Event: Easter Weekend event at John Lewis, Trafford Centre, 29-30 March
For tons of fun head to John Lewis’ eggstravanga, with an Easter egg hunt around the store (10-8 pm), and why not get crafty with card making too (11-1 pm). The Easter Bunny will also be hopping around the store, with kids able to have their pictures taken with rabbit himself (11-1 pm).Shoppers will also be treated to live music from the Manchester United Foundation Choir. For more fun events to keep the kids entertained this Easter check our listings here.
Gig: Group Therapy, Gorilla,Whitworth Street, 30 March 7-10.30 pm
Laugh your way through the bank holiday at Gorilla’s as their monthly comedy night Group therapy returns. The night showcases up and coming comedians, as well as the more established names, with this month featuring Danny Mcloughlin as MC with John Robins, and James Acaster who recently appeared on Russell Howard’s Good News. Expect special guests and laughs aplenty from this up and coming night.
Tickets are £10 advance, £8 for members and are available here.
Gorilla
Film: 24 Hour Party People, Dance Theatre, Oxford Rd, 7.30 pm
Start your weekend early, and see Manchester’s music scene on the big screen at The Dance Theatre in association with Regal Cinema. Celebrate Easter by exploring the excess of Manchester’s music scene in of Michael Winterbottom’s 24 Hour Party People, a guided tour of the sex, drugs, and chaos of the scene from 1976-1992. It dramatizes musical history, from Joy Division to the Hacienda, showcasing the rise of Factory Records and Mr Manchester himself Tony Wilson, featuring performances from Steve Coogan, John Simm, Andy Serkis and Shirley Henderson.
Tickets cost £5 and are available from the Dance Theatre box office or here.
Event: Experience Our Way of Life, Albert Square, 29 March 10-5pm, 30 March 10-4 pm
Ever wondered what it would be like to join the Royal Navy or Royal Airforce, well why not indulge your curiosity this weekend at Albert Square. Come meet the forces and test your fitness with the Royal Marine commandos or test your mental fitness with a variety of prizes on offer. If machines are more your thing, there will be a variety of military hardware on show including the instantly recognizable Chinook helicopter, and the All-Terrain Viking vehicle or even sample sitting in the cockpit of the Hawk trainer airplane.
Free Entry, more information is available on their Facebook page here.
Food: Teacup, Thomas Street, Northern Quarter
Treat yourself to an Easter cream tea and enjoy a selection of homemade treats and a variety of high quality teas including the Mr Scruff blend. Better yet why not join in their Easter hunt by downloading their app and following clues to find their white bunnies hidden around the Northern Quarter and win a cream tea for two.
More information available here or download their Easter app here.
The Elusive Easter Bunny
Dance: Vintage Swing,The Printworks, Withy Grove, 31 March
Shake off your dancing shoes and get to the Printworks to freshen up your moves. Join TC and The Swing Cats for an afternoon of live music, and learn the basics of jive and swing at the Katz Korner dance school. There’s also a clothing and craft fair for those not as keen on busting a moves.
More information is available here.
Film Season: Play it Again, Cornerhouse, Oxford Road, 31 March–1 April
Missed out on a good film recently? Fear not the Cornerhouse are still running their on-going season ‘Play it Again’, giving you a chance to see the latest hyped films, or catch a classic one. This weekend they are featuring Lore, a coming of age drama set against the end of the Second World War in which the eponymous Lore is left to protect her siblings when her parents are arrested by Allied forces. Another offering in this season is Pablo Larraín’s No, the third film in his Pinochet trilogy. Set in 1980s Chile, the historical drama sees Gael García Bernal Rene playing an advertising executive who is asked by Pinochet’s opposition to lead the campaign for a ‘no’ vote in the 1988 referendum. Finally also showing is a film which needs little introduction, the director's cut of Lawrence of Arabia. The multi award winning epic retells the life of adventurer T E Lawrence, and features outstanding performances from Peter O’Toole, Alec Guiness and Omar Sharif. T
31 March : Lore 13.10, No 15.35. 1 April : Lawrence of Arabia: The Directors Cut 13.35
More information on the Play it Again season, as well as how to book tickets are available here.
Pub: Best of Britain(s Beers), Port Street Beer House, Port Street
If all those Easter activities have left you longing for a bit of ice cold refreshment head to Port Street to sample the beer house’s Best of Britain Festival. For the next two weeks the pub will be offering its customers the chance to sample old favourites as well as new ones from up and coming breweries such as Siren Craft Brew. Their selection of specials include; ‘specials’ and new beers from Thornbridge, Darkstar, Red Willow, Quantum, Summerwine, Roosters, Kernel, Brodies, Harbour and many others. For a deeper look into Craft beers head to Neil Sowerby’s Beer Column here.
The festival is running until 7 April, for more information on the Best of Britain(s Beers) go here.
Duck Race: Left Bank, Spinningfieds, 29 March
Thousands of rubber ducks are due to sail down the River Irwell in aid of local childrens charity, Brainwave. There is family fun from 12pm including a bouncy castle, giant slide and teacup rides. The race will start at 2pm with the family ducks racing first and the large corporate ducks racing after.
Family Bowling at All Star
All Star Lanes brings together authentic American food, cocktails, and boutique bowling. Keep the family entertained and active on the lanes and take advantage of a great kids offer. Children aged 12 and under will receive a game of bowling, a main course from the authentic American restaurant, 2 side orders, a soft drink and refill, plus a dessert or shake. Enough for any hungry bowler and all for just £15 per child. After dark All Star Lanes becomes an adult only affair, with the last bowling slot for kids at 5pm, so families are advised to book ASAP to take advantage of this great offer
Bank Holiday Opening Times: Friday 29 March noon-3am
Audition: Open Auditions for the Rock Horror Show Musical, 30 March
The Ambassador Theatre Group will be holding open auditions at Manchester Opera House for the chance to join the cast of the Rocky Horror Show on stage, as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations week, which will be running in Manchester from 17 June 2013.
The producers will ask those auditioning to firstly perform The Time Warp as part of a group with other performers for the chance to go through to the second round where they will get to perform one solo number, from a choice of four Rocky Horror songs; Science Fiction, Touch Me, Sweet Transvestite or Once In A While. One male and one female will be selected from the auditions to perform their song on stage in front of an audience of over 2,000 Rocky Horror fans, as part of the show finale on Tuesday 18 June, at the Manchester Palace Theatre.
To enter the open auditions, performers need to register online here from 9am on Friday 15 March.
Bop Local Chorlton
The next Bop Local, the discerning disco for the more mature clubber, will be this Easter Saturday 30 March at Chorlton Irish Club. Phil Beckett's guest DJs for the night will be BBC Radio Manchester's Natalie-Eve Williams and Michelle Hussey. They will be rushing over from MediaCity UK to the Irish Club on Saturday night after presenting their BBC Introducing show. Although they were Phil's guest DJs last year at V Festival, this will be their first time at Chorlton Irish Club. Pete & Dean from Steranko Clothing, West Didsbury will be doing the warm up DJ set early doors. Tickets are £5 in advance via here or £6 on the door. You can also pick up tickets from Chris at Chorlton Irish Club and On the Corner, Beech Road.
Bop Local
Chill Factore, Trafford Quays Leisure Village,23 March - 14 April
Why not get to grips with the snow this Easter at Chill Factore Manchester for a range of ice cold activities. Who needs the Alps when you can take advantage of their Easter offers and learn to Ski or Snowboard or maybe even have a try at Airboarding. There’s something for everyone to enjoy as all kids go free with a full paying adult, and will be joined on the slopes by Moshi Monsters Katsuma and Poppet between the 29-30 March. Offers include Ski & Snowboard courses for 2 people from £140, and unlimited lift pass for £40.
Further information on ski times and prices available here
Chill Factore
