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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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Are you a Ryder Cup fan?
Not only is this new venue a reason to celebrate, but the Ryder Cup is also coming up starting on Friday 26 September, and Pitch Manchester is the place to be if you don’t want to miss a single putt, drive, or fist pump.
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With multiple large screens across the venues, you’ll have the best view in the house – and when you add the energy of fellow fans around you, it’s the next best thing to being on the fairway.
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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.
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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.
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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
Busted vs McFly’s Manchester arena shows – tickets, times, setlist and all you need to know
Thomas Melia
UK boybands Busted and McFly are going head-to-head for three whole nights of pop-rock bangers as they play out together at BOTH of the premier music arenas in Manchester.
It’s a real-life battle of the bands, as mainstream pop-punk boy bands Busted and McFly go up against each other to win over the crowds, not just AO Arena in Manchester, but at Co-op Live, too.
Known for smash singles like ‘Year 3000’ and ‘What I Go To School For’, pop-rock boyband Busted have amassed a cult following of fans since debuting in 2002.
Equally impressive noughties boyband McFly also have a fair few hits under their belt, dropping music since 2004 with the dreamy ‘Star Girl’ and serenade-twanged ‘All About You’.
The lineup of one of these UK bands may look a little different, as singer and guitarist James Bourne of Busted has had to pull out of this 2025 tour due to health issues, as revealed in a recent Instagram post.
Now, Matt and Charlie of Busted, as well as Danny, Dougie, Tom and Harry of McFly are laying all their cards on the table for a face-to-face music battle like no other.
Air guitars at the ready…
Busted vs McFly in Manchester – gig guide
Busted vs McFly is taking over the AO Arena in Manchester for two nights of head-to-head music (Credit: Supplied)
Busted vs McFly UK tour dates
Fri 10 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Sat 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Sun 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Tue 14 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Wed 15 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Sat 8 November – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Are there tickets left for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?
If you want a dose of this boyband rivalry, there are two shows for you to choose from, and luckily for you, there are a handful of tickets left for both dates at the AO and the Co-op.
Anyone looking to ‘Shine a Light’ on day one of the Busted vs McFly tour can catch them live in action on Friday 17 OctoberHERE.
Fancy reliving the early 2000s alongside two of the biggest British bands from that very decade? You’re ‘Not Alone’ and you can do so on Saturday, 18 October HERE.
Busted last visited the AO Arena in 2023 to commemorate their 20th anniversary (Credit: Supplied)
Busted vs McFly setlist 2025
McFly tracks
Where Did All the Guitars Go? (McFly)
Star Girl (McFly)
That Girl (McFly)
One for the Radio (McFly)
I’ll Be Ok (Mcly)
Obviously (McFly)
Room on the 3rd Floor (McFly)
All About You (McFly)
Twist and Shout (McFly cover)
Transylvania / Lies (McFly)
Red (McFly)
The Heart Never Lies (McFly)
Busted songs
Crashed the Wedding (Busted)
You Said No (Busted)
Meet You There (Busted)
Dawson’s Geek / Britney / Nerdy / Why (Busted)
Loser Kid (Busted)
Who’s David (Busted)
Sleeping With the Light On (Busted)
Everything I Knew (Busted)
Thunderbirds Are Go (Busted)
What I Go to School For (Busted)
Back and forth…
Hate Your Guts (McBusted)
3am (Busted)
Not Alone (McFly)
Air Hostess (Busted)
5 Colours in Her Hair (McFly)
What Happened to Your Band (McBusted)
Shine a Light (McFly)
Year 3000 (Busted)
It feels mad to think it’s been a decade since we first got this crossover.
What are the stage times for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?
Both AO Arena and Co-op Live have curfews of 11pm, meaning you can time-travel to the ‘Year 3000’ and not have to worry about getting home during the early hours.
There is no confirmed support act as of yet; however, it looks like this will remain as they have fronted this tour independently across the UK.
Doors for this event are opening from 6pm, and both bands are expected to take the stage from around 7:30pm onwards before combining into a supergroup in time for close.
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
Getting there by car and parking
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through 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.
How to get to Co-op Live
Busted vs McFly are doing a clean sweep of Manchester arenas. (Credit: Audio North)
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 1:00am 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.
Car and parking info
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 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.
Once again, the Beryl app is available for those looking to bike over to the venue; 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.
Five fantastic freebies and offers for the 2025 Manchester Half marathon
Danny Jones
It’s nearly time: not just for the Manchester Half but, more importantly, the freebies and offers you can get for running it.
Let’s be honest, not everyone loves running for literal miles just for the sake of it; a lot of people need motivation, and besides an inspiring cause, you’d be surprised how many people will get out of bed for something as simple as free stuff.
You might be one of them – you are here reading this, after all.
There’s no long-winded preamble or intro needed to set this up, so let’s just crack on. Here are five brilliant freebies you can get with a 2025 Manchester Half Marathon medal.
What freebies you can get with a Manchester Half finisher’s medal
Now, you’ll be glad to know that most of these are completely gratis, but we thought we’d mention some others that stuck out to us as well.
1. Free fizz on The Refuge
First up, how about some free fizz? Well, that’s exactly what you can get this Sunday, 12 October, if you’ve just run the 2025 Manchester Half-marathon.
Participants can head to The Refuge inside the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel after the race to claim a well-earned glass of prosecco – available to the first 100 finishers on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. Complimentary food and drink at Circolo Popolare
Next up, it doesn’t get much better than a free pizza and a cold one; that’s what Circolo Popolare in Gary Neville’s stunning St. Michael’s building are offering.
Just show your medal and enjoy a free margherita pizza plus your choice of either an ice-cold beer or a refreshing virgin cocktail. Prego!
3. You’ve got to be quick to get House of Social’s freebie
Speaking of free drinks, the first 50 runners who use the last of their energy to dash over to House of Social this Sunday and enjoy a pint on the house.
All you have to do is present your medal when ordering to snap up a beer at absolutely no cost. So we’ll see you there, basically.
Self-explanatory, really. The student favourite that used to be the old Footage pub on Oxford Road is offering up a limited amount of free pints to runners, just make sure you show your medal at the bar.
To be honest, even if it wasn’t free, we’d still probably spend a good few hours here sinking affordable pints because it is absolute VIBES at this gaff.
Last but not least, if you’re looking for a lovely carby reward in the city centre, you’re obviously spoilt for choice, but Italiana Fifty Five are offering a free starter when booking and presenting your 2025 finisher’s medal upon arrival.
Available at all Greater Manchester locations, the Italian eatery formerly known as Cibo always delivers good offers, and race day for the MCR Half is no different.
🏃♀️ Running the MCR Half this Sunday?
Celebrate your finish line moment at Italiana Fifty-Five, Manchester 🇮🇹
Show us your medal and enjoy a FREE starter with your meal! 🍝✨
Oh yeah, it might not be a freebie per se, but as one of the busiest post-marathon celebration spots anywhere in Greater Manchester, The Wharf is obviously getting involved beforehand as well.
This year, the canalside Castlefield favourite is serving up sausage and bacon butties from 10-11:30am before the usual Sunday roast service kicks in as normal from 12pm. Now we’ve just got to pray for good beer garden weather.
We hope you get to make the most of these freebies and others Manchester Half offers after your race is run, because let’s be honest, running 13.1 miles (21 and a bit kilometres for you metric heads) is a fair bit of effort, so you deserve a treat.
It goes without saying that there’s probably plenty more SWAG to be snapped up in and around the city that we’ve missed, so make sure to let your fellow runners know about them down in the comments.
Finally, if you’re still feeling uncertain about anything to do with the race itself, you can find our full Manchester Half Marathon guide down below.
Emily Sergeant -
19th September 2025 
