It may look like a very traditional pub; complete with dart board, bar billiards, skittles and even a piano in the corner – but The Smithfield Tavern is much more than that. Welcoming staff, dog-friendly and obviously an excellent changing selection of beers from the likes of Blackjack Brewery, Runaway, Track and loads more… you will instantly feel at home here.
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.
Join in the celebration of creative communities in the heart of Manchester with MCDC’s new exhibition ‘Connecting Spaces’.
Free entry
Beat the Frog is a legendary amateur comedy night, taking place each and every Monday. Many famous names prove it’s the real deal.
Free entry
Every Monday night upstairs at Fierce Bar, The Comedy Vault hosts an outrageously funny open-mic night. Come and try your hand or just to watch and laugh.
Free entry
Get hands on with the decks in this funk and soul superstar DJ workshop from BBC Radio 6’s Ailsa.
Free entry
All instruments, all abilities are welcome to join a band every week at Altogether Otherwise as part of their Singing and Dancing programme.
Free entry
An insanely committed seven-nights-a-week, Creatures of the Night Comedy Club opens its doors (20.30-22.30 typically, though please check) for evening after evening of side-splitting comedy.
From £5.00
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
Band on the Wall is one of Manchester’s most legendary live music venues, the place where Joy Division, The Buzzcocks and Oasis got their first breaks.
The Rose & Monkey Hotel is one of the Northern Quarter’s best music-led bars, with a truly impressive beer garden. Our new favourite Manchester pub.
The Northern Quarter’s self-styled ‘happiest place in Manchester’, based at the old Bluu site.
Excellent Mexican cuisine based in Mackie Mayor in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
Stylish modern bar serving sophisticated cocktails in the Northern Quarter.
Pull Up is a bustling Caribbean restaurant in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
The Firehouse serves up quality food and drink at its new Wednesday evening supper club.
A Grade II listed market building in the Northern Quarter, Mackie Mayor is a key fixture in the ever-growing Northern Quarter food and drink scene.
Noi Quattro is an independent pizzeria at the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
No-frills bar on Manchester’s Swan Street. A wide selection of beers and ciders mixed with a great jukebox make this an ideal pre-Band on The Wall drinking spot.
New Orleans reaches Manchester with this dedicated jazz club in the Northern Quarter – a reliable choice for a good night out.
The sun is shining in the North, so use our guide to get out there and eat, drink and be merry in it.
Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.
This month's guide is truly eclectic - from free family festivals, to food events, circus school and more!
From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.
Outdoor cinema announcements, a major retrospective at HOME, and the best of indie cinema.
Experimental performance, thought-provoking new writing and our picks of Manchester International Festival - here’s what’s taking centre stage this summer.
From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.
Books, beer and burlesque. Dive into a glorious tangle of joyful happenings.
