England is once again on the verge of football greatness with the Lionesses storming through to the finals of the Women’s Euros.
We’ll be facing Germany at Wembley Stadium on Sunday after England defeated Sweden 4-0 in the semi-finals.
As with all great sporting events, the best place to soak up the atmosphere (without forking out for a ticket to the actual game) is going to be in one of Manchester’s many brilliant pubs.
Plenty of venues across the city centre will be wheeling out the bunting and the big screens for the occasion.
We’ve picked out some of the best and the biggest places to watch the Women’s Euro final.
The massive expanse of decking from the Christmas Markets has now been reimagined as a fan-zone for the Women’s Euros.
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Ahead of the big final, Manchester City Council is adding in a second screen and doubling the crowd capacity, with people admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Box
Manchester’s new-ish giant sports bar Box is, of course, screening the final this Sunday.
The huge venue has screens all over the place, so you’ll never be far from the action if you pick the Deansgate bar to watch the Women’s Euro final.
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Escape to Freight Island
The massive screen at Escape to Freight Island will be taken over by the footie this weekend.
The huge street food venue near Piccadilly will show the match at the Platform space, with free tables available to book here.
Electrik Bar, Chorlton
You can watch the Lionesses bring it home over in Chorlton at beloved neighbourhood spot Electrik Bar.
The space is headed up by the Unabombers, aka Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford and will serve up Four Side Vegan Pizza, beers and ales, and cocktails alongside all the action.
Pen & Pencil
The Northern Quarter’s Pen & Pencil is going to have the Women’s Euros final on its big screen too.
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Perfect if you fancy sipping cocktails instead of pints while you watch the footie (though there are PLENTY of pints on offer too.
The Brotherhood
The Brotherhood will screen the Women’s Euro final. Credit: The Manc Group
The Brotherhood is rebranding itself as The Sisterhood this summer in its commitment to celebrate women’s sport.
The sports bar, which is female-owned, will be screening the game right through its bars in Manchester and Leeds.
Common
Nell’s at Kampus has been one of our go-tos for the Women’s Euro games up to now, but it’s closed this Sunday for a private event – so it’s over to their sister site at Common we go!
Kick off is at 5pm in the Kestrel Suite. You can book, but walk ups will be available too.
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Grub
You can watch the Women’s Euro final at Grub’s in-house cinema.
The lovely people at Grub will be handing their cinema space over to football fans this weekend.
You can watch England vs Germany next to a fully-stocked bar, with ace street food downstairs.
Featured image: Arc Inspirations / England Football
What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 4 – 10 May 2026
Emily Sergeant
It’s our first full week of May, and we can practically see summer on the horizon now.
With a new month getting underway, there’s obviously loads of events and activities to be getting up to across Greater Manchester this week, especially as we’re starting this week off with our first bank holiday of the month too.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries. 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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Celebrate National Space Day this bank holiday
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 4 May
National Space Day 2026 / Credit: Drew Forsyth (Science Museum Group)
You can celebrate National Space Day with a bunch of free ‘out of this world’ activities this bank holiday.
Ever wondered what astronauts eat in orbit? How they use the loo in zero gravity? Or why crumbs are bad news on the International Space Station? Well, to celebrate National Space Day, you’ll now get to discover the answers to those questions and so much more down at the Science and Industry Museum this bank holiday.
The programme of free events are set to accompany the museum’s latest special exhibition, Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos and will give visitors more ways to explore the ‘wonders and weirdness’ of space.
Blossom and Bloomtown 2026 / Credit: The Manc Group
The blossoms are blooming everywhere you look, and the National Trust’s popular Bloomtown programme full of trails and events is back once again so you can appreciate them in all their glory.
From ornamental magnolias in gardens to hawthorn scattered across the countryside, each spring, the most beautiful blossom covers the UK in swathes of pink and white, and you really don’t have to go far to experience the beauty of this season either, as there’s plenty of blossom to discover right on our doorstep in Greater Manchester.
Whether you’re walking through the city centre on your way to work, enjoying a spot of lunch in the park, or going on a little local adventure with your family, Bloomtown has something for everyone.
Find out more about all the events happening here.
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LUMINISCENCE
Manchester Cathedral
Monday 4 May – 5 June
Luminiscence / Credit: Supplied
Did you see that the spectacular 360° immersive experience that’s currently lighting up Manchester Cathedral has extended its run in our city?
That’s right – due to ‘overwhelming demand’ and following a roster of impressive reviews since making its UK debut earlier this year, LUMINISCENCE has now extended its run at Manchester Cathedral until the early summer.
LUMINISCENCE combines 360° video mapping, new orchestral arrangements of iconic songs, and a narrative story celebrating everything that makes Manchester and its residents so special.
Visitors are invited to step into a ‘spellbinding fusion’ of light, sound, and storytelling. Find out more and get tickets here.
Trof is entering a new era… and we think it’s looking pretty special.
The Northern Quarter institution has officially reopened its doors as The Trof – a space for pints and roasts (as always), but also refined British dining.
The team behind Stow are in charge of the kitchens and the bar, so suddenly this boozy favourite has become one of town’s most exciting food destinations.
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Did you know there’s an adorable open farm in Bolton where you can meet and hold baby bunnies, lambs, chicks, AND more?
This is Smithills Open Farm, and it’s one of the most wholesome family days out you’ll find this spring.
Here on this picturesque family-run farm nestled within 70-acres of countryside, you can feed the sheep and llamas, ride a tractor to visit the donkeys, or even head into the barn to see the cows, horses, and piglets.
Plus, they host ‘Pets Corner’ sessions throughout the day too, where you can meet and hold many different baby animals (including the softest little goats and chicks we ever did see.)
They even have a farm shop and ice creamery where you can buy local honey and other goods to take home with you.
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Find out more about the farm and plan your trip here.
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Or what about that Chester Zoo has been named the UK’s best zoo for the third year in a row?
Chester Zoo has been named the UK’s best zoo for 2026 / Credit: Chester Zoo
That’s right – the UK’s biggest charity zoo has officially been named the best zoo in the country by TripAdvisor reviews, with the zoo having claimed a record 11,666 ‘excellent’ ratings for the first time too, making it even more of a cause for celebration.
Not only has the zoo’s strong focus on conservation and unforgettable visitor experiences made it the best in our country, but this has also earned it a place among Europe’s elite.
Chester Zoo’s CEO, Jamie Christon, says he is ‘over the moon’ with the zoo’s new title.
Sure, we know this isn’t exactly the type of ‘event’ we usually include in these round-up articles, but how could we not draw attention to the fact that, after eight long years, Albert Square has finally reopened to the public?
This means that you can now walk – heck, even run, skip, and jump if you’d like – your way through the big, clean open space outside the Town Hall.
Of course, we just had to go and check it out for ourselves👇
Just like we do every month, we’ve rounded up some of the best things we got to eat in April, so if you’re on the hunt for somewhere new to eat in May, 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.
Featured Image – The Manc Group | Drew Forsyth(Science Museum Group)
What's On
Latest wave of ‘Evening 4’ Ricky Hatton lineup in memory of the legendary Manc boxer announced
Danny Jones
Manchester is set to host a night of remembrance and celebration in honour of the late, great, local boxer, Ricky Hatton, and now a superb second wave of names has been added to AO Arena’s lineup.
Coming this summer, the legendary Manchester arena – where Hatton enjoyed so many of his iconic moments – will be holding the first-ever ‘Evening4Ricky’ later this year.
Held at the legendary sports and live entertainment venue just in time for summer, we still only know bits and pieces about what’s in store, but a whole host of familiar Manc faces, famous British names, and figures from the world of sport have now been announced.
Sharing the news on social media, AO Arena said: “Join us for an unforgettable night of entertainment as Manchester comes together for Evening4Ricky.
“This will be a spectacular, unique celebration of the life, spirit and legacy of one of the city’s most beloved icons – Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton.”
With seats priced at £25, fans are being encouraged to join the early bird sign-up to secure access to discounted tickets.
As you can see, now confirmed for the evening are the likes of Man United legend, Paul Scholes, darts icon Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, as well as fellow former boxers like Frank Bruno, Tony Bellew and more.
Local band, The K’s, were already confirmed as part of the in-person performances, but now the likes of Manc grime artists Bugzy Malone, fellow UK rapper Tinie Tempah, and The Lottery Winners are joining in, too, alongside loads more live music and entertainment set to be revealed in the coming weeks.
They go on to add: “Hosted at the legendary AO Arena, home to so many of Ricky’s big fights, featuring a superstar cast of legends from the worlds of boxing, music, comedy and entertainment.”
So, we do at least know there’ll be some famous faces coming along to help make it a memorable Manc moment, just a few months on from the city and beyond uniting for his public funeral procession.
Ricky was beloved not only by the Greater Manchester community but was a popular figure and friend to many in the sporting and showbiz industries.
The homegrown ‘Pride of Hyde‘ tragically left us on 14 September 2025 at the age of just 46, but his passing has once again helped reassert the importance of having more conversations around wellbeing, suicide prevention, and most specifically, men’s mental health.
You can find more information and see how to grab tickets right HERE.
This isn’t the only charitable in memoriam event happening across the region in the coming weeks, either, as Mancs will be gathering to pay tribute to another fellow inspiring sportsman.
Daisy Jackson -
29th July 2022 
