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Manchester is getting the UK’s biggest outdoor heated winter market this Christmas

Christmas is saved!

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Escape to Freight Island

The sad but inevitable news that the Manchester Christmas Markets have officially been cancelled was announced today.

While some people will be absolutely gutted about this, fear not, there is still some hope for the festive season in Manchester this year.

Escape To Freight Island has announced the next stage of its evolution at Depot Mayfield this week, revealing that the new Winter Island markets will join The Ticket Hall.

You can expect family-friendly enchantment and festive food, drink and entertainment this Christmas, when Winter Island opens its doors on Thursday November 12th.

Escape to Freight Island

When it opens, Winter Island will become the UK’s largest fully outdoor, heated winter market, with a 45ft Christmas tree and a massive 1500sqft garden tent full of festive traders and stalls to get you in the Christmas spirit.

The likes of Great North Pie, a bratwurst grill, traditional hog roast, a mulled wine and hot cider hut, local chocolatier and artisanal cheese stall will be in attendance, to keep you fed and watered.

This is just some of what you can expect at Winter Island:

  • Traditional Hog Roast
  • A Mulled Wine and Hot Cider Hut
  • A Local Chocolatier
  • An Artisan Cheese Stall
  • Winter Ice Curling Rink
  • Hot Chip and Alfos
  • Just The Tonic Comedy Nights
  • A Festival No.6 Take Over
  • A Big Brass Band
  • Disney Singalong
  • A Stunning Installation Feature By Lightopia
  • A Huge 45ft Christmas Tree

Escape to Freight Island recently confirmed the first part of its new development over at Depot Mayfield, following a hugely successful launch and summer, revealing The Ticket Hall – which opens on October 30th and will see the venue double in capacity.

This next chapter at Platform 15 will see a whole host of new food vendors arrive at the venue, taking over the industrial indoor area, meaning you’ll be able to enjoy top scran from some of your favourite local eateries down at Freight Island.

Escape to Freight Island

Taking over the original structure within Depot Mayfield, there will be a fully heated area with table seating, a wine shop, bars, a bike cloakroom, as well as a new stage and top entertainment lineup.

Joining the amazing Baratxuri, Voodoo Rays, Patty Queen and Madre, there will be some of Manchester’s favourite food and drink vendors, including:

  • Sugo Pasta Kitchen – The famous pasta restaurant based in Ancoats bringing stunning Italian food will be setting up shop.
  • Mi & Pho – An award-winning family-run restaurant serving authentic Vietnamese dishes.
  • Plant Grill – From Dan Hope of Fire Bird Hope and Krum fame, Plant Grill will be a vegan offering of modern cuisine.
  • El Boleto – A San Sebastian-style Deli serving up delicious small plates and freshest
    produce to enjoy at home or on-site.
  • The Jane Eyre – Classic drinks with a twist.

There will also be two taprooms in The Ticket Hall from Camden Town and Pomona, alongside Forever Changes – an independent wine shop.

The site will continue to operate under the world leading ‘Safe + Social Manifesto’, meaning Escape to Freight Island is committed to maintaining a safe environment for everyone.

This means it’s: “A space where you are able to socialise safely with your party, maintaining social distance from others and remaining alert to the risks of coronavirus, while being part of the overall urban festival atmosphere of Freight Island”.

You can get booked in for the Ticket Hall and Winter Island here.

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Huge ’80s vs ’90s music festival featuring Vengaboys, 911, Five and more coming to Manchester

The ultimate event for pop music nostalgia

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@vengaboys / Instagram & @Bowlers Manchester / Facebook

All your favourite music acts from the ’80s and ’90s are set to make an epic comeback at a new music festival here in Manchester. 

Now, there’s no disputing that the music born from these two decades is perhaps the best and most iconic the world has to offer – so the idea of an entire music festival built upon it sounds a little too good to be true, doesn’t it?

The 80s V ’90s Festival will be taking over the Bowlers Exhibition Centre where a number of iconic acts from the (you guessed it) 1980s and 1990s will be going head-to-head to put on the show of your lives.

Bowlers Manchester / Facebook

Nostalgic artists confirmed for the line up include the Vengaboys, Five, Limahal, Chesney Hawkes, 911, Lee Latchford Evans, Andi Peters, Samantha Fox and Gary Davies.

Throughout the event, guests will be able to meet and greet the artists, so make sure you get an old school poster ready to sign for those real ’80s and ’90s vibes.

And this line up isn’t the only blast from the past in store for the event – there will also be a number of vendors in attendance who will be selling retro garms and goods.

@vengaboys / Instagram

Sound good?

Well, luckily for you tickets are on sale now! To buy your own, head here.

The festival will be taking place at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre on Saturday January 29th, 2022 between 2pm – 11pm. All guests must provide valid ID proving they are over the age of eighteen.

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You can now spend the night at a haunted museum sleeping in a bodybag

This experience is not for the faint-hearted…

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Ghost Hunters of Stoke on Trent / Facebook & @janjakubnanista / Unsplash

Calling all horror fans: You can now spend the night sleeping in a bodybag in an actual haunted museum. 

Held at the Haunted Museum and Spirit Shop Stoke in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, the popular Ghost Hunters of Stoke team will be giving keen ghost-hunters the opportunity to partake in their very own ghost hunt.

They are offering visitors guided tours, tarot card readings, a seance and spirit board sessions and haunted sleepovers – with the chance to sleep in an actual bodybag, too.

Ghost Hunters of Stoke on Trent / Facebook

The museum boasts ghostly artefacts from all over the world, including a poltergeist mirror containing the spirit of a ‘little girl and a shadow person’ and a replica of the famous Annabelle Doll.

Business owners and long-time ghost hunters Craig Longson and Jason Dean wanted to create somewhere that could put Stoke-on-Trent on the map as a paranormal destination.

Craig told Stoke on Trent Live: “I’ve always wanted to open something like this… We took on the building five weeks ago, and a lot of hard work has gone into turning it into what you see now. We want to give people the wow factor.

“Whether you’re part of an investigations team, or a member of the public, there will always be team members on hand to help. We’ve got the most advanced equipment from all across the world, so we can give everyone the ultimate experience, all under one roof.”

Ghost Hunters of Stoke on Trent / Facebook

Lead investigator Justine Farley also added: “With the space that we’ve got, we’ve got the opportunity to change things up quite regularly, if we want to. As we get new artefacts, we can move things around and add new things. Our team have also got such unique ideas so we can keep things fresh.”

And for any skeptics out there, the ghost hunters themselves claim to have witnessed genuine paranormal activity in the building. Craig said: “Occasionally… It depends what happens. If you’re in a pitch black room and you see something or feel something.”

Justine added: “We’ve all felt that shiver from the top of your head, all the way down to your toes. When we’ve witnessed things like the pram moving on our live video, it made us all go completely cold. It’s a heavy pram, with metal wheels. Witnessing something like that is just amazing.”

You can find out more about The Haunted Museum and Spirit Shop on Facebook, and also keep up to date with the latest investigations from Ghost Hunters of Stoke-on-Trent on Facebook and YouTube.

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The Cube Live Experience is coming to the Arndale if you’re up to the challenge

Know anyone who could take this on?

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ITV

A live experience version of the hit ITV gameshow The Cube is set to land at Manchester’s Arndale, new plans have revealed today.

First airing back in 2009, The Cube sees contestants complete a variety of physically and mentally challenging tasks from within a 4m × 4m × 4m perspex cube in order to win a top prize of £250,000. 

The show has proven to be a huge hit among viewers at home and now, they will get the chance to compete in the famed cube themselves. 

Urban Playground

Urban Playground, the entertainment complex nestled within the Arndale, has announced that The Cube Live Experience will be coming to the shopping centre for guests to partake in their very own gameshow.

The Cube Live will feature a whole array of the most popular games and challenges from the original TV series, and will allow teams of up to four to compete as both single and two players.

According to Urban Playground, participants will have to ‘overcome extreme nerves and intense pressure’ to take on the ‘deceptively simple’ tasks.

Urban Playground

The Cube Live will also come with its very own Cube Bar for participants to enjoy a celebratory drink after their challenge (or one to soften the blow of being defeated by a Cube, in some instances.)

While it is known that The Cube Live Experience will definitely be located in the Arndale, further details surrounding the exact location and opening date are yet to be revealed. 

But to be the first to hear news and updates on the opening date and ticket sales, register your interest here.

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