The Best Things To Do in Manchester This Weekend

As if by magic, the weekend is here again - and the weather forecast isn't too bad! As ever, Quaytickets has plenty going on in and around Manchester. We've picked some of our favourites below.

 The Festival Continues... 
Manchester International Festival 2017 has been a huge hit with all manner of events ranging from special operas for babies to sell-out gigs from massive bands including Arcade Fire and New Order. There's still a great deal left to go as MIF enters it's second weekend. What if Women Ruled the World? (8pm Friday and Saturday) imagines a future which sees women in charge of a world in desperate need of a new vision. Each night, a professional cast will be joined on stage by a different group of female experts: scientists, politicians, activists and thinkers of global reputation.  

 Party Skills for the End of the World (Friday 7.30pm; Saturday 2.30pm and 7.30pm; Sunday 2.30pm) aims to teach you how to survive the when the end finally comes - and how to have a great time whilst doing it. This wild and immersive show has proved to be one of MIF's most popular and takes place in one of the festival's finest and most unique venues.

Cunning Foxes and Growing Old Disgracefully
The stage adaptation of the much-loved BBC sitcom Waiting for God (Friday 7.30pm; Saturday 2.30pm & 7.30pm) ends its run at The Lowry's Lyric Theatre this weekend after garnering rave reviews this week. The cast is led by Jeffrey Holland (known for his roles in Hi-de-Hi and You Rang M'Lord) and features all the favourite characters from the original series. The hilarious and heartwarming plot, based around a scheme to give the conniving manager of Bayview Retirement Village, is penned by the sitcom's creator Michael Aitkens.

 Over in The Lowry's Quays Theatre, the award-winning production of Roald Dahl's classic Fantastic Mr Fox (Friday 7pm; Saturday 2pm and 7pm; Sunday 2pm and 7pm) has also been wowing audiences. A tale of greed, pride and the power of friendship, this flagship production for the Roald Dahl 100 celebrations is a huge theatrical feast with live music and songs, ideal for the whole family.

A Day Out on Diesel or A Night Out with Flecky

 The forecast is perfect for a day out on a heritage railway this weekend. Departing from Bury, The East Lancashire Railway transports visitors through scenic countryside to picturesque towns and villages. Special events run all year and this weekend is the turn of the Summer Diesel Gala - a celebration of the successor to the steam train. Absorb the sights and sounds of a busy heritage railway line as ELR runs an all-diesel passenger service with locomotives from their home fleet as well as guest engines.
Fans of all things ghostly will love an evening with "ghost walker extraordinaire" Flecky Bennett. A firm favourite among locals and visitors alike, the tours delve into the hidden backstreets and secret passageways of Manchester's historic city centre. The Trip Advisor-accredited  Saturday Ghost Walk (Saturday, 8pm) sees Flecky take his intrepid guests on a paranormal tour of Manchester's canals featuring shocking stories of cholera, ill-fated ships, pauper's graveyards and the intriguing Hellfire Club.

The Valleys Comes to Manchester...

 Also part of MIF17, Machynlleth Comedy Festival decamps to Manchester for one weekend only. The spring comedy festival in the tiny Welsh town is one of Europe's most unique and delightful events and encourages comedians to have fun with their material in some very bizarre and intimate venues. In the spirit of Machynlleth, MIF have invited some of the country’s best comics for a series of special shows at two tiny Manchester venues. Our pick is Birthday Girls, (Friday, 9pm) the most uproariously funny sketch comedy troupe around today.

 ...India Comes to Stockport

 Stockport Plaza is arguably the finest picture house in the UK. This "super cinema" opened during the golden age of cinema in the 1930s and continues to show old classics and new releases on its huge screen. For fans of foreign cinema, Ninnu Kori (12A) (Saturday, 5pm) is a Telugu language romantic drama directed by Shiva Nirvana. Nani and Nivetha Thomas play the lead roles in the movie while Aadhi Pinisetty plays a pivotal role. Gopi Sunder composed music for the film.

For all our event listings visit the Quaytickets website.
Have a great weekend!

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