The UK’s largest outdoor winter market is coming to Manchester
The Winter Wonderland experience will feature a Christmas forest, a steaming bratwurst grill and traditional hog roast, plus artisanal traders and loads more
A huge outdoor winter wonderland is coming to Manchester’s Escape to Freight Island this winter – and it sounds immense.
Billed as the UK’s largest fully-heated outdoor winter market, the Winter Wonderland experience will feature a Christmas forest, stalls from local artisanal traders, and delicious festive street food to Manchester over the festive period.
From the Great North Pie Co. to a steaming bratwurst grill and traditional hog roast, it’s all going on down at Escape to Freight Island – with further stalls selling mulled wine, hot chocolate, cheese, and hot cider.
Image: Escape to Freight Island
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as the team also have a huge programme of festive events booked over the coming months.
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Kicking off with a huge fireworks display on 5 November, there’ll be a mix of ticketed and free events running throughout the period including a bonfire night knees-up, Christmas workshops, karaoke, family raves, cabaret, live music, comedy and movie nights.
Big bookings to look forward to including a Homobloc takeover (7 November), a night with Craig Charles (28 November), and the return of the Untold Orchestra – who have become well known for different themed musical nights paying homage to iconic musicians.
Image: Escape to Freight Island
The Manchester-based collaborative orchestra will take to Freight’s outdoor stage every Wednesday throughout November and December, bringing all your festive favourites to life with their musical restyling of classic Christmas anthems.
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Tuesday nights, meanwhile, will see the introduction of a new comedy night showcasing some local talent from the Manchester scene as well as a few from further afield.
Last year’s map for the 2020 the Winter Market at Escape to Freight Island / Image: Escape to Freight Island
Further entertainment to look forward to throughout the season includes performances from the likes of Fun DMC, Teachrex, Playhouse Project, Family Gorgeous, Guilty Pleasures and Born to be Wild Child.
Bookings are now live for the Winter Island, with outdoor reservations starting from 5 November. Book your slot here.
Clubbing brand Don’t Let Daddy Know to make massive comeback in Manchester this weekend
Daisy Jackson
World-renowned clubbing brand Don’t Let Daddy Know is set to make a massive return this weekend, with a huge line-up at O2 Victoria Warehouse.
The international line-up will include Timmy Trumpet, Blasterjaxx, Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman, Third Party, and Ummet Ozcan.
Don’t Let Daddy Know is famed for its huge production, with walls of LEDs, pyrotechnics and lasers creating an almighty clubbing experience – not to mention plenty of surprises along the way.
It has grown into a global phenomenon, hosting tens of thousands of clubbers in venues around the world.
The 18+ dance event will be back after a two-year hiatus and returning to the O2 Victoria Warehouse, the site of previous sell-out shows.
The line-up is packed with EDM and HardStyle artists, including Australian DJ/producer Timmy Trumpet, who has 1.2 billion streams and first broke through with Freaks, which dominated the charts in more than 10 countries.
He said: “Manchester knows how to party!! I can’t wait to rage with you guys, this is gonna be absolutely MENTAL!!
“Don’t Let Daddy Know always brings the best production. This is gonna be one for the history books!”
Blasterjaxx is a fixture in the EDM scene, along with Swedish DJ and producer duo Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman.
Don’t Let Daddy Know will be at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on Saturday 1 October, with last entry at 11pm.
There are VIP tickets available, with the best views in the house from the venue’s mezzanine level, as well as fast-track entry and a private bar and toilets.
General admission tickets are priced at £25 plus fees, while VIP tickets start from £37.50 – you can get yours here.
Featured image: Don’t Let Daddy Know
What's On
You can meet tarantulas, komodo dragons, and more on Chester Zoo’s new interactive Halloween trail
Emily Sergeant
Tarantulas, komodo dragons, and poisonous dart frogs are just some of the creatures you can meet on Chester Zoo‘s newest trail next month.
With the spooky season right around the corner, Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail is set to take over the UK’s biggest charity zoo for the whole of next month from Saturday 1 – Monday 31 October, and it looks set to be an ideal day out for families during the half term.
You’ll get to see komodo dragons, a Gaboon Viper, some poison dart frogs, a blue komodo viper, a tarantula, and even the upside-down Jellyfish as you make your way along the indoor trail.
If meeting the animals wasn’t exciting enough as it is, this is also an interactive trail too.
So for those feeling brave enough, visitors are encouraged to visit the six different animal stations to learn some spellbinding facts about each hair-raising species, all while collecting letters to form a magic word using augmented reality.
You can meet tarantulas, komodo dragons, and more on Chester Zoo’s new interactive Halloween trail / Credit: Chester Zoo
All you’ll need to do is scan a QR code with your phone to reveal each letter of the word with a fun interactive experience, and then stamp the letters onto a postcard.
You’ll be rewarded with a sweet treat at the end of the trail if you manage to work out the word.
Of course, as Chester Zoo as place that’s as much about educating people on conservation as it is somewhere to head to for a fun day out, the theme of Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail is linked to the zoo’s BIAZA Vital Venom and Practical Poisons campaign.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of all the “creepy but crucial creatures” at the zoo that are venomous and poisonous.
Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail is set to take over the UK’s biggest charity zoo for the whole of next month / Credit: Chester Zoo
“We’re so excited to launch our very own Halloween themed trail around the zoo this October,” said Gemma Bamford – Admissions & Membership Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Halloween is the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of the unknown species Chester Zoo is home too, inspiring visitors to care for our cause of preventing extinction of not only the renowned species like elephants, giraffes and rhinos, but the more unusual and extraordinary animals that may just shock, surprise or spook you.”
Georgina Pellant -
5th October 2021 
