Fireworks, vegan fests, and a cafe full of Dachshunds
Spooky season is almost over, we reckon the John Lewis Christmas ad will be out in about two weeks time, and the Confidentials office is already discussing the secret Santa budget. However, our massive bumper list of Christmas things to do isn’t coming out for a week or so yet, and if you’re the sort who likes to wait til December to put their decs up, there’s still loads of non-festive fun to pack into the month of November.
We’ve already told you all about the Manchester Art Fair, the Banksy exhibition at MediaCity, anda load of things to keep you fit, but we’ve still got comedy nights, charity events and a Dachshund get together on the cards.
Even though Manchester City Council have also put a blocker on official Bonfire Night celebrations, a load of local venues are celebrating with toffee apples and fireworks, and you can go to a make-up masterclass or an exhibition about one of Britain’s most influential Black designers if Guy Fawkes night isn’t your gig. Variety is the pumpkin spice of life.
Read on for a selection of the best things to do and see in and around Manchester in November 2022.
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella | Hope Mill Theatre | Tuesday 1 November - Friday 11 December
You shall go to the ball, and you should also go to Hope Mill during the month of November for the European theatrical premiere of this 2013 broadway musical. Re-telling the classic tale of pumpkin carriages, glass slippers and really ugly step siblings, this version of Cinderella has been co-directed my Hope Mill’s very own Joseph Houston and William Whelton, and the show is suitable for all ages with the run lasting just over six weeks. If you fancy going for a weekend matinee performance, you can also book afternoon tea ahead of time, and there’s a range of accessible performances with BSL interpretation and a captioned performance on Sunday 4 December. Don’t lose your glass slipper on the way home from New Islington though.
Hope Mill Theatre, 113 Pollard St, Manchester M4 7JA
Fireworks Night | The Carlton Club | Saturday 5 November
We already announced that Manchester City Council has given bonfire night the big thumbs down this year, but local spots are still willing to celebrate with Catherine wheels, outside bars and scran from Hip Hop Chip Shop. The Carlton Club in Whalley Range is hosting a full night of bonfire fun, and after the week we’ve all had, we reckon celebrating the man who tried to blow up parliament is pretty fitting. Tickets are £6 for kids and £9 for adults and there’s a full firework display, 3 bars serving local beers and food from Hip Hop Chip Shop and Mankuchen Pizza. Last entry is 7pm and make sure you’re all wrapped up. Family tickets have sold out already, so get on this one quick.
The Carlton Club, Rowan Lodge, 113 Carlton Road, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8BE
Dachshund Pup-Up Cafe| Revolution Parsonage Gardens | Sunday 6 November
If you need a complete cuteness overload to get you through til Christmas, we reckon a cafe full of little sausages should do the trick. The pup-up cafe lets you mingle with furry friends, meet other doting Dachshund parents, and treat the little-legged furries to unlimited treats and puppuccinos. Tickets are available online and there are photographers taking pics, tunnels and toys to keep them busy, and a load of prizes given out at random for the best-dressed puppers. Tickets are free for the sausages, but owners pay £9 for entry and regular non-dachshund-owning humans have to pay £12 for this instant dose of serotonin. The event runs from 10am-5.30pm.
Revolution, Arkwright House, Parsonage Gdns, Manchester M3 2LF, UK
Althea McNish: Colour is Mine | The Whitworth Art Gallery | Friday 21 October - Sunday 23 April 2023
Althea McNish was one of the most influential textile designers in UK history, and now you can see her colourful, Caribbean-inspired prints and fabrics hanging in the rear rooms of The Whitworth. Having designed for brands like Liberty, Dior, and Balenciaga, Althea was making history as a Black British female from the very start of her career, and the exhibition explores "her transformative impact on mid-century design, along with her enduring influence today". Examples of the designer's original designs are finally here for all to see, and items from her recently uncovered personal archive are being displayed right here in Manchester from the William Morris Gallery in London. It's a biggie.
The Whitworth Art Gallery, Oxford Rd, Manchester M15 6ER
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel| The Lowry | Tuesday 8 November - Saturday 12 November
If you thought the 2011 version of this comedy-drama was star-studded, The Lowry has truly outdone themselves with a cast including Hayley Mills, Paul Nicholas, Rula Lenska and Andy de la Tour set to re-tell The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel live on stage. One of those heartwarming affairs about “taking risks, finding love and embracing second chances”, the show is based on the Sunday Times bestseller that takes you on a journey to India via a group of eclectic British OAPs. The show starts at 7.30pm and tickets range from £16-£38 per person. Because accessible theatre is always worth shouting about, there’s also a BSL-interpreted showing on Friday 11 November and an audio-described one on Wednesday 9. Take your tissues, because you’ll either laugh ’til you cry or cry ’til you laugh.
The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford M50 3AZ
Bill Laurance | Stoller Hall | Thursday 10 November
Bill Laurance has been deemed “a jazz maestro” by the Guardian and “spell binding” by Billboard, and now he’s tinkling the ivories at one of Manchester’s top live music venues. A four-time Grammy winner and the founding member of Snarky Puppy, Bill is set to explore the boundaries of genre as he blends jazz piano with electronics and plays some classics from his cutting-edge EPs and previous albums. The tickets range from £24 for adults to £11 for students, and Stoller Hall is one of those guaranteed goosebump venues with a great atmosphere and an eclectic What’s On Page. Go see some creative key action, we dare ya.
The Stoller Hall, Hunts Bank, Manchester M3 1DA
Lava Elastic | Contact | Friday 11 November
Lava Elastic is a comedy night at the Contact theatre with a two-hour running time, £10 tickets, and a whole host of neurodivergent comedians that are set to entertain the masses for one night and one night only. As “neurodivergent performers often struggle to get booked and to navigate the social codes around working with promoters”, Contact is providing these funny folk with a platform for their comedy/performances and poetry on Friday 11 November. If you’re a member at the theatre, the tickets are only a fiver, and the show contains a mixture of neurodivergent and “neurotypical” performers across the 115-minute event. The lols commence at 8pm, and tickets are available online now.
Contact Theatre, Oxford Rd, Manchester M15 6JA
Manchester Animation Festival | HOME | Sunday 13 November - Friday 18 November
Manchester Animation Festival has been going for a few years now, and it’s the biggest celebration of the art form in the UK. Hosted by HOME on Tony Wilson Place, the fest is designed to entertain everyone from avid animators to complete beginners, and there’s a full schedule of events including workshops, short films and award ceremonies throughout the 6 days. Tickets are available for each individual event, or you can buy a pass for £90 that gets you into all of the events and screenings excluding specialist workshops and the industry day. Some highlights from the itinerary include a chat on the world of 3D printing, a workshop on animated character design, and “a chorus of new voices entering the world of animation”.
HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Pl, Manchester M15 4FN
Charlotte Tilbury Masterclass | Banyan, Spinningfields | Tuesday 15 November
A full evening of glam, fizz, and a two-course meal doesn’t sound half bad for £55, and at Banyan in Spinningfields you can have all that and more thanks to Charlotte Tilbury and her rose gold goodies. Enjoy drinks on arrival at 6pm and then have a full make-up masterclass whilst you tuck into some Banyan grub and browse the pop-up shop. Your ticket includes £30 to spend on Charlotte Tilbury products and as the evening draws to a glamorous close, you get a gift box of glamour to take back with you. There are only a couple of tickets left so nab ‘em quick and prep your face for a full-on makeover.
Banyan Spinningfields, Vantage Point Manchester M3 3PL
Shiny Happy Craft Fair | Mano A Bocca | Tuesday 15 November
Mano A Bocca is normally known for its thin crusts and cocktails, however; this November it's getting all crafty and collabing with a load of local businesses. Running from 7pm on Tuesday 15 November, there's complimentary bellinis, mini pizza bites, and loads of shopping opportunities with businesses like Flair Boutique UK, Black Raven Flowers and Squirrel & Pigeon all appearing at the fair with stalls full of unique, handmade goodies. Tickets are £20, which also includes entry into the raffle and a bag full of treats, and if you fancy making something crafty yourself, you can try willow weaving or t-shirt designing at one of the demonstrations and workshops. Have a Romana about and stock up on presents and pizzette.
Mano A Bocca, 2A, Waterside Plaza, Sale M33 7BS
Boobee Bingo Bedlam | Manchester Central | Saturday 19 November
If you A, own a pair of neon leg warmers, and B, love a game of fast-paced bingo, Prevent Breast Cancer is well and truly hosting your dream night on Saturday 19 November at Manchester Central. Raising dollar for life-changing and preventative breast cancer research, the Boobee campaign is putting on a night full of big prizes and 80s disco bangers with a proper retro meal in tow. Guests are encouraged to dig out their shell suit jackets and hair crimpers, and a Boy George tribute act is set to perform after you’ve wolfed down an array of 80s nosh. With proceeds supporting this Manchester-based charity, tickets for Bingo Bedlam are fifty quid each, and 100 Mancunian women who have either had or have been affected by breast cancer will take to the stage for an inspiring and emotional catwalk. Get your fits out, and the event starts at 5pm.
Manchester Central Convention Complex, Windmill St, Manchester M2 3GX
Northern Vegan Festival 2022 | Bowlers Exhibition Centre | Sunday 20 November
Returning for its 8th year running with loads of volunteers and great vegan vendors, the Northern Vegan Festival is back at the BEC, and 100% of the profits are going to animal welfare charities. There will be over 100 stalls packed into the centre, and goods range from dairy and meat alternatives to recipes and budget cooking ideas. Because being vegan isn’t all about the plant-based foodie bits, there will also be skincare and beauty stalls, free samples, and clothing brands to explore from 10.30am ’til 4.30pm. Tickets are £5 plus booking fee and you get a free gift on arrival. If you’re interested in booking a stall at the festival, you can also apply online.
Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Longbridge Road Manchester M17 1SN
The Gin to my Tonic Ultimate Gin Show | Manchester Central | Friday 25 November - Saturday 26 November
If gin is your tipple of choice, Manchester Central is playing host to over 50 different distilleries and mixer brands for two days in November. You can enjoy samples from each brand and purchase full size sippers straight from the distillery, or grab a bottle to take home for your gin cupboard over the festive period. Not just about getting a bit merry, there’s also cocktail making classes, distillation talks and an Enthusiast Package that includes access to hot and cold food and a shop and drop facility. Let the fun be-gin and cop a ticket for fifteen quid before they sell out completely. The Gin Show at Manchester Central is also accompanied by The Craft Rum Show this year, so you can embrace you inner pirate at the exact same time - cheers to that.
Manchester Central Convention Complex, Windmill St, Manchester M2 3GX
Spicy Quizzy | GRUB | Saturday 26 November
If you've got razor sharp general knowledge and an actual stomach of steel, use both of your assets at the same time and go to the Spicy Quizzy at GRUB, hosted in collaboration with Devil Dog Sauces and The Momo Boii. Tickets are £25 for a team of up to 10 participants, and every team has to nominate one Spicy Champion to try a selection of hot sauces and momos if you get a question wrong. The quiz is "Hot Hot Heat" themed, so brush up on your knowledge of chillis, heat, and spicy stuff, and each team gets a special momo sharing platter to eat whilst you flex your brain skills. The quiz starts at 1pm but guests can arrive from 12:30. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the Cheetham Hill kitchen.
GRUB, 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M4 4HF
Header Image: Pup-Up Cafe
Read next: Sixteen spooky things to do in Manchester for Halloween 2022
Read again: Bonfire events in Manchester cancelled for the third year running
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