We’re just days away from Christmas now and, if you find yourself any spare time amidst cooking and last-minute shopping, here are five cracking things you can do this week that won’t cost you a penny.
From Sunday sessions at Piccadilly Central to art exhibitions at Aviva Studios, here’s our top picks for the best free things to do in Manchester this week…
Head to Stockport’s Stockroom for a festive night filled with joyous tunes and holiday cheer.
The Stockport Christmas Concert is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit with friends and family. Expect great music, cosy vibes, and plenty of smiles.
Rory & Mel are a jazz and soul duo from Manchester. Mel’s love for soul and disco, mixed with Rory’s adoration for Bossa Nova, will guarantee you an evening of blissful classics this Saturday evening.
End the week of festivities on a high over at Piccadilly Central for the latest instalment of Selector Sundays as Up in Arms promises a proper good evening filled with all the best Cosmic, Balearic, Disco and more…
Finish the week with a big dose of laughter where you can sit back and watch brand new, new-ish, and experienced comedians take to the stage.
This open mic night sees comedians try out new material or work on refining their routines, and, if you’re brave enough or fancy trying stand-up for the first time, you’re welcome to give it a go!
- Words:
- Rhiannon Ingle
- Published on:
- Tue 23 Dec 2025
SOBA is a new digital artwork by the Romanian Manchester-based artist hippiezilla (Corina Bibere) on display in the Social at Aviva Studios this winter.
hippiezilla is known for her vibrant live VJ sets, where she mixes nature imagery, travel fragments and anime snippets into colourful, dreamlike worlds. Working with Resolume and a rich library of her own footage, she creates grainy, cinematic environments. With SOBA, the artist blends this signature style with her own childhood memories to create a quiet gesture of warmth for the winter months.