Bank Holiday Weekend at The Refuge

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
Bank Holiday Weekend at The Refuge
The Refuge

Bank Holiday Weekend at The Refuge at The Refuge, City Centre 18 — 20 April 2019 Entrance is free — Visit now

The Refuge has announced its latest programme of events, for the Easter and spring bank holiday weekends.

Manchester hangout The Refuge will host wellness activities; DJ sets; a collaboration with one of the UK’s leading festivals, Bluedot, Manchester’s iconic symphony orchestra The Hallé and The Whitworth Art Gallery; plus the return of its annual takeover with Ibiza’s legendary Pikes hotel.

Raw Baking

A highlight is the Friday’s raw baking event with Raw Bake Station, in The Den from 2 pm to 3.30 pm, where you can learn how to create incredible vegan desserts from scratch, without the need for an oven or hob. We were treated to a sneak preview of this event, and the results were fantastic: delicious peanut cups that required little to no experience in the kitchen, handily.

This programme of events has everything from family-friendly fun and wellness retreats, to food events

The Refuge is curated by DJs-turned-restaurateurs, Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford – the team behind the award-winning Volta restaurant. This programme of events has everything from family-friendly fun and wellness retreats, to food events, all catered towards and those looking to celebrate the bank holiday weekend in style.

Bank Holiday Weekend at The Refuge at The Refuge, City Centre 18 — 20 April 2019 Entrance is free Visit now

Where to go near Bank Holiday Weekend at The Refuge

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Bundobust Brewery

Launched in 2021, the Bundobust Brewery makes modern beer with their vegetarian and vegan food menu in mind.

Palace Theatre Manchester
Manchester
Theatre
Palace Theatre

A Manchester landmark for almost 130 years, The Palace Theatre is reopening in early August 2021 with a few small but vital changes to ensure a safe and pleasant experience for all.

City Centre
Restaurant
Real Junk Food Project Manchester

Enjoy a gourmet lunch for whatever price you feel and help fight food waste. Real Junk Food Project Manchester has final found a permanent home, ideally located along Oxford Road, and business is booming.

Bundobust Oxford Road
Manchester
Restaurant
Bundobust Oxford Road

Bundobust Oxford Road is the latest addition to the ever-growing alt-Indian food chain. Opens spring in the St James Building on Manchester’s Oxford Road.

City Centre
Restaurant
Nudo Sushi Box

Nudo Sushi Box on Manchester’s Oxford Road specialises in freshly-prepared boxes of – you guessed it – sushi.

Ditto Coffee Manchester
Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Ditto Coffee Manchester

Ditto Coffee is a coffee shop specialising in independent music and speciality coffee. This Manchester coffee shop is the second from the Liverpool-based Ditto Music company.

City Centre
Bar or Pub
The Temple

Originally called The Temple of Convenience owing to its former life as a public toilet block, this is a tiny bar with some of the finest bathroom graffiti in town.

Gorilla, Whitworth street Manchester
Manchester
Bar or Pub
Gorilla

Gorilla is a good choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner. From a hearty full English to meaty burgers via good vegan and veggie options. It also hosts some of the best gigs and events in Manchester.

Dog Bowl bowling alley and restaurant Manchester.
Manchester
Bar or Pub
Dog Bowl

A bar and 10-pin bowling alley combined, Dog Bowl is a neon-lit venue that serves up cocktails and Tex-Mex food to go with your time on the lanes.

Society Manchester
City Centre
Society Manchester

Society Manchester is a glorious indoor and outdoor space in the very heart of the city, with five street food vendors to choose from and a range of high-quality drinks.

City Centre
Bar or Pub
Fab Cafe

A cult tv and movie themed bar set below street level on Portland Street in Manchester.

What's on: Festivals

Visit Blackpool.
FestivalsBlackpool
Showzam!

A festival of Circus, Magic and Variety, set to take place during the February half-term holidays. There will be a blend of live performances, illusions, street acts and more.

from £14.00
Keswick Town
CinemaCumbria
Keswick Film Festival

Keswick Film Festival marks 25 years with a programme featuring some of the best of contemporary independent cinema, alongside select classics, and work from some choice Cumbrian talent.

from £5.00

Culture Guides

NEXT: A Primer on Urban Painting production still
Cinema in the North

Street art, LGBTQ+ History Month, and the first film festivals of the year are amongst our cinema highlights this month.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Feminist farce, a magical circus show and Oldham Coliseum return with a brand-new off-site show. All in our latest theatre guide.

FKA TWIGS
Music in the North

Masters of minimalism, leftfield electronica and cutting edge pop. We bring you the lot in our latest live music round up.

The Super Duper Family Festival
Family things to do in the North

We might be past the holiday season, but Manchester and the North's arts and cultural calendar is still packed with brilliant events and activities for families

A painting of a young child being bathed in a sink of a 197s style kitchen. Around the sink are a rubber duck, a bottle of  washing up liquid, a jug, a kettle and a mug.
Exhibitions in the North

Galleries are racing to announce new exhibitions so check out our top picks, from art films and nostalgic paintings to Hockney's collages.