Top things to do in and around Manchester: October 2022

If the temperature drop, underlying office sniffles and Quality Street tins in Tesco haven't firmly reminded you that "winter is coming", then we're here to ram it down your throat like a pumpkin spice latte. 

Fear not though, the seasons changing also means spooky season and awards season, and there are still loads of things to do and see in and around Greater Manchester. From chats with sporting icons to club nights dedicated to everyone's favourite child-star-come-pop-icon, October has got it all, with bells on. 

Because it wouldn't be a Confidentials "things to do" round-up without some drag, a ring making workshop and Jon Culshaw as Les Dawson, it's time to pick some events from the list and dust off your big coat. Have a Lemsip while you scroll if necessary. 

Read on for a selection of the best things to do and see in and around Manchester in October 2022.

Afflecks 40 exhibition | Afflecks Palace | Thursday 29 September - Friday 25 November 

She might not look a day over 21, but Afflecks is celebrating turning the big 4-0 with a pop-up exhibition featuring the iconic figures and faces that have made the Church Street spot what it is today. After seven months of prep and a whole load of photoshoots with the legend that is Paul Wolfgang Webster, the free exhibition of prints is now on display in a previously unused area on the third floor. If you have a gander and fancy grabbing the book itself for your coffee table collection, you can order one on the Afflecks website. Look out for some famous faces or local heroes on your way round and lose yourself in the maze that is Afflecks Palace. P.S. our Executive Editor is in there somewhere, just sayin'.  

Afflecks, 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW

Black History Month 2022 | HOME | Throughout October

As well as being the month of pumpkins, ghosts, and exploring new local green spaces, October is also Black History Month. Always exploring the topics that matter through a unique combo of theatre, dance, art, comedy and cinema, HOME is hosting a whole month-long festival to "celebrate Black artistic brilliance". Inside the cultural hub itself, there will be an evening of live music on Saturday 1 and Saturday 8 October, a comedy night called Laff Til Ya Fart starring Tez Ilyas and Dane Baptiste, and a Melanin Markets event on Sunday 9 October. A new commission City of Colour by illustrator Danielle Rhoda will also be featured in the programme, and if you're a fan of an online event, the Black Creatives: In Conversation series is a great way to engage with the brilliance from afar. Go big or go HOME. 

HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN

Silver Ear Exhibition | KERB | Friday 23 September - Thursday 6 October

You'll have to get your skates on to catch this one as there's just over a week left. As if KERB wasn't already cool enough with its curved walls and curated vino list, there are now some pretty cool pics on the walls too. A collaborative effort from Virginia Gianni and Ella Roberts, this exhibition features a range of framed photographic and fabric prints, showcasing how kink has persevered in the world of fashion over the years. A combination of black and white and colourful images and both film and digital photography, the pics come from two Manc-based artists and you can sink a few whilst you peruse. 

KERB, 4 Henry St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5DD

Women in Comedy Festival| various Manchester venues | Thursday 1 October - Monday 10 October 

Founded by Hazel O'Keefe back in 2012, The Women in Comedy Festival just further proves Beyonce's point that, "girls, we run this mutha". Now run by the director of the Frog and Bucket, Jessica Toomey, the festival champions itself on being "an accessible and supportive event that celebrates, champions and promotes all things funny and female". Sign us up. Including all forms of comedy from improv to workshops, the previous headliners have included Jo Neary, Jo Enright and Zoe Lyons, with the events spreading across a load of different cool venues in and around Manchester. This year's fest will take place in spots like Gullivers, Twenty Twenty Two, Cane and Grain and the Rose and Monkey, and a full list of dates, times and showings should help you pick out some proper funny women to fill your week with. 

40 Years of The Smiths tour | Manchester city centre | Saturday 1 October

Please, please, please, let me get a tour around Manchester based on the sweet dulcet tones and lyrics of Morrissey and his flailing flowers. Look no further. Covering all bases from the building where Mr Morrissey worked to the band's rehearsal space and the venue where they made their debut, this free tour takes you on a journey throughout central Manchester, including the "river the colour of lead" and all of the other haunts that The Smiths harped on about. The tour starts at the Mercure hotel next to Piccadilly station and is led by Ed Glinert - who used to play records for Mike Joyce at the Union disco. There's a relevant song played at each stop and you get bonus points for wearing an oversized jacket or knowing the words to every tune. How Soon Is Now? It's on October 1. 

Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel, Portland Street Manchester M1 4PH

English National Ballet: Swan Lake | The Palace Theatre | Wednesday 5 October - Saturday 8 October

This timeless classic from Tchaikovsky is coming to The Palace for four whole nights, and the drama of white vs black swans is still as thrilling as it was back in 1877. Coming to Manchester courtesy of the the English National Ballet, there's tutus moving in unison, legs for days, and a score that'll give you goosebumps from the very first intro. A good ballet for first timers or ex-primas, tickets for Swan Lake are selling out super fast, so nab yourself a couple and take some tissues for that iconic dying swan scene. 

The Palace Theatre, 97 Oxford St, Manchester M1 6FT

Miley High Club | Gorilla | Friday 7 October

This club night swung onto our radar like a big giant wrecking ball, and we can't wait to wander into the Midnight Sky whilst making our way to Gorilla for a night full of Miley Cyrus bangerz. We can't stop and we won't stop with the puns, and this night covers it all from b-sides and collaborations to the Disney Channel days and that whole foam finger ordeal at the MTV awards. Join the Miley high club, cop a ticket for £8, and indulge in a full night of uninterrupted Ms Cyrus. We can't be tamed, it's time to #GETITRIGHT etc. 

Gorilla, 54-56 Whitworth St, Manchester M1 5WW

Dandy Style | Manchester Art Gallery | Friday 7 October - Monday 1 May 2023

Love a good 'fit? Always looking out for the next drip? Consider yourself a bit of a trendsetter? Well, there's a whole exhibition on at Manchester Art Gallery for the next six months surrounding 250 years of British Men's Fashion. Focusing on men's fashion from the 18th century to the present day, the show explores how looks have evolved over the last 250 years and draws contrasts and comparisons between fashion, art and photography. The likes of Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Lawrence, David Hockney and Peter James Field will have their work displayed alongside pics from David Bailey, Olivia Rose and Jason Evans, and designs from Tommy Nutter, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Ozwald Boateng. The show will also launch the gallery's new dedicated Fashion Gallery and the whole exhibition is free for all. 

Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley St, Manchester M2 3JL

Silver Stack Ring Workshop | EPOK Artist Studios & Creative Space | Saturday 8 October 

We love to shout out something crafty in our monthly round-ups, because who doesn't want a handmade creation to take home and brag about at least once a month? So this month, we think you should go and make some silver rings at EPOK in Stockport.

The session covers basic silversmith skills and jewellery-making techniques including hammering, texturing, shaping, soldering and finishing. First, you learn about using the tools and hone in on your new skills, then you choose between two silver stack rings or one thicker ring and get cracking. Materials are included in the £63 ticket, and additional silver is available to purchase on the day if required. Unlimited cups of tea and biscuit will be available throughout the three-hour event to keep you going, and if you don't come home with a Tiffany-esque handmade ring complete with a delicate engraving, we'll be very disappointed. 

EPOK Artist Studios & Creative Space, 75 Wellington Road South, Stockport SK1 3RU

Big & Little Cooks - Cooking Together class | Food Sorcery | Sunday 9 October

We always shoehorn something foodie into everything, and we're not even sorry about it. If you're always trying to encourage the kids to help you prep the roast or knead the dough, this class might help as you enjoy a full afternoon cooking together under the watchful eye of chef Jan Cron. You'll prep a main, side and dessert before eating the whole thing at the end and the chef will share tips and tricks to improve your skills in the kitchen. Most allergies and dietary requirements are catered for if you let Food Sorcery know in advance, and all ingredients and recipes are provided with the class. Tickets are £140 for one adult and one child, and the grown-ups get a glass of something boozy on arrival too. 

Food Sorcery, Adjacent to the Waterside Hotel, Wilmslow Rd, Didsbury, Manchester M20 5WZ

Sue Barker Live - Calling The Shots| The Lowry | Wednesday 12 October

If Sue is on your "celebs I'd love to have dinner with" list, you can get one step closer at The Lowry this October as she shares the crazy stories of her life and career and promotes her new autobiography Calling The Shots. With a story that spans from being a world no.3 tennis player to hosting everyone's fave TV sports panel show, her book covers it all, and then some. This exclusive live event gives us a sneak peek into the showbiz world of 70s and 80s tennis, the nation's biggest sporting drama, and an inside scoop on understanding your competitors under pressure. Tickets are £34 and the event starts at 8pm on Wednesday 12. Prep some questions for the Q&A at the end, and every ticket purchase includes a signed copy of the book - bonus. 

The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ

Turn It Up: The Power of Music | Science and Industry Museum | Friday 21 October 2022 – Sunday 21 May 2023

If there's one thing we love in MCR it's a belting tune, and there's always an endless stream of gigs to go to every single month. Coincidentally, this brand new major exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum asks us to "get hands-on, with your ears and hearts open" as it explores the science behind the power of music and "how it drives us to create, perform, feel and share". Part of this year's Manchester Science Festival, the exhibition is headlining here before heading off on a national and international tour, and tickets are £8 for adults and £6 for children. One of those proper immersive ordeals, visitors can make beats together within the "musical playground" and take part in a musical Turing test to see if you can tell the difference between songs written by humans and machines. P.S. there's a musical robot involved. 

Science and Industry Museum, Liverpool Rd, Manchester M3 4FP

The Art of Banksy | MediaCity | Friday 21 October - Sunday 8 January 2023

We leaked the info about this Banksy exhibition back in July, and the date has finally arrived. Packed with over 130 works that have been loaned by private collectors, The Art of Banksy is critically acclaimed, and has so far made its way around galleries in Toronto, Tel Aviv, Miami and Melbourne to name but a few. The location of the exhibition has changed from the initial pop-up space that was predicted, and the works are now on display in The Piazza at MediaCity. Open from 10am every day of the week, tickets for Banksy’s biggest collection are £19.50 for general admission, and “this definitely isn’t one to miss”. 

The Piazza, MediaCityUK, Salford M50 2QH

Jon Culshaw - Les Dawson Flying High | The Lowry | Friday 21 October 

The Lowry is killin' it this month with exciting events, and Jon Culshaw (from The Impressions Show) is starring in a "funny, affectionate and poignant celebration" of the late, great Les Dawson for one night and one night only. Running through Les' life via a wealth of characters and anecdotes, this new play is the brainchild of BAFTA and Olivier Award-winning writer Tim Whitnall and director Bob Golding. If Jon's impressions on his usual show are anything to go by, this should be a night of laughter, love, and some sheer disbelief that it isn't Mr Dawson himself on that very stage. Tickets are £30.50 but the laughter pains in your abs are included in the price. 

The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ

Header Image: Science and Industry Museum 

Read next: 10 fitness and wellbeing things to do in Manchester in October

Read again: 2022 Manchester Food & Drink Award winners announced

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