It’s all going on this weekend
The Manchester’s Mega Mela will be taking place at Platt Fields Park this weekend(Image: Manchester Evening News)
We find ourselves on the cusp of yet another weekend and there is plenty to do across Greater Manchester over the next couple of days.
The weather could be a little unpredictable with Storm Amy set to make an appearance. Forecasters have warned that Greater Manchester could be set for a weekend washout, with some bursts of heavy rain on their way.
But, a bit of weather has never deterred us here in this city and there’s a few big events, festivals and special shows taking place that will be enough to take our mind off the gloomy skies.
Across Saturday and Sunday, there will be big football matches – most notably the Manchester derby – as well as food festivals, DJ showcases and other unique events. We’ve rounded up just five of the things taking place this weekend that you might want to get yourself down to.
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Manchester sandwich giant Bada Bing will be amongst those taking part in this weekend’s Sarnie Party(Image: Bada Bing)Sarnie Party
Who doesn’t love a good sandwich?
Over at Kampus in the city centre, there will be a free-to-attend festival dedicated solely to the humble ‘wich. Sarnie Party starts today (Friday) but will continue throughout Saturday from 11am to 9pm.
Visitors will be able to get their hands on unique creations from the likes of Bada Bing, Rack, Madre and OSMA – who have literally just launched their own take on Japanese-style sandos.
But it won’t just be Manchester that’s represented, as some of the best venues from across the north, including The Bodega from Norwich, will be on board to showcase what makes their sandwiches so special. Whilst entry is free, you will need to invest in some sandwich tokens to be able to buy the sarnies. You can pre-book tokens here.
Kampus, Aytoun St, Manchester, M1 3GL.
Manchester Derby
On Sunday (September 14), local football fans will be sporting their best reds and blues as the Manchester Derby takes place at Etihad Stadium. Kick off is at 4.30pm.
If you haven’t got tickets to go to the stadium, then a host of venues across Greater Manchester will be hosting the big match and getting on board with the festivities.
Mulligans, near Spinningfields, will be screening the game on 14 (yes, 14) screens – meaning you will have no excuse not to miss a single bit of the action.
The pub has just recently upgraded its beer line-up to be one of the best in the city, so alongside offerings of Guiness, punters will also be able to choose from the likes of Staropramen, Asahi, Estrella, and Heineken, as well as craft favourites like Neck Oil. Naturally, Irish staples like Murphy’s and Caffrey’s will also be available too.
Mulligans, 12 Southgate, Manchester, M3 2RB.
Manchester Mega Mela
The city’s largest annual South Asian food festival, the Mega Mala, will be taking place at Platt Fields Park on Saturday and Sunday.
Free to enter, with car park spaces costing £5, the Fallowfield event will run from 11am to 7.30pm both days and will feature family-friendly entertainment, two stages of live music, and, of course, plenty of food stalls to order from.
Free to enter, with car park spaces costing £5, the event will run from 11am to 7.30pm both days and will feature family-friendly entertainment, dancers, two stages of live music, and, of course, plenty of food stalls to order from. Alongside food, there will also be craft stalls as well as traders selling a range of traditional and contemporary clothing.
Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 5LL.
The urban roof garden The Landing will form part of a free family-friendly party in Stockport (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)Cider making an
The team from acclaimed Stockport restaurant Where The Light Gets In are putting on their very own cider celebration on Saturday.
Taking place at Stockport’s The Landing, the event aims to showcase how cider is made with family-friendly apple juice making and visits to the community garden. There will also be DJs throughout the day and a fair bit of food and drink to enjoy.
The event, which is in partnership with the Fine Cider Company, will also showcase some of the best growers and producers across the UK with tasting sessions held at Where The Light Gets In. Sadly, the tasting sessions have sold out now but the family-friendly party, which will take place from 1pm to 6pm at The Landing, is free to attend.
The Landing is on the rooftop of the Merseyway Shopping Centre car park, SK1 1HG.
Celebrate 200 years of Britain’s railways
This weekend, the East Lancashire Railway will be recognising the history of trains with a special two-day event – and it will even include a chippy tea on board a steam train.
There will be a host of live demonstrations as well as immersive theatre performances and heritage trains to admire, whilst people will also be able to travel in true Victorian style (but without the misery) on the Furness Railway No.20 – which has been named as the oldest working steam locomotive in the country.
Better yet, on Saturday, people can book to have a traditional chippy tea on board the Victorian service. More information on the weekend of events can be found right here.
East Lancashire Railway, 23A Bolton Street, Bury, BL9 0EY.
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