The Shining, Hocus Pocus, and IT are just some of the scary films hitting the big screen at a hidden cinema in Manchester this Halloween.
With the spooky season creeping closer and closer, horror film fans and families looking for some frighteningly-good fun are being invited to get themselves down to one of Manchester’s most popular hotels in the lead-up to the big day itself.
King Street Townhouse‘s very-own exclusive cinema will be screening a marathon of seven scary films over four days to celebrate Halloween in style.
The Halloween screenings will be taking over the little cinema from Friday 27 – Tuesday 31 October.
This hidden Manchester cinema is screening loads of scary movies this Halloween / Credit: King Street Townhouse
The extended weekend of jump scares and family-friendly favourites will kick off with the absolute cult-classic that is Hocus Pocus, all before you can sit down to watch other blockbusters like Nightmare on Elm Street, The Addams Family, The Shining, and Practical Magic.
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Then, on Halloween night itself, two of the scariest flicks of them all, the 1978 classic Halloween, and 2017’s popular remake of IT, will be screened in all their gory glory.
If didn’t even know King Street Townhouse even had a cinema, don’t worry – that’s all part of the fun.
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You can tuck into cocktails, popcorn, and pick n mix while you watch the frightening flick / Credit: King Street Townhouse
The vintage-style cinema isn’t always one that everyone’s familiar with, as it’s tucked away in the hotel’s cellars and seats only a handful of people at a time for the ultimate viewing experience, but it’s well worth a visit and this Halloween couldn’t be a more ideal time.
Tickets to each of the spooky screenings are now on sale and start at just £15 each.
As well as the watching the film itself, you can also complete your experience with popcorn, pick n mix, cocktails, and even afternoon tea beforehand, if you’d like.
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 20 – 26 July 2026
Emily Sergeant
School’s out, summer’s here, and there’s SO much happening.
That’s right, the school summer holidays have arrived, and that means there are, of course, loads of things happening across Greater Manchester to be getting up to these next six weeks. If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do, no worries, as 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 are featured.
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Summer in Space
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 20 July – onwards
Summer in Space / Credit: Science Museum Group
Get ready to spend the summer in space, as the Science and Industry Museum has announced its summer events programme and it’s full of free interactive events and activities to get involved with these next six weeks.
From live space shows and giant rockets, to tinkering activities Martian discovery trails, and the chance to visit the blockbuster exhibition Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos if you haven’t already, budding astronauts are in for a summer to remember.
By far one of the stand-out free events this summer is the arrival of 30-foot-tall rocket ship, Skybolt 2 – hosted by Manchester-based aerospace company, Starchaser.
Find out more and book tickets for your visit here.
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National Trust x Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails
North West
Monday 20 July – onwards
National Trust x Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails / Credit: James Dobson | Annapurna Mellor
National Trust and Pokémon have teamed up for an exclusive trading card game and immersive trail.
The partnership is set to bring together the places the National Trust cares for and Pokémon’s spirit of play and discovery.
Exclusively designed for the National Trust, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails are going to be running throughout summer at 14 National Trust places nationwide, combining ‘imaginative play’ with ‘gentle physical activity’ inspired by Mega Evolution Pokémon.
Find out where to get involved and book tickets here.
Manchester is bringing 14 weeks of free activities for children to parks across the city this summer.
Thanks to additional Council funding that was allocated earlier this year, Manchester’s biggest-ever Parktastic programme has now launched – expanding from the summer holidays alone to include after-school sessions before schools break up, activities throughout the holidays, and even sessions continuing into September.
Back by popular demand and aimed at children ages six-12, Parktastic offers sports, games, arts and crafts, dance, drama, nature activities, storytelling and messy play.
Sessions are free, no booking is required, healthy snacks are provided, and children can simply turn up and join in.
Thrill seekers, this one’s for you – as Zip World Manchester has launched its new Forest Tubing experience, and it’s bringing the UK’s longest outdoor tubing slide is coming to Heaton Park.
The new family‑friendly outdoor adventure gives visitors the chance to soar along two slides, winding through woodland at one of the largest parks in the North West.
Suitable for children aged four and above, visitors can book an hour-long session – with unlimited rides during that time slot – and either ride solo, or share the experience with fellow adventurers.
NEW OPENING – SpudBros Express / Credit: The Manc Group
Viral internet sensation SpudBros have popped up at the Trafford Centre for a special limited-time appearance.
The UK’s most-followed jacket potato creators, SpudBros – also known as Jacob and Harley Nelson – have officially launched their hotly anticipated summer pop-up at the iconic retail destination this week as part of Trafford Centre’s annual summer fair.
Shoppers can get ready for freshly prepared, fully loaded jacket potatoes served up in minutes, all without compromising on quality, flavour, or portion size.
You can pick from fan favourites like the Tram Classic, which is loaded with garlic butter, the signature three-cheese mix, beans, crispy onions, and world-famous ‘tram’ sauce, to the Spudfather topped with chilli con carne, tuna, and coleslaw.
Manchester’s biggest exhibition of local artists is back again for the summer.
Taking place every two years, Manchester Open is a celebration of local talent, showcasing the work of 420 artists inside the gallery space over at HOME. The exhibition includes work from artists in all media formats who have been selected from each of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs, ranging in age from four to 80 years old.
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Oh, and the whole thing is completely free to visit. Find out more about the return of this incredible exhibition here.
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Fancy a wholesome summer activity?
It’s strawberry season, and Kenyon Hall Farm has officially opened up its strawberry fields (plus plenty of other pick-your-own produce) for the season for you to frolic amongst, with loads of summer treats in its cafe and award-winning farm shop too.
Strawberries have been growing at Kenyon Hall Farm for nearly 50 years now, and it’s proven as popular ever since.
Did you know you can visit Chester Zoo for just £10 this summer?
For the past three years running now, Chester Zoo has officially been named the UK’s best zoo thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews, and now this summer, you’ll get to see exactly what makes it such a special place worth visiting for a cut price, as £10 tickets are now available to book for a limited time only.
With the offer only applicable to afternoons this summer, Afternoon Tickets allow entry to Chester Zoo from 2pm onwards – with the last entry being one-hour before it closes.
You can visit Chester Zoo for just £10 this summer / Credit: Chester Zoo
Without this offer, standard admission tickets to Chester Zoo usually cost up to £38 for adults, £37 for students, and £28 for children, all including a 10% donation to the zoo’s conservation efforts, so it really is worth making the most of these limited-time £10 tickets while you can.
Find out more and book your tickets in advance here.
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Or did you know that seven Manchester green spaces have been named some of the best in the UK?
Once again, seven of our city’s green spaces – including parks and cemeteries – have been named some of the best the UK has to offer. That’s because leading environmental charity, Keep Britain Tidy, has handed out its coveted Green Flag Awards, which recognise accessible green spaces that set ‘an international benchmark for management’.
The awards shed light on the groups, volunteers, and staff who devote themselves year-round to the maintenance and upkeep of these areas.
Read more about this incredible honour and find out which green spaces have been chosen here.
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GRUB On The Docks
MediaCity
Tuesday 21 July – onwards
GRUB On The Docks / Credit: Supplied
GRUB On The Docks has returned for the summer.
MediaCity’s waterfront site has been transformed into a vibrant open-air destination built for warm weather and big moments across the season, as GRUB On The Docks returns later this week.
Running across the summer months, you can expect some of Greater Manchester’s best street food traders to be serving up global flavours and summer-ready drinks, alongside live music, DJs, and just an all round laid-back atmosphere turning daytime hangouts into evening sessions.
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway is currently hosting one of the most unique fine dining experiences in the region this summer.
Running on selected Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through the year, East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Red Rose Diners’ are described as being ‘the ultimate first class foodie experience’, as they start with a glass of fizz and stretch over an almost three-hour steam train journey through the Irwell Valley.
The experience includes a four-course dinner with complimentary sparkling wine, followed by tea or coffee and after-dinner chocolates.
Manchester Day 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day is making a grand return for 2026 this weekend., and you can expect a day filled with loads of Catalan-themed fun.
Oh, and it’s free fun at that… doesn’t get much better.
Switching for the first time to a Sunday this year instead of its usual Saturday, Manchester City Council is promising a ‘distinctly Catalan flavour’ to this year’s Manchester Day, as performers from Barcelona head to Manchester to join in the festivities in what is a first for the event.
This year’s Catalan theme has been chosen following Manchester’s guest city role during Barcelona’s iconic La Mercè festival in September last year, where our local artists were invited to take part.
A horror film festival screening sun-soaked slashers is coming to Manchester this weekend.
Popular Manchester indie cinema Cultplex is turning up the temperature with Summerween: Hot Summer Frights this summer.
Taking place this weekend, while horror films may make you think of the colder months at first, the festival will be swapping frosty scares for sun-soaked slashers – with movies guaranteed to make audiences sweat.
Find out what’s on the lineup and get last-minute tickets here.
Red Arch will officially celebrate its opening year in the city this weekend with an all-day party filled with community-led music, fashion collaborations, and BBQ food.
Set inside the iconic hole-in-the-wall on Manchester’s Red Bank, Red Arch has been transformed into a welcoming social bar and events space with both indoor and outdoor areas, centred around good music, thoughtfully curated events and the local community.
Running from 3pm until late, the summer party welcomes Manchester to celebrate the new space – which owners Amira and Pete have been gradually introducing since January 2026.
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Stuck for somewhere to have a bite to eat?
Just like we do every month, we’ve rounded up some of the best things we got to eat in June, so if you’re on the hunt for somewhere new in July, then we’ve absolutely got you covered as there’s plenty of places across the city region.
It’s been another jam-packed month of insanely delicious eats, and we’ve been lucky to have a bunch of new openings too.
On a budget and need somewhere to take the kids to eat for £1 or even FREE over the summer holidays?
In case the ongoing heatwave didn’t remind you, summer is in full swing and so are the school summer holidays.
If you’re after ways to enjoy some quality family time without having to break the bank, we’ve found lots of places where kids can eat for £1 or free – 15 of them, to be exact.
So, whether you’re in the mood for a hearty Italian, a bit of brekkie, or even a big Greek feast, just because you’re on a budget shouldn’t mean you have to limit your and your family’s taste buds.
Featured Image – Supplied | The Manc Group | Manchester City Council
What's On
Stockport Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey is going on Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Danny Jones
Record-breaking local athlete and Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, is set to become the latest to join the Strictly Come Dancing annals.
With the Strictly cast for 2026 steadily being unveiled, we always keep an eye out for the Greater Manchester names in particular.
That being said, we’re buzzing to see the hugely successful Stockport swimmer turned cyclist will be swapping her Team GB kit for sparkly, sequined ballroom gowns and an entirely different type of sport and fitness.
Announced on Friday, 17 July, Storey is the seventh celebrity to be confirmed for the 24th series of the hit BBC show and dancing competition.
Having represented her country not only at nine Paralympics but across two different disciplines after switching to the racing bike back in 2005, she’s our most decorated competitor in the entire history of the Games with 30 medals to her name – 19 of which are gold.
Absolute GOAT levels.
But now the Cheadle Hulme-born is once again set to show her versatility to see how she fares on the dance floor later this year.
Commenting ahead of the new-look season which starts this September, the 48-year-old said: “Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting.
“I have always loved watching Strictly, and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world is incredibly motivating! I can’t wait to get started!”
This latest sea-change comes not long after the local legend and sporting icon officially announced her retirement from professional sport more than three decades on from first bursting onto the scene.
Thank you for taking the time to leave all the incredible messages. It’s so wonderful to read them and thank you for being the greatest supporters 🥰
— Dame Sarah Storey (@DameSarahStorey) July 9, 2026
What a career she’s had; it obviously didn’t take her long to get tired of sitting still for once, either.
She will be joined by the likes of Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer and Will Best.
In case you missed it, the upcoming edition of Strictly Come Dancing will be the first since Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and pro dancer Johannes Radebe stepping in as replacements.
In other starring Stockport news, we’ve finally got more info on the final season of a popular programme filmed in the area. Find out more down below.
Emily Sergeant -
6th October 2023 
