New Year’s Eve in Manchester and the North

Escape to Freight Island, Mayfield Depot, 11 Baring St, Manchester, M1 2PY - Visit now

Head to Escape to Freight Island for a celebration of soul, funk, disco, house and everything in-between. The Revue will feature a great cast of talent, including a live band curated by Jenna G, P-Ro Jones and the crème de la crème from The Untold Orchestra Cabaret. Also expect performances from the world of dance, drag, circus and vogue, a takeover from Girls on Film (think Go Go Dancers, Disco Balls and hearty sing alongs) and local DJ legends DJ Mix-Stress, Moodymanc and Will Tramp.

Feeling flush? Push the boat out and opt for a range of VIP ticket for The Jane Eyre Cocktail Bar in the Sky, which includes a welcome cocktail, canapés on arrival, and an elevated view of the entertainment all night.

The Blues Kitchen Manchester, 13 Quay St, Manchester, M3 3HN - Visit now

You’d do a lot worse than seeing in the New Year at Manchester’s best new music venue. From the Art Deco decor to the endless drinks list to the world class sound system, everything about this place is top tier, and why shoot for anything less on New Year’s Eve? Head down early for New Orleans soul food, then onto beers, bourbon and cocktails as the house band hit the stage for three live sets of classic soul and funk, before DJs spin timeless dance floor grooves until 3am.

The Midland Hotel, Peter Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M60 2DS - Visit now

To ring in the New Year in style, The Midland Hotel is hosting A Magical Midland New Year’s Eve, a celebration filled with live music, delicious food and champagne, ready for the big countdown to 2022.
Located in the luxurious Champagne Lounge on the ground floor, guests can enjoy a bottle of Pommery Champagne and a specially curated NYE Midland Charcuterie Platter for £55 per person.

The Invisible Wind Factory, Carlton Street, Liverpool, Merseyside - Visit now

Definitely one of the more intriguing features on this list, Liverpool’s Invisible Wind Factory will be the set of a new reality game show on New Year’s Eve. Set inside a cosmic paradise, Leisure Land allows guests to explore an alternate society using the Kazimier’s pseudo-currency ‘Iced-gem coin’ to pay for a world of games, activities and live entertainment.

The latter comes in the form of psychedelic folk collective Wanton String Band, crowd pleasing covers from Harsebax, a high-octane audio-visual spectacle from Dogshow, plus a diverse offering of the best North West selectors such as Lupini, Twindependent Women and a world exclusive from Jacques of All Trades in the Berlinesque basement club ‘Substation’.

Nam Manchester, Unit 2, 33 Blossom St, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6AJ - Visit now

This New Year’s Eve, NAM will see in 2022 with a special ‘Music of Many Colours’ presented by Manchester’s very own So Flute, while New Year’s Day see’s Donna Leake and Anti Social Jazz Club take over Manchester’s finest audiophile sound system. On the 31st December, 9pm till 3am, So Flute residents Danuka, Yadava and extended family member Contours will play a carefully curated set of house, jazz, soul and world music, with legendary MC Kwasi hosting the evening. Tickets are available to purchase here now – from £5-15.

New Year’s Day celebrations kick off at 5pm with acclaimed selector Donna Leake jumping on the decks, with support from Anti Social Jazz Club – the like-minded collective championing jazz from around the world. The event is completely free, so just pull up and enjoy the ride.

GRUB Manchester, 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester, M4 4HF - Visit now

The Green Quarter’s Grub, purveyor of all things vegan, craft beery and independent, is for anyone looking to escape a cookie-cutter New Year’s Eve. Head down on the big night for a 100% vegan party with plant powered street food, a festively-stocked bar, BakeORama cake, Cocktail Karaoke, Disco Bingo plus DJs and dancing. Local food vendors Seitan’s Kebab, Korean Grub Club and Mus Mus will be putting on special menus for the celebration, and a ticket comes with two cocktails, a glass of fizz, midnight cake and more. What’s not to like?

Belgrave Music Hall, 1-1A Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds, LS2 8JP - Visit now

Belgrave is one of our favourite places to go out in Leeds, and we’re also big fans of local promoters Super Friendz, who put on some of the best music events in city. Put those two things together and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a good night. New Year’s Eve at this Northern Quarter institution will be a countdown of MTV classics from across the decades. From Nirvana to Kanye, expect an eclectic mix of party tracks that you can sing along to. Forget hefty entry fees and pretentious vibes, just good times in a creative space that boasts one of Leeds’ best rooftop terraces.

Wire Club in Leeds, 2a Call Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6DN - Visit now

Another Leeds entry, but a little more underground. Wire is one of the North’s best basement venues, specialising in leftfield electronic music. Presented by local collective Optic, DJ Seinfield is taking over the decks for New Year’s Eve. From lo-fi fuzz to hardcore breaks and jungle, expect sweeping emotive cuts and verdant dancefloor workouts as the eclectic selector guides you into  2022 in serotonin-tickling style.

The Refuge, Oxford Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M60 7HA - Visit now

Hosted by local music legends DJ Paulette and Supernature Disco, The Refuge is for anyone who likes their New Year’s Eve served a little bit fancy, in one of the most striking venues in the city. ‘Let’s Dance’ early bird tickets are priced from £20 per person, and for those wanting to make the most of the night, ‘Dine & Dance’ tickets include a special New Year’s Eve dinner and a £25 bar tab, priced at £60 per person. The menu is packed with suitably extravagant dishes, with meat options including venison loin carpaccio and vegan options including smoked aubergine arancini. Dig in.

Manchester today offers such a variety of clubs, there’s something for everyone in the city’s solid-gold after-hours scene. Here are some of our top clubs. See which takes your fancy for the big night.

It’d be rude to ring in the new year without a cocktail in your hand. Take a look at our picks of the best places to get a NYE-worthy cocktail in Manchester, covering all tastes and budgets.