From TED talks to fashion fairs, Body Confidential on your February diary
Everybody breathe.
It’s February, guys... we made it.
And now, we can awaken from our groggy January slumber, ready to embark on a social calendar so varied we’ll forget all about how we spent last month living off cereal and hermitting away to watch Netflix.
From TED talks to vintage sales to Galentines discos – there’s plenty to do around the city this month to blow away those winter blues.
These are our top picks for the month. Enjoy...
Manchester print fair | Hat Works Museum, 2 February
Is your NQ flat in need of an abstract line drawing or Stanley Chow print? Well, you’re in luck. Manchester print fair is heading to the Hat Works Museum this month. The fair will showcase prints from local makers alongside free creative workshops and a special museum trail through the venue’s collection of over 400 hats.
Tickets free – more information here
Hat Works Museum, Wellington Mill, Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK3 0EU
TEDxManchester | The Bridgewater Hall, 3 February
TEDx is returning to Manchester this month for its seventh edition, bringing with it a host of engaging, provocative talks. Join over 2,000 TEDsters at the independently organised TED event for talks from Game of Thrones actor turned tech entrepreneur Masie Williams, Unilad Co-Founder Alex Partridge, cyborg activist Moon Ribas and more.
Tickets £10 – book here
The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, M2 3WS
Anatomy lab live | The Village Hotel, 14 February
If you’re sick of all the sloppy schmooze of Valentine’s Day, then try something a little more sinister. Anatomy lab live offers a surgical spin on the classic dinner date, with participants ‘enjoying’ a live heart dissection whilst they dine. Watch hungrily as a live patient is rushed through the crowd and anaesthetised before the surgery begins, using real surgeon tools and specimens. This is one Valentine’s Day you’ll never forget.
Tickets from £80 – buy them here
The Village Hotel, Pamir Drive, Ashton-Under-Lyne, OL7 0LY
The Village Green Valentine's cinema | Victoria Baths, 14, 15 & 16 February
Fancy a cheerful movie amidst a stunning setting this Valentine’s? Then check out The Village Green’s screenings at Victoria Baths. The pop-up cinema lets participants sit in the empty Victorian swimming pool to enjoy a movie in the historic bath house surroundings. Screenings take place across the Valentine’s weekend, with a choice of films including 10 Things I Hate About You, Romeo and Juliet and the Little Mermaid.
Tickets £16.50 – buy them here
Victoria Baths, Hathersage Rd, M13 0FE
Girl Gang Galentine’s Disco | Bed Bar at Tribeca, 15 February
No Valentine? No problem. Back for the third year running, Manchester’s Girl Gang is hosting a Galentine’s night to celebrate all the wonderful women in your life. Expect Girl Gang’s signature style of glitter, giggles and creativity galore as the team invite you to blast out lyrics to iconic divas, dabble in hilarious party games and let cupid’s arrow pair you up with a dance buddy for the night. Who needs a man to make you happy when you’ve got Girl Gang?
Tickets £4 early bird, £6 general admission – buy them here
Bed Bar at Tribeca Bar, 50 Sackville Street, M1 3WF
Speed dating gaming | Crystal Maze, 15 February
Sometimes speed dating just doesn’t quite cut it on the single scene – chatting to ten strangers in 2-minute bursts can spark more ridicule than romance. But Manchester’s Crystal Maze experience is set to change that with the chance to speed-game your way to the perfect Valentine. Groups of singles are teamed together before taking on the maze, where their potential matches will try to guide them through the game. As well as the usual hunt for crystals, participants will also be on the lookout for limited-edition red crystals and pink fluffy handcuffs (ooer) for the chance to unlock secret prizes.
Tickets £35.99 per person and include a free drink – buy them here
The Crystal Maze Live Experience, Lower Byrom Street, M3 4AP
Love in the city | Vapiano Manchester, Corn Exchange 19 February
Meeting like-minded singles isn’t half hard. Whilst Tinder might offer beaus by the bucket-load, finding that special spark is far harder than swiping right. Which is why Vapiano is on a mission to get singles mingling this February with a one-off event. Enjoy a night of games, speed dating, prizes and puzzles before enjoying a buffet with your fellow singles. Who knows, maybe your doey eyes will meet another’s over a slice of rustic pizza – is there a better way to find love?
Tickets start at £20 – buy them here
Vapiano, Corn Exchange, 98 Corporation St, M4 3TR
Reclaim the night | University of Manchester Student Union, 21 February
Since 2016 reported cases of sexual harassment has risen by 64%. And enough is enough. Reclaim the night is a movement that wants to put an end to sexual harassment on the streets of Manchester by calling on Manchester City Council to respond to a series of demands, from improving street lighting to ending cuts to women’s shelters. Join the march to encourage positive changes to the city centre and to reclaim the night in Manchester.
Tickets free – more information here
MMU Student Union, Oxford Road, M13 9PR
Vintage kilo sale | MMU Union, 23 February
Imagine a room stacked high with vintage leather bags, retro hoodies and hordes of recycled LEVIS shorts. Yes, the UK’s largest kilo vintage sale is returning to Manchester this month. For £15 for a kilo, you can fill your bag with as many glad rags as you can get your mits on. Roll up your sleeves and rummage through six tonnes of vintage clothes from the 70’s to 00’s. With no minimum spend and single items available for as little as 50p, it’s perfect for those still feeling the pinch of the start of the year.
Tickets £3 (early bird), £1.50 (general admission) – buy them here
The Union, Manchester Met University, M15 6AD
The Success Monologues | Pot Kettle Black, 26 February
In a world of ever-growing self-doubt and self-criticism, The Success Monologues hope to be a beacon of light that shouts ‘You are enough’. Join this empowering panel talk to hear from a selection of inspiring women including debut novelist Molly flat, author of ‘The Charmed Life of Alex Moore’ and Dior Bediako, Founder of Pepper Your Talk, a networking platform designed to inspire future creatives. Listen to the panels own experiences of limiting self-beliefs, the memories that made them, and how they've redefined what it means to ‘be a success'.
Tickets £6 – buy them here
Pot Kettle Black, Barton Arcade, Deansgate, M3 2BW
