NHS staff are to be given free tickets to the opening night of this year’s pantomime Sleeping Beauty at Manchester Opera House this Christmas.
As a thank you to healthcare staff for all their hard work during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic this year, the arts venue has announced NHS staff will be entitled to enter a ballot to win tickets for the first night of the pantomime.
The opening night for Sleeping Beauty is Saturday 12th December.
This year’s production – which has been created especially for Manchester Opera House in this unprecedented year – will be “a riotously funny, one-act celebration of pantomime” and it’s set to be packed full of comedy and laughter to allow audience members the opportunity to come safely together and enjoy the magic of the much-loved and unique art form this festive season.
Funding from The National Lottery has helped panto return to the Opera House Manchester this year.
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Sleeping Beauty stars Salford-born Jason Manford as Muddles, with comic legend Billy Pearce as King Billy, musical theatre leading lady Jodie Prenger as the Enchantress, and Eric Potts as the Queen in this year’s “unmissable family production”.
We're so proud to announce we are gifting all tickets to the opening night of our 2020 pantomime Sleeping Beauty to NHS workers and their families!
Announcing the well-deserved perk for NHS staff, Sheena Wrigley – Theatre Director at Manchester Palace and Opera House, said: “We are thrilled at the prospect of working with Qdos Pantomimes and reopening the historic Manchester Opera House with this festive family show.
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“It’s especially important that we can play our part in keeping one of the city’s great Christmas traditions alive after what has been an especially challenging time for communities in Greater Manchester.
“Our wonderful NHS staff can enter a ballot for free tickets for their families – our way of saying a huge ‘thank you’ for everything they’ve done this year.”
Opera House Manchester
Sleeping Beauty is running at the Opera House Manchester from 12th December 2020 – 3rd January 2021, with a relaxed performance on Thursday 31st December, and NHS workers will need to head to healthservicediscounts.com to register for the ballot between now and 29th November.
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Just type ATG/Sleeping Beauty/Opera House in the search bar, and winners will be notified by 7th December.
Ticket prices otherwise start from £13, and can be booked in bubbles of up to six.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Opera House Manchester’s capacity is being reduced by 50%, there’ll be staggered arrival times and one way systems in place, with sanitising stations placed around the venue, and deep cleaning taking place between every performance.
Tickets go on sale for massively popular pumpkin festival near Greater Manchester this autumn
Emily Sergeant
Tickets for one of the North West’s most popular pumpkin festivals with thousands of pumpkins to pick have now officially gone on sale.
We know it’s still technically summer and the sun is still shining, but in just over a month’s time, Kenyon Hall Farm’s popular Pumpkin Festival will be back up and running for 2026.
This is an ideal autumnal activity for when the leaves start turning golden, and is always popular with families every year.
Think fields full of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, where you can grab yourself a wheelbarrow and get searching for your perfect gourd – whether it’s a classic round orange one, or a weird and wonderful wonky one.
Kenyon Hall Farm’s popular Pumpkin Festival will be back from next month / Credit: The Manc Group | Concetta Huffa (via Unsplash)
As well as the pumpkin picking itself, Kenyon Hall Farm also has loads of photo opportunities dotted around, like a house built of pumpkins, a giant throne, a vintage tractor, a love heart frame, and even a Hollywood sign-style sign screaming ‘PUMPKINS’ as you enter.
This year, the owners are also teasing some brand-new displays for 2026, so stay tuned for what’s in store.
While you’re at the farm, you can also browse a pop-up market packed with autumnal treats, including more pumpkins, novelty homewares, and seasonal goodies, and then head on into the gorgeous on-site cafe for some pumpkin-inspired specials like spiced lattes, scones, and soup.
What could be more a perfect autumn activity than rummaging around in a field picking your perfect pumpkin with your pals?
Kenyon Hall Farm’s Pumpkin Festival officially returns from Saturday 26 September, and tickets are now on sale at £3.95 each, so make sure to book yours soon as they’re already selling fast.
Tame Impala announces another HUGE Manchester gig after chart-topping success
Emily Sergeant
Tame Impala has announced another UK and EU tour in 2027 to celebrate recent chart-topping success.
Following sold-out runs across the globe in 2025 and 2026 – including here in Manchester – and currently in the midst of a North American arena tour, Tame Impala has announced a new run of dates for next year – with a mix of headline and festival appearances.
The announcement arrives as Kevin Parker – better known by his project name, Tame Impala – continues an extraordinary run with his latest studio album Deadbeat, released last year.
On Deadbeat, Parker aimed to sculpt a collection of ‘wickedly potent’ club-psych explorations as a vehicle for some of his most direct, ear-wormy songwriting to date.
Tame Impala has announced another huge Manchester gig after chart-topping success / Credit: Julian Klincewicz (Supplied)
After recently being featured in the new Marvel film, Spiderman: Brand New Day, the lead single from the album, ‘Loser’, has just hit number one on the Global Spotify chart.
Not only that, but the remix of the hit song ‘Dracula’, featuring JENNIE, also remains in the top 10 on various global charts, and the original version has also nominated for Best Alternative at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.
Critics described this most recent run of gigs as ‘one of the best live shows of the year’, so it only makes sense that he’d be back for more.
Kicking off on 28 May 2027 in here in Manchester, Tame Impala will be taking to the Co-op Live stage once again, before heading down to the capital for two nights at The O2 on 1 and 2 June, and then popping over to Paris, Rotterdam, and Cologne to.
Wet Leg will open all headlining dates next year, including here in Manchester.
Tickets go on sale this week, with Co-op Member Presale kicking off at 9am on Wednesday (26 August), followed by General Sale also at 9am on Friday (28 August).
Emily Sergeant -
17th November 2020 
