The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 7 – 13 March 2022
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
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.
You can find out more here.
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Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition
Trafford Palazzo
Monday 7 March – onwards
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.
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.
You can find out more and grab tickets here.
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The Chocolate Factory
Trafford Centre
Monday 7 March – onwards
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 find out more and book tickets here.
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A Shared Hope
Science and Industry Museum
Wednesday 9 March
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.
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
Wednesday 9 March
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.
You can find more information here.
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International Women’s Day at 20 Stories
Spinningfields
Thursday 10 March
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.
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.
Find out more and grab tickets here.
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Camelot Rises
Chorley
Thursday 10 – Sunday 13 March
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.
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
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.
You can find out more and grab tickets here.
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Lakeside Dining Domes
Heaton Park
Friday 11 – Sunday 13 March
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.
You can find out more, and grab tickets here.
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Totally Roarsome
Arley Hall
Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 March
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.
You can find out more and book tickets here.
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Coronation Street: The Tour
MediaCityUK
Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 March
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.
You can find out more and book tickets here.
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Manchester Film Festival 2022
Great Northern
Saturday 12 – Sunday 20 March
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