Looking for something to be getting up to this mid-March week?
We’ve cherry-picked a few of the best things happening and to put together another fresh edition of our ‘what’s on’ guide for the city of Manchester and beyond.
As always, some of the events we’re going to mention here are completely free, which is great for those looking to keep things on the cheaper side, 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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James Bunny: Casino Tropicale at Electric Gamebox
Manchester Arndale
Monday 7 March – onwards
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Credit: Electric Gamebox
Manchester Arndale’s immersive gaming attraction, Electric Gamebox, has launched a new secret agent-inspired game.
Using Electric Gamebox’s state-of-the-art technology to create a top-secret virtual world, the brand new game, James Bunny: Casino Tropicale, launched last week, and it’s a digital experience thar’s inviting players to step into the world of James Bunny, aka Double-Ear Seven, in a mission to take down notorious mafia boss Francisco Salamander.
Projection mapping and motion tracking place participants right into the action, with a surround sound system blasting big band show tunes.
The Sistine Chapel is home to arguably the most awe-inspiring work of art on the planet – and now it’s been recreated here in Greater Manchester.
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Previously, people would have to travel to Vatican City to see the collection of intricate paintings that cover the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but now the frescoes have been recreated as huge prints covering walls and ceilings at a new immersive exhibition that’s taken over Trafford Palazzo (formerly Barton Square), giving visitors a chance to see them on the same scale as Michelangelo.
Running through to Sunday 27 March, it gives a life-size perspective of this remarkable feat of artistry.
An immersive chocolate factory experience has opened at the Trafford Centre this month, and it’s ready to make all your “sweetest dreams come true”.
After enjoying success in Madrid, Barcelona, and London, The Chocolate Factory has now made its way over to us in Manchester, and it’s described as being a “theatrical candy-themed experience” where you’ll get to explore a variety of colourful rooms, take some magical selfies, and most-importantly, satisfy your sugar cravings and eat some delicious sweets.
Set on the ground floor of the iconic shopping centre, The Chocolate Factory lets you take a trip through different worlds, with every room “filled with new discoveries”.
You can join the Science and Industry Museum for a unique after-hours event that’s inspired by the world-first special exhibition Cancer Revolution: Science, innovation and hope this Wednesday at 7pm.
With a packed programme of performances, interactive activities, talks and more, this special event combines art and science to explore the different ways in which cancer can affect our lives, and celebrates the people working to transform cancer care, from scientists and researchers to patients and their families and friends.
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Cancer Revolution: Science, innovation, and hope is the first “major object-rich exhibition” to reveal the past, present and future of how cancer is prevented, detected and treated.
Through never-before seen objects and stories, cutting edge treatment and research, reflection, new artist commissions and installations, film, photography, interactive exhibits and a breadth of personal stories, the museum says the exhibition presents the stories of people affected by cancer and those who study and treat it.
You can find more information about the special free event here.
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GRUB 4 Ukraine Fundraiser Night
Cheetham Hill
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Wednesday 9 March
Credit: Instagram (@grubmcr)
As the news of the Ukraine conflict continues to rock the globe, Manchester street food venue GRUB has announced it will be hosting a fundraiser this week as a way of raising money to help those affected.
In solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the venue will be teaming up with its street food partners and a host of local breweries to put on a charity event to raise money for the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal.
Breweries such as Squawk, Beatnikz, Left Handed Giant, Manchester Union Lager, Runaway, Neon Rapter, and Vocation Brewery have already pledged to donate kegs of beer and other prizes, and 100% of the turnover from sales will also be donated to the appeal.
There will also be donation buckets around the event for those who want to donate cash to the appeal.
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You can find more information here.
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International Women’s Day at 20 Stories
Spinningfields
Thursday 10 March
Credit: 20 Stories
To celebrate women from across the globe, 20 Stories will be hosting a special International Women’s Day breakfast event on 10 March between 8-10am with an esteemed panel of influential businesswomen.
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Joining the panel will be leading Coronation Street actress, Brooke Vincent, CEO of Ruuby Beauty, Venetia Archer, Co-Chair of Oak View Group (OVG) and developers of new Manchester based arena, Co-op Live Jessica Koravos, and Paralympian and Great Britain gold medal winner, Hannah Russell MBE.
The event will be chaired by CEO of Roland Dransfield Lisa Morton and will focus on the importance of kindness, purpose and the value of community as we create a better future post-pandemic.
Tickets will be priced at £25 with £5 donated to homeless charity Embassy – who are currently raising funds to provide homeless provision for females across Manchester.
28 Days Later, A Quiet Place, and The Hills Have Eyes are just some of the chilling films showing at the North West’s newest immersive drive-in cinema this week.
Northern kids of the 80s, 90s, and 00s will get the chance to revisit their youth and return to the legendary medieval-themed Camelot Theme Park in Chorley, which sadly closed for good back in 2012 and has been largely abandoned and derelict ever since.
This is an experience like no other though.
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Hosted by Park N Party – the team also behind sell-out seasonal drive-in events SecretCity, ScareCity, and ChristmasCity – visitors in up to 300 cars get to park up and watch a series of horror films across 12 weeks at ‘Camelot Rises’, but only after they have survived a terrifying one-mile journey through what has been described as a “zombie-infested wasteland”.
You can find out more about Camelot Rises and grab tickets here.
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Manchester Cheese Crawl
Manchester City Centre
Friday 4 March – onwards
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Credit: Flickr
In what is undeniably the stuff of dreams for cheese lovers, you can now take part in a cheese and wine crawl around Manchester city centre.
Manchester is city that’s packed with culture.
But if you don’t fancy seeing the sights through one of the more typical tours, The Manchester Cheese Crawl will take you around some of the cheesiest spots the city has to offer for two hours of non-stop cheese-related fun – including everything from blue cheese tasting, to cheese quizzes, competitions, and more.
Tickets cost just £25 each, and include cheese samples, optional bread and crackers, and some red wine to complement.
Heaton Park has revealed a new trio of scenic lakeside dining domes, and it’s perfect for those looking for a unique afternoon tea experience in Manchester.
Situated in Manchester’s largest park with stunning views of the lake and gardens, not to mention the Grade-I listed Heaton Hall close at hand, the domes are private and heated to ensure maximum comfort, and they offer an extra special afternoon tea experience surrounded by nature.
There’s a seasonal menu that features a number of different afternoon tea options, including vegan options too, all for £23.95 per person.
One of the North West’s most-popular outdoor events has reopened near Manchester, and it’s an ideal day out for families this month.
For the past two years, Totally Roarsome has taken the region by storm and has seen visitors flock from far and wide after it opened in untouched woodland following the initial lifting of lockdown restrictions in mid-2020, before returning after popular demand for the Easter half term in 2021.
And now, it’s found a new home for 2022’s event at Arley Hall in Cheshire.
There’ll be more than 200 individual dinosaur models making up the woodland trail this year, with tickets priced at £8.95 and already selling fast.
Coronation Street: The Tour is returning after a two-year hiatus this month to give 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.
Manchester Film Festival 2022 will take place over a full week at the Odeon inside Great Northern Warehouse, with a linup of films from around the world.
Over 130 films will screen all playing in Manchester for the very first time.
With 80 of the selected films are from the UK, there’ll be 27 world premieres and 74 UK premieres across the festival, and many of the filmmakers will be in attendance to take part in Q&A sessions after the screenings.
The festival will also host the Manchester premieres of award winners from Cannes and BFI London.
You can find more information about Manchester Film Festival 2022 here.
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Featured Image – Coronation Street | The Chocolate Factory
What's On
War Child UK announce Foo Fighters charity prize draw for sold-out Manchester gig
Danny Jones
Amidst all the live music madness this week, with the intimate BRITs gigs happening, other big city centre shows and, of course, the mighty Foo Fighters coming to town, it can be hard to keep track of everything – but when we heard about a prize draw for free tickets, we couldn’t let you miss it.
That’s right, the Foos and War Child UK are getting ready to hand out limited pairs of tickets to their recently announced gig at the O2 Ritz in Manchester, which sold out in the blink of an eye.
They’re not even performing as part of BRITs Week lineup, but given it’s such a big moment for the city and an opportunity to raise money for the cause, they thought they’d throw their hats in the ring, so long as you chip in on your end.
So, ‘What’s the deal?’, we hear you ask. Well, look no further:
Put simply, all you have to do is enter the prize draw as advertised; plus, you know you’ll be doing your bit for a good cause, too, which is always an added bonus.
Given that the Ritz is already pretty much at capacity (approximately 1,500), they only have a small number of tickets to give away.
There are just four pairs up for grabs, to be specific, but with hundreds of people having already entered the charitable competition, nearly £17,000 has been raised for War Child UK already.
Incredible stuff.
For anyone still unclear on War Child’s mission, the organisation does crucial outreach not only here in Britain but all over the world, delivering emergency aid, specialist mental health support, and much more to children in need whose lives have been torn apart by conflicts across the globe.
This show, which has already generated huge funds towards those efforts through ticket sales, and local band The Covasettes are now even campaigning to get legendary frontman Dave Grohl to join them on stage after their stage times were shifted to make way for the Foo Fighters gig.
🚨 MANCHESTER UPDATE 🚨
With @foofighters playing the Ritz after us on Friday, our gig will now take place slightly earlier. Get down for doors and give the supports a night to remember!
Once again, the show itself is fully sold out, and there’s little chance you’ll find spares floating around ahead of a truly massive night.
Better still, if you are after one last lucky shot at getting yourself in that room, why not help raise some money for War Child while you’re at it?
As we’re sure you know, the gig itself is on Friday, but if you want to stand a chance, you must donate and choose your number of entries – £10 for one, three for £20, or £50 for a total of 10 entries – before 10am GMT this Thursday, 26 February.
All the artists performing at the BRIT Awards 2026 in Manchester – so far
Daisy Jackson
The BRIT Awards 2026 are right around the corner, and will be taking place in Manchester for the first time – but who will be performing?
The huge music awards have been drip-feeding us announcements all year so far ahead of the actual BRITs on Saturday, 28 February.
With seven names announced to date, it’s already shaping up to be one of the biggest events Manchester has ever seen.
From the world’s biggest pop stars to a producer who’s worked with the biggest names on the planet, the BRIT Awards have called upon some serious stars who’ll be performing for the audience here in Manchester.
Here are all the names that have been announced so far.
Who’s performing at the 2026 BRIT Awards in Manchester?
1. Harry Styles
Harry Styles will be performing at the BRITs in Manchester (Credit: Johnny Dufort)
Harry Styles will finally be performing at the Co-op Live – a venue he’s a major investor in – for the first time this year, thanks to the BRIT Awards.
The megastar will be performing his new single, ‘Aperture’, which has broken a years-long drought of new music from the former One Direction singer.
And given that his upcoming UK tour dates are exclusively in London, this will be a rare chance to see him on home turf… barring the BRAND NEW ‘intimate’ show announcement here in Manchester.
The first name to be announced as performing at the BRIT Awards was solo singer-songwriting superstar of the moment, Olivia Dean.
Olivia Dean has also been announced as a performer for the BRITs (Credit: Jack Davison)
She’ll be taking to the stage at the Co-op Live as a Grammy Award-winner too, having taken home the Best New Artist trophy last week.
Olivia Dean has also announced an unbelievably intimate show in Manchester, too, as part of the wider BRITs Week for War Child concert series, performing at the Albert Hall.
3. Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice are performing at the Brit Awards 2026 (Credit: Press shot)
Wolf Alice – one of the UK’s most celebrated bands – will be performing at this year’s BRITs, hot off the back of their own headline arena tour, which received serious praise across the board.
The group are nominated for three awards this year – ‘Group of the Year’, ‘Alternative/Rock Act’, AND ‘Mastercard Album of the Year’ for their fourth studio LP, The Clearing.
This will be the first time they’ve performed at the Co-op Live, joining the biggest names in the industry for the BRIT Awards 2026.
4. Mark Ronson
Outstanding Contribution To Music winner Mark Ronson (Credit: Supplied)
One of the greatest producers of a generation will be getting a double-whammy at the BRIT Awards 2026 – both a slot to perform, AND the highly coveted ‘Outstanding Contribution To Music’ award.
Mark Ronson has created some of the world’s biggest hits with other top artists, including ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars, ‘Shallow’ with Lady Gaga, and ‘Back to Black’ with Amy Winehouse. He already has two BRIT Awards and nine Grammys – and now he can add a lifetime achievement to that trophy cabinet.
Ronson said: “This is the most meaningful honour of my career. I think of the times I’ve watched artists I revere accept this same award. The idea that I’m now standing in that lineage feels impossible.
“I left England as a kid, but this country runs through everything I’ve made. The UK artists I’ve worked with—their brilliance and refusal to compromise—shaped not just my work but how I understand what music should do. And more than anything, it’s the crowds here who’ve sustained and shown up for me.
“The fans, the festival crowds, the record buyers and streamers—the love has always been overwhelming. I’m beyond grateful for all of it.”
5. Rosalía
Credit: Publicity pictures
As for the most recent name added to the BRIT Awards’ live music lineup for 2026, that goes to Spanish-speaking and multi-lingual pop superstar, Rosalía, who also just so happened to deliver one of our favourite albums of the year this past November.
The Lux singer, still just 33, has seen an incredible rise over the last few years and is understandably huge in Latin American and other Hispanic countries, but her presence continues to grow worldwide, so securing her for a mini Manchester gig at the upcoming ceremony is another real coup for the BPI.
With this being her BRITs debut following a number one record that saw her speak in 14 different languages, this genre-bending solo artist’s performance will be one watched all over the planet.
This was back in 2019, and she’s only got bigger since then.
6. KPop Demon Hunters – yes, the real ones
Golden by HUNTR/X is going up up up!
The original song from KPop Demon Hunters by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI has officially hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global Charts. pic.twitter.com/b3xZSZhQfh
In arguably one of the coolest names on the lineup of BRITs performers, singers EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI – a.k.a. the real voices of fictional girl group ‘HUNTR/X’ from Netflix’s global phenomenon, KPop Demon Hunters – have now been confirmed for a very special performance.
This will be a first for the smash-hit animated movie and musical released last August, and it’s not anything like the annual awards ceremony has seen before, either.
Even if you haven’t seen the feature film for yourself, we can promise you’ll have at least heard that one track which has been nominated for ‘International Song of the Year’ – or even if not, you’ll definitely find your toe-tapping along as you watch from home.
Reacting to being added to the roster, the group of vocalists said,“We are beyond thrilled to be nominated for 2 BRIT awards this year, celebrating the music of KPOP DEMON HUNTERS! We can’t wait to bring a special performance to Manchester. See you soon, UK Fans!”
As if half a dozen names weren’t enough already, another one of 2025’s breakout stars has also been called up to the stage.
Rising pop artist Alex Warren will also be performing in the flesh this month, bringing his folk-influenced solo material to Manc crowds for the very first time.
He was a big success at both the most recent Hits Radio Live and Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball back in December, with the Californian already amassing a strong transatlantic following.
Alex said of the honour: “The UK is where ‘Ordinary’ first broke and changed my life last year. I am so grateful for all the love from my fans there, and I can’t wait to bring a big performance to the BRITs’ stage for the very first time.”
8. SOMBR
SOMBR is the latest artist announced to be performing at the BRITs in Manchester. (Credit: Supplied)
One of the world’s most talked-about new artists – and the man behind the summer’s biggest and catchiest hits – is next up to perform at the BRITs 2026 in Manchester.
SOMBR, a.k.a Shane Boose, is nominated for two BRIT Awards this year, for International Artist of the Year and for International Song of the Year with his hit ‘Undressed’.
His smash single ‘Back to Friends’ topped Spotify’s global and US charts last year, leading to sold-out headline tours in the US, Europe and Australia.
SOMBR said: “I’m so honoured to be performing at the iconic BRIT Awards. I am so thankful to everyone who has supported me this past year. I love the UK and all the British people, it’s my second home!”
9. RAYE
SHE'S BACK 🤩 we're thrilled for @raye to return to The BRIT Awards 2026 stage this weekend 💋
don't miss her performance this Saturday 28th February on ITV1 & ITVX in the UK at 8:15PM and on YouTube globally at 8:45PM GMT pic.twitter.com/yzoyVMgaR3
Announced just days before the actual awards night getting underway, the one and only RAYE has also been confirmed as having now joined the BRITs live music lineup for 2026.
We’ve only just got over seeing her in the flesh after what feels like literally yesterday at Co-op Live already, but now – fresh off two fantastic nights and five-star reviewed shows across the board – soulful solo star is returning to the arena for another go around the block.
Commenting on making a quick comeback, the multi-award-winning artist said: “We are so grateful to the BRIT Awards for having us back on their stage. Me and the band are very excited.”
Honestly, even if we get a little taste of the show she put on earlier this month, we’re in for an absolute treat and then some…
Gosh, we really are being spoiled, aren’t we?
Oh, and if you haven’t heard about all of the incredible acts coming to town for BRITs Week ’26 (as mentioned previously with Ms Dean), you’re about to scream your heads off even more.
Emily Sergeant -
4th March 2022 
