Join poet and playwright Nick Flynn, musician Novella (aka Sarah Lipstate) and film-maker Gabriel Martinez as Poet in the City presents this special cross-arts collaboration celebrating William Blake’s unfinished masterpiece Vala, or The Four Zoas. This performance of words, music and film will tell the tale of sin, passion and love, tracking the plight and flight of mankind.
Small but perfectly-formed café – which also serves as the in-house bookstore, stocking all manner of Burgess-related works, along with recordings of his music. It’s a welcoming space, with huge glass windows making for a bright, welcoming atmosphere.
Black Dog Ballroom is a three-level bar, club and restaurant complete with roof terrace covered to provide protection during Manchester’s rainy season.
Unintimidating fine dining, from the locally-loved winner of Masterchef 2015.
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.
Late-night dive bar in Manchester’s fast-growing First Street neighbourhood.
The Ritz was originally a dance hall, built in 1928, has hosted The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and The Smiths and is still going strong as a gig venue now.
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.
Junkyard Golf Club Manchester features three funkily decorated nine-hole golf courses, along with a bar and food stand.
HOME’s in-house restaurant has a nicely varied, with a large pizza section and an impressive but not unexpected array of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Now back open with a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.
Modern hotel at Manchester’s First Street development, now with an in-house chocolatier.
Indian Tiffin Room is a restaurant specialising in Indian street food, with branches in Cheadle and Manchester. This is the information for the Manchester venue.
Take your pick from The Little Library’s carefully curated collection of classics and new releases, adding a recently read book of your own as a replacement.
free entry
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House and award-winning garden is a must-see for literature lovers, with a book sale on the second Sunday of the month.
from £6
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House has already celebrated the author’s novels Cranford and North And South, and in 2023 it’s the turn of Mary Barton.
from £5.00
Join the Radical Reading Book Group to discuss a book from The Reading Room Library – which you can find at Left Bank Leeds in collaboration with Pluto Press.
free entry
Join the Poetry Walk with The Reader in Calderstones Park every Thursday morning or Shared Reading groups on Tuesdays.
free entry
Exploring our natural world through words, music and poetry, Kendal Mountain Book Festival should be a top pick for lovers of nature writing and avid explorers everywhere.
from £6.50
MLF runs from 7 to 22 October and presents inspiring live literature and spoken word from international writers and home-grown talent.
from £5.00
With literature festival season starting its engines, we select our top picks, alongside some standout launches and readings.
School's back and we're heading towards autumn! Here are some of the best family friendly events and activities to keep the kids busy.
From post punk legends to the leading lights of modern shoegaze, read about the most exciting artists playing in Manchester and the North this autumn.
We’re crowning October the month of painting prizes! From Birkenhead to Huddersfield, biennials are showcasing the best of contemporary painting.
The best new venues and revamped food and drink menus in Manchester and the North as we head into autumn.
A true crime rock musical, contemporary dance and punchy new writing feature in this month’s eclectic pick of live theatre.
Get inspired to make the most of autumn with day trips, pumpkin carving and ghosts in this month's Tours and Activities guide.
Halloween's on the horizon, but there are some big film festivals to dive into first.