the ‘Some Special Songs 4 UK’ tour for four nights in Manchester.PARTYNEXTDOOR a.k.a. Jahron Anthony BrathwaiteCredit: Supplied
How to get to Co-op Live concerts
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, luckily, 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.
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; there are also 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.
A huge house and disco music festival is taking place just on the border of Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
Not ready for Oasis fever or festival season to be over? Well, lucky for you, there’s still plenty more live music happening this summer – and if you’re into your house, electronic, disco and dance music, there’s an event happening just outside of 0161 next weekend.
Fancy a little trip out to Cheshire?
Yes, over in the lovely suburb of Wilmslow, the increasingly popular House and Vocal Disco Fest returns for 2025, promising plenty of energy, loads of local food and drink vendors, as well as non-stop tunage all day long.
Speaking ahead of their comeback this year, the organisers say: “Whether you’re reliving the glory days of clubland or discovering disco classics for the first time, House & Vocal Disco Fest 2025 is set to deliver the ultimate summer soundtrack.”
Hosted at the Phoenix Sports Club (no, as funny as it would be, there’s no connection to Peter Kay or Paddy McGuinness) near Styal, only a short drive from the town centre,
Booked for this year’s festival is chart-topping headliner DJ and Kiss FM presenter, Majestic, best known for his huge remixes and viral house hits.
Speaking of which, local artist, producer and co-creator Jon Fitz, who has recently opened his own bar, Fizpatrick’s in the heart of Stockport, will also be performing 20 years on from the release of his timeless classic, ‘I Just Can’t Get Enough’.
Legendary DJ Allister Whitehead and fellow veteran, Lifford – the velvety voice behind many soulful house music favourites – will also be alongside Fitz and co. as they turn those old market village vibes into one big dancefloor.
Excited to get back behind the decks, Fitz told The Manc: “Now in our third year — and our biggest yet — we’re bringing something truly spectacular to Cheshire. People can expect boutique vibes, intimate energy. This isn’t just a festival, it’s an experience. House & Vocal do things differently”
Once again, festival-goers can expect a day packed with uplifting tunes, a feel-good North West crowd living it large not too far from Greater Manchester, as well as all the perks of a local boutique festival setup too.
Taking place on Saturday, 26 July at Wilmslow Phoenix Sports Club from 12 noon until late, all early bird and VIP passes have sold out, but general admission is still available for £38.75 – and that’s including your booking fees.
You can find out more on House and Vocal Disco Fest 2025, as well as grab your tickets, right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
13th June 2024 
