Neighbourhood Festival 2019
Saturday 12th October
The one-day music-fest Neighbourhood is back this weekend and it’s bigger and probably better than ever before. The reason I say probably is because I’m now officially classed as an ‘old man’ and certainly am not allowed to know too much about the bands that are playing. Of those bands there are over 100 of them, spread across 15 venues throughout the city centre including Miles Kane, The Sherlocks, The Twang, The Magic Gang, Pins and members of the Manchester’s Finest family – Larkins. I’m sure out of those 100 or so acts there’ll be at least one you like.
Cocktails in the City
Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th October
Once again someone has managed to wrangle a load of the city’s best cocktail bars and people (bartenders? mixologists?) and shove them all under one roof so that they can show off their skills and do that little tasting thing with straws that they like doing. The line-up of bars attending is certainly impressive with the likes of Speak in Code, Science + Industry, Tattu, Whiskey Jar, Cottonopolis, Blind Tyger and Wolf At The Door all in attendance. Oh and La Discotheque will be doing a little La Petit Discotheque too – which will be bloody brilliant. Especially after a few bevs.
WHP19 /// FAC51 The Hacienda
Saturday 12th October
This weekend there’s a massive party over at the Mayfield Depot, and you might not have heard of it before. Firstly, there’s this series of events called The Warehouse Project who have been putting on big nights throughout the city since around 2008. They’re pretty good to be fair. This weekend they’ll be celebrating an old Manchester club, I don’t know if you’ve heard of it – it was called The Hacienda. Anyway, it was pretty popular at the time so this night will a chance for everyone who went to sing and dance to all the tunes they remember. Oh, and guess what – Soul II Soul will be there! Sold.
Manchester Art Fair 2019
Ends Sunday 13th October
The Manchester Art Fair has been called “one of the largest and most ambitious art fairs in the UK” and is THE place to go if you’re looking to buy some paintings, sculpture, photography and prints, or if you just want to have a look around and check out all the pretty colours. There’ll be over 130 exhibitors showing off what they’ve got and pretty much every single thing is for sale – including the odd Banksy if you’re lucky. We’re giving away some FREE tickets (usually £5) at the moment too, just for Finest readers – click below to claim yours.
Quingo RuPaul’s Drag Race Special
Tuesday 15th October
I shouldn’t actually start admitting this kind of stuff because it will probably end with me having to do things that I don’t want to but I actually watched RuPaul’s Drag Race last week on BBC3 and I actually rather enjoyed it. Perhaps it was because it gave me the chance to spend some quality time with a certain lovely lady, or maybe it was because it was actually pretty good trash telly. I don’t know – probably both. Anyway – Electrik will be hosting a super-special RuPaul themed Quingo this Tuesday so if you’re a fan of the show (like me) then get on down and win some shit.
The Lovely Bones
Tuesday 15th – Saturday 19th October
If you’ve seen the film or read the book, you’ll know that the subject of Lovely Bones is pretty depressing. And sad. And really rather horrible. Certainly not something I could joke about in a weekly round-up of things happening around the city. Surely? Well, no I’m not – I wouldn’t do that. But this story of a MURDERED girl is coming to The Lowry this week, so if you’ve got tickets make sure you take some Kleenex and if we’re being honest – it’s probably not first date material either. So, if you’re looking to impress your latest Tinder find – take them to the cinema instead and watch Abominable.
Manchester Folk Festival 2019
From Tuesday 15th October
Ahhhh folk. Folky folky folky. Manchester Folk. Manchester Folk Festival. Welcome to our pleasant city again. Fans of folk will be treated to a full five days of folk taking place in many of the city’s venues (but mostly HOME). There’s A LOT of acts on over those 5 days but seeing as I know next to nothing about folk – I can’t really tell you any of the highlights. I’m sure they’re all really good though. Best thing to do? Go to the website below and have a flick through at your leisure.
Cheese Club MCR x Beatnikz Republic
Wednesday 16th October
Everyone loves cheese. Even vegans love cheese. Otherwise that vegan cheese stuff wouldn’t exist would it. Well, the gang over at Beatnikz in the NQ have cottoned onto this and so they wrote a letter to Cheese Club MCR (can I become a member?) and came up with a cheese and beer pairing evening. Or maybe it was the other way? I don’t know and frankly I don’t care. All I care about is shovelling cheese into my fat face while I get pissed and you can do this here.
Oktoberfest
From Wednesday 16th October
This week sees a massive Oktoberfest event happening in the city. Down on Mayfield this will be the perfect opportunity to wear some lederhosen and get absolutely rat-arsed drinking big steins of beer. We’ve all seen those videos on the internet of just how drunk and mental the Germans get over in Munich – let’s not let the side down over here please.
The Seven Wonders of KAI
Thursday 17th October
A journey of cocktails, mezze and mains here at KAI over on Deansgate. This event actually starts this Thursday and then runs every Thursday thereafter until Christmas – so if you don’t manage to get yourself down there this time – there’s plenty of other chances. So, what’s it all about? Well, you pick a mezze dish off the menu, you pick a main off the menu and then you pick a dessert off the menu. All very conventional so far. Next up you choose FOUR cocktails off the menu and then when it’s all over and you’ve drunk and eaten everything you hand the lovely people at KAI £25. Yep, 3 courses and 4 cocktails for 25 sheets.
Goose Island Midway Sessions with Chimp & Nanny Banton at The Courtyard
Thursday 17th October
Nanny Banton and Chimpo team up with Goose Island to bring you a night of fun, games, beats and booze. The night will include DJ sets, free booze and merch giveaways. Everything kicks off early from 4pm with the party going on way in to the night.
Battle of the Gins @ Pen & Pencil
Thursday 17th October
The team over at The Pen & Pencil will be constructing a ring and letting 3 gins battle it out to the death this week. Who wins?! You decide! Wait..what? Okay – I’m a little bit wrong on that. What’s actually going to happen is that 3 brand ambassadors from 3 gin companies will head down to the bar and you get to try their wares and then vote on which one is the best. The 3 gins competing are Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle, Tanqueray Sevilla and Chase Rhubarb and Bramley Apple. I’m just saying this now – that Tanqueray is going to win. Deffo.
Under One Roof MCR
Thursday 17th October
Set to be their final rave of the 2019, Under One Roof will be hitting up YES this Thursday from 6.30pm with Gina Breeze and Oldboy on the decks. Under One Roof is a club-night for adults with learning and physical disabilities who feel otherwise unable to attend clubbing events elsewhere. It was started in order to open up Manchester’s dancefloors and create a safe, welcoming environment for adults who otherwise felt unable or were physically blocked from attending any of the city’s many raves.
