Contrary Life

Contrary Life is a website covering quirky events across the UK.

  • Home
  • About
  • Events by region
    • North East
    • North West
    • Yorkshire
    • East Midlands
    • West Midlands
    • East
    • London
    • South East
    • South West
    • Scotland
    • Northern Ireland
    • Wales
Home > Archives for Manchester events

Archives for Manchester events

Saddleworth Rushcart 2016 - Saddleworth Morris

Traditional custom with a unique cart and dancing in the street

The 44th annual Saddleworth Rushcart will take place on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th August, with processions, dancing and merriment…

The Bare Project - HOME Manchester - Theatre events 2018

Strange and imaginative theatre in Manchester

The Bare Project’s On the Outskirts Of A Large Event, a piece of theatre that promises to be as strange and bright as a lump of ice, will be on at HOME in Manchester from 21st to 24th February…

Handmade Parade - Valentine's Day events 2018 - Yorkshire

An alternative guide to a quirky Valentine’s Day in the UK

Contrary Life is back again with An Alternative Guide to Valentine’s Day. We’ve dug out some great quirky events taking place in the UK this year…

20 Minutes of Action, Nwando Ebizie - PUSH festival 2018 - HOME Manchester

A celebration of creative talent in the North West with PUSH

This year’s PUSH festival takes place from Friday 12th to Saturday 27th January at Manchester’s HOME, showcasing creative talent from the north west, with performances, screenings, exhibitions and workshops…

Manchester Folk Train - Dr Butler's Hatstand Medicine Band

All aboard the festive folk train

Step aboard the Manchester to Hathersage train on Saturday 9th December, for a festive gig with a difference…

Axe Throwing - Whistle Punks

Give boredom the chop with some urban axe throwing

Fed up with the usual days and evenings out in the city? Then why not give Whistle Punks’ Urban Axe Throwing a whirl?

Borley Rectory - Grimmfest 2017

Cult classics and scary shorts at Grimmfest

Grimmfest 2017, Manchester’s film festival of new and classic horror, cult, fantasy and sci-fi movies, will take place from 5th to 8th October…

Saddleworth Rushcart 2016 - Saddleworth Morris

Dancing, gurning and merriment for the Saddleworth Rushcart

The traditional Saddleworth Rushcart ceremony will take place over the weekend of Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August, with dancing, gurning and merriment…

Castle Rock - Massive Owl

New and immersive theatre at Manchester’s Flare Festival

Flare17 is a five day celebration of new international theatre, taking place at venues across Manchester, from 4th to 8th July…

Manchester - Halloween - Dr Dees Curiosity Shop

Horror walks and animatronic spiders for Manchester’s Halloween in the City

Manchester city centre will undergo a spooky transformation this Halloween with huge cemetery gates, pumpkin lined streets and an animatronic giant spider…

Saddleworth Rushcart 2016 - Saddleworth Morris

The traditional Saddleworth Rushcart ceremony

The traditional Saddleworth Rushcart ceremony will take place over the weekend of Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st August, with dancing and merriment…

MOSI - Manchester After Hours - Hey! Manchester steam train tour

Take a steam train tour on the world’s oldest passenger railway in Manchester

All aboard for a musical Steam Train Tour of the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway at the Museum of Science & Industry on 12th May…

Parade - Hope Mill Theatre

Parade at Manchester’s new arts venue

Classic musical Parade, will run for three and a half weeks at Manchester’s newest arts venue, Hope Mill Theatre. Parade will run from Friday 13th May to Sunday 5th June…

Blists Hill Victorian Town - Egg dancing - Easter events

Twelve quirky events for Easter

Spring has sprung and Easter is approaching, so Contrary Life has put together a round-up of the best quirky Easter events taking place this year…

Run or Dye - 5k - UK

Brighten up your 5k with Run or Dye in Manchester

On Saturday 18th April 2015, take part in the world’s most colourful 5k with the Run or Dye event, in Manchester’s Platt Fields Park…

  • ⬅ Previous
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next ➡

Curiosity of the Week

Normanton Church, a waterside wonder
Normanton Church by Karen Cann

Welcome to a new year, and a new Curiosity of the Week! Our first curiosity of 2021 is a sunken church. It’s also one of the UK’s finest hidden gem tourist attractions…

Top Story

Drama from a toilet cubicle
Overflow, Bush Theatre steaming show

This month, UK audiences can enjoy a streamed performance of Overflow, a heart-wrenching show played out in a club toilet…

What are you looking for today?

  • Alternative Sport
  • Art
  • Cabaret and Circus
  • Cinema
  • Classes, Workshops & Talks
  • Club Night
  • Comedy
  • Dance
  • Exhibitions and Installations
  • Fairs and Markets
  • Festival
  • Food & Drink
  • Heritage and History
  • Interview
  • Literature
  • Museum
  • Music
  • Nature and Outdoors
  • Review
  • Science and Technology
  • Theatre
  • Walks and Tours

Sign up to our Newsletter

Copyright © 2021 · Contrary Life