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
Smart, sharp and seriously funny, Creatures Comedy Festival brings stand-up stars, rising talent and Edinburgh previews to Manchester this July.
From £6.00
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
esea contemporary presents the first UK institutional solo show by Slavs and Tatars with ‘The Contest of the Fruits’.
Free entry
With sardonic wit, towering hooks and distortion dialled high, Blondshell lands at New Century this September, armed with album number two.
From £24.00
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.
Excellent Mexican cuisine based in Mackie Mayor in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
Stylish modern bar serving sophisticated cocktails in the Northern Quarter.
The Northern Quarter’s self-styled ‘happiest place in Manchester’, based at the old Bluu site.
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.
Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.
Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.
July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.
From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.
Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.
Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.
This month's guide is truly eclectic - from free family festivals, to food events, circus school and more!
