March has definitely been off to a great start so far, right?
And that’s only going to continue this week – as a new week always means there’s plenty to be getting up to throughout Greater Manchester, and we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
As always, some of the events we’re going to mention are completely free, while others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.
Here’s our top picks.
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Castlefield Viaduct
Manchester City Centre
Monday 6 March – onwards
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Castlefield Viaduct / Credit: National Trust
Manchester‘s new ‘sky park’ on Castlefield Viaduct has now reopened after being closed for maintenance over the winter.
The New York-inspired elevated urban park on the giant Grade II-listed 330-metre steel viaduct opened to the public as part of a pilot project to gauge opinion back in July 2022, but has been closed since December to allow time for the team of National Trust gardeners, volunteers, and community partners to prune, plant, and create new and exciting areas.
On top of the work to add a variety of seasonal planting displays created by, four plots on the viaduct have also been handed over to local community groups and partner organisations to create their own unique gardens for visitors to enjoy.
Turn It Up: The power of music / Credit: Science Museum Group
Mancs can “unravel the secrets of sound” through experiments, play, and performance at the Science and Industry Museum’s new world-first exhibition.
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Fancy getting to march to the beat of your own drum? Turn It Up: The power of music gives visitors the chance to make some noise and get creative with hands-on activities – including the chance to build your own music-makers, create your very-own tunes, and explore the secrets of sound in a new science show led by the museum’s team of expert Explainers.
There’ll be a whole host of interactive activities, special shows, and unique performances all themed around the science of sound to get stuck into.
Coronation Street: The Tour / Credit: Coronation Street
Coronation Street: The Tour gives you the chance to see the hidden world of the nation’s most-famous cobbles that lies behind the camera at the external sets at MediaCityUK in Salford.
Following in the footsteps of all your favourite characters, during each 90-minute tour, fans of the show will get to walk around all the famous sets of the Rovers Return, Roys Rolls, Underworld, and The Kabin, and so much more, and tour guides will share all the secrets of the show while they take you around locations of iconic moments from the soap.
There’ll also be plenty of chances to get that all-important Corrie selfie too.
Lass Fest is returning to GRUB with a full week of events to celebrate International Women’s Day.
The festival will celebrate amazing women in Manchester and beyond, and with a theme of supporting and promoting feminist founders and female-owned businesses, this means you can expect food, drinks, music, art, shopping, comedy, spoken word, film, and more.
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As well as the amazing line-up of Lass Fest events, you’ll also be able to grab grub from local female-owned street food businesses too.
Manchester Film Festival is back, and will take over the Odeon cinema inside Great Northern for a full week from 10 – 19 March.
With six feature film world premieres, and 17 feature film UK premieres, as well as over 140 short films – including 32 world premieres – all the films screening at this year’s festival are being shown in Manchester for the first time.
Local talent will also be on show with three sessions of ‘North West Shorts’ – which is the most ever screened at the festival.
Find out more about what’s on at Manchester Film Festival 2023 here.
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The Flying Scotsman x ELR
Greater Manchester
Saturday 11 – Sunday 19 March
The Flying Scotsman x ELR / Credit: East Lancashire Railway
The Flying Scotsman is celebrating 100 years since her first service, and the iconic locomotive will be passing through Greater Manchester as part of the celebrations for the next week.
As part of the centenary celebrations, she’ll be heading to the Irwell Valley on the East Lancashire Railway line between 11 March and 19 March, across five daily journeys, and tickets for journeys are now on sale – with the price including a round-trip between Bury and Rawtenstall and back to Bury.
Fans will also be able to visit the magnificent LNER Class A3 60103 when the locomotive is static, if you want to see this legendary beast up close.
Fancy catching all the March deals, discounts, and offers in Manchester’s cafes, bars, and restaurants?
Quite a few of the city’s best-loved independents have decided to extend their food deals from January into March, and we’re absolutely chuffed to see it – so while there’s still some great offers to make the most of, we’re going to keep promoting them.
Fortunately for us, there are some awesome set menus, lunch deals, and general discounts going around this month.
March dining deals 2023 / Credit: Firehouse & Chakalaka
If you’re looking for somewhere to grab a bite this week, we’ve rounded up some of the best Manchester March restaurant deals to take advantage of in 2023.
One of the biggest Guinness Fan Zones in the UK has arrived in Manchester city centre for the Six Nations – and the best part of all is, it’s absolutely free.
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With the beloved rugby union tournament running up until next Saturday 18 March, Guinness have brought their popular fan zone to our lovely city – which is the biggest one outside of London – and have popped up at Escape to Freight Island just round the corner from Piccadilly Station.
The space has been transformed into a dedicated area for rugby lovers to watch the match, enjoy a fresh pint of ice-cold Guinness, and get involved with a whole host of other festivities.
You can also read our round-up of all the best places to watch the Six Nations in Manchester here.
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FIREDANCE
The Bridgewater Hall
Saturday 11 March
FIREDANCE / Credit: The Bridgewater Hall
Two of Strictly Come Dancing’s stars, Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez, return to the Bridgewater Hall this weekend alongside their scintillating cast return for FIREDANCE.
Featuring fresh flavours and super-charged choreography, join the stars in a captivating dance-off inspired by Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge, Carmen, and West Side Story, all set to an eclectic mix of Latin, Rock, and Pop music from artists such as Camilla Cabello, Jason Derulo, Gregory Porter, Gypsy Kings, J.Lo, Marc Anthony, and many more.
With sizzling dancers, mesmerising fire specialists, and a sensational live band, FIREDANCE is set to “ignite passion as we turn up the heat for 2023”.
We Love MCR x SOS Dance – Let’s Dance for Manchester
Platt Lane Sports Hall
Sunday 12 March
Let’s Dance For Manchester / Credit: WLMC & SOS Dance
The next instalment of We Love MCR Charity’s ‘Challenge Event Series’ is a sponsored SOS Dance class at Platt Lane Sports Hall, with over 100 people dancing it out to Beyoncé to celebrate International Women’s Day and strutting their stuff no matter their ability.
SOS Dance is a global movement with a mission to empower a generation of women to believe in themselves.
Manchester SOS boss Danielle will be teaching this fundraising class with a Beyoncé – Run the World SOS routine, and will break down the moves so they’re super easy to learn for all levels, with 100% of the proceeds raised going towards the vital work of the We Love MCR Charity.
Didsbury’s very-own cookery school Food Sorcery is giving you the chance to roll your sleeves up and get stuck into making your own artisan bread.
Suited to home bakers who want to refine their skills and learn the versatility of dough, in this dedicated technique-based class, teacher Steph Clubb will show you how to create specialist breads from around the world.
With techniques including plaiting, slicing, and more, some of the breads you may make include Swiss Zopf, Italian Drago con Coda, and a French Tabatiere loaf using a overnight pre-fermented dough.
You can ‘run and rave’ as part of this new charity-driven social in Manchester city centre
Danny Jones
If you’re looking for a fun new way to spend a night out or thinking about getting into running but maybe haven’t quite found the right way in for you just yet, this new Manchester run socialthat starts and ends with a good old-fashioned party might be right up your street.
Run The Streets MCR is a community-led and charity-driven fitness and social event that recently launched in Manchester and has already developed a bit of a cult following in the space of only a couple of months.
The concept is simple: it’s a running social where you can meet new people whilst getting your yards in, just not quite as you know it. Instead of people turning up for a 5k and then heading home, the fun carries on at a host venue where people can keep chatting and mingling whilst having a boogie.
And the best part is that not only is it more of a causally paced, low-pressure jog and crucially social-first, but it’s all for a good cause too.
Started out by East Manchester locals and lifelong mates, Liam Parker-Worsley and Sarah Edwards, (‘Sezzle’ to those who know her among the Manc running circles), Run The Streets started out as a running social concept at its very core but has now become truly bigger than the sum of its parts.
While the ‘run and rave’ idea has been done before, this particular event is the first of its kind in Greater Manchester and after facing some serious obstacles to get it off the ground and plenty of adversity at the very first hurdle – for lack of a less punny phrase – they’ve managed to turn it into a force for good.
After pivoting the model at the start of 2024 to be completely non-profit, the monthly event is now helping bring people together for a good time, from the tarmac to the tiles, all whilst raising money for the likes of The Running Charity (TRC).
Not only do all the proceeds from the super affordable tickets – we’re talking the same price you’d pay for a decent pint in town these days – go straight back into running the next social, but they also help fund the chosen charity for that month.
Be it national causes like TRC, which recently received huge support from the incredible ‘Hardest Geezer‘s run across Africa, or charities strictly local to Manchester, everyone involved is striding towards a goal – quite literally.
Meet the team behind the new non-profit run social in Manchester.
Offering a different kind of night out
Speaking to The Manc, co-creator Sezzle says the mission statement is simple: “Everyone’s welcome and you can meet new people whilst running but at the same time we’re giving back to the community.
“We’re supporting local charities, artists and DJs, as well as local running clubs who want to get involved. Essentially, it’s just about bringing people together, which is what run clubs do, but we’re also in a big city and not everyone wants to go out and just drink at a bar all night.
“You want to keep fit, it’s good for your mental health, but you also still want to be social and enjoy yourself. Run The Streets is that Mancunian through and through but everyone’s invited.”
Sober for five months now, she acknowledged that outlets like this are crucial, insisting: “I don’t want to stop going out and having a good time or meeting new people, so this is a way that you can still go out on a Friday night and enjoy a party atmosphere with no pressure to drink”.
This is what the start of a night in trainers, hi-vis and glow sticks looks like. (Credit: Supplied)
The ‘by Manchester for Manchester’ ethos
Her partner in crime Liam echoed that party-run description, reiterating that whilst people can still get a bit boozy if they like, it’s all about “providing an alternative for anyone who doesn’t want to drink and want to be included but might have felt a little alienated otherwise”.
A fellow Tameside native, he explained how Run The Streets has already partnered with zero-alcohol brands like Clean Break for their inaugural event back in March and now alcohol-free favourite Lucky Saint for their sophomore social this month.
“It’s not about the financial aspect for us”, says Liam, “we only charge for tickets to sustain the event and pay for the talent, hiring spaces and so on… It might be different venues, different charities etc., but as long as we focus on core issues to Manchester with a cultural element that’s important to us, we’re happy with that”.
Sez couldn’t agree more, adding: “At the end of the day, we’re Mancs, we’ve watched the city grow into what it is today. When it comes down to it everyone knows about the Manchester spirit, it’s a hard-working area and there’s such a community to this place – we want to make sure everyone feels welcome.
“We look out for each other. That’s how it’s always been.”
Their recent running event with Matchroom ahead of the Gill vs Barrett fight at AO Arena. (Credit: Run The Streets MCR)
Roots in the running and wider Greater Manchester community
Chatting with Tom Lewis, founder of Manchester’s annual 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness and Chairman for the Run The Street’s official host club, Manchester Road Runners, he said that they became interested because they “really liked the idea of sponsoring different charities every month”.
Confessing that it felt like “a natural crossover” given MRR’s size and ethos, as well as their own non-profit work with the British Heart Foundation and Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, he said the “overall response from the first event was incredible – everyone just loved it”.
“There were people dancing on the streets as they saw us come past and there were so many videos on social media. That sort of stuff can really help get people into running who wouldn’t necessarily consider it in the first place.”
“I think it’s going to grow really quickly; the first event sold out and I think the next ones will too, definitely. It’s great to see what just a random group of friends can accomplish when we come together.”
Manchester Road Runners is helping bring huge numbers to the event already.
Liam himself couldn’t speak highly enough of the Castlefield-based group, insisting that “me and Sez find a lot of happiness and solace” at MRR.
While they are affiliated with others like KOKO (Keep On Keeping On’s Manchester arm) and Stretford Run Club that they want to help promote, the hope is that events like this might help people who run but don’t attend a club might give them a try in the future.
Regular ambassador and volunteer at both organisations, Natasha Barclay – who herself is over a year into her own sobriety journey – described the flagship event as “such good fun, really welcoming” and filled with plenty of people who had never even run before.
Nat also urged people not to be scared if they’re first-timers to run socials or running full stop, reassuring that “no one gets left behind; even if you can’t really run, you’ll always make it back, have a good time and meet others in the same boat”.
She went on to add: “Run The Streets MCR is all about giving back to the running community which I think can often get overshadowed by social media and certain brands. The spirit can sometimes get taken out of it but this run social puts its straight back in whilst helping Manchester business and DJs.”
When we asked the guys to sum this whole experience up in three words or less that weren’t ‘rave and run’, they came up with some pretty telling answers too. “Community, soul and fun”, “alternative Friday fun” and our personal favourite: “Simply for Manchester”.
It’s also worth reiterating that these guys have done it completely off their own backs and are doing so on an entirely voluntary basis on top of their full-time jobs, sometimes juggling two or three different roles. It’s been built over countless late nights and dinner hours, all for the love of running and the city.
The second ever Run The Streets MCR running social and party kicks off this Friday, 26 April from 7pm at Joshua Brooks, with a light 5k around our lovely city centre starting at 7:30pm before heading back to the venue for more tunes, dancing, glowsticks and general good vibes from 8pm onwards.
You can grab the last few remaining tickets HERE and we hope to see a few of you there on the night.
Come rain or shine, there’s always tunes to keep you going.The turnout at the last Run The Streets Manchester social at The Deaf Institute.Credit: Supplied/The Manc Group
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Run The Streets MCR
What's On
Co-op Live announce UFC 304 is coming to the brand-new arena for Manchester return this year
Danny Jones
Co-op Live has announced one of the biggest nights yet and their first-ever sporting event after confirming that the UFC is coming to the new state-of-the-art arena.
While the shiny new music and live entertainment stadium suffered an unfortunate setback earlier this week, with both of Peter Kay’s gigs being postponed following power supply issues discovered during their test event, the confirmation of UFC 304 at Co-op Live is a big plus for the opening month.
Rumours had been circling that a huge sporting event might be coming to the UK’s newest indoor arena, one of the biggest of its kind in Europe, but this being just the fourth time the UFC has washed up on British shores, it’s a huge coup for their debut year.
Announced on Wednesday, 24 April, the global MMA phenomenon and multi-billion-dollar promotion company will be bringing their 304th fight night to Manchester on 27 July and you can roll your eyes at the pun all you like, but it’s going to be a knockout.
The UFC is coming back to Manchester for the first time in eight years.
As the UFC has said in an official press release, “UK MMA is currently experiencing what is being described as an unheralded golden era, with stars such as welterweight champion Leon Edwards, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, and local favourites, including Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Muhammad Mokaev, Michael Page and Arnold Allen, with more rising through the ranks.”
That being said, there isn’t a better moment for the brand to capitalise on the growing fight audience here in the UK and 0161, specifically, with the aforementioned Aspinall having created a real appetite for the discipline in and around the city.
The Greater Manchester region has always been home to iconic fighters regardless, be it boxing or otherwise; Ricky Hatton, Tyson Fury, Amir Khan, as well adopted Manc MMA legend Michael Bisping, whose pedigree helped bring UFC to Manchester and the AO Arena for the first time back in 2016.
Nearly a decade later the promotion is now part of Co-op Live’s maiden calendar and set to be the first of many sporting events they hope to host – a plan bolstered by their partnership with neighbours, Manchester City.
The UFC 304 fight card is yet to be announced but there are a few local names you can probably bank on. (Credit: The Manc Audio)
“I’m so excited to get back to Manchester, and no better time than this summer,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “We have two champions from the UK and fans have been dying for a UFC PPV event. So here we come to the largest indoor arena in the UK. See you soon, England!”
As for Co-op Live, Executive Director and General Manager Gary Rodenadded: “With the north of England home to so many of the world’s leading fighters, we are primed and ready for UFC and its knowledgeable, passionate fanbase.
“Offering a state-of-the-art platform for globally broadcast events, Co-op Live is extremely proud to welcome entertainment of this scale and calibre as the future home of combat sports in the UK.”
Co-op members get early access to presale tickets at 10am on 5 June and general admission goes live via Ticketmaster at the same time on Friday, 7 June. UFC Fight Club members will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets early on the Wednesday from 9am BST.
You can also register your interest HERE to gain access to a special pre-sale which starts on Thursday, 6 June 6 from 10am as well. Roll on fight night!
Emily Sergeant -
3rd March 2023 
