 | Manchester is one of the largest cities in the UK located in the heart of Greater Manchester, home to 2.5 million people. It is where great bands like the Bee Gees and Oasis come from, and it is also home to two football clubs, one vying for the title of best football team in the world and the other not quite as successful.
However Manchester is a city with plenty more to offer than football and a couple of bands as its schedule of events suggests.
Manchester is one of the UK's most diverse cities and because of this has been compared to San Francisco in the USA. One of the annual events that celebrate this diversity is the Irish Festival which takes place over three weeks in March. It features comedy, music, theatre that all showcase Irish talent. The main event is St Patrick's Parade but there are events taking place all over the city including the Irish World Heritage Centre, Manchester Town Hall and numerous Irish themed pubs and bars across the city.
Like San Francisco, Manchester also has a large gay and lesbian community and each year holds a number of events that celebrate the community. Probably the most well known event is Gay Pride, which takes place every August. It features ten days of arts, sports events, debates and lots of partying including the parade that runs along the heart of gay Manchester Canal Street. The lesser known event is Queerupnorth, a festival that features comedy, theatre, musicm dance and much more over three weeks every May.
Manchester's diversity can also been seen in the music the city orginates and embraces. Bands that hail from the city include The Hollies, The Smiths, 10cc, the Happy Mondays, M People, New Order and Joy Divison to name just a few, and it is because of these bands that Manchester is considered to be one of the country's music hubs. To cement this fact Manchester is also the home of the UK's International Music Convention known as In The City. Although not held in Manchester every year, it was where the first event was held and comes back to the city every other year. As well as a chance to network with people in the industry it also features In The City Live Europe's largest street-based live music festival that showcases new music.
Food is another important part of Manchester life and the city is home to several top class restaurants as well as the famous Curry Mile in Rusholme that boasts more than 50 restaurants. Each year the city holds the largest urban Food & Drink Festival in celebration of its culinary achievements. The huge programme of events is held in the city's best restaurants, bars and cafes with a gala dinner and awards ceremony held at the end of the festival in the Town Hall.
For more information about what's on in Manchester and the surrounding towns in the M postcode, including Sale and Salford, check out City Visitor. |
