The ever-popular Great Manchester Run will return next month, with exciting new features added for 2022.
Runners will be treated to loads more entertainment as they make their way around either a 10km or a half-marathon course.
The event will spur participants on with everything from water pistol breaks to a live DJ, as organisers pull out all the stops to make it the best Great Manchester Run yet.
The action will begin before the race even starts, with a live DJ at the start line to get the energy levels up.
The Great Manchester Run. Credit: Supplied
This year’s timed pacers, who give runners the best chance of smashing their targets and personal bests, will add extra motivation by blasting out tunes as they run through the city.
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A new on-course entertainment area is being added this year too.
The Run Thru Madchester Zone spans 50 metres and features a ‘wall of sound’, power up boards and super soaker water pistols.
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The Great Manchester Run. Credit: Supplied
For the first time ever, there’ll be an apres-run zone at the end of the course, so runners can kick back for post-race celebrations within minutes of crossing the finish line.
There’ll be food and drink stalls and music for the apres-run after party – full details will be revealed soon.
All of this has been added to the existing Great Manchester Run format, where there are more than 20 music and entertainment zones.
There’ll still be the People’s Playlist (with tunes chosen by Mancs), the Pump It UP and Beats Boost zones with DJ trucks, the Hacienda zone with disco lights and a playlist inspired by the iconic club, and even Bands on the Run, with live music from local artists.
Several charities will pitch up on the course at various cheering points to celebrate and spur runners on – look out for cheering buses for Cancer Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Manchester Foundation Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support, and The Christie.
The Great Manchester Run will take place on Sunday 22 May, starting and finishing in the city centre and taking in landmarks like Old Trafford and the Imperial War Museum.
Those tackling the half marathon will also pass by the Etihad Stadium.
Gladiators Live Tour to make ‘triumphant’ return to Manchester on UK arena tour
Emily Sergeant
The Gladiators Live Tour will make a triumphant return in 2026.
Following its explosive debut in 2025 and overwhelming fan demand, the Gladiators Live Tour is set to head out on a UK tour later this year, bringing the iconic phenomenon back to arenas nationwide for an electrifying new run of shows, and making a stop off in Manchester, of course.
Audiences will, once again, have the chance to experience the action-packed spectacle featuring the stars of the hit BBC reboot series on an epic scale.
The 2025 live tour thrilled audiences nationwide, selling over 200,000 tickets and proving the arena spectacular is ‘bigger, bolder, and more electrifying’ than ever, and that energy is only set to continue this year when the show returns to Manchester’s popular AO Arena.
GLADIATORS, READY!
Following its epic debut in 2025 the triumphant live show brings the energy to Manchester on 14 & 15 Nov!
This adrenaline-fuelled event sees the legendary Gladiators storm back into the arena to face fearless contenders in a heart-pounding live adaptation of the smash-hit television phenomenon.
Expect iconic fan-favourite events, breathtaking stunts, epic head-to-head battles and the unforgettable Eliminator finale.
Featuring stars from the hit BBC series, audiences are being told to expect a truly immersive, high-octane experience, as arenas are transformed into modern gladiatorial battlegrounds complete with purpose-built sets, spectacular lighting, and cinematic staging.
The Gladiators Live Tour 2026 kicks off in Aberdeen on 10 October, before heading to other major cities like Glasgow, London, and Birmingham, as well as northern locations like Leeds and Newcastle, and of course, Manchester’s AO Arena for two nights on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November.
Tickets officially go on sale this Friday 27 March, with two shows per day available, and you can grab them when they go live here.
Featured Image – Supplied
What's On
An official and completely FREE Manchester Marathon fan zone is returning for 2026
Danny Jones
Yes, last year’s newest and official Manchester Marathon fan zone is returning for 2026, promising more positive pre- and post-race vibes than the first time around.
Here’s hoping for some lovely sunshine to go along with the atmosphere on 19 April.
Set to host the city centre’s runners and spectators for just the second time, Circle Square’s Symphony Park will be home to the 2026 Manc Marathon fan park, complete with independent pop-ups, big screens to watch all the action on, plus plenty more.
Best of all, it’s completely free to enter all day long for participants and those of you cheering your loved ones along, as well as being an ideal all-ages spot for families to relax and enjoy.
Located just moments from the finish line, just outside the University of Manchester along Oxford Road Corridor, you simply follow it down towards the tall Vita Group and Bruntwood SciTech buildings.
Circle Square itself hosts many events and activities all throughout the year, and they couldn’t resist getting back in on the raceday party once again, as more legends are set to take part than ever.
For context, 2025 saw more than 35,000 sign-ups, but this April is expected to see a whopping sold-out crowd exceeding 42,000 – a record number for the annual event.
With that in mind, finding a place to fit all of them and the countless fans who come along to cheer them on from the sidelines is paramount, so it’s a good job the Symphony Park x MCR Marathon fan zone will be open from 9am on the day.
Here are some more scenes from the last edition:
Credit: Jody Hartley (supplied)
Although more are set to be revealed nearer the time, visitors can expect “a lively schedule of entertainment, food and drink pop-ups, family-friendly activities and special offers from our community of independent businesses and brands.”
Set to close around 5pm as the hordes of runners will doubt either head home for a long bath, leg rub or straight to the pub for their victory pints, we can assure you lots of time will be spent on the square.
Daisy Jackson -
4th April 2022 
