After a string of inevitably cancelled live events last year due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the bingo rave phenomenon is bringing the party back in 2021 with more amazing outdoor events, epic indoor shows, wild weekends in Amsterdam and all kinds of other mayhem dropping in over the next few months.
But now, there is a brand new event – Bongo’s Bingo School Reunion – which features a whole host of special guests, pool parties, Donkbusters, Jim’s Quiz, Cooper’s Karaoke, and of course, bingo, all set to take place at the the iconic Pontins resort at Prestatyn Central Beach from Friday 24th – Saturday 26th September.
Nadine Coyle, Charlotte Church, Fuse ODG, Basshunter, 5ive, The Cuban Brothers, Pete and Bas, Ultrabeat ft. MC Cover, Lancashire Hotpots, Paul Chuckle, Dene Michael (Black Lace) and a welcome party with Goldie Lookin’ Chain all feature on the unbelievable throwback lineup, so for anyone who ever did detention, got caught smoking behind the bike sheds or had a weird crush on their PE teacher, this is the ultimate “purely bonkers” school reunion party for you.
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As well as three days packed full of parties, raves and even strolls on the beach, there’ll also be plenty of celebrity cardboard cut outs, fluffy pink unicorns, crowd renditions of Mr Brightside, dance offs, many hands in the air moments and a mobility scooter or three thrown in for very good measure.
Everything you’ve come to know and love about a classic Bongo’s Bingo experience.
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Speaking ahead of the nostalgic event, Bongo’s Bingo founder, Jonny Bongo said: “We are really feeling it now, it’s palpable how close we are to coming back.
“We all can’t wait to be on stage again doing what we love, but we know how hard it has been for over a year now, just getting to this moment as the country re-opens has been a very long and difficult time coming.
“Everyone has been through so much, so we hope we can bring some smiles and lots of fun back at our shows and this huge Pontins party”.
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Bongo’s Bingo
Ticket price includes chalet accommodation for the weekend, with early release tickets going on sale from midday today and general release from midday Friday 21st May.
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 25 November – 1 December 2024
Emily Sergeant
Our final week of November is here, and that means it’s time to say hello to the most wonderful time of the year.
That’s right… festive season is FINALLY here.
We’ve been talking about Christmas for weeks on end now, but it’s officially 1 December this Sunday, and that means there’s absolutely loads of festive events and activities for the whole family to be getting up to across Greater Manchester.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? We’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide to help you out.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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Manchester Christmas Markets 2024
Manchester City Centre
Monday 25 November – Sunday 22 December
Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 / Credit: Manchester City Council | Flickr
Manchester Christmas Markets are now back open for 2024.
The iconic annual event is an absolute staple in Manchester’s festive events calendar, and always draws in thousands of visitors from all across the globe – with hundreds of stalls across several sites all lining the streets of our city centre.
Visitors are able to tuck into a wide range of festive foods and drinks, and shop for Christmas gifts from countless independent traders.
Find out everything you need to know about Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 here.
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Bar Hütte
Kampus & Great Northern
Monday 25 November – onwards
Bar Hütte / Credit: Supplied
Bar Hütte’s legendary karaoke cabins are back in Manchester once again.
Bringing Alpine vibes, cosy furnishings, twinkling lights, live music sessions, and flowing drinks to two city centre locations from this Thursday onwards, dozens of cosy private hüttes neatly-positioned under twinkling lights are now open down at both Kampus and Great Northern Square.
There’s also a handful of other events on the lineup throughout the festive season, including live music and DJs, wreath making workshops, and movie nights.
A brand-new festive light trail has arrived in Greater Manchester for the winter, transforming the hidden Wilderspool Woods at the Trafford Centre into a twinkling wonderland.
The 4.5-acre event running until early 2025 has brought dozens of jaw-dropping light and interactive illuminations to the woods, filling paths and treetops with festive magic, from giant overhead shooting stars to huge illuminated presents.
Skate Manchester 2024 / Credit: Matt Eachus (via Supplied)
What’s a festive season in the city without Skate Manchester?
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Back once again for 2024, Skate Manchester is festive staple, and this year, skaters can glide across a gleaming ice path and spin around a dazzling seven-metre Christmas tree taking centre stage in the middle of the rink.
Families, friends, and festive fun seekers will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas whatever the weather has in store for our city this year too, as although the rink will be outdoors in the heart of Cathedral Gardens, the ice is fully covered.
East Lancashire Railway’s beloved Santa steam train rides are back for more festive fun this Christmas.
Running right through until Christmas Eve, ELR’s ‘Santa Specials’ are your chance to hop on board an old-school steam train and travel through the magical Irwell Valley to make “enchanted memories” that last a lifetime.
The famous festive steam trains have become an essential part of Christmas for many families in the North West, and there’s still some tickets left available.
After proving to be a huge success in 2023, the magical Land of Lights has returned to Gulliver’s World once again, and this year features all-new lanterns inspired by the wonders of nature, leading visitors around a twinkling wonderland filled with light and colour.
With a WonderWild theme, the breathtaking spectacle over in Warrington has a unique blend of “animal-inspired artistry with a fantastical twist”.
A brand-new festive hub has arrived in Spinningfields, and you’ll be able to visit a new ice rink, drink cocktails in a snow globe-like rooftop dome, and get merry in a yurt.
Winter Assembly at Courts Club is home to the city’s newest, fully-independent ice rink, On Ice, as well as lots of different food traders serving up winter gyros from Lucky Gyros, festive grilled cheeses, boozy hot chocolate, German BBQ specials, and so much more.
The magnificent grounds of Tatton Park have been transformed into a ‘glittering winter adventure’ for the festive season.
Families will be whisked away into a world of folklore, enchantment, and enthralling performances as they enter the gardens of the stunning Tatton Park in Cheshire for an immersive, festival-like experience known as Yuletide.
Organisers say the captivating event promises to be a “truly magical experience” where folklore stories come to life through storytelling and live music.
The Grotto at the Trafford Centre / Credit: Supplied
The main man is making our northern city his new home at one of Greater Manchester’s biggest shopping centres this winter time.
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Running all the way up until Christmas Eve, Santa is swapping the cold air of the North Pole for the cloudy skies of Manchester, as he starts his annual journey around the world by making a visit to our region.
Not only is Santa travelling with his grotto, he’s also giving visitors the chance to experience the world of the North Pole as he brings the chilly destination to the Trafford Centre.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake / Credit: Lowry | New Adventures
Matthew Bourne’s rule-breaking reinvention of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, Swan Lake, is back on stage in Greater Manchester.
This world-renowned production – which is known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble – first premiered almost 30 years ago, but it will take flight once more in a major new revival for the next generation, with The Lowry being one of the stops on its major UK tour.
Described as being “thrilling, bold, witty, and emotive”, it’s time to turn tradition on its head, and this is not one to miss.
Christmas Screenings at King Street Townhouse / Credit: KSTH
Elf, Love Actually, and Home Alone are just some of the classic Christmas films hitting the big screen at a hidden cinema in Manchester.
Film fans looking for some wholesome festive fun are being invited to get themselves down to one of Manchester’s most popular hotels, King Street Townhouse, in the run-up to the big day itself, as it’s very-own exclusive cinema will be screening a jam-packed lineup of fan-favourite festive films over the next couple of weeks.
Spectrum: A World of Illumination / Credit: Supplied
A brand-new Christmas attraction is opening this week, and it’s hoping to get us all into the festive spirit.
Just outside of Manchester, titled ‘Spectrum: A World of Illumination’, this spectacular never-seen-before trail is lighting up Cheshire with a month-long residency in Knutsford, and will be running every day in December besides Christmas Day, plus a few extra dates in November.
The immersive maze will feature moving giant candy canes, overhead Christmas-inspired installations like a laser show, and tunnels of light.
A popular Festive Winter Fair is set to returning to Victoria Baths to kick off the Christmas season this weekend.
For those keen to escape the hustle and bustle of the main Manchester Christmas Markets, and soak up all the festive spirit on a smaller scale instead, the beautiful Grade II-listed Victoria Baths wil be transformed into a cultural Christmas hub for the day.
Visitors will be able to browse and shop from a carefully-curated selection of 50 stalls that feature art, decorations, ceramics, clothing, glassware, jewellery, and so much more.
The Hallé Christmas Family Concert / Credit: The Bridgewater Hall | The Hallé
Manchester’s very-own Hallé Orchestra is hosting a festive adventure for all the family to kick off the first day of December.
You’re invited to gather the family, pop on your favourite Christmas jumper and accessories, grab your jingle bells, and head on down to The Bridgewater Hall for a morning of festive fun this Sunday, where Pippa the Christmas Bat and Santa’s reindeer will guide you through the night sky on a sing-along spectacular.
GRUB is rounding up all of its favourite independent Manchester makers and creatives, and bringing them together all under one roof for a gorgeous festive market this Sunday.
Kicking off from midday, you can expect more than 15 stalls from local small businesses selling a variety of artisan gifts, as well as delicious festive food, hot drinks, mulled wine, and more from some of the venue’s best vendors.
Entry is free, and you can find out more and get tickets here.
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Featured Image – Victoria Baths | New Adventures | The Hallé
What's On
The best light trails around Greater Manchester to explore this winter
Daisy Jackson
Well done Manchester, we’ve finally done it – with the amount of light trails illuminating our skyline this winter, you might be able to see us from space.
Who doesn’t love a light trail? The incredible views that brighten up the dreary winter nights, the synchronised wows as we gaze at the statues and figures along the way, or the hot chocolate waiting for you at the end that greets you like a warm hug.
That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best light trails around Greater Manchester for you to explore this winter.
The 10 best Christmas light trails in and around Manchester 2024
1. Yuletide – Tatton Park
A festive event with a difference is taking over Tatton Park this winter, bringing folklore stories to life with illuminated puppets, live music and storytelling.
The latest seasonal event from Wild Rumpus, ‘Yuletide’ will captivate families as they explore the stunning illuminated landscape.
Organisers say the captivating event promises to be a ‘truly magical experience’.
We’ve found a light trail with a difference for you to explore this winter – a magical world of glowing lanterns has taken over Gulliver’s World, and it’s a brand-new installation for 2024.
‘Land of Lights’ is a one-mile trail that showcases a huge array of lanterns and displays, with loads of nature-inspired enchanting realms to explore from Fantasy Forest, Ice Kingdom and Winged Wonders.
Plus you can treat yourself to a hot chocolate or toast some marshmallows on your way round, and then fill yourself up with Yorkshire pudding wraps and crumble at the end.
The Trafford Centre‘s hidden woodland has been transformed into a festive wonderland, with stunning light displays, Santa’s sleigh and, of course, mulled wine at the ready for the adults.
There are even free marshmallow toasting and letter-writing stations for the kids to get their Christmas lists ready.
Then there’s food from Freight Island’s traders, including premium smashed burgers from a Michelin chef, southern fried buttermilk chicken, cheese toasties and more. Plus, kids eat free for ticket holders when buying an adult meal.
Dates: On now until 2 January
Tickets: £8 for children, £10 for adults, £32 for families
Ignite Fire Festival is back in Rochdale this month. (Credit: Supplied)
Goblets of fire, a daisy chain of flaming flowers, a firebird with blazing eyes and even fire eaters – it could only be the return of ‘Ignite Fire Festival’.
Rochdale will be looking extra glowy next week when the free event by Walk the Plank arts group fills the gardens opposite @rochdaletownhall with dazzling pyrotechnic displays.
There’ll be three nights of fiery displays, culminating in the annual Christmas lights switch-on.
A new festive light maze is heading to Cheshire for the first time this December. (Credit: Supplied)
There’s a brand-new festive light maze heading to Cheshire this Christmas, and it sounds absolutely a-maze-ing (so, so sorry).
‘A World of Illumination’ will feature giant candy canes, tunnels of light, and an overhead laser show all hidden inside a festive maze. There’s much more than meets the eye with this light trail and
And the eagle-eyed amongst you can look out for hidden handles and buttons which lead to secret rooms and festive treasures.
Arguably the toast of Cheshire’s light trail offerings. (Credit: Supplied)
This National Trust site is one of the founding godfathers when it comes to light trails and has been consistent ever since they first lit up the iconic house and its gardens.
Whether your favourite part is the lit-up moat, the array of bright figures and statues, or toasting a marshmallow, Dunham Massey has got you covered.
Being an important hub for wildlife, each ticket sold helps with the conservation and care of this UK historical landmark.
Running for four nights only in December, the festival aptly named after what your Mum shouts five times a day is back in Bolton town centre.
This festival prides itself on bringing experiences to all and this year visitors get to admire ‘Gaia’.
This six-metre-wide illuminated Earth replica will be on display throughout the festival’s duration, and is a direct detail comparison of the imagery NASA utilises. Wow!
Dates: 5-8 December
Tickets: Free
Bookings: No tickets required
10. Lightwaves Salford – MediaCityUK
This Salford special has stood as one of the most beloved light trails in Manchester for some time now.
Spread across two kilometres and branded as ‘MediaCity‘s winter season highlight’, this experience features 14 different art installations that are set to be awe-inspiring.
One of the most engaging pieces, ‘I Caught a…’, will change throughout the night with a varying display of animals pictured in a cage.
Originally commissioned in 2021, ‘Through No 4’ will receive a glow-up with some innovative lights helping to really enhance this pretty little project located along Salford Quays.
Emily Sergeant -
20th May 2021 
