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.
Printworks is hosting a FREE ‘fireworks’ display on its digital ceiling this Bonfire Night
Emily Sergeant
Printworks is hosting a free ‘fireworks’ display on its digital ceiling next month.
Aiming to ‘bring Bonfire Night to life’ next month, Printworks has announced it’ll be hosting a dazzling evening of lights, music, stories, and Manchester spirit, as the iconic venue transforms Europe’s largest digital ceiling into a spectacular celebration for all the family.
Kicking off from 4:30pm, the free event will begin with an incredible display of ‘Manchester Stars’, where hundreds of stars will appear across the ceiling, each carrying the name of a real Manchester hero, creating a unique celebration of the people who make the city shine.
Members of the public can nominate someone to become a star, whether it’s a child, parent, grandparent, friend, colleague, community champion, or simply someone who deserves a little extra recognition. Nominations can be made here.
Printworks is hosting a free ‘fireworks’ display on its digital ceiling this Bonfire Night / Credit: Jason Lock (via Supplied)
Two cosy story time sessions with BBC Radio One and former CBBC presenter, Katie Thistleton, and children’s favourite, Hacker T Dog, will follow the star display, and each child will receive light-up headphones to enjoy the sessions in a dedicated chill-out zone.
Then comes the main event, Printworks’ digital ceiling will take centre stage for two firework displays between the story time sessions, including a dedicated SEN-friendly display at replacing the traditional loud noises with incredible visual effects, designed to offer a more accessible and welcoming way for families to enjoy the festivities.
The main fireworks and music experience will follow at 6:15pm, before the fun continues on into the evening with a live choir.
If you get a little peckish throughout the evening, there will also be a pop-up dessert cart serving Bonfire Night-inspired sweet treats, while Barney’s Coffee offers up an autumn drinks menu featuring seasonal favourites, such as pumpkin spice lattes and chocolate orange hot chocolates.
“We’re really excited to welcome back Printworks’ Bonfire Night event for the third year running,” explained Sophie Rooney, who is the Marketing Manager at Printworks.
“With fewer bonfire and firework displays taking place in the city, it’s the perfect opportunity for families to come together and enjoy an evening of celebrations right here at Printworks.”
Printworks is promising an ‘immersive evening’ for all the family, free of charge. Find out more information and timings HERE.
Featured Image – Jason Lock (via Supplied)
What's On
Blue Planet III live in concert is coming to Manchester next year
Daisy Jackson
The spectacular Blue Planet III will come to Manchester live in concert next year, bringing the hit BBC nature documentary to life with a live orchestra.
The new arena tour will pull together the most breathtaking footage beneath the waves from across the series, curated for a giant Ultra HD LED screen.
Blue Planet III will hit screens later this year, narrated once again by the legendary Sir David Attenborough.
Filmed across four years, it will take audiences everywhere from tropical coral reefs to the darkest depths of the ocean.
When the Blue Planet III Live In Concert show arrives in Manchester, it will be hosted by series executive producer Elizabeth White, who’ll share incredible stories and behind-the-scenes insights from the making of the series.
The score once again comes from Academy Award-winner Hans Zimmer, with Thom Lukas and Laurentia Editha for Bleeding Fingers Music, performed live by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
The companion live concert is preparing to take audiences even deeper into the underwater world on an epic audio-visual scale.
Specially curated footage from Blue Planet III will be shown on a state-of-the-art 200 sq metre Ultra HD LED screen – one of the largest of its kind used for an orchestral touring screen show and approximately the size of a tennis court.
Blue Planet III live in concert is coming to Manchester next year. Credit: BBC Studios
The brand-new Blue Planet III Live in Concert will kick off here in Manchester before heading to Birmingham, Glasgow, and London.
Executive Producer Elizabeth White says: “Making Blue Planet III has taken us to places we never imagined we’d film. But there’s something about bringing that footage into a concert arena full of people, with the score performed live all around you, that will be truly special.
“This tour is our chance to share the series on a completely different scale, and I can’t wait to be there live, revealing the extraordinary stories behind what audiences are seeing on screen.”
Hans Zimmer says: “There’s nothing like experiencing this score live with an orchestra, especially when it’s paired with the extraordinary visuals of the life underwater. Thom, Laurentia and I are ecstatic that audiences will be able to enjoy our score in this way.”
Blue Planet III Live in Concert will be at the AO Arena in Manchester on Friday 21 May 2027 – general release tickets start from £40 and go on sale from 11am on Friday 16 October HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
4th April 2022 
