Say see ya to 2022 with LEGO, 12 hour comedy specials and a fancy bash on Booth Street
This year we watched an iceberg lettuce outlive Liz Truss, we interviewed a male go-go dancer about his art form, and a ball pit for adults opened up in the Printworks. We also gained a Lowry, won a Euros in football but lost a World Cup quarter final, and sampled some tripe and tendon soup in Salford.
So, with only 10 days left to go of what can only be described as a ‘mad one’, we think it’s time to down some bubbly, listen to some disco, and welcome 2023 with open arms and a monster hangover.
There’s some family friendly stuff, a Northern Quarter crawl, a firework display in Bury and a bottomless board game brunch. If you’re also looking for somewhere to line your stomach or grab a lobster, we’ve got a Guide for that already, so dig in and re-learn the words to Auld Lang Syne.
Read on for a selection of the best things to do in and around Manchester this New Year’s Eve.
LEGO New Year’s Eve Party | LEGOLAND Discovery Centre | Saturday 31 December
If you can’t host a New Year’s Eve party this year, then build one at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre instead. With two sessions running from 9:30am ’til 4:30pm on December 31, there’s character mascots, mocktails for everyone, and a balloon drop that’s just a little shy of 12am. There’s also a magic show, balloon modelling, face paint and a load of rides for the whole fam. The two time slots are 9:30am - 12:30pm and 1:30pm - 4:30pm, and tickets are £25 each. Build it and they will come.
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Trafford Palazzo in Trafford City next to The Trafford Centre, Manchester M17 8AS
Bottomless board game brunch | GRUB | Saturday 31 December
If you take your board games pretty seriously, and one stint of overly-competitive Monopoly just isn’t enough for the festive season, GRUB are hosting a bottomless board game brunch for £22.50 per person. A four hour long party full of board games, bottomless fizz and some beers, ciders and mimosas should round the year off nicely, and there’s over 200 board games to choose from. Think logically, take no prisoners, and practice your dice rolling. You can come alone or as part of a gaming group, GRUB aren’t picky, and the whole thing is hosted in collaboration with Dungeons and Flagons, get it?
GRUB, 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M4 4HF
Disco Dancer NYE Party | Bundobust Brewery | Saturday 31 December
We know that disco isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Bundo, but this New Year the brewery is going all Bollywood-glam with Andy Votel and Niamh McGuinness spinning some tunes and some free fizz at midnight. There’s a late night menu, you get two drinks included with your ticket, and a cool mix of northern soul, mowtown and rare Indian vinyl will keep you bopping all night long. The pre-party runs from 6pm - 9pm, and afterwards, Andy is set to play some killer tunes from 9 ’til the early hours. Fingers crossed there’s vada pav and tickets are a tenner. It's a Bundo-must.
Bundobust Brewery, St James' Building, Bundobust Brewery, 61-69 Oxford Street, Manchester M1 6EQ
12 hour New Year’s Eve party - Comedy Special | The MCR Lounge | Saturday 31 December
On quite a few occasions throughout 2022 we’ve had to embrace the fact that ‘if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry’, so what better way to see it out than with a 12 hour comedy event. All the lols. Hosted in association with Ciroc & Courvoisier, The MCR Lounge are hosting a “night of laughter and loving every tune” with a lineup including Annette Fagon, Peter Francis, Louis Etienne, Faizan, and Manchester’s favourite funnyman Fullahype. After the comedy show there’s DJ’s spinning everything from old school classics to afrobeat and dancehall, and tickets start at £10. The event is smart dress only, so find something sparkly.
The MCR Lounge, 31 Withy Grove, Manchester M4 2BJ
New Year’s Black Tie Party| King Street Townhouse | Saturday 31 December
If there was ever an excuse to wear a long gown or a top hat and tails, and drink Bollinger all night in a pair of elbow length gloves, its this event at King Street Townhouse. Dust off your dickie bow and prepare for ‘an enchanted evening you’ll never forget’. If you want to join for the full evening of festivities, it’s £149 for a four course meal plus canapés, champagne and petit fours. Alternatively, start your night a bit later for £89 and join for tunes, midnight champagne and a festive hot drink to round it all off. You can book a maximum of ten tickets per group and room packages are also available. Go on, have a fancy one.
King Street Townhouse, 10 Booth Street, Manchester M2 4AW
Thomas St NYE 2022 | Various Venues | Saturday 31 December
Why go to one bar on New Year's Eve, when you could go to five. Five venues, five drinks, one big party, and one guaranteed hangover. If you're up for a crawl around the NQ, and we don't mean on your hands and knees, you can buy one ticket and hop between Wolf At The Door, The Bay Horse Tavern, Cane & Grain, Liquor & Burn and The Smithfield Social. Settle down in one of them for the big countdown, and take Thomas Street by storm. Tickets must be exchanged for wristbands at The Bay Horse Tavern first, but from then on the street is your oyster. Drinks include beers, house wines, single spirit mixers and cocktail serves created by each venue, and you can either spend £20 or £25 depending on your bevs of choice.
Thomas Street, The Northern Quarter, Manchester
Blockbusters NQ NYE Party | Blockbusters NQ | Saturday 31 December
No need for tickets, dress codes, or bar-hopping, just fun, two for ten cocktails, and free unlimited popcorn. Blockbusters NQ is always a shout, but somewhere doing two for £10 bevs til 10pm on New Year's is a literal impossibility, so we suggest you go to the top floor here and get yourself hammered. Playing classic bangers and with a no-bookings policy, Blockbusters is an easy win, and one that won't break the bank. It's also two lagers for £8, £15 wine and prosecco, and there's always a profile pic opp next to those VHS walls.
Blockbusters NQ, 58 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LE
New Year's Firework Display | Hunters Hill, Bury | Saturday 31 December
Going out with a bang is the best way to go, so for bangers, catherine wheels, rockets, sparklers etc. we suggest you head over to Hunters Hill in Bury for the big countdown. The event is public so there's no need for tickets, and just make sure you wrap up warm for the chilly display. We would say get some pics for the gram, but fireworks never look as good on camera, so just sit back and enjoy and cheers to 2023. Event begins at half eight on New Year's Eve.
Hunters Hill, Bury BL9 8AP
NYE Disco | Three Little Words | Saturday 31 December
Three Little Words is transforming its archway haven into a full on disco destination with a dance floor and cocktail lounge this New Year. A brand new cocktail menu is also destined to be debuted, and the DJ will play a mix of disco and house all night long from 9pm 'til 2am. Every ticket owner will be entered into a prize draw to win a jeroboam of Manchester Gin (that's a lot of gin) and the winner is announced when the clock strikes 12. The first 50 tickets also include a glass of bubbly or gin & tonic to get you going, so cop some quick. Get some sparkly go-go boots in the Boxing Day sales, and get ready to say those three little words...
Three Little Words, 12-13 Watson St, Manchester M3 4LP
NYE 2022 at Cloudwater | Cloudwater Unit 9 Taproom | Saturday 31 December
Cloudwater's Unit 9 taproom is saying 'hia' to a brand new year with beer, food, tunes, and a lucky dip from the boss' private stash. Starting at 7pm and running on into the early hours, your £15 ticket includes half a Bucks Fizz Beer Pour on arrival, a New York-style pizza from Bakehouse32, hourly bottle shares of their most exciting barrel-aged beers, and a guaranteed good time. Pizza will be served piping hot from the oven 'til 10pm and the first 40 beer guzzlers through the door get a Cloudwater goodie bag. Run don't walk, and be prepped to sink a pint, or seven.
Cloudwater Taproom, Unit 9, Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP
Header Image: Cloudwater Brewery and Taproom
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