What's On

The best things to do in Manchester this week: 12th – 18th October

Your go-to guide for what's on, what's happening and what there is to do in the city this week.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 9th October 2020

October is well under way now and there’s plenty to be getting up to in Manchester.

If you’re stuck for something to do, then this is your go-to guide for what’s on and what’s happening in the city of Manchester and beyond this week.

Some of the events we’re going to mention here are completely free, others will set you back a few pounds and most will need to be booked in advance, but all are COVID-secure and socially-distanced in order to keep you as safe as possible during these trying times.

Whatever you fancy doing though, there’s certainly no shortage of choice in our region.

Missed last week’s round-up? Catch it here.

ADVERTISEMENT

Here’s some of the things you could be getting up to this week:

___

ADVERTISEMENT

Pumpkin Lanterns

Manchester City Centre

1st October – 1st November

CityCo Pumpkins In Trees In St Annes Square

It's beginning to look a lot like… Halloween in the city! ??

Posted by The Manc on Tuesday, 29 September 2020

The pumpkins are still here, in case you missed them.

ADVERTISEMENT

If you’re looking to get in the mood for Halloween early, but keep things a little on the cheaper side this week, then you need look no further than up above in the city centre as the annual decorative pumpkin lanterns are back once again and they’re here all month.

Going on a little tour to see the lanterns in the trees in St Ann’s Square, Market Street and beyond is the perfect activity for all the family, easy to plan and great for pictures.

And it’s FREE too.

You can find more information here.

___

ADVERTISEMENT

Park N Party presents Scare City

Event City, Trafford

Monday 12th – Sunday 18th October

ScareCity 2020 At Park N Party In Manchester

ScareCity at Park N Party in Trafford is a living nightmare… ?? Tickets and event times ? http://bit.ly/ScareCity

Posted by The Manc on Thursday, 8 October 2020

Scare City officially kicked off last week and it’s not for the faint hearted.

This immersive drive-in cinema event – organised by Park N Party – sees terrifying performers swarming on unsuspecting viewers’ during each evening of car park entertainment at Event City in Trafford.

Horror flicks for all film fans will be showing throughout the month of October.

ADVERTISEMENT

From the comfort of your own car this week, you can watch films including Insidious, Get Out, and The Blaire Witch Project for the brave, and also Frankenweenie, Goosebumps, and Beetlejuice if you’d rather keep your wits about you.

Tickets are priced at £35 per vehicle.

Food and drink is also available to purchase on site, and will be served and distributed in compliance with COVID-19 safety precautions.

You can reserve your spot at Scare City online now via Eventbrite.

___

ADVERTISEMENT

Brick or Treat

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Trafford

Monday 12th – Sunday 18th October

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre

Trick or treating may be off the cards this year, but how about Brick or Treat instead?

This October, you can take your little monsters to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre at Barton Square and get into the spirit at the ultimate Halloween party, with so many “fang-tastic activities” and “spook-tacular activities”, plus access to two rides, LEGO build & play zones, and a 4D cinema at the ultimate indoor LEGO playground.

All of this COVID-safe fun is included within the price of an admission ticket too.

ADVERTISEMENT

You can book your tickets here.

___

Ascarium 2020

SEA LIFE Manchester, Trafford

Monday 12th – Sunday 18th October

Ascarium / SEA LIFE Mancheter

The fun doesn’t stop at intu Trafford Centre, as Ascarium is arriving at SEA LIFE Manchester once again this year and it’s an experience like no other.

ADVERTISEMENT

You are invited to follow the immersive trail through the site – which will adhere to all necessary COVID-19 safety measures – to find missing potion ingredients hidden throughout displays of the creepiest creatures of the deep and once you’ve spotted all of the missing items, see if you can solve the riddle at the end of the trail to complete the spell and claim your free Cadbury reward for your Halloween bravery.

You can find out more and book your tickets here.

___

Totally Gruesome

Ashton-under-Lyne

Monday 12th – Sunday 18th October

ADVERTISEMENT
Totally Gruesome

Totally Gruesome is a 100% socially distanced and COVID-safe Halloween attraction aimed at Primary School-aged children in Ashton-under-Lyne..

In your pre-booked time slot, you’ll get five minutes to spend in each of the 10 themed rooms – which range from ‘Spiders Cave’ and ‘Clown Graveyard’, to ‘Egyptian Tomb’ and ‘Witches Forest’ – to crack the code. Follow the clues to uncover a letter of the alphabet in each themed room and once you have all the letters, you can then solve the anagram to be entered into the weekly sweetie prize draw.

It’s basically a kids version of break-out rooms, crossed with the crystal maze.

Tickets are priced at £7 each.

You can discover more information about the event and book your tickets here.

ADVERTISEMENT

___

Murder Mystery 2020

East Lancashire Railway, Bury

Saturday 17th October

Dining With Distinction

Fancy a bit of Poirot to get you in the mood for Halloween?

This week’s Murder Mystery 2020 theme at East Lancashire Railway in Bury is ‘Trouble at Tower Terrors’.

ADVERTISEMENT

The description for the event reads: “They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky and one of them is also a killer. The residents of Terror Towers are out for revenge on the oldest and deadliest member of the clan and it’s up to you to dig up the evidence and discover who is the worst monster of all before the witching hour strikes.”

Tickets are priced at £75.

This includes a beautiful 2 1/3 hour steam train ride through the Irwell Valley, a welcome glass of fizz, a four course meal – with everything from Chorizo, Halloumi & Cucumber salad, to Raspberry & White Chocolate Meringue on the menu – followed by tea or coffee and after dinner chocolates, and of course award-winning Murder Mystery entertainment.

You can book your tickets here.

___

ADVERTISEMENT

GM ‘Virtual’ Walking Festival

Greater Manchester

Monday 12th – Sunday 18th October

Pixy

After something that isn’t so spooky and Halloween-themed this week?

The GM ‘Let’s Walk Festival’ is taking place in a completely COVID-safe and virtually this year, so no matter whether you’re a “stroller, roamer, shuffler, moocher or a marcher”, you’re welcome to join in with this two-week-long festival.

It’s a great opportunity to set yourself (or your family) a walking goal and discover the simple joys and benefits of walking with an option to raise money for local causes too.

ADVERTISEMENT

You can find out more information and register onto the event here.

___

Escape to Freight Island

Depot Mayfield

Thursday 15th, Friday 16th, Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th October

Escape to Freight Island

There’s plenty going on at Escape to Freight Island this week.

ADVERTISEMENT

If you haven’t had chance to make your way down to Manchester’s newest social experience and one of the hottest tickets in town yet – which is housed at Depot Mayfield in the heart of the city centre – then this is definitely a good week to make that happen.

On the agenda this extended weekend is regular act Reform Radio Presents on Thursday, a special showing by Band on the Wall Presents on Friday – with exciting acts yet to be announced – Mr. Scruff, MC Kwasi, Annabel Fraser, and Lee Andrews taking over for 10 hours on Saturday, and finally From Manchester With Love taking to the stage on Sunday.

Tickets to all events must be booked in advance.

You can books yours and find more information about social distancing / COVID-safe precautions here.

___

Higher Ground

Ducie Street Warehouse, Northern Quarter

Friday 16th & Saturday 17th October

Higher Ground x Ducie Street Warehouse

Higher Ground is taking over Ducie Street Warehouse for the full month of October.

The innovative pop-up restaurant – which prides itself on offering dishes with the best North West ingredients, Manchester brewed beer and natural wine – began its residency at the popular Northern Quarter hangout at at the start of the month, where an incredible five-course sharing menu will be served and an optional wine pairing, consisting of three glasses is available to add-on.

Tickets at £45 per head and prepaid reservations must be made for party sizes of two – six people.

You can book yours here.

What's On

The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 21 – 27 April 2025

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

We’ve got just one more bank holiday left before it’s back to school and back to the grind.

But even though the Easter break may be over and done with, and it won’t be long before April is too, there’s still absolutely no shortage of things for the whole family to be getting up to in Greater Manchester this week.

Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though?

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 too.

___

The Giant Egg Hunt

RHS Garden Bridgewater

Monday 21 – Sunday 27 April

The Giant Easter Egg Hunt / Credit: RHS

The Giant Egg Hunt is back at RHS Garden Bridgewater this spring school holidays.

Running from 10am to 4pm daily, and suitable for children aged three and up, visitors are invited to follow the hunt around the Salford-based garden to find the hidden giant eggs, and once you’ve spotted them all, you’ll be rewarded with a free chocolatey treat to take home with you.

This year the trail is more exciting than ever too, because children have a special quest and ‘egg-nigma code’ to crack.

Find out more here.

___

Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You

Science and Industry Museum

Monday 21 April – onwards

Operation Ouch!
Operation Ouch!
Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You / Credit: Science Museum Group

You can plunge headfirst into the incredible world of our senses at a new immersive museum exhibition that’s now arrived at the Science and Industry Museum.

Back by popular demand after a successful run over these past two years, but with a fresh new adventure lined up for 2025, Operation Ouch! is giving you the chance to journey through an ear canal covered in gooey wax, squeeze past sticky snot, and delve deeper into how our brains interpret the world.

Tickets to Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You are now on sale, and visitors are being told to prepare themselves for an “epic exploration of the senses”.

Find out more here.

Looking for more activities to do with your little Mancs at the Science and Industry Museum during the spring season?

Science shows, sensory activities, and a chance to discover what life is like for animals, are just some of the things you can do at one of the region’s best loved museums, as well as dive into five decades of retro gaming.

Check out the full spring events programme here.

___

Easter Eggstravaganza

Trafford Palazzo

Monday 21 April

Easter Eggstravaganza / Credit: Trafford Palazzo

Visitors can enjoy a host of Easter-themed workshops designed to delight all ages at Trafford Palazzo this bank holiday weekend.

There’s everything from Easter egg and Easter bunny headband decorating workshops, to spring garland making, biscuit decorating, Easter card making classes, and loads of other wholesome activities to get involved with across the four-day weekend.

There’s even a chance to meet some Easter characters too, like Trafford Palazzo’s very-own Maximus bear giving out big hugs, and, of course, the Easter bunny.

Find out more here.

___

Easter Holiday Pass

Oxygen at MediaCity

Monday 21 April

Oxygen Activeplay is opening at MediaCity this year. Credit: Supplied
Oxygen MediaCity is recruiting a Chief Excitement Officer - and they must be an actual child. Credit: Supplied, Jamie McPhilimey
Easter Holiday Pass / Credit: Jamie McPhilimey

Now that schools are out, families can get themselves one of Oxygen at MediaCity’s Easter Holiday Pass, which gives pass holders the chance to visit the newly-opened £2.5m indoor activity park on any five days of the two-week break for 60 minutes of ‘Open Play’.

Weekends and bank holidays are also included in the pass, so there’s plenty of time to go.

For a limited time only, you can save some pennies and take advantage of a half price offer and get your hands on an Easter Holiday Pass for only £30.

Find out more and book your ‘big time fun’ here.

___

Mary Poppins

Palace Theatre Manchester

Monday 21 April – Saturday 17 May

Mary Poppins / Credit: ATG Tickets | Daniel Boud (via Unsplash)

Mary Poppins is now back on stage in Manchester as part of its UK tour.

Two decades after the world premiere in Bristol, and subsequent record-breaking run of productions around the world ever since, one of the best-loved musicals of all time has flown back into our city and landed on the iconic Palace Theatre stage.

Based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film, the story of the world’s favourite nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane is even more magical than ever before, featuring dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs.

Australian stars, Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers, are both reprising their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert.

Find out more and get last minute tickets here.

___

A Knight’s Tale The Musical

Manchester Opera House

Monday 21 April – Saturday 10 May

A Knight's Tale
A Knight’s Tale The Musical / Credit: Supplied

A Knight’s Tale has been turned into a comedy musical.

A Knight’s Tale may be one of Chaucer’s most well-known Canterbury Tales, but for most of us, we tend to be more familiar with Brian Helgeland’s iconic 2001 medieval action comedy film of the same name instead, which of course starred the late great Heath Ledger, alongside Paul Bettany, Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, and more.

And its the latter that has now been reimagined for the modern day and turned into a brand-new comedy stage musical that’s charging into Manchester this month.

Find out more and get last minute tickets here.

___

Did you see that one of Greater Manchester’s popular museums has been named the best free museum in the UK?

Now that schools are out for spring, plenty of parents, carers, and guardians across Greater Manchester will likely be looking for a ways to keep the kids entertained and educated while schools are out, and without having to break the bank too.

Luckily enough, Bolton Museum has taken the top spot in a list of the best free museums and galleries to visit in the whole of the UK.

Inside Bolton Museum
Inside Bolton Museum
Bolton Museum has been crowned the best free museum to visit in the UK / Credit: Bolton Council

The museum – which is on the Grade II-listed Le Mans Crescent in the town centre, and dates back to 1852 – has been a part of the leisure and education of Boltonians for over 120 years, and is home to one of the largest regional Egyptology collections in the UK, made up of over 10,000 archaeological objects.

There’s also an extensive local history section, with 38,000 objects from the 17th to 20th century relating to Bolton.

Find out more here.

___

How about that Chester Zoo is giving away more than 30,000 free tickets to kids this year?

The UK’s largest charity zoo is on a mission to help nature to “survive and thrive”.

And so, in a bid to do just that, has announced that it will once again be handing out tens of thousands of tickets to schoolchildren for completely free of charge, so that they can explore the zoo up close and learn all about the inspiring work the conservation charity does.

Kids at Chester Zoo
Penguins at Chester Zoo

With the hopes of empowering as many youngsters as possible, and sparking their passion for saving species once again, the zoo has now opened the scheme back up for the 2025/26 season – with a whopping 33,000 tickets available for schools, nurseries, and colleges to claim.

Those who secure tickets will have the opportunity to visit the zoo between this November and February 2026.

Find out more here.

Even better yet, did you see that Chester Zoo has also recently opened a magnificent new African savannah habitat?

One of the largest habitats of its kind in the UK – spanning an area the size of 17 football pitches (22.5 acres) – Heart of Africa is home to dozens of African species, including giraffes, rhino, zebra, vultures, and meerkats.

There’s also new indoor habitats where you can see smaller species like never before, and even some habitats you can clamber inside too.

Read more about the Heart of Africa here.

___

Looking for something creative to do this spring?

Not everyone has little Mancs in their lives, and even if they do, it doesn’t mean you can’t take some time for yourself, so here are some more spring activity suggestions to entertain or flex those creative muscles across Greater Manchester.

___

Bento Cake Workshop

Vanilla Ice Cakes

One of our creations at the bento cake workshop in Chorlton, Manchester
Bento Cake Workshop / Credit: The Manc Group

How cute is this? We’ve discovered a little workshop over in Chorlton where you can ice, pipe, garnish, and decorate a miniature bento cake just the way you want it, with the help of the experts at Vanilla Ice Cakes.

You can whip up your dream colour buttercream, personalise your fillings, and learn brand-new skills before heading home with this adorable little celebration cake of your own.

At Vanilla Ice Cakes in Chorlton, you’ll sit under the expert eye of owner Fiza, a master baker who’s been in the game for more than a decade, and she’ll guide you (and sometimes step in to help you) as you fumble your way through decorating your own cake.

Find out more here.

___

DIY Signet Ring Workshops

Sken Studios

Sken Studios might just be the most wholesome way to spend an afternoon in Greater Manchester.

Ran by the legend that is Sabira, she’ll guide you through the workshop, teaching you the proper techniques necessary to carve your ring out of wax.

The rings are completely customisable and can feature whatever kind of shape and design you feel most inspired by, then once the workshop is over, your ring is sent off to be cast in either silver or gold and a few weeks later is delivered straight to your doorstep.

___

Make a Bear Brick

Blank Studio

Make a Bear Brick / Credit: The Manc Group

Put down the paint brush, because at this workshop, it’s all about free-pouring paint over adorable new best friends.

This is Blank Studio, tucked away down at the Maker’s Quarter in KAMPUS, and if you’re looking for something different to try in Manchester, then this is a great (and very satisfying) activity to try your hand at.

You pick your paint colours and your character-shaped brick (from bears and rabbits, to balloon dogs and more), then get pouring to create beautiful custom marble effects.

Could this be the most satisfying activity in Manchester? We think so.

___

NEW OPENING – Ocasa

Spinningfields

Find out more here.

___

NEW OPENING – Forbici

Cross Street

NEW OPENING – Forbici / Credit: The Manc Group

This new Manchester restaurant has just one rule for you… cut your pizza with scissors.

Our city has been blessed by the pizza gods yet again, and Forbici is not messing around, as this newbie is taking the Italian delicacy very seriously with no shortcuts.

In fact, the only cutting they’re doing is with scissors, splitting their pizzas the traditional way, just like they do in Naples.

Find out more here.

___

NEW OPENING – Lina Stores

St John’s Court

NEW OPENING – Lina Stores / Credit: The Manc Group

An 80-year-old London icon has finally landed in the North… welcome to town, Lina Stores.

This stunning Italian restaurant, deli, and bar is almost ready to open, with absolutely masses of treats on offer, from breakfast, all the way through to sundowner cocktails.

We tucked into a gorgeous array of starters such as the burrata and focaccia, and crudo di tonno, before enjoying tagliolini al tartufo, or ravioli con burrata, all washed down well with some summery signature cocktails. Oh, and who could say no to a tiramisu or cannoli? Not us.

Find out more here.

___

Manchester Marathon 2025

Manchester City Centre

Sunday 27 April

Manchester Marathon 2024 guide
Manchester Marathon / Credit: MM

The Manchester Marathon is back this Sunday.

The UK’s second largest marathon and one of Europe’s largest, this is an iconic event drawing participants from all over the world to the vibrant streets of Greater Manchester – with everyone from from superb elite runners, to those who thought completing a marathon would never be possible, taking on the 26.2 mile challenge.

2024 saw 32,000 people sign up, but this Sunday, a record-high of 36,000 runners will take part with all places sold out more than five months before the event.

An all-day fanzone is also being set up in the city too, and you can find out more here.

___

Featured Image – Manchester Marathon | The Manc Group

What's On

A brand-new immersive ‘walking theatre’ and XR experience has landed in Greater Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Walking theatre XR experience Trafford Palazzo

We hear the word immersive thrown around a lot these days, but if the notion of walking through some of your favourite fantasy and sci-fi worlds in a state-of-the-art XR tour doesn’t fit the definition, we don’t know what does.

Get ready to pull on a headset and be dropped into a different universe, Mancs.

This is Immersia XR: an industry-leading immersive entertainment and XR (extended reality) experience has just been unveiled right here in Greater Manchester.

Anyone for a ride on a magic carpet?

Credit: The Manc Group
Credit: Immersia XR (supplied)

Immersia XR specialises in what they call ‘Walking XR Theatre – a new term for a new kind of experience’, and boasts big plaudits across the board, with an average Google rating of 4.8 from dozens of reviews already.

Having just made its Manchester debut to the public at Trafford Palazzo (located right next to 0161’s famous Trafford Centre) this summer, the new addition brings cutting-edge technology blended with iconic family-favourite tales in an “unforgettable walk-through format.”

A lucky few have been treated to our first time, including us here at The Manc, and you’ll have to take our word for it when we tell you it’s a truly incredible experience.

It’s the first of its kind in the UK and Europe, and although there are other similar VR and AR offerings around the region, you won’t find anything quite like ‘walking theatre’ and this free-roam experience.

Credit: Supplied

As you can see above, there are a number of experiences to be enjoyed right from the off, including two modes inspired by childhood classics, Alice in Wonderland and Tales of Aladdin.

Ever fancied trying your hand as an astronaut and walking on the surface of the moon as you look back at the Earth below? Course you have! No training involved in this one, either.

Take that, Katy Perry, you can keep your short-lived Blue Origin nonsense to yourself.

Immersia XR’s ambition doesn’t stop there, though, as they are also preparing to introduce the exciting new ‘Terracotta Army’ experience in the near future.

Here’s a glimpse at how it looks inside the goggles:

Already open to the public and running up until Sunday, 6 July 2025, Immersia XR is fun for all ages, with kid-friendly zones and accessible narratives built into the experience.

Best of all, there are actually very few bells and whistles; no screens, no controllers – it’s just you walking through the story of your choice.

Immersia XR’s founder, Ian Xiang, said: “We’re not just launching a new attraction—we’re pioneering the future of storytelling. Walking XR Theatre is where cinema, theatre, and technology converge to create magic. You don’t just watch the story—you walk through it.”

Tickets are on sale now, with adult prices starting from only £17, children (ages 3–15) from just £12, and family tickets (2 adults, 2 kids) from £54. Great value for money.

Concession tickets are also available for students and over-65s, priced from £16, and group bookings of 10 or more receive 10% off. You can even get 20% off all ticket types with the early bird code: PRESS20. You can grab yours HERE.

Credit: Supplied/The Manc Group

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)

More What's On

Boroughs

There’s a farm in Greater Manchester where you can meet Lilo and Stitch

Keely Hodgkinson Great Manchester Run official starter 2025

City Centre

Local Olympian Keely Hodgkinson named as official starter of the 2025 Great Manchester Run

Dunham Massey immersive ORIGIN exhibition

Art & Culture

Two new immersive installations are coming to Dunham Massey

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches