Is everyone ready for another busy week? We certainly are.
March has already brought with it food festivals, cultural celebrations, annual events, and so much more – and thankfully, there’s absolutely no shortage of exciting activities in the Greater Manchester social calendar to be getting involved with throughout this week either.
If you’re 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.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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Manchester Film Festival 2024
Great Northern
Monday 18 – Sunday 24 March
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Manchester Film Festival 2024 / Credit: MFF | A24
Manchester Film Festival is back for its 10th year, and it’s bigger and better than ever before.
The biggest annual film event in our city, Manchester Film Festival is known and loved for shining a cultural spotlight on the talents and creativity of independent filmmakers.
At this year’s highly-anticipated festival, there’s so many incredible films sourced from all over the world, as well as right here in the North West, to watch – including shorts, features, premieres, Q&As, red carpet glamour, and so much more.
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Find out more about Manchester Film Festival 2024 here.
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Power UP
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 18 March – onwards
Power UP / Credit: Science Museum Group
Did you know there’s a huge gaming event currently happening in Manchester?
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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.
Fairfield Social Club has now reopened in Manchester once again.
After a successful winter pop-up at the end of last year, and a soft launch via Isit Kitchen’s Supper Club a couple of weeks back, Fairfield Social Club – which is from the same family as beloved street food and social hub, GRUB – is now back up and running at its brand-new venue on Irk Street in the heart of Manchester’s Green Quarter.
A special lineup of events has already been announced to take place throughout the month – with quiz nights, speed-dating events, and plenty more on the agenda.
Manchester Open Exhibition is back for the third time in our city.
Taking place every two years down at HOME, the Open Exhibition is the biggest celebration of Greater Manchester’s creative talent, and sees HOME’s Gallery walls filled with 480 artworks created by the people of our region that have been specially-selected by a panel consisting of art experts and community representatives.
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Open to all, the Exhibition brings together artwork including paintings, prints, photography, sculpture, ceramics, digital and mixed media, video, audio, and so much more.
The Great British Spring Clean 2024 / Credit: Keep Manchester Tidy (via Facebook)
Greater Manchester is being urged to take part in a huge UK-wide ‘spring clean’.
Residents across the region are being encouraged to “roll up their sleeves” and join in with the annual UK-wide ‘Great British Spring Clean’ organised by Keep Britain Tidy, and supported by Manchester City Council, that’s now running right through to the end of the month.
The Great British Spring Clean is calling on locals to get stuck-in by helping to tidy up local parks, pathways, and other green spaces.
Find out more about how to join in this month here.
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Did you know that a new ‘hobby house’ has opened up in the heart of Manchester city centre?
It’s called ‘Altogether Otherwise’.
Having recently opened down at Manchester’s growing neighbourhood, NOMA, the innovative new concept is is setting out to provide the Greater Manchester public with a welcome relief from all the demands and fast-paced culture of city centre life that we’ve, sadly, all become so used to.
It’s been dubbed a “place to pursue creativity” and a chance to explore and get stuck into some new activities, all while bumping into like-minded people in an ever-changing gathering space.
There’s an exciting lineup of workshops and events that are free to attend.
Manchester’s landmark entertainment venue Printworks will be celebrating the completion of its £21 million refurbishment this week with a massive free party.
The huge new-look venue will have TikTok sensation DJ SUAT headlining the launch party on Thursday (21 March), and he’ll be joined for the evening by Bohemian House Choir, and a host of other performers and dancers too.
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As part of the refurb, Printworks will be home to the largest digital ceiling in Europe, and launch partygoers will get to be the first to see it in all its glory.
After hours: Forward-Thinking Fashion / Credit: Science Museum Group
Manchester’s legendary Science and Industry Museum is celebrating sustainable fashion with an ‘after-hours’ event especially for adults this week.
Fashion, sustainability, and heritage are all set to come together for a unique event in the heart of Manchester city centre this Thursday, where visitors are encouraged to “journey through the past, present, and future of fashion” during an exclusive evening of entertainment.
Kicking off from 6:30pm and running right through to 9:30pm, the event – which is named After hours: Forward-Thinking Fashion – will showcase sustainable self-expression, offer nifty thrifting tips, and even unpick Manchester’s unique fashion history, all before shining a spotlight on the highlight of the night – a colourful cabaret catwalk.
Did you see that Chester Zoo is giving away 35,000 FREE tickets to children 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’s giving away tens of thousands of tickets to local schools in Greater Manchester and beyond for completely free of charge.
The free tickets are to help inspire a whole new generation of young conservationists.
Chester Zoo‘s free ticket scheme has been running since 2017, and has already seen more than 100,000 children get to experience all the wonders the zoo has to offer.
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.
Stockport Town of Culture Weekender / Credit: One Stockport (Supplied)
Stockport is coming together for a huge celebration to mark its current Town of Culture title this weekend.
In case you missed it, Stockport was named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2023 back in May of last year, so what better way to celebrate the coveted title than hosting a weekend packed full of cultural festivities for all the family, with access to some of the town’s must-visit venues? We can’t think of one.
More than 50 events and activities are set to take place over the two days, and the best part is, they’re all FREE to get involved with.
Spanish Bottomless Brunch / Credit: The Beeswing (via Instagram)
Popular Manchester wine bar The Beeswing down at Kampus has just launched a new ‘Spanish Bottomless Brunch’.
Called ‘Domingo’ – which means ‘Sunday’ in Spanish, and now running every Sunday until the summer and beyond – the brand-new event features a curated collection of classic Spanish brunch dishes to be served alongside free-flowing mimosas, sangria, and Bloody Marys for the pretty-impressive price of just £35 per person.
Hungry foodie fans can take their pick from a menu of Spanish-inspired brunch dishes like smoky shakshuka, and Ibérico eggs benedict, all while sipping on 90-minutes worth of drinks.
Featured Image – One Stockport | The Beeswing | Science Museum Group
What's On
Alex Warren at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Singer-songwriter and social media star Alex Warren is visiting Co-op Live, Manchester, for two nights of out of the ‘Ordinary’ live music.
One of the founding members of the TikTok group, the ‘Hype House’, which also included fellow pop performer Addison Rae, Warren has gone on to receive global recognition for his contributions to music.
Born in California, it’s no surprise his music has managed to catapult into the mainstream as he’s been mastering content creation since he was 10 on YouTube.
His music journey began back in 2021, when he released music as an independent artist in 2021 before signing a record deal one year later, dropping the chart-topping ‘Ordinary’ in 2025.
Now, Alex Warren prepares for his biggest UK tour to date, and he’s playing two shows right here in Manchester at the 23,500 seater Co-op Live in April and May.
Gig guide | Alex Warren at Co-op Live, Manchester – all you need to know
Alex Warren is visiting Manchester at Co-op Live on 27 April and 4 May / Credit: Press Shots (supplied)
Alex Warren UK tour dates
Fri 24 April – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Sun 26 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Mon 27 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Wed 29 April – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena
Thu 30 April – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Sat 2 May – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena
Mon 4 May – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Wed 6 May – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
Thu 7 May – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
Are there tickets left for Alex Warren at Co-op Live?
If you’re looking for somebody to ‘Save You a Seat’, look no further as you can get tickets to Alex Warren’s 27 April at Co-op Live HERE.
And don’t find yourself in ‘Troubled Waters’, make sure you grab tickets for Alex Warren at Co-op Live on 4 May HERE.
Stage times for Alex Warren at Co-op Live, Manchester
Warren has built a cult following thanks to chart-topping hits like ‘Ordinary’ (Credit: Press shots)
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you can still get home without ‘Chasing Shadows’.
Supporting Alex Warren on the night will be Claire Rosinkranz, a singer-songwriter from California with tracks like ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Backyard Boy’.
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 and until 1am 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.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, 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 on 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 on 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.
Yungblud channels a bit of magic that’d make Ozzy proud on huge headline night in Manchester
Lonnie Bowes
A darkened arena erupts into life as Yungblud storms the AO Arena main stage for his biggest Manchester show to date.
He flickers across the giant screens, projected against a curtain that stretches the full width of the AO Arena. Then that unmistakable Doncaster drawl cuts through the noise, urging the audience to make some noise (even more of it), and they oblige – gladly.
When the lights come up, a barrage of lights flickers, pyrotechnics explode, and chaos ensues. Manchester crowds are no strangers to Yungblud; he’s a livewire performer with seemingly endless energy, a proclivity for raw emotion, and a fiercely loyal fanbase: the self-proclaimed ‘Black Hearts Club’.
Dressed in a grungy pair of Chrome Hearts leather trousers, a leopard-print waistcoat and sunglasses so thick he could look directly at the sun with no issues, he tears straight into the opening track (Hello Heaven, Hello) with barely a second to breathe.
He then pauses – hands extended to the crowd, a cheeky grin – and bang: confetti fills the room.
If previous Manchester shows hinted at his stamina, this one confirms it. The scale may be bigger, but the intensity hasn’t dipped. The floor quickly becomes a sea of movement, with mosh pits swelling and collapsing in waves, sending bodies ricocheting across the arena.
It’s the kind of gig where you’re never quite safe from getting drenched either – water cups are less for drinking and more for launching, with sprays arcing out over the front rows like some kind of punk rock baptism of fire. So many flames.
The audience was on the ball; at one point, Yungblud’s comb was hurled into the crowd. Showgoers in the area tussled over the item for a minute before returning to the mayhem unfolding around them.
Part conductor, part chaos agent, part mic-wielding cowboy, he commands the room with ease. The mic stand, placed in front of him between each song by the production team, is repeatedly cast to the back of the stage, and he flails the mic above his head on more than one occasion – always catching it again before it can strike anyone else. It’s reckless, but never careless.
Because beneath the sweat and noise, there’s something more deliberate at play. His speeches on identity, equality, belonging and mental health feel less like interludes and more like the backbone of the entire night.
This isn’t just performance: it’s a space he’s actively shaping, one where thousands feel seen. Towards the back end of the set, he invites the whole crowd to look left and right and tell each other how much they f***ing love one another.
Tracks like ‘Loner’, ‘Lowlife’ and ‘Zombie’ land with particular weight, their messages amplified by a crowd that knows every word. At one point, the lights swing out over the audience, and for a moment the focus shifts – not just to the performer, but to the community he’s built.
With a touching tribute to the late, great Ozzy Osbourne, Yungblud is visibly emotional, with tears in his eyes for his dearly departed friend. And if the ringing in my ears is anything to go by, I’m pretty sure Ozzy heard it and was looking down with pride.
If you haven’t guessed by now, Yungblud knows how to command a room, but things definitely took a turn when he invited a member of the crowd on stage.
Holding a poster that read something along the lines of “I can play guitar”, she was brought up and proceeded to absolutely bring the house down, performing alongside him for a song. Daisy, hats off – you absolutely SMASHED it.
Congratulations are in order as well to the happy couple who got engaged at the gig. We really hope your first dance is to a Yungblud track.
Even in a venue of this size, he moves like he’s trying to outpace it; sprinting, leaping, barely standing still long enough to catch a breath. It’s hard not to feel like this is still just a stepping stone. Because if he can command a room like this with such force, it’s not a stretch to imagine Yungblud scaling even bigger stages before long.
Loud, relentless and emotionally charged, this wasn’t just a gig, it was a statement – a place to escape the struggles of day-to-day life and bolster an ever-growing community built on all the right things: acceptance, harmony, and just a little bit of chaos. In short, he’s welcome back anytime.
Emily Sergeant -
15th March 2024 
