Trafford Centre‘s ‘spooktacular’ Spookfest is back for another year of festive fright and family fun.
The massive shopping centre and leisure centre’s annual Halloween build-up event is one of the biggest anywhere in Greater Manchester and promises more creepy activities than ever.
From seasonal-themed food, drink and face-painting, to special movie screenings, circus shows and live performances, the second half of October will be dedicated to everyone’s favourite horror-filled holiday.
Spooktacular Big Top Circus Returns: 14-30 October
The creepiness kicks off with the return of the beloved Gandeys Circus, which arrives with a brand-new Halloween Spooktacular Big Top show.
The specially selected international cast of skeletons, vampires, jack-o’lanterns and Circus Artistes have been brought together for an action-packed extravaganza.
Just like the circus, the funfair is back and bigger than ever. As well as classics like the ghoulish ghost train and haunted house, new additions include the new Mach 5: an adrenaline-pumping ride that spins speedily at soaring heights of 55m above the ground. That’s more than enough to put the fright in us!
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But don’t worry, it’s not all scares; there’s plenty of fun for the little ones as well, with flying elephants, mini-chairs, tea cups, the dedicated Kidzone and much, much more. Spookfest has something for people of all ages.
Entry tickets to the funfair and rides area are priced at just £2.50 per person at an online discounted rate, but they can be purchased on the door if need be.
If you’re looking for something a little less pulse-raising but still fun for all the family, there are a number of seasonal films playing across the rest of the month. Here’s what you can catch:
15 October, 2pm:Toy Story of Terror
22 October, 2pm:The Nightmare Before Christmas
29 October, 2pm:Coco
Moreover, the screenings are free to anyone who purchases a fairground wristband, both of which can be pre-booked online before you arrive.
Costume characters and face painting: 15– 30 October
For even more to keep the little ones entertained, there’ll be a whole host of Halloween heroes appearing on the weekends and throughout half-term at the Trafford Centre.
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Performers will be doing shows and greeting visitors between 2-4pm. Face painting will also be available from 1.30pm–5.30pm on 15, 16 and 22–30 October.
Sat 15 Oct: Maleficent and Aurora
Sun 16 Oct: Jack Skellington
Sat 22 Oct: Jack Skellington
Sun 23 Oct: Maleficent and Scooby Doo
Mon 24 Oct: Batman and Maleficent
Tues 25 Oct: Aurora and Maleficent
Weds 26 Oct: Scooby Doo and Maleficent
Thurs 27 Oct: Jack Skellington
Fri 28 Oct: Batman and Maleficent
Sat 29 Oct: Scooby Doo and Maleficent
Sun 30 Oct: Jack Skellington
And for those looking for scarier Halloween vibes, there’ll be plenty more frightening folk walking around the premises throughout Spookfest.
Credit: Trafford Centre
Pumpkin Tower Installation
Last but not least, Spookfest 2022 will christen the Trafford Centre’s striking new Pumpkin Tower feature, the first ever in the North West and one of the collect new additions to the popular annual event.
The Pumpkin Tower will boast 250 pumpkins and jack o’lanterns and reaches a full five metres into the air — two big Christmas trees worth. This is definitely one to get a snap of with the kids.
Visit the Spookfest ’22 page on the Trafford Centre’s website HERE for all information on everything they have on offer this year as well as how to get tickets for each event.
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They’re kicking off Halloween this year and we’re absolutely here for it.
Influential indie veterans The Wedding Present to embark on 40th anniversary tour
Danny Jones
Influential indie band The Wedding Present are about to begin a big live tour across the UK for their 40th anniversary, and one stop is right here in Manchester.
As boundary-pushing veterans of the genre for the best part of four decades, The Wedding Present have always been one of the most pioneering auteurs of the Northern music scene, and nothing has changed even after all this time.
The Leeds-formed icons are a favourite not only of ours but even more so among our friends over at The Hoot, and with an artistic legacy as strong as Yorkshire’s, that’s saying something.
David Lewis Gedge’s long-standing project rather quietly announced its major retrospective series of live shows back in June – so quiet, in fact, that we missed it until now – but as they gear up for a handful of very special dates, we’d urge Manc gig-goers to give themselves a Wedding Present.
Gedge and co. will be coming to the O2 Ritz in Manchester for just the second show of merely half a dozen confirmed for The Wedding Present 40th Anniversary Tour, having played the venue many times.
In fact, even after visits featuring live configurations over the years, the current lineup played the Ritz as recently as May 2023; the show was met with strong reviews pretty much across the board, and it seemed to signal somewhat of a falling back in love with the crowds of the North.
For anyone unaware of the self-styled ‘semi-legendary band’ (their PR’s words, not ours), The Wedding Present are probably in similar territory to fellow underdogs and Manc natives, James, when it comes to the amount of music they’ve put out over the years, inspiring generations of those who came after.
You might assume we’d name one of their most famous tracks, ‘George Best’, as our favourite, for rather obvious reasons – but you’d be wrong: it doesn’t get much better than ‘Dreamworld’, if you ask us.
Their rich back catalogue encompasses not only so many different eras but also sounds, styles and various other eccentricities; so much so that their multi-genre-spanning music has even produced its own musical.
But before we dive any deeper down into the rabbit hole, let’s get back on track.
Set to play Manchester on Friday, 10 October, The Wedding Present will be kicking off the tour in Bristol at the start of next month.
There are other dates in the likes of Sheffield, Liverpool, Chester, Holmfirth, Buxton, Newcastle and more, but only a few are officially part of the anniversary tour.
Tickets are live as we speak, so if you fancy going along to see them, you can grab yours HERE.
A unique Manchester attraction is offering FREE entry to anyone who shares its ‘birthday’ month
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most unique attractions is offering free entry for two weeks to celebrate its first birthday.
But there’s a catch… free entry is only granted to people born in one specific month.
Museum of Illusions – which is is one of the largest and fastest-growing private museum chains – is celebrating the first birthday of its debut UK attraction in Manchester this September by giving away free tickets to anyone who shares its birthday month.
Since opening on Market Street in 2024, Museum of Illusions has welcomed more than 200,000 visitors through its doors to experience the dozens of mind-bending illusions and interactive exhibits inside, and has quickly established itself as one of the city’s top attractions in what is a very competitive market.
Manchester’s Museum of Illusions is celebrating its first birthday / Credit: Supplied
Loved by locals and tourists alike, the museum blends fun and education for visitors of all ages, and is fully-accessible too, ensuring everyone can enjoy the fun.
Manchester‘s Museum of Illusions is not only the first in the UK, but it’s also the second-largest in Europe, just behind Copenhagen – so yes, it’s a pretty big deal.
To mark the milestone and celebrate its first anniversary, visitors born in September can enjoy free entry to the museum from Monday 22 September through to Friday 3rd October (excluding weekends).
All they need to do to access this offer is show a valid ID when they arrive.
The museum will also be dressed for the occasion too, adding a birthday touch to its already-captivating mix of optical illusions and immersive exhibits.
“Manchester has truly embraced the Museum of Illusions, and we’re so grateful for all the support we’ve had in our first year,” commented Steve Buchan, who is the General Manager at the Museum of Illusions in Manchester.
The unique attraction is offering free entry to anyone who shares its birthday month / Credit: Supplied
“Welcoming over 200,000 visitors in just 12 months has been incredible.
“Free tickets to anyone celebrating their birthday in September feels like the perfect way to give something back. It’s our way of saying thank you for the incredible support, and of course, to invite even more people to experience the fun, curiosity, and wonder the museum brings.”
Is your birthday in September? You can visit the Museum of Illusions in Manchester anytime from Monday 22 September – Friday 3rd October (excluding weekends).
Danny Jones -
14th October 2022 
