What's On
Manchester International Festival starts tomorrow with loads of exciting free events to explore
Here’s what’s on…
It’s what we’ve all been waiting for – after weeks of build up, the highly anticipated Manchester International Festival 2021 is officially launching tomorrow.
Running for over two weeks until July 18th, the annual festival boasts a whole array of exciting and – most importantly – free events for people from all over the region to take part in and enjoy.
And, to kick start the festivities tomorrow, MIF is pulling out all the stops with a spectacular dance performance takeover down Deansgate.
@mifestival / Instagram
Described as a ‘human flip book sprung to life on the streets of Manchester’, Sea Change will feature 150 of Greater Manchester’s residents in a beautiful celebration of post-lockdown life, choreographed by French choreographer Boris Charmatz.
Sea Change will fill Deansgate with a chain of both professional and non-professional dancers, each performing and repeating a section of unique choreography.
Rather than the work moving on in front of you, it’ll be up to you to ‘move on’ the work: walking or even running past waves of dancers to animate the action into your very own living flip book.
@mifestival / Instagram
Charmatz said of the immersive performance: “Designed as both a large festive gathering and a work of art, Sea Change works on two levels: viewers will perceive a single organism, one single continuous movement made by the many, and each participant singularly embodying the piece.”
Sea Change is completely free to attend, but tickets are required – get yours here.
And that is only the beginning – throughout the next few weeks, MIF will be hosting a whole array of exciting and free events, performances and exhibitions.
Festival Square, the home of the entire event, will be taking over Manchester’s Cathedral Gardens where there will be a whole array of food and drink stalls and free entertainment from international artists and Greater Manchester-based performers – including curated nights from Jamz Supernova, Homoelectric, Mr Scruff and DJ Paulette.
@mifestival / Instagram
There will also be the Global Playground, an uplifting new show mixing dance, music, theatre and puppetry tailored specifically for children and family audiences.
On the artistry front, guests can enjoy a whole array of cultured and thought-provoking exhibitions, such as the Portrait of Black Britain – a powerful and timely exhibition by artist, activist and campaigner Cephas Williams posing a timely and poignant question: ‘What does it mean to be Black, living in the UK?’ This will be found in the Manchester Arndale.
Captioning the City will also give residents the opportunity to explore around the city centre and experience Manchester in a whole new dimension.
To see the whole list of events taking place over the next few weeks and to book tickets, visit the official Manchester International Festival website here.
What's On
Hawksmoor creates ultimate steak sandwich for huge Manchester barbecue event
Can’t wait for this!
Live From The Grill is returning in 2024 for a third year, bringing with it next level barbecue food, drinks, live music and DJs.
Deansgate Square will once again host a weekend of BBQs from some of Manchester’s best restaurants, including Hawksmoor, who will be serving up the ultimate steak sandwich.
Also serving up some top scran will be Knight’s Caribbean BBQ, Japanese robata by Kitten, Food Sorcery Cookery School, and Chit ‘n’ Chaat with Indian street food.
Manchester’s Finest Group
Plus, there’s £3.50 pints all day and other drinks deals exclusively for Manchester’s Finest subscribers – so make sure you get signed up.
The free event is taking place on Saturday August 31st and Sunday September 1st, down at one of the city centre’s most exciting new neighbourhoods, New Jackson.
Both Saturday and Sunday’s day-long parties are free to attend with tickets. Saturday will feature Rinse.FM residents Habitat, DJ G2 & Friends, soulful drum and bass from Rare Groove, and Manchester’s longest-running club night, Funkademia.
Manchester’s Finest Group
Sunday is curated by Gigpig and is all about the bands, including rising jazz superstar Kemani Anderson, electro-soul singer Yemi Bolatiwa, 60s and 70s-inspired blues duo Corduroy Moustache, singer-songwriters Ruby J and Grace Kelly, as well as a set from DJ Lenny.
Live From The Grill 2024 is happening at Deansgate Square, New Jackson, M15 4TN, from 12pm till 8pm both days.
Tickets are free, grab them here.
What's On
Manchester’s biggest after work drinks with FREE pints happening this week
Get yourself down!
What promises to be Manchester’s biggest after work drinks is happening this week, and you can head down for a pint on us.
Manchester’s Finest is serving up complimentary drinks at a secret location in town, and you’re invited to enjoy an after work drink on the house.
This is in collaboration with the new ChinChin app, which helps you organise nights out with your mates.
Manchester’s Finest Group
The massive after work social is happening this week, on Thursday August 15th.
Simply head to the secret location from 5.30pm to enjoy one of 400 pints being given away – choose from Amstel, Inch’s cider or a soft drink.
The fastest and easiest way to make plans with friends, download the ChinChin app to find out where to head and join in the fun.
Manchester’s Finest Group
To secure your invite (and free pint), create your ChinChin account, click the link to let us know you’re coming, and head to the secret spot – which will be revealed on the app.
And if that’s not enough, ChinChin will also throw in £5 Uber credit for attendees to safely get home too – redeem it when you first check-in on ChinChin.
Please drink responsibly.
What's On
The North’s best street food is coming to Manchester this weekend
The best street food is coming to Manchester
The British Street Food Awards Northern heats are coming to Freight Island this weekend, bringing with it some of the region’s best street food.
Part of the largest street food competition in the world, the free event arrives in the city this summer this weekend, August 17th and 18th.
The Northern champion will be selected by a panel of judges: Matty White, known for his work on Manchester’s Finest and Steph’s Packed Lunch, Luke Payne, chef at The Pack Horse in Hayfield, and British Street Food Awards founder and food journalist Richard Johnson.
Hello Oriental
The participating traders have now been released, along with their taster dishes which are all available at £6.50, as well as an additional ‘killer dish’.
You can sample Caribbean food from Back-a-yard Jamaican, Baldy’s artisan pies, Burgerism, Colombo Street’s Sri Lankan street food, and Asian fusion from Fuku, and Hello Oriental.
There’s Greek classics from Mega Gyros, Mia’s Arepas, Pattersons fried chicken, Indian street food from Payal, Rio-Mex’s fusion of Brazilian and Mexican street food, and BBQ from Smoking Coal.
British Street Food Awards
Don’t miss traditional Malaysian cuisine from Syiok-Lah, That Ziki’s Greek street food with a modern twist, and Zapp, who are bringing traditional Polish street food.
Past winners of the prestigious award include MEATliquor, Wingmans and BAO. The winner of this year’s competition will head to London for the UK finals in September.
And in even better news, you can head down yourself and try all of the North’s best street food over the weekend.
Colombo Street
You can also have your say in the People’s Choice award, with the winners of both announced on August 18th.
The awards coincide with Freight’s summer of top tier – and free – music programming too, with Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip headlining Sunday’s line-up, alongside the Body Heat DJs.
Grab your free tickets here.
Find something to do in Manchester
Powered by 
The Italian spot doing 50% off their entire a la carte menu
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
Hawksmoor creates ultimate steak sandwich for huge Manchester barbecue event
Manchester’s biggest after work drinks with FREE pints happening this week
The North’s best street food is coming to Manchester this weekend
