Things to do this November

The nights may be drawing in as autumn gives way to winter, but there’s plenty of things to do in and around Oxford Road.

While The Lion King continues its reign at The Palace, there are some interesting theatre options elsewhere with another packed month at Contact starting with Hot In Here. Developed from conversations with climate activists across the globe, Hot In Here uses dance, real-life stories, spoken word, music and an energy-harvesting dancefloor to highlight the climate crisis. We’re expecting big this at HOME this month as acclaimed writer Vinay Patel reimagines Chekhov’s bittersweet play, The Cherry Orchard, for 2022 and beyond, in a world première production directed by James Macdonald.

Discover The Pankhurst archive in a new National Lottery Heritage Funded project, Rooms of Our Own in the Manchester Histories Hub at Central Library. Artist, maker, educator and climate activist Brigitte Jurack’s largest solo show to date, Fieldnotes, continues at HOME, where you can also find this year’s Manchester Animation Festival. SODA’s Modal Gallery are showing the second part of their Slip.Stream.Slip exhibition and Manchester Art Fair returns to Manchester Central with a curated mix of acclaimed galleries and independent artists for a uniquely Northern art-buying experience.

Julia Jacklin is playing at The Ritz in what is yet another superb month for gigs with other standouts including Max Cooper, Zeal & Andor, SOHN and Widowspeak. Our classical pick up the month is at RNCM, where, following a year-long residency with RNCM PRiSM, American composer, performer, and scholar of experimental music George Lewis presents the world première of a revolutionary piece of live music.

There are some great literary things to do this month. Manchester Literature Festival host an in-conversation with Maggie O’Farrell, there are launches at Manchester Poetry Library and Creative Manchester speak to Stephen Morris, founder member of Joy Division and New Order.

Finally, there are a couple of exciting new food and drink openings. CAFF at First Street is a no-nonsense butty kiosk that’s already reporting sell-out days, and Loaf is finally opening their new Oxford Street shop and it looks incredible.

So many things to do this November, here are some of our top picks…

Food & Drink

CAFF at First Street
CAFF

The team behind the award-winning street food venue GRUB have brought CAFF to First Street, promising ‘no messing brekkies and butties’.

Tahi Eggs Benedict
Tahi

Tahi is the first restaurant of its kind in Manchester, bringing a myriad of flavours direct from New Zealand to the city. A must-visit culinary destination on Oxford Road.

A glass of beer at Bundobust Brewery
Bundobust Brewery

Bundobust Brewery in the St James Building on Oxford Street is the latest, and arguably the best addition to the ever-growing Bundobust chain.

SEESAW

Found within the SEESAW arts hub and creative workspace, the SEESAW Café is one of the best coffee shops in Manchester.

photo of roof terrace at big hands
Big Hands

Big Hands at the South end of Oxford Road may be small, but it comes with added rock n’ roll swagger, a great atmosphere and a lovely roof garden.

Society Manchester

Society Manchester is a glorious indoor and outdoor space in the very heart of the city, with several street food vendors to choose from and a range of high-quality drinks.

More Things to Do

exhibition At Home with the Pankhurst Family
The Pankhurst Centre | 29 August 2021 – 31 August 2025

The transformation of the Pankhurst Centre exhibition space is incredible thanks to its new permanent exhibition, At Home with the Pankhurst Family.

exhibition Open House
The Whitworth | 26 November 2021 – 10 December 2022

Wallpapers began arriving at the Whitworth in 1967, this exhibition delves into the galley’s collection of around 10,000 examples.

exhibition Exchanges
The Whitworth | 19 February 2022 – 10 February 2023

Exchanges sets art and artist together, sometimes in harmony, sometimes in opposition – always with insight and intention.

families Fairy Tales
Z-arts | 5 April 2022 – 15 April 2023

Fairy Tales is Z-arts latest exhibition, an interactive world of play and storytelling for children up to 8-years old and their grown-ups.

exhibition Venessa Scott
HOME | 1 October – 20 November 2022

Venessa Scott presents a new exhibition exploring impact and legacy through a collection of paintings and colour moments inspired by nature.

exhibition Rooms of Our Own
Manchester Central Library | 11 October 2022 – 3 January 2023

Rooms of Our Own is an exhibition at Central Library, part of a project to reveal the hidden ‘herstory’ of the Pankhurst Centre.

exhibition Slip.Stream.Slip Part 2
Modal Gallery | 13 October – 16 December 2022

Slip.Stream.Slip Part 2 looks at game engine culture and the shift toward gamification as a model for understanding our lived experiences.

exhibition Althea McNish: Colour is Mine
The Whitworth | 21 October 2022 – 23 April 2023

The Whitworth presents the first major retrospective of Althea McNish, one of the UK’s most influential and innovative textile designers and the first designer of Caribbean descent to achieve international recognition.

theatre Disney’s The Lion King
Palace Theatre | 27 October 2022 – 11 March 2023

Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains and to the evocative rhythms of Africa, Disney’s multi-award-winning musical is a unique theatrical experience you can experience at Manchester’s Palace Theatre.

exhibition Brigitte Jurack: Fieldnotes
HOME | 29 October 2022 – 29 January 2023

Artist and climate activist Brigitte Jurack’s largest solo show to date, bringing together works produced in the UK, Spain and India.

exhibition Nina Chua and Daniel Silver
Castlefield Gallery | 30 October 2022 – 29 January 2023

A lively and exuberant exhibition of the work of Nina Chua and Daniel Silver, part of Castlefield Gallery’s ongoing series of two person shows.

theatre The Cherry Orchard
HOME | 2 – 19 November 2022

Vinay Patel reimagines Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard for 2022 and beyond, in a world premiere production directed by James Macdonald.

theatre Lava Elastic
Contact | 11 November 2022

Lava Elastic is the UK’s first openly neurodiverse performance night, known for hilarious line-ups and zero-tolerance on hecklers.

heritage Festive Winter Fair
Victoria Baths | 12 – 13 November 2022

At Victoria Bath’s Festive Winter Fair explore specially-selected stalls selling a variety of handmade artwork, jewellery, ceramics and food.

music Fontaines D.C. DJ Set
YES | 12 November 2022

Between sold-out shows at Victoria Warehouse, Fontaines D.C. are stopping by YES for a late-night DJ set. This’ll be a big one.

festival Manchester Animation Festival 2022
HOME | 13 – 18 November 2022

Manchester Animation Festival is the UK’s largest Animation Festival celebrating all things animation each November.

music SOHN
o2 Ritz Manchester | 15 November 2022

British producer and songwriter SOHN returns after a four-year absence and will be stopping by The Ritz here in Manchester in November.

theatre Demi Nandhra: The Trauma Show
Contact | 15 November 2022

The Trauma Show explores the impacts of adverse childhoods, making a show and dance out of it, mourning our little selves, ‘therapise’ culture and how TikTok can heal us all.

activity Soundwalking: Designing and Incorporating Sound into Urban Design
School of Digital Arts (SODA) | 16 November 2022

A workshop and soundwalk around the Man Met campus and Oxford Road to learn more about the impact of design on local sound environments.

literature In Conversation with Julie Hesmondhalgh
Contact | 17 November 2022

Join award-winning actor Julie Hesmondhalgh at Contact and hear about her career as well as insights and advice on a range of topics.

music Abel Selaocoe & The Bantu Ensemble
Royal Northern College of Music | 18 November 2022

South African cellist Abel Selaocoe is an alumnus and Honorary Associate Artist at RNCM and stops by as part of his debut album tour.

music Wet Leg
o2 Ritz Manchester | 19 November 2022

One of the biggest breakthrough acts of 2021 were Isle of Wight duo Wet Leg, catch them at The Ritz this month.

music The Hallé – Winter Classics
The Bridgewater Hall | 19 November 2022

Sleigh bells, snowflakes and the Northern Lights alongside The Nutcracker and Vivaldi’s dramatic Winter from The Four Seasons

music Ezra Furman
O2 Ritz Manchester | 21 November 2022

Ezra Furman has amassed an arsenal of much-loved music and is back in Manchester with brand new material.

music Half Moon: Daytime Deewane
Contact | 22 – 24 November 2022

An exhilarating gig theatre adventure inspired by the daytime raves of 1990s British Asian culture.

music Widowspeak
YES | 22 November 2022

American indie rock band Widowspeak visit Manchester from Brooklyn this November in support of acclaimed album, The Jacket.

theatre Scottee: Class
HOME | 23 November 2022

Award-winning artist Scottee uncovers what it is to be embarrassed about where you’re from, how you can pretend to be posher than you are and why you should never answer the door.

literature Resurrection of a Black Man: Jenny Mitchell
Manchester Poetry Library | 24 November 2022

Join Manchester Poetry Libray in welcoming poet Jenny Mitchell, who will be reading from her new book Resurrection of a Black Man.

music The Hallé – Death and Transfiguration
The Bridgewater Hall | 24 November 2022

Young German, Clemens Schuldt makes his Bridgewater Hall debut alongside Mariam Batsashvili in an evening of Death and Transfiguration.

literature Maggie O’Farrell in Conversation
HOME | 24 November 2022

Kamila Shamsie hosts and in conversation with much-loved author Maggie O’Farrell as part of Manchester Literature Festival.

theatre Oppenheimer
Grosvenor East Theatre | 24 – 26 November 2022

Tom Morton-Smith’s Oppenheimer takes us into the heart of the Manhattan Project, revealing the personal cost of making history.

cinema Christmas Film Season
HOME | 25 November – 30 December 2022

HOME is offering up yet another cinematic selection box of festive favourites this Christmas – get together and enjoy them on the big screen

music George Lewis In Residence: World Première
Royal Northern College of Music | 25 November 2022

Experience the vanguard of music and technology in this exclusive world première from composer and professor George Lewis.

music Phoebe Green
YES | 26 November 2022

Alt-pop artist Phoebe Green makes a stop at YES on her first headline tour.

literature Forward Prizes
Contact | 28 November 2022

Join jury chair, celebrated novelist, columnist and activist Fatima Bhutto at Contact as she hosts the presentation of the UK and Ireland’s most coveted poetry prizes The Forward Prizes are an unmissable fixture on the literary calendar – a celebration for all who want to discover and enjoy the best contemporary poetry. All of the […]

See what’s on

Places to go

Modal Gallery at School of Digitial Arts
Modal Gallery

Modal Gallery at SODA is the place to experience cutting-edge, immersive digital artwork from local and international artists.

The Whitworth Gallery - Parkside
The Whitworth

A visually stunning art gallery located at the heart of Whitworth Park, with a collection containing around 55,000 items.

External shot of Elizabeth Gaskell's House
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

This beautifully restored Grade II listed villa was once home to Elizabeth Gaskell, one of the UK’s most important Victorian writers.

External shot of The Pankhurst Centre
The Pankhurst Centre

Discover the story of the suffragettes and learn about women’s activism, past and present, at the former home of Emmeline Pankhurst and her family.

Exterior HOME Theatre Arts Centre Manchester Oxford Road Corridor
HOME

Manchester’s multi-purpose hub of creativity and discovery, bringing together film, theatre, art, and some of the city’s best social spaces.

Exterior Manchester Poetry Library
Manchester Poetry Library

Explore over 10,000 books and recordings at the North West’s first public poetry library, a brand-new addition to Manchester’s literary scene.

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External shot of The Lass O' Gowrie one of the many pubs and bars on Oxford Road
Bars and Pubs on Oxford Road

Oxford Road is packed with a great range of bars and pubs where you can get your fill of cocktails, spirits and any other liquor you can think of. 

Food and Drink on Oxford Road

The food and drink in Manchester is some of the best in the UK with many of the finest offerings found here on the Oxford Road Corridor.

Image of sign outside of YES, one of the many student pubs and bars on oxford road
Student Pubs and Bars

With thousands of students arriving in Manchester each year, there’s no shortage of student pubs and bars around Oxford Road.