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.
It’s the second Poets & Players of 2024, back at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation with an afternoon of words and music, featuring readings by Peter Sansom, Carrie Etter and Anita Pati.
free entry
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
Each year, the team at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House picks one of the famous 19th-century author’s texts to take a deep dive into: in 2024, it’s Wives and Daughters.
from £5.00
Following sold-out shows in 2019 and 2021, LIVEwire is back at The Edge this March, and again in June, with an electric line-up.
from £13.00
Explore the 40 year anniversary of the miner’s strikes creatively in this series of poetry workshops.
from £10.00
Join readers and writers alike at this free event celebrating independent publishing. Peruse books from 16 publishers across genres including literary fiction, genre fiction, middle-grade and children’s, poetry and memoir.
free entry
It’s the second Poets & Players of 2024, back at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation with an afternoon of words and music, featuring readings by Peter Sansom, Carrie Etter and Anita Pati.
free entry
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House in Manchester and the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth have once again teamed up, bringing a new short season of events to a screen near you this May.
from £5.00
Eclectic as ever. You'll find Bollywood musicals, scratch nights and anarchic Shakespeare in our pick of the performative crop.
From spotlights on indie presses to big hitters brought to you by the bookshops, festivals and libraries, you'll find plenty to whet your wordy whistle this month.
From creative adventures, museum experiences and spectacular theatre, check out what's on for the family in Manchester and the north.
Traditional painting takes a step back this month to make way for some excellent photography, sculpture and multimedia exhibitions around the North.
Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.
Ealing Studios and the best of Ryan Gosling are amongst our film highlights this month.
Take a look at our top recommendations for restaurants and bars to check out this spring.
Gazing longingly towards the good times that will accompany the surely imminent sun, we take a look at the best music festivals coming up in Manchester and Salford.
Try something new, explore somewhere different, learn a new skill with our tours and activities guide.