We’re now into our first full week of a brand-new month.
Spooky season is over, the little Mancs have gone back to school for their final term of the year, and Christmas is fast approaching, so as you can imagine, there’s absolutely no shortage of things for the whole family to be getting up to across Greater Manchester throughout this week.
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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Jurassic World: The Exhibition
Trafford Centre
Monday 4 November 2024 – January 2025
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Jurassic World: The Exhibition / Credit: Supplied
A major Jurassic World exhibition that’s been mesmerising visitors all over the world has now arrived here in Greater Manchester, and it’s recently been announced that it’ll be sticking around until the new year.
Based on the beloved blockbuster film franchise, this official award-winning experience is one of the fastest-selling exhibitions in history.
Manc visitors will be able to walk through the iconic Jurassic World gates, explore some richly-themed environments, and encounter a life-sized Brachiosaurus, Velociraptors, and the most fearsome dinosaur of all, the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex.
This is your last chance to catch Scare City’s “most immersive” horror experience to date.
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Leaving the grounds of the abandoned Camelot Theme Park after yet another successful “year of terror” this Saturday, this year’s event features a selection of terrifying zones to weave your way through – some familiar, some brand new.
Have you been to check out the new Museum of Illusions that’s opened up on Market Street yet?
The world-famous Museum of Illusions is filled with optical illusions and interactive exhibits, and opened doors on one of Manchester city centre’s busiest streets a couple of weeks back now.
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Inside the new attraction on Market Street – which is the only location in the UK – visitors are able to dangle upside down on a Metrolink tram, have their minds blown in the Vortex Tunnel, and probably learn a thing or two while they’re at it.
Museum of Illusions / Credit: The Manc Group
Visitors are promised mind-bending illusions and curious games around every corner.
There’s even somee brand-new, Manchester-exclusive installations too, like The Reversed Room, and The Building Illusion, where you can dangle, Spider-man-style, from a classic city brick terraced building.
The Oast House’s legendary Christmas has returned to Spinningfields again for the festive season.
Bound to be popular spot for locals and those who’ve finished a hard day at work during the colder months, The Teepee officially reopened last week and is made up of three tents joined together with a huge open hub, complete with two roaring fires, twinkling fairy lights, faux fur throws.
Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine / Credit: Science Museum Group
More than 100 objects and stories collected during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic are now on display as part of a new exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum.
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The groundbreaking new exhibition, titled Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine, explores the worldwide effort to develop vaccines at pandemic speed, while uncovering the inspiring stories of scientists and innovators around the globe who collaborated to tackle the worldwide COVID-19 challenge along the way.
Looking for somewhere to watch some dazzling fireworks in Greater Manchester this Bonfire Night?
Bonfire Night 2024 / Credit: Elisha Terada (via Unsplash)
Bonfire Night is known for being one of the most colourful nights of the year, and there’s some great places in Greater Manchester that will be lighting up the night sky.
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To make it a little easier for you to know where to head to, we’ve rounded up a list of bonfires and firework displays happening in and around the region this week – including some viewing spots where you can immerse yourself in a world of free fireworks atop the city centre skyline.
Find out more about what displays are on this Bonfire Night here.
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The Big Manchester Bake
New Bailey
Wednesday 6 November – onwards
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The Big Manchester Bake / Credit: Big Bakes | Brydn Webb
The Big Manchester Bake has landed, and believe us when we tell you it’s one of the best ways to spend an evening in the city.
Baking enthusiasts and novices alike can indulge in the enjoyment of the Big Bakes experience, with step-by-step instructions allowing you to bake your way through the 90-minute timed task and be crowned ‘star baker’ (or…not).
Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 / Credit: Manchester City Council | Flickr
It’s that time of year once again… Manchester Christmas Markets open for 2024 this week.
The iconic annual event is an absolute staple in Manchester’s festive events calendar, and always draws in thousands of visitors from all across the globe – with hundreds of stalls across several sites all set to line the streets of our city this year.
Visitors will be able to tuck into a wide range of festive foods and drinks, and shop for Christmas gifts from countless independent traders.
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Find out everything you need to know about Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 here.
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Skate Manchester 2024
Cathedral Gardens
Friday 8 November – onwards
Skate Manchester 2024 / Credit: Matt Eachus (via Supplied)
What’s a festive season in the city without Skate Manchester?
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Back once again for 2024, Skate Manchester is festive staple, and this year, skaters can expect to glide across a gleaming ice path and spin around a dazzling seven-metre Christmas tree taking centre stage in the middle of the rink for another year.
Families, friends, and festive fun seekers will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas whatever the weather has in store for our city this year too, as although the rink will be outdoors in the heart of Cathedral Gardens, the ice is fully covered.
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway is currently hosting one of the most unique fine dining experiences in the region.
Running on selected Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout the rest of the month, 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.
You can take part in a special lantern walk around one of the region’s biggest parks while the sun sets this weekend, and it’s all for a very worthy cause.
The family-friendly event on Saturday will see dozens of people make their way around Heaton Park to help raise funds for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust hospitals such as Manchester Royal Infirmary, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital, Saint Mary’s Hospital, and more.
Families can choose to take part in one of two carefully-curated and fully-accessible routes around the park – either 2km or 5km.
Brickhouse Social is making every Saturday feel like a ‘throwback Thursday’ this autumn.
At the 2000s Brunch, running right through to the last Saturday of November, you can enjoy unlimited pizza, funky cocktails, and back-to-back noughties anthems up on Manchester’s best-kept secret roof terrace.
Drinks will be flowing, as guests are treated to unlimited bottled beers, bottomless fizz, and even bottomless select cocktails.
Manchester is officially hosting this year’s MTV EMAs this weekend, and some absolute mega stars are set to step foot in our city.
Now in its 30th year, MTV’s annual European Music Awards is one of music’s biggest global celebrations, by far, and the 2024 show will be staged right here in our city to mark its long-awaited return to the UK.
The show will be broadcast live from Manchester’s brand-new, purpose-built live entertainment arena, Co-op Live, on MTV in over 150 countries this Sunday.
Remembrance Sunday Parade / Credit: David Dixon (via Geograph)
Manchester will fall silent this Sunday as the city pays its respects to all those we’ve lost and all those affected by both historical and ongoing conflicts.
The annual Service of Remembrance will take place at the Cenotaph in St Peter’s Square, with proceedings set to start at 10:30am and run through until midday, and veterans and military personnel all gathering and observing a two-minute silence at 11am.
A number of road closures and parking restrictions will be in place on the day.
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Featured Image – MFT Charity | Manchester City Council | Skate Manchester
What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 7 – 13 September 2026
Emily Sergeant
We all know that autumn in Greater Manchester is a thing of beauty, right?
With September well underway now and the trees starting to change colour and a chill reappearing in the air, that means the cosy seasons are on the horizon, and, of course, there’s loads happening across Greater Manchester this week.
If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though, no worries, as 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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Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 7 September – onwards
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos / Credit: BBC | Science Museum Group (Drew Forsyth)
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos has made its world premiere at the Science and Industry Museum, and is inviting visitors to explore our wondrous Solar System.
Fresh off-the-back of the new BBC Children’s and Education TV show, Horrible Science, the ‘thrilling’ new exhibition encouraging visitors to ‘do science the horrible way’, and join both scientists and supervillains to unveil the secrets of space.
The new exhibition propels families up into space where mystery, intrigue, and rocket-loads of silly and surprising science await. You’ll get to venture through a series of cosmic zones, walk in the shoes of astronauts, explore the life-giving energy of the sun, marvel at mysterious moons, and discover far-off weird worlds.
High School Musical / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
If you want to relive your childhood, High School Musical is now on stage at the Lowry.
We all know how High School Musical goes, right? Set at East High, we follow Troy and Gabriella (the star basketball player, and the geeky new girl) who meet over New Year, and then become ‘star-crossed lovers’ when back at school as they’re part of two different ‘cliques’.
The duo mess with the ‘Status Quo’ when they audition for the school musical. But will they stick to what they know? Or become stars of the stage? I’m sure you know the ending.
Read our review of the show and get last-minute tickets here.
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Manchester City Stadium Tours
Etihad Stadium
Monday 7 September – onwards
Manchester City Stadium Tours / Credit: The Manc Group
If you’re looking for something to do this summer, did you know you can currently get 15% off Manchester City’s tours of the Etihad Stadium?
You’ll get to walk in the players’ footsteps down the tunnel, sit in Enzo’s seat, get pitchside, see the Domestic Double Winners’ trophies, and loads more. Plus, from 17 August, you’ll be able to see City’s brand-new dressing room too.
The UK’s largest festival of history and culture has returned, and there’s thousands of free events on the lineup this next week.
Always proving to be a smash-hit success, both here in Greater Manchester and nationwide, over the last 30 years, the National Trust’s Heritage Open Days are back by popular demand for the next couple of weeks, and this means loads of the UK’s top attractions will be open to visit for free.
You can explore historic houses, factories, museums, music halls, and countless of other places and spaces – some that are normally closed to the public.
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway is currently hosting one of the most unique fine dining experiences in the region this autumn.
Running on selected Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through the 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.
Just like we do every month, we’ve rounded up some of the best things we got to eat in August, so if you’re on the hunt for somewhere new to eat in September, then we’ve absolutely got you covered as there’s plenty of places across the city region.
It’s been another jam-packed month of insanely delicious eats, and we’ve been lucky to have a bunch of new openings too.
Did you know that Go Ape now runs adult-only sessions?
We nipped over to Go Ape at Rivington as we heard you can now act like a big silly kid there without having to share anything with actual children.
It’s one of the region’s top attractions for good reason, giving you a chance to clamber and fly through the treetops on a sky-high obstacle course, and now every Thursday and Friday evening, you can escape your work inbox and switch it out for a maze of ziplines, ladders, swings, and more.
Less than an hour from Manchester, you’ll find what is essentially a gigantic floating bouncy castle which makes for an incredibly silly afternoon out.
At Wild Shore Delamere you can take on slides, monkey bars, ninja jumps, tyre runs, and plenty of other opportunities to slip and spectacularly fall into the lake. And if you don’t fancy wiping out in front of a lake full of children, there’s also paddleboarding, wakeboarding, open-water swimming, and even a lakeside sauna.
How about that Manchester Museum is hosting its first-ever sleepover?
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
Schools may be back, but unfortunately the rain has arrived, so if you’re running out of things to do, don’t worry as we’ve got you covered. To make life even easier, all the activities are accessible by the Bee Network AND they’re tried and tested by us, so we can guarantee you’ll love them.
Featured Image – Matt Crockett | The Manc Group | Paul Harris
What's On
A day of vintage cars and retro entertainment will take over a Greater Manchester town this month
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Roll up, roll up all vintage-lovers – a free full day of live entertainment is returning to Oldham town centre later this month.
Following being crowned Greater Manchester Town of Culture 2026-2027, there are set to be a whole host of exciting activities coming our way across the next couple of months, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.
From old classic cars to live music and circus performances, Nostalgic Oldham has it all and we are very excited to pay a visit and celebrate one of our beloved boroughs.
The day will centre around the Big Yellow Bus in Parliament Square, serving as a hub throughout the celebrations. Here, visitors can expect plenty of free activities to get involved with, including Raggle Taggle Arts, Betty Brown Bags, Oldham Theatre Workshop and a craft workshop from Oldham Archives.
It is set to be a family-friendly, action-packed day with buckets of civic pride and traditional shows, including a performance from Saddleworth Morris Men as well as celebrating more contemporary dances from Troupe Dance.
While Tame Valley Motors will be showcasing some of their most nostalgic vehicles for all of you car-lovers, cycling enthusiasts will be able to catch a glimpse of the prestigious trophy inside the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift tent. Fans may also talk to the team behind bringing the competition through Oldham in July 2027.
Amongst the busyness, there will also be the opportunity to witness the unveiling of a brand new mural by artist Dave Draws, inside The Market at 11am.
A day of vintage cars and retro entertainment will take over Oldham
His large-scale illustrated map is a tribute to both the area and the people of Oldham, intertwining collaborative stories and drawings from members of the local community.
If you’re over in Oldham for the day, the charity Northern Roots will be opening its new Welcome Building to the public from 11am.
Visitors are welcome to browse their shop of handcrafted gifts, books and fresh produce, indulge on seasonal dishes at their café, explore the outdoor play area, Forestry Skills Centre and four acres of Urban Farm.
Subnum Hariff-Khan, Head of Libraries and Heritage and Arts at Oldham Council, said: “Nostalgic Oldham is a chance to celebrate everything that makes our borough special, from our history and traditions to the people and communities that shape Oldham today.
“There will be something for everyone to enjoy, whether that’s exploring the vintage vehicle display, watching live performances, getting involved in family activities or seeing the new community mural unveiled.
“As Greater Manchester Town of Culture, we’re proud to bring events like this to the town centre and, because it’s completely free, we hope residents and visitors alike will join us for what promises to be a fantastic day.”
Nostalgic Oldham will take place from 11-4pm on Saturday 19 September – be sure not to miss out
Emily Sergeant -
4th November 2024 
