Sponsored

The best ‘Remarkable Neighbourhood’ cocktails and events across Manchester this month

The Manc's picks for the best of the best as Maker's Mark rallies together some of the city's much-loved bars and restaurants.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th August 2022

Manchester neighbourhoods have been welcoming some the city’s most-popular hospitality names for a series of entertainment events over the last couple of weeks.

In a bid to properly celebrate the launch of its ‘Remarkable Neighbourhood’ summer incentive, Kentucky handmade bourbon brand Maker’s Mark decided to rally together some of Manchester’s best-loved bars and restaurants to head across the city and serve up their take on the brand’s signature bourbon-based cocktail.

The series of Remarkable Neighbourhood events have been taking place all throughout August, and are founded on Maker’s principle to “make it remarkable”.

Not only that, but residents in sought-after city areas like the Northern Quarter, Ancoats, and Deansgate have also being getting stuck into themed cocktail masterclasses, live music nights, quizes, Kentucky food pairing events, and bar takeovers too.

But are you unsure what events are worth hitting up? And which are the best places to head on down to for a cocktail before August is out?

Here’s The Manc’s picks for the best of the best.

Cocktails

Especially for the Remarkable Neighbourhood cocktail trail, there’s a whole host of heavy-hitting names from the city’s hospitality scene serving up their own twist on the Gold Rush Cocktail – which, if you’re unfamiliar with it, is cocktail is made up of a base of Maker’s Mark very-own bourbon, citrus, and a honey syrup.

We’ve picked five of the top cocktails you need to try this month.

  1. Vietnamese Gold Rush – NAM
  2. The Marksmen – The Whiskey Jar
  3. The Golden Sour – Jimmy’s
  4. Honey Markhatten – Elnecot
  5. Gold Rush – Escape To Freight Island

You can find out the rest of the Manchester bars doing their own twist on the Gold Rush Cocktail this month here.

Events

While there has already been a wide range of Maker’s Mark-themed ‘Remarkable Neighbourhood’ events happening throughout the month – with tastings, cocktail masterclasses, live shows, and more all been entertaining city dwellers in recent weeks – there’s still time to get in on the action and catch the last few events before August is over.

Here’s our top three picks of the events still on the exciting lineup.

___

Maker’s Monday

Arcane

Monday 22 August

Maker’s Mark / Credit: Supplied

One of Manchester city centre’s most bold and eclectic cocktail bars, Arcane – which is just off the beaten track and tucked away in the basement of a Grade II-listed Victorian building on South King Street – is a champion of Maker’s Mark all year round, with the tipple often making its way into several of its classic and signature cocktails, but this month, the bar is hosting a special Maker’s Monday event dedicated to the beloved bourbon.

This could also be your chance to try out Arcane’s twist on the Gold Rush Cocktail before the Remarkable Neighbourhood series draws to a close.

Find out more information about Maker’s Monday at Arcane here.

___

Maker’s Mark Tasting & Wax Dipping

The Edinburgh Castle Ancoats

Tuesday 23 August

The Edinburgh Castle / Credit: Supplied

The Edinburgh Castle pub – which has stood in the heart of Ancoats since 1811 – is one of the area’s most popular hangouts, and is also much-loved for its extensive drinks and cocktail menu, with Maker’s Mark being a proud part of that.

That’s why the pub is hosting its own Maker’s Mark tasting and wax dipping event this month.

Don’t forget to try out The Edinburgh Castle’s take on the Gold Rush Cocktail for Remarkable Neighbourhood series too.

Find out more here.

___

Maker’s Mark x Escape To Freight Island Bank Holiday Warm-Up

Escape To Freight Island

Thursday 25 August

Escape To Freight Island / Credit: Supplied

Escape To Freight Island at Depot Mayfield has been going all-out for the Remarkable Neighbourhood events series throughout the month, with Maker’s Mark taking over the tropical urban space, the Plant Room, every Thursday with a special cocktail menu and food partnership with outdoor BBQ partner -Mayfield County Smokehouse. 

But there’s still one more event to go, and it’s set to properly round out the Remarkable Neighbourhood incentive in style with a huge party holiday party to kick-start the August bank holiday weekend.

Find out more about Maker’s Mark x Escape To Freight Island Bank Holiday Warm-Up here.

___

Featured Image – Supplied

Sponsored

Hit theatre production set at a house party to visit Manchester on UK tour

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Hit theatre production set at a house party to visit Manchester on UK tour

Alright then, 24 hour party people, we’ve found a theatre production you might like the sound of – it’s called The House Party, and it’s set in (you guessed it) a house party. 

This smash hit production by pioneering theatre company Headlong is set to land at HOME in March as part of the arts venue’s 2025 theatre season. 

It tells the tale of a wild 18th birthday party, where Christine is trying to pick up the pieces of her best friend, a newly-dumped Julie (who happens to be the birthday girl).

Themes of class, power and privilege are all explored with a raw intensity as the cast on stage plough through shots and dive head-first into a night that will change everything they know. 

The House Party, which has received glowing reviews from previous showings, is filled with ‘privilege, desire and destruction’. 

When it stops off in Manchester, its cast will include Bridgerton’s Sesley Hope as Christine, Synnøve Karlsen (Miss Austen, Last Night in Soho) as Julie, and Tom Lewis (Gentleman Jack, Patience) as Jon.

The ensemble of Frantic Assembly performers includes Ines Aresti, Oliver Baines, Cal Connor, Micah Corbin-Powell, Rachael Leonce, Jaheem Pinder and Jamie Randall.

The House Party is written by Laura Lomas and is a reimagining of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie for today’s generation.

It’s directed by Headlong’s artistic director Holly Race Roughan, who directed the Royal Shakespeare Company’s world premiere of David Edgar’s major new political play The New Real.

The House Party. Credit: Ikin Yum
The House Party. Credit: Ikin Yum
The House Party will be at HOME. Credit: Supplied
The production will be at HOME. Credit: Supplied

Movement direction will come from Frantic Assembly’s Scott Graham. 

Prior to the UK tour of The House Party, Headlong celebrated its 50 year anniversary, including the hit production of A Raisin in the Sun which played nationwide. 

The House Party will be at HOME in Manchester between 25 and 29 March, 2025 – you can get your tickets HERE. 

Read more

Featured image: Supplied

Sponsored

Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff

If you’re not a handy person, when something breaks, the temptation is often to abandon or bin it straight away. 

But that’s just not how we’re gonna do it here in Greater Manchester any more, with the return of the annual Repair Week to help you learn valuable repair skills and save money at the same time. 

Whether it’s tinkering with your bicycle, fixing up your small tech items, or having your furniture re-varnished and upcycled, there are so many places and people who are on a mission to help you fall back in love with your belongings.

There are even workshops to help you put flat-pack furniture together. 

Taking place between 3 and 9 March, Repair Week will be the chance to learn skills, fix your stuff, gain repair confidence and find local fixers. 

Events throughout the week (and beyond) will be hosted by community groups, businesses and plenty more. 

You can sharpen knives, fix zips, and un-wobble chairs with a little hand from local repair heroes. 

JillyGDesign Jewellery in Heaton Moor will fix up your sentimental and special jewellery items, while Rag Revival will help you turn unusable textiles into new creations with basic sewing skills.

There are repair cafes popping up all over Greater Manchester where you can take your belongings. 

Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff
Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff
Greater Manchester’s annual Repair Week is back to make you fall back in love with your stuff. Credit: Supplied

Repair Week will highlight schemes like the Manchester Library of Things, where you can borrow the tools and equipment you need for those repair jobs at home. 

During the week you’ll also be able to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the incredible Renew Hub, the UK’s biggest reuse hub, where donated items are brought back to life. 

Similarly, you’ll be able to get inside the textile recycling centre run by homelessness charity Emmaus Bolton, where you can choose your own fabric from the scrap store and turn it into a very handy draught excluder to keep costs down and your heat in.

Recycle for Greater Manchester’s Repair Week will take place between 3 and 9 March, with workshops, events and resources to help you revive your belongings. 

Find out more HERE. 

Read more: Loads of legendary retro steam trains will be travelling through Greater Manchester next month

Featured image: Supplied

More Sponsored

Zouk chilli challenge world's hottest curry

Eats

The Manchester restaurant serving up the ‘world’s hottest curry’ for just a few days

Grammy-winning disco legend Purple Disco Machine is heading to Manchester for a huge gig

Audio

Grammy-winning disco legend Purple Disco Machine is heading to Manchester for a huge gig

Black Parade, a club night dedicated to 00s emo music, is heading back to Manchester

Audio

A club night dedicated to the emo anthems of your youth is heading to Manchester

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches