It’s not called ‘Friday Feeling’ for nothing. With so much on this weekend in Manchester, it’s no surprise that you can’t wait for this week to end and for the weekend to begin.
As always, we’ve lined up the very best things to do in Manchester. From theatre, music, art, football and more, we have it all.
Friday 18th August
Jungle Book – East Lancashire Railway
With East Lancashire Railway you and your family can be taken on a wild adventure to discover the story of Mowgli the man cub and his animal friends.
By journeying through Bury Transport Museum you can experience Rudyard Kipling’s Classic tale in a new, exciting way. Discover what life is like in a wolf pack, how to avoid being hypnotized by a snake and what the secret is of man’s red flower.
East Lancashire Railway, Bury Bolton Street Station, Bury
Friday 18 – Sunday 20 August 2017/ 12, 1.30 and 3 pm/ Prices from £5.
John Mitchell’s Lonely Robot – The Ruby Lounge
John Mitchell, the multi-instrumentalist mastermind behind the progressive rock bands Frost and It Bites, is releasing his first solo album under the pseudonym Lonely Robot. And for just one night only, he and the Lonely Robot band will be touring here in Manchester. The much anticipated second album, ‘The Big Dream’ debuted in May and reached number six in the UK Rock Albums chart. Don’t miss your chance to see Lonely Robot this weekend.
The Ruby Lounge, 28-34 High Street
Friday 18 August 2017/ 7 pm/ Prices from £16.50.
Just So Festival – Rode Hall Estate, Cheshire
Located in the picturesque Manor, the Just So Festival will begin this weekend. Filled with the promise of magic, mystery, adventure and bundles of fun, the Just So Festival is one of the country’s most fun and immersive family festivals. With elaborate face paint, animal ears, 1920s tweeds and twirly stuck-on moustaches – what’s not to love?
Rode Hall Estate, Alsager, Cheshire/ http://www.justsofestival.org.uk/tickets/ Friday 18 – Sunday 20 August 2017/ Weekend and day tickets available/ Prices from £20.
My City: The Living Creature – Z Arts Centre, Hulme
Ideal for those with a creative spark, My City: The Living Creature is a free painting workshop for families of all ages. Unleash your imagination to discover what Manchester would be if it could be any type of animal. By painting their own Manchester animals, visitors will explore what the city means to them, what its best bits are, and what problems it might have if we don’t take care of it.
Z-Arts Centre, Stretford Road, Hulme
Friday 18 August 2017/Drop-in session 10 am-1 pm/ Free admission.
The Secret Garden – Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens
Performed outdoors, Heartbreak Productions gives their version of this classic children’s tale. Demonstrating all that is good about friendship, The Secret Garden promises to add a touch of magic to your summer’s evening.
Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens, Wilmslow Road, Didsbury/ https://tickets.heartbreakproductions.co.uk/theatre/Show/52/Detail/The%20Secret%20Garden%202017/ Friday 18 August 2017/ 6.30 pm/ Prices from £11.
Ultimate Power -O2 Ritz
In a night exclusively filled with the most memorable Power Ballads, Ultimate Power Clubnight is a communal appreciation from the titans of Power Ballads including Loaf, Tyler Jovi and many more. Bring your air instruments but leave your inhibitions at the door to enjoy a night where pure balladic power will move you to your core.
O2 Ritz, Whitworth Street West
Friday 18 August 2017/ 10.30 pm/ Prices from £9.
Saturday 19th August
Star Shaped Festival – O2 Ritz
Held at the O2 Ritz, this year’s Star Shaped Festival will see the likes of The Bluetones, Space, Dodgy and the newly reformed Sleeper – who will be performing exclusively for the festival – taking to the stage. For five hours of the best Britpop tunes including Blur, Oasis, Suede, Pulp and Elastica, don’t miss The Star Shaped Festival 2017.
O2 Ritz, Whitworth Street West
Saturday 19 August 2017/ 2 pm/ Prices from £41.75.
Make Fest – Museum of Science and Industry
MakeFest 2017 will be taking over the Museum of Science and Industry this weekend for days of coding, crafting and creating. From making battle robots to sewing science-themed patchwork, MakeFest visitors will unleash their creative side in this celebration of DIY fun and learning.
Museum of Science and Industry, Liverpool Road/ https://www.msimanchester.org.uk/whats-on/makefest-2017/ Saturday 19 – Sunday 20 August 2017/ 10 am – 5 pm/ Free admission (although some activities may charge).
Manchester Author Event and Gig – Lancashire Mining Museum
Hosted by Scarlett Enterprises, the Manchester Author Event and Gig will be the second event of its kind. The signing and gig will take place in a large marquee measuring 21 x 15 metres, with a smaller marquee accommodating the beer tent & refreshments. In the evenings there will be a BBQ and other food available.
Lancashire Mining Museum, Higher Green Lane, Astley/ https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/manchester-author-event-gig-2017-tickets-28505977145/ Friday 18 – Sunday 20 August 2017/ 11 am-7 pm (depending on ticket purchase)/ Prices from £5.
60/50 Exhibition – Bury Art Museum and Sculpture Centre
This year marks the significant anniversaries of two of the most important milestones in UK LGBT + emancipation and legislation. The 60/50 project aims to work with the permanent collection creating an ongoing series of artist-led interventions.
Bury Art Museum, Moss Street, Bury
21 March – 1 December 2017/ (Saturdays) 10 am- 4.30 pm/ Free admission.
Miranda Lambert – O2 Apollo
Miranda Lambert, the American country music singer and songwriter, will be touring Manchester for just one day only this weekend. Showcasing her most recent album ‘The Weight of These Wings’, it will be a night not to be missed by any country fans.
O2 Apollo, Stockport Road, Ardwick Green
Saturday 19 August 2017/ 7 pm/ Prices from £54.75.
Sunday 20th August
In the Night Garden Live – The Trafford Centre
In the Night Garden Live takes place in its own family-friendly Showdome, with its beautiful costumed characters, puppets, breathtaking projections and spacious seating stand.
In Manchester for three weeks only, there are 4 shows a day at 10 am, 12 noon, 2 pm and 4 pm. Don’t miss your chance to see Igglepiggle and friends live this summer.
Intu Trafford Centre/ https://www.nightgardenlive.com/ Saturday 5 August – Monday 28 August 2017 (excluding Tuesdays) / 10 am-4 pm/ Prices from £17.50.
ToGather: Susan Hefuna Exhibition – Whitworth Art Gallery
Before it leaves the Whitworth Art Gallery in two weeks don’t miss your chance to see ToGather. The ToGather exhibition takes the form of a ‘mental map’, installed in several rooms at the Whitworth and sections of Whitworth Park. In a series of palmwood structures, which are inspired by boxes seen on the streets of Cairo, the structures are joined by a rich selection of drawings, vitrines, personal objects and new digital work, all on themes of migration and separation, gathering and togetherness.
The Whitworth Art Gallery, Oxford Road
30 June – 3 September/ 10 am-9 pm/ Free Admission.
A Wild Walk – Ordsall Hall
For an evening filled to the brim with adventure, the Babbling Vagabonds theatre company will take you on a Wild Walk in Ordsall Gardens to discover the rascal who has been stealing the King’s golden apples. In an event fit for all the family, the outside theatrical walk will take place come rain or shine. If Manchester weather permits, you may need to bring a raincoat!
Ordsall Hall, Salford
Sunday 20 August 2017/11 am-12 pm, 2-3 pm/ Prices from £8.
The Life of Objects – John Rylands Library
The Life of Objects has been described as an exhibition of the unexpected. Instead of books and manuscripts, it showcases some of the more unusual objects in their collections. Although humble – the objects range from a beaded bag to a battered pair of baby shoes – each of these objects has its own tale to tell.
With a selection of objects linked to figures as diverse as 20th-century composer Delia Derbyshire, the preacher, the exhibition gives an insight into love, legacy, work, friendship, death and more.
The John Rylands Library, Deansgate
16 March – 27 August 2017/ 10 am – 5 pm/ Free admission.
Pelé: Art, Life, Football Exhibition – National Football Museum
The great Pelé is a player like no other. The three-time World Cup Winner is a global football superstar who helped define what it meant to be one of football’s elite. Pelé: Art, Life, Football Exhibition at the National Football Museum looks at the stages of the Brazilian icon’s life; from Santos to New York via 4 World Cups, through the eyes of artists and photographers around the world.
National Football Museum, Urbis Building, Cathedral Gardens
18 May 2017- 4 March 2018/ 10 am-5 pm/ Free admission.
