Once Christmas is over and the hustle and bustle of the festive season has died down, there’s often not a great deal to look forward to in January.
But this time, Manchester’s very-own GRUB has got you covered as the much-loved Winter Beer Fest is back by popular demand for 2023, and tickets are already on sale if you’re keen to kick off your new year with a pint or two.
Unfamiliar with what GRUB is?
Well, it’s a street food market space that’s located just outside the city centre at the Red Bank Project in Cheetham Hill, and it’s known for having a wide range of rotating food vendor pop-ups that provide foodies in Manchester with some of the best eats from right across the globe.
But, despite what the name suggests, and even though that may be what it’s best-known for, GRUB isn’t just about food – and, to properly see in the new year in style, the venue is once again hosting it seasonal beer festival in January.
The GRUB Winter Beer Fest gives Manchester beer lovers the chance can sip creations from some of the best local breweries.
Running from Friday 20 – Sunday 22 January 2023, over the course of the three-day festival you can expect there to be plenty of local brews to taste test – with brewery bars coming courtesy of some of the region’s best like Unbarred Brewery, Rivington Brewing Co, The Runaway Brewery, and Squawk Brewing Co.
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That’s not all either, as there’ll also be over 30 guest taps too.
If you’re not a big beer lover, you can also expect a street food market, a mulling bar, pop-up tasting events, and so much more over the extended weekend.
GRUB Winter Beer Fest is taking place from Friday 22 – Sunday 24 January 2023 / Credit: Jonas Jacobsson | Amie Johnson
Fancy it then?
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Tickets for the GRUB Winter Beer Fest 2023 will set you back just £6, and include entry to the festival, access to the full range of beers – including all the brewery bars and guest taps – as well as branded WBF glass to take home with you afterwards.
Jake Quickenden to star in stage version of cult classic British comedy, Rita, Sue and Bob Too!
Danny Jones
The original stage play version of classic UK comedy, Rita, Sue and Bob Too!, is coming to Greater Manchester this February and it’s set to star Jake Quickenden in a leading role.
Released as a feature-length back in 1987, the cult favourite film set in North Yorkshire is still considered one of the most quintessentially British and incisive ‘dramedies’ ever made, depicting a very unfiltered and poignant look at working-class life during the Thatcher years.
The story has been brought to the theatre many times before, including down the road in Salford Quays, but this latest series of stage shows marks the first time Rita, Sue and Bob Too! the play is heading to this particular borough.
With a healthy slate of tour dates across the country, the Regal Entertainments production and recognisable cast is coming to Stockport for multiple nights next month.
Adapting the original semi-autobiographical play text by Bradford‘s very own Andrea Dunbar – where the tale takes place and whose upbringing the events revolve around – with direction from Chantelle Nolan, this is one of the biggest live productions of Rita, Sue and Bob Too! ever.
Speaking ahead of the nationwide tour, Nolan says: “After over 20 years of producing brilliant entertainment in St Helens and in Liverpool, Regal Entertainments has developed a touring department, and we can’t wait to share our five-star productions with new audiences across the UK.”
“We’re very proud to attract the top stars from the worlds of theatre, film and TV to star in our productions […] Dunbar’s cult classic film was originally a hit play, and we know that it’s a show that you can see time and time again and still be rolling in the aisles with laughter, we are incredibly pleased with the ticket sales so far.”
As well as the former X-Factor, I’m A Celeb, Hollyoaks and Dancing on Ice star in the leading role as Bob, other names on the call sheet include Jessica Ellis (also seen on Hollyoaks), Shameless and Coronation Street‘s Warren Donnelly, as well as ex-Britain’s Got Talent contestant, Siobhan Phillips.
As for the other two leads, Liverpool-born comic Kay Nicholson is starring as Rita and Lancashire actor Jenna Sian O’Hara as Sue. In case you’ve never seen or heard anything about it before, without spoiling anything, the two young schoolgirls get themselves into some rather adult circumstances.
Strictly an 18+ performance, the Stockport show is one of just a small handful of North West runs, set to take place at the iconic art deco theatre that is The Plaza from Tuesday, 18-Saturday, 22 February.
As for Quickenden, the 36-year-old added: “I’m delighted to be joining the brilliant cast of Rita, Sue and Bob Too! Regal Entertainments have a fantastic reputation for producing exciting entertainment in Merseyside and I can’t wait to take the show all over the UK.
“Andrea Dunbar’s play is a classic and I can’t wait to play Bob.” If you’ve not come across it before, maybe ask your mum and dad or perhaps a grandparent – we’re sure they’ll fill you in…
Featured Images — Press Image (supplied via Regal Entertainment)/Film 4
What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 13 – 19 January 2025
Emily Sergeant
All the fun of the festive season may’ve been and gone now, but that doesn’t mean January is a boring month.
We’re well into our first month of brand-new year, and not only does Greater Manchester‘s events calendar already seem very exciting over these next few weeks, but there’s also lots of things to look forward to in 2025 too.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? We’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide to help you out.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)
Aviva Studios
Monday 13 – Saturday 25 January 2025
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) / Credit: The Manc Group
One of the most influential British artists of the 21st century, David Hockney, is taking you on a personal journey through 60 years of his art in the revolutionary Aviva Studios, and it’s now open for everyone to pay a visit.
This is a real sensory encompassing experience, from the grand and vibrant projections on the walls, to the sound system which will be playing throughout the exhibition.
Hockney opened this installation in London, and this is the first time these pieces of art have left the country’s capital to be viewed by even more spectators.
Stephen Daldry’s multi award-winning National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller, An Inspector Calls, is back in Greater Manchester.
Hailed as the theatrical event of its generation, winning more awards than any other production in history, and described as being “more relevant now than ever”, An Inspector Calls has thrilled millions of people worldwide, and it returns to The Lowry stage in Salford this month.
The play tells the story of Inspector Goole, who arrives unexpectedly at the prosperous Birling family home, with their peaceful dinner party being shattered by his investigations into the death of a young woman.
A groundbreaking new immersive exhibition exploring our relationship with the natural world is now open at Manchester Museum.
‘Wild’ look at how people are creating, rebuilding, and repairing connections with nature, and how the natural world has traditionally been presented and idealised through Western art, as well as looking at some unique approaches to environmental recovery too.
The exhibition will also crucially look at how we can tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by making the world more wild.
Keen to kick off your new year with a pint or two? GRUB’s beloved Winter Beer Festival is back this week, and it will give beer lovers the chance to sip creations from some of the best local breweries.
Running from Thursday 16 – Saturday 18 January, you can expect there to be plenty of local brews to taste test over the course of the three-day festival -with loads of pop-up brewery bars and more than 30 guest taps too.
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If you’re not a big beer lover though, you can also expect a street food market, mulled wine pop-up, beeroke and quiz events, and so much more.
Swinton Ark is a spectacular free-to-attend animated projection onto Salford Civic Centre to celebrate the Salford town through memories and stories from local people.
Created by projection artists Illuminos, and taking place on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 January from 5pm to 8pm, this unique sound and light show inspired by Swinton and its residents features personal stories gathered by local artist Lowri Evans, who asked a wide range of people around Swinton ‘if you could save one object, what would it be?’.
The entirety of the former town hall building’s 70-metre facade will come alive with 3D mapped animation, music, and sound.
A huge gaming event is happening in Manchester this weekend.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP at the Science and Industry takes ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
Power UP is taking place each weekend only throughout this month, with each ticket including unlimited play all day.
Railway 200 ‘Open House’ Day / Credit: Railway 200
Get ready for an action-packed day, as East Lancashire Railway is set to celebrate the power and history of its beloved heritage steam and diesel locomotives this weekend.
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With a fantastic lineup of activities, exclusive experiences, and something for enthusiasts of all ages to get involved with, ELR’s ‘Railway 200’ event promises a memorable journey through railway history for all the family.
The Manchester Derby in the Barclays Women’s Super League is back for 2025.
Taking place at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday (19 January) with a kick-off at 6:45pm, Manchester City are looking to make it two consecutive home victories over Manchester United Women, with tickets now available starting at £15 for adults and £5 kids, or you can elevate your match day experience with hospitality packages from just £35.
As usual, there will be pre-match entertainment including a free kids fanzone, Blue Carpet Experience, and so much more.
Fancy making the most of all the January dining deals on offer over these next couple of weeks?
The time has come again for Manchester’s restaurants and bars to slash their prices in a bid to entice customers to keep eating and drinking out all throughout January, and that means hundreds of places are offering up half-price scran, added freebies, or two-for-one offers this month.
There’s loads of offers beyond Manchester city centre too, as suburban gems are getting in on the action in 2025.
So whether you’re looking for a date night for less, an affordable family dinner, or a cheap eat after work with your mates, we’ve got you covered.
Read our massive round-up of January dining deals here.
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Could a trip to the theatre could be on the cards this year?
Greater Manchester has firmly earned itself a spot as a place for world-renowned touring theatre productions to make a stop off at.
While the past couple of years amid and post-pandemic may have hit the theatre pretty hard, it’s a beloved industry that has now well and truly bounced-back – with the region’s three main theatres, Palace Theatre Manchester, Opera House Manchester, and The Lowry, all having welcomed some absolute show-stopping productions in 2024.
And 2025 is set to be absolutely no different.
Our region’s theatre events calendar is already jam-packed with award-winning musicals, family-friendly plays, inventive dance productions, and so much more in 2025, so we’ve rounded up 10 of the best shows to see and grab tickets for this year.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known for across the world, it’s music.
Our region is not only a historic musical hub in and of itself, having been the birthplace of so many legendary famous names, but it’s also a major UK stopping point on many global artists’ tour schedules too, thanks to the city’s various sizes of stage and venues.
This means there’s a jam-packed schedule of gigs happening all throughout 2025 – with something for everyone, no matter your taste in music.
From world-famous pop and rock stars, to genre-bending artists, and a few comeback tours too, most-notably by one of Manchester – and the world’s – most famous bands of all time (they’re called Oasis… not sure if you’ve ever heard of them?), 2025 has got it all.
Read our picks for 13 of the best gigs happening in Manchester this year here.
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Featured Image – GRUB | The Manc Group | Railway 200
Emily Sergeant -
25th November 2022 
