It may look like a very traditional pub; complete with dart board, bar billiards, skittles and even a piano in the corner – but The Smithfield Tavern is much more than that. Welcoming staff, dog-friendly and obviously an excellent changing selection of beers from the likes of Blackjack Brewery, Runaway, Track and loads more… you will instantly feel at home here.
Rock-informed, techno-adjacent musical collagists Moin perform at Band on the Wall this spring.
from £16.50
Band on the Wall bring people together to make, as well as watch, music. Join them to learn folk tunes from all over the world.
Electronica, jazz and hyperpop collide as Anatole Muster brings his accordion and a full band to Manchester ahead of album number two.
Try your hand at stand up comedy with an eight week intensive course with Dave Williams in the Frog and Bucket’s School of Comedy.
from £300.00
Beat the Frog is a legendary amateur comedy night, taking place each and every Monday. Many famous names prove it’s the real deal.
free entry
Every Monday night upstairs at Fierce Bar, The Comedy Vault hosts an outrageously funny open-mic night. Come and try your hand or just to watch and laugh.
free entry
‘Shadow and Void: Buddha10’ combines historic Buddhist sculptures with contemporary, multisensory artworks that offer a space for reflection
free entry
Explore the fascinating history of Brutalism in Manchester, while also exploring the movement’s wider intentions and ideals.
from £20.00
Band on the Wall is one of Manchester’s most legendary live music venues, the place where Joy Division, The Buzzcocks and Oasis got their first breaks.
The Rose & Monkey Hotel is one of the Northern Quarter’s best music-led bars, with a truly impressive beer garden. Our new favourite Manchester pub.
Excellent Mexican cuisine based in Mackie Mayor in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
The Northern Quarter’s self-styled ‘happiest place in Manchester’, based at the old Bluu site.
Stylish modern bar serving sophisticated cocktails in the Northern Quarter.
Pull Up is a bustling Caribbean restaurant in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
The Firehouse serves up quality food and drink at its new Wednesday evening supper club.
A Grade II listed market building in the Northern Quarter, Mackie Mayor is a key fixture in the ever-growing Northern Quarter food and drink scene.
Noi Quattro is an independent pizzeria at the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
No-frills bar on Manchester’s Swan Street. A wide selection of beers and ciders mixed with a great jukebox make this an ideal pre-Band on The Wall drinking spot.
New Orleans reaches Manchester with this dedicated jazz club in the Northern Quarter – a reliable choice for a good night out.
Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.
Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.
Make the most of the springtime sun with some of the North's best bars and restaurants.
The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.
From precarious ceramics to photography festivals, spring is here and brings with it a breath of fresh air in visual art and exhibitions.
It's like the Woolies pick'n'mix counter this month in live literature land – so much choice, we're not sure where to start digging in.
Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.
Dragon quests, coconut pyramids and topsy-turvy Wonderland adventures... curious?
