Manchester is bursting with family stuff to do this half term from free fireworks at Intu Trafford Centre to making lego masterpieces with musical accompaniment from the BBC Philharmonic orchestra at The Lowry. As well as The National Football Museum’s new football gaming show (check out our Pitch to Pixel computer game preview), here are four more ideas for fun things to do.
Making patterns & Halloween costumes at the Whitworth
The Whitworth’s half-term long Pattern Factory event offers young and old the chance to explore the many patterns and prints at the Whitworth, which houses one of the UK’s largest textile archives. On Saturday (31 Oct) there’s also a Halloween costume-making workshop.
Mon 26 – Sat 31 Oct, The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester
M15 6ER. Tel:0161 275 7450, times vary, FREE, www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk
Manchester Museum events including bats and a dancing tour
Obviously, there’s loads to see at Manchester Museum for half term (including Stan the Tyrannosaurus Rex) but two events that stand out are dancing tours and a bat show. The dancing tours go by the name of Let’s Dance: the Imagination Museum and they run on Wednesday (28 Oct) at 1.30pm, 2.30pm & 3.30pm. The event sees three tour guides bringing museum artefacts to vivid life through words and movement in a show that’s been created with writer Anna Selby and features original music by Max Perryment. On Thursday (29 Oct, 5pm) bat lovers can meet specimens from the museum’s collection and quiz a bat expert. Visitors will leave with their own paper bat and there’s the option to enjoy a meal in the downstairs picnic area at the end (NB: you have to bring your own bat food).
Wed 28 & Thu 29 Oct, Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL. Tel: 0161 275 2648, times vary, FREE
Let’s Dance the Imagination Museum: www.events.manchester.ac.uk
Bats: www.events.manchester.ac.uk
Big Family Day out and Lego and Music at the Lowry
Big Family Day Out (Sat 31 Oct) sees The Lowry transformed into a palace of fun with fair rides, activities with Salford Red Devils and family boat rides on the Quays (including a ‘dinosaur experience cruise’ where kids can meet one of the stars of Lowry show, Dinosaur Zoo, Sat 31 Oct, 4pm, £2/£4, www.quaytickets.com – pictured). We also like the look of Lego & Live Music (Tue 27 Oct, 11-1pm & 2-4pm) which is a free workshop. Families can build musical masterpieces from Lego, inspired by live music performed by members of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. The event is led by Alex Bidolak from the Legoland Discovery Centre. Sometimes the random ones are the best.
Tue 27 & Sat 31 Oct, The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays M50 3AZ. Tel: 0843 208 6005, times vary, FREE, www.thelowry.com
Free fireworks spectacular at Intu Trafford Centre
Head to Barton Square (where Legoland is) for a big, free firework show to end half term with a bang.
Sun 1 Nov, Intu Trafford Centre, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 8AA. Tel: 0161 749 1717, 6.30pm, FREE, www.intu.co.uk
- Words:
- Ruth Allan
- Published on:
- Tue 20 Oct 2015
