September is officially now in full swing, and even though the weather is still holding out, I’m only a few days away from dragging out the knitwear and drowning myself in Homesense’s candle aisle. Autumn is arguably the best season of the year, and the 22nd of September marks the official start date, so you can’t blame me for my premature excitement!
Anyway, this week offers a glorious range of events for you to attend spanning art, music, culture and food – a big celebration of everything Manchester does best. You can learn the art of Korean cooking at Food Sorcery, catch the launch of a brand-new exhibition focused on the idea of ‘reimagination’ at Seesaw Space, all the while preparing for We Invented the Weekend festival that takes over the entirety of Media City and Salford Quays for two days of sports, music, greening and gardening, theatre, dance, workshops, talks, food, charity, wellness, crafts and more!
Japanese Cinema at HOME
ALL MONTH
After an incredibly successful celebration of 1970’s Japanese Cinema back in 2021, HOME will offer another expanded season of films as part of ‘Cinema on the Edge: Japanese Films in the 1970s’ this month. Japanese cinema in the 1970s offered daring and dangerous filmmakers exciting opportunities to push the boundaries of cinematic language and challenge outdated notions of good taste. The result was some of the most delirious and in-your-face films ever showcased. These are films where the Japanese new wave, underground and exploitation cinemas rubbed shoulders and cross-pollinated, ensuring that when audiences entered the cinema, they were never sure what they might get.
Lampshade making workshop with The Neighbourhood Threat
Tuesday 6th September
Queen of maximalist homeware and 70s inspired interiors, Holly Ramsay is the brains behind the colour-popping, nostalgic brand, The Neighbourhood Threat. She hosts monthly lampshade making workshops in which guests learn how to make a 25cm x 25cm lampshade at various wonderful art centres across the North West. The next one takes place tomorrow and tickets are £40 for the session which lasts 2 hours.
Korean Cookery Class at Food Sorcery
Thursday 8th September
Join Food Sorcery’s chef for a Korean inspired menu as part of its popular cooking evenings! The perfect blend of dining out and a cookery class – each ticket covers 2 people who will create the meal together. Enjoy canapés and a complimentary glass of fizz on arrival before the chef shares their knowledge and love of cooking. The menu for the Korean event features Kimbap, a Korean sushi roll or Mandu (similar to gyoza) and Bibimbap, which is Korean Fried Chicken. You will cook the whole menu entirely from scratch and the chef will finish off the evening by crafting a Korean dessert for you to enjoy.
Odissee and Good Company at The Blues Kitchen
Thursday 8th September
Brooklyn based, Washington DC born rapper Oddisee comes to Manchester backed by his 5-piece band, The Good Company. With music that draws inspiration from his youth bearing witness to stark inequality in surrounding Washington DC, he has since toured the globe several times over, performed for NPR’s Tiny Desk and COLORS, and his deep catalogue of albums and instrumental tapes garner over 100 million streams globally.
Emergency Stem Cell Donor Drive
Thursday 8th September
An urgent event taking place at Hilton House this Thursday will carry out essential swabs that will get people added to the stem cell register in the hope of finding four-year-old Dillan a donor. This comes after Dillan’s family were heartbreakingly told that, just 24 hours after hearing his treatment could finish early, Dillan’s cancer had spread to his spine.
He now urgently needs a bone marrow transplant and, as no match has been found on the existing UK stem cell donor database, Dillan’s Mum, Amy has launched a campaign to encourage as many people as possible to join the DKMS register. Trained staff will carry out the painless cheek swab and process the samples, if you are a match you will hear from the charity in the weeks to follow with the next steps. DKMS covers all costs incurred by donors. More information can be found here.
Reimagination launch at SEESAW Space
Friday 9th September
For the past few months Shado magazine has been working with artists in Manchester, Cardiff and Birmingham, to create new work around the theme ‘reimagination’. The exhibition explores the concept and what surrounds the idea, for example is it climate justice, abolition, racial justice, LGBTQI+ rights – or maybe a combination of all of these concepts, and a representation of breaking down the structures that have been constructed to marginalise the most vulnerable in society. The opening night this Friday will showcase the artist’s work for the first time, as well as spoken word and musical performances, DJs and drinks from Sea Change and Track Brewery.
Peach at The White Hotel
Friday 9th September
From midnight to 7am, Peach takes over Salford’s hidden rave den for one of her famously energetic sets transcending house, techno, disco and electro. The Toronto-raised, UK-based artist has developed a stellar reputation in the club scene over the past few years, also releasing a number of singles and remixes with her own, distinctive stamp.
The Launch of The Whiskey Jar’s Live Music Weekends
Friday 9th and Saturday 10th September
This Friday marks the start of Tariff Street’s The Whiskey Jar’s brand new programme of live music. Going forward, every Friday and Saturday will see a curated line-up of local bands take over the space, featuring seasoned jazz pianists to Manchester-inspired indie bands. The venue also has the largest selection of whisky in the city, as well as a wonderfully laid-back space to enjoy some brilliant local acts.
Gin & Rum Festival
Friday 9th – Saturday 10th September
The Gin and Rum Festival is returning to Manchester this Friday and Saturday at Manchester Cathedral, offering a unique experience that celebrates the best of the favoured beverages! With over 120 of the best gin and rums on the market, including the best spirits from the UK, around the world and a huge range of flavoured products, the festival’s hand-picked products offer the chance to discover the highest quality beverages, many of which are exclusive to the event.
The Big Garden Party at Sadler’s Yard
Saturday 10th September
NOMA, the city centre neighbourhood which sits just behind Victoria Station, has announced a garden party featuring a massive line-up of workshops, music, food and drink to celebrate the drawing in of the summer months this weekend. There’ll be loads to do across the event, which sees independent Manchester-based brewery, Cloudwater operating two bars across the site pouring pint upon pint of its homebrewed lager, IPAs and barley wine from the seasonal brewers.
Lonelady at Withington Public Hall
Saturday 10th September
On Saturday evening, Manchester’s modern electro giant, Lonelady will perform a one-off gig live at Withington Public Hall. Hosted by Alphaville, she’ll be joined by Spectres, Splint, Yossari-Baby, Threads and special guest DJs across the evening that kicks off at 3.30pm. Lonelady’s live performance is captivating, as her industrial-esque sound is played out across various instruments including, guitars, drum machines and stacked synths, depicting the DIY Manc heritage and its industrial past.
We Invented the Weekend Festival
Saturday 10th – Sunday 11th September
This weekend, FREE festival We Invented the Weekend will throw open all of MediaCity and Salford Quays’ spaces and places to celebrate the joy of free time with a huge programme including a glorious mix of sports, music, greening and gardening, theatre, dance, workshops, talks, food, charity, wellness, crafts and more. On offer throughout the weekend will be creative workshops for all, taking in screen-printing, painting and poetry, a community Sunday Roast and Saturday Night Takeaway, boat parties, bands, music shows and mass performance, voguing, circus acts and Indian dance, fashion styling and sustainable shopping, plus shows for your fashion, your veg and even your dog.
Ancoats’ Cutting Room Square Pop Up
Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September
Ancoats’ huge pop-up market is back this Sunday in Cutting Room Square. Featuring an array of independent artists, designers, food and drink, it’s the perfect hungover sunday activity, and you’ll be helping out some of the city’s best new businesses, too! Taking place from 11am – 4pm, this will be the FINAL Cutting Room Square market before Christmas, so if you’re looking for some gorgeous independent gifts make sure to pop down.
FREE Strength and Yoga Class at BLOK Deansgate Square
Sunday 11th September
This Sunday, BLOK Manchester, a class-based boutique studio in the heart of the Northern Quarter, is hosting a FREE outdoor fitness event to celebrate its 3rd birthday. Taking place at Deansgate Square, you can experience a free BLOK yoga and strength session. The class will start with 45 minutes of strength training with head strength trainer, Tomas Ferenc, followed by 45 minutes of yoga with head yoga trainer, Leo Oppenheim. Two attendees will also be drawn at random to win a Lululemon outfit!
The Big Sunday Roast at Media City
Sunday 11th September
Taking place across this weekend, as part of We Invented the Weekend Festival, chef Mary-Ellen McTague is cooking a huge roast for 200 people. The feast will showcase and celebrate how food creates connections and brings people together, and will transform the mezzanine level of Dock 10 on MediaCity into the perfect Sunday setting, complete with fresh coffee, piles of newspapers and a bar offering Bloody Marys, special ‘Free Thyme’ cocktails and beers by Seven Bro7hers.
