What's on near Dovestone Resevoir
Foundational British synth-pop band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark play in Rochdale, with support from Peter Hook and the Light and A Certain Ratio.
From £55.00
Discover Rochdale’s rich history on this guided tour, featuring the newly restored Town Hall, St Chad’s Church, and the Pioneers Museum.
From £20.00
Max Frisch’s darkly comic play The Fire Raisers arrives courtesy of new Manchester company We Merry Dancers in co-production with HER Productions.
From £15.00
Mark Farrelly channels Derek Jarman in a vivid solo performance about risk, creativity and living without compromise.
From £14.50
Cloudwater is a jewel in Manchester’s local brewery crown. Join them for a brewery tour and tasting at the Unit 9 Taproom.
From £25.00
Join Craft Beer Tour Manchester for a journey through some of the cities best local breweries and artisanal beer serving bars. Discover the personality of Manchester’s beer through a diverse
From £45
Fans of the world-famous and still-anonymous street artist Banksy, gather round. Spring 2026 sees The Mystery of Banksy – A Genius Mind take over Depot Mayfield.
From £22.00
Band on the Wall bring people together to make, as well as watch, music. Join them to learn folk tunes from all over the world.
Where to go near Dovestone Resevoir
Has the Kettle’s Yard of the north arrived? The Weavers Factory is a brand new art space in Greater Manchester with an intriguing story behind it.
18th-century village pub serving up a superb range of wines and high-quality food.
Vapiano is a laid-back Italian restaurant based in Manchester’s revamped Corn Exchange.
The Epic Apart Hotel offers 14 serviced apartments – and right righin the middle of the Ropewalks district, right behind FACT.
Recently refurbished, the Stalybridge Civic Hall offers a wide range of rooms and facilities for community usage and events.
Upmarket family-run restaurant with an impressive Middle Eastern menu, plus an on-site barber.
Northern Roots is set to become the largest Urban Farm and Eco-Park in the UK, bringing agriculture and outdoor activities to the heart of Oldham.
Oldham Coliseum is a repertory theatre in Greater Manchester which dates back to 1885 which welcomes touring shows in a vaired programme.
Hack Oldham is an event space that also offers co-working, community groups and crafting in the heart of Oldham.
Gallery Oldham provides a wide range of exhibitions and activities targeted at different audiences of all ages within Oldham and the surrounding area.
Parliament Square is a public space in Oldham Town Centre with restaurants sitting alongside a new seven screen cinema.
Culture Guides
Manchester’s starting the new year with a run of gigs from some of the country’s best underground exports.
Hear ye, hear ye. Take some eating-out tips from our wintertime guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.
Theatre across the North West splits between festive escape and sharp, urgent work exploring politics, power and resistance.
Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.
This season, exhibitions across the North West feel attuned to the world beneath the world – the forces and stories shaping how we see, feel and imagine.
Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.
There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.