What's On

The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 29 January – 4 February 2024

Emily Sergeant - 26th January 2024

It’s time to say goodbye to the first month of 2024, and welcome a new one with open arms.

January was a bit of a slog, wasn’t it? Now that February is gracing us with its presence though, luckily, the Greater Manchester social calendar is really starting to become packed full of a wide range of events and activities you can be getting up to over the coming weeks.

If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do, we’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide this week.

Here’s some of our recommendations.

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Hamilton: The Story of Tonight

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel

Monday 29 January – 29 February

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is celebrating Manchester hosting the multi award-winning cultural phenomenon Hamilton for the very first time with a photography exhibition showcasing moments both on and off stage.

Open for free to the general public until the end of February, Hamilton: The Story of Tonight offers a glimpse into the journey of the musical that captured the imaginations of audiences in our city.

20 photographs taken by Hamilton’s production photographer, Danny Kaan, are currently on show.

Find out more about the new exhibition here.

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Mini Master Model Builder UK

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester

Monday 29 January – Sunday 4 February

Is your child a LEGO super fan? Do they reckon they could build impressive LEGO creations in their sleep? Well, if they’re feeling brave enough and are ready to put their skills to the test, then you’ll want to take them down to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester, as the hunt is one for a talented youngster to be crowned the UK’s newest ‘Mini Master Model Builder’.

For only the second time ever, young LEGO fans will have the chance to let their imaginations run wild in a “bricktastic” competition, by building the most epic creation entirely out of LEGO bricks in an attempt to take home the coveted title. 

Oh, and they’ll could also win a handsome £500 too, if they take the crown.

Find out more here.

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Did you know that Manchester‘s Printworks is currently offering £20 gift cards to spend on exclusive January deals for half the price?

And there’s isn’t much time left to make the most of it.

In case you hadn’t heard, Printworks launched an exciting new app back in the summer, and it means customers can follow their favourite venues within the landmark entertainment complex to keep up-to-date with all the latest news and events, as well as take advantage of loads of offers, enter competitions, and so much more.

Until the end of January, newbies who download the app can get themselves a £20 gift card for just £10 – which basically means you’ll have double the money to spend on whatever you want at your favourite Printworks bar, restaurant, or leisure venue.

Existing app users can also enjoy 50% off rewards too, so they’ll only need half the number of points to redeem this month’s rewards.

Find out more here.

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Power UP

Science and Industry Museum

Monday 29 January – onwards

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.

Find out more about the exhibition here.

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The Pie Festival 2024

The Black Friar Salford

Monday 29 January – 28 February

Back by popular demand, The Black Friar’s ‘Pie Festival’ has returned for 2024.

There’s nothing that sounds more inviting on a cold January evening than a lovely warming pie, right? So when we heard that The Black Friar’s now-annual Pie Festival was making a 2024 comeback, we have no shame in admitting we did a little dance.

Now in its third edition, the Salford restaurant has brought back the parade of meat and gravy, sweet and savoury, and all things pie and pastry-encrusted – with something for everyone on the menu.

Best of all, not only are there some enticing flavours on offer, but they’re also only £10 each.

Find out more here.

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Manchester Open Exhibition 2024

HOME

Friday 2 February – 28 April

Manchester Open Exhibition is back for the third time in our city this week.

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.

Open to all, the Exhibition brings together artwork including paintings, prints, photography, sculpture, ceramics, digital and mixed media, video, audio, and so much more. 

Find out more here.

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Alan Partridge Charity Quiz

Escape to Freight Island

Friday 2 February

Fancy testing your Alan Partridge knowledge?

Well, now’s your time to shine, because there’s a massive quiz night dedicated to the parody comedy character happening over at Escape to Freight Island this weekend, and that didn’t sound good enough as it is, the event has been put on for a very good cause too, as proceeds from ticket sales on the night will be donated to Young Lives vs Cancer.

The quiz will be written by Neil Gibbons, who is the co-writer of the iconic Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, and it’s set to transform Freight Island into a hub full of laughter and giggles.

Find out more and grab tickets here.

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Fancy making the most of all the January dining deals on offer across the region before they end this week?

Manchester’s restaurants and bars have slashed their prices in a bid to entice customers to keep eating and drinking out all throughout January, and that means dozens of places have been offering up half-price scran, added freebies, or two-for-one offers this month.

There’s loads of offers beyond Manchester city centre too, as suburban gems are getting in on the action in 2024.

So whether you’re looking for a date night for less, an affordable family dinner, or a cheap eat after work with your mates, we’ve got you covered.

Read our massive round-up of January dining deals here.

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Dungeons and Flagons’ Tabletop Weekender

MMU Student Union

Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 February

Into your board games? Then you’ll probably be chuffed to hear that there’s a tabletop gaming festival happening in Manchester this weekend, where you can throw dice, roleplay, and roll up your sleeves for a proper old-school sweaty gaming session.

Set up by local tabletop meeting organisers Dungeons and Flagons, the two-day ‘Tabletop Weekender’ is their biggest event to date, and it’s arriving at Man Met’s Student Union building.

You can expect hours upon hours of board game fun, with tickets available for both days of the full weekend, if you really want to put some tabletop time in.

Find out more and grab tickets here.

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00s Brunch

Brickhouse Social

Saturday 3 February

Brickhouse Social has announced that it 00s-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 2000’s. 

Tickets will set you back £33pp, and there’s two Brunch sittings available, so you can opt for 1-3pm, or 3:30-5:30pm. 

Find out more and book your table here.

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The Christie Charity’s ‘Night of Neon’ 2024

MediaCityUK

Saturday 3 February

The Night of Neon charity walk is making its return to light up Salford Quays this weekend to raise money for The Christie Charity.

Always a popular event in the calendar, over 600 enthusiastic participants are set to take to the Quays to have fun, while raising money for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, and supporting the thousands of patients who are treated for cancer at The Christie Hospital in Withington.

This luminescent fundraiser will also feature pre-walk entertainment – including a six-piece roaming band, face painting, glitter artists, and so much more.

Find out more about the fundraising event here.

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Featured Image – Danny Kaan (via Supplied) | The Black Friar | HOME