DUCK RACE | Leftbank, Spinningfields | Fri 3 April
The ducks are back. Manchester's annual Duck Race takes place on Good Friday at Spinningfields Leftbank in support of local children's charity, Brainwave. Last year £20,000 was raised for the charity, so let's hope we can beat it again this year. The Duck Race will be opened by the Happy Mondays' Rowetta at 2pm. From 11am enjoy lots of family activities including: craft workshops, kids zone, fairground rides, street food and a Bitter Twisted bar.
CARL COX AND EATS EVERYTHING | Albert Hall | Fri 3 April
A veteran of acid house, a champion of techno, a dance music pioneer, a label owner, the King of Ibiza, and according to some reports, the 'most charming DJ in the business'. Carl Cox and Eats Everything join forces for a very special night as part of the Albert Hall's Transmission events. Expect game-changing house and techno, from one legend to a legend in the making.
Albert Hall
CIRQUE SURREAL - THE VOYAGERS | The Lowry | Fri 3 April
This Easter, why not witness a show filled with death-defying acrobatics, weird clowns and captivating stunts. Cirque Surreal features a stellar class of world-renowned artists.
KOKOMO | Band On The Wall | Fri 3 April
Re-united 70's funk band Kokomo, are touring material from their three classic albums. Never shackled to the traditional soul/R&B club circuit, in early 1975 the original 10-piece were taken on by manager Steve O’Rourke (also Pink Floyd’s manager), and finally broke out of the pubs and the band joined the seminal Naughty Rhythms tour alongside Dr. Feelgood and Chilli Willie & the Red Hot Peppers. Bob Dylan, who was signed to the CBS at the same time as Kokomo, admired the group and recruited them for the early sessions for his Desire album.
KokomoABLUTIONS | The Lowry | Fri 3 April
FellSwoop Theatre presents Ablutions: a dark, modern drama adapted from the novel by Man Booker-shortlisted author, Patrick DeWitt. It's a grimly funny tale from the sodden depths of the Los Angeles underworld and surrounds a bartender 'sipping top-shelf whiskey, watching his customers descend into nightly oblivion'. Ablutions blends a live soundtrack with detailed mime and deWitt's heart-wrenching humour.
EASTER HOLIDAYS SCIENCE SHOW | Jodrell Bank | Fri 3 April, Mon 6 - Fri 10 April, Mon 13 - Fri 17 April
Learn more about our moon at Jodrell Bank - great one for the family, this. There will be rocket launches and demonstrations illustrating what it is like on the Moon. The shows will run at 11.00, 12.00, 14.00 and 15.00 and last 30 minutes.
AUDIO FARM FESTIVAL ROUND-UP | Antwerp Mansion | Sat 4 April
It’s been some time since Audio Farm has graced Manchester soil, so they'll be having a roundup of the all The Audio Farm family from far and wide. They have fine-picked some of the best bands, performers and DJs from the past two summers to bring you a day and night of Urban Festivalism. The party will start outside, bringing funk, soul, house and disco before bringing dancers into the infamous derelict Rusholme Mansion.
EASTER DEALS + MAD MEN SPECIAL | ALL STAR LANES | Fri 3 - Sun 5 April
Over the Easter break All Star Lanes is offering a special burger and bowl deal with burger, fries and bowling for only £17; and to sweeten the deal, they have 2-for-1 on all drinks between 4-8pm. The Mad Men finale also kicks off on 5 April; as the show says its final farewells the venue is dedicating their April special to 50s ads agency. Guests can enjoy 'The MADhattan' burger: 6oz patty topped with wild mushrooms sautéed in Canadin Club whisky (Don's tipple of choice), roquefort and black truffle mayo for £11.
